Legacies: Chapter 20
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: You know it, I don't own FF8. But I do own this story.
The SeeDs waited below on the street, carefully loading up their weapons before they too joined their comrades on the skyline. However, they stopped dead in their tracks as the blinding light devoured the rooftops. Each of them flinched as a tremendous shockwave overtook them. Glass broke, shards flying everywhere.
Irvine backed away, sheltering Selphie, as the frozen car they hid behind shattered like crystal.
As the light and smoke dissipated, Rinoa shook her head, trying to clear it from the ringing sensation.
Quistis wavered back and forth, wobbling on her feet, "wh-what in Hyne's...n-name was that-t?"
"It was too much, that's what it was," Leona clutched at her temples, "oh my aching head..."
Gabe let out a harsh laugh, '...that was supposed to be weak?'
He could almost picture Siren shrugging, sorry.
He shook his head, 'don't worry, I'll reprimand you after my body stops shaking...in a few years.'
Zell and Squall slowly got to their feet, still shuddering.
"Was that...?" started Zell.
"Siren," nodded Gabe, "I'll explain later."
He looked down at the unconscious Illuminati. Gabe's lips turned up in a feral grin, he picked up the shroud with one hand, slapping him across the face with his other.
Zell winced, Squall simply blinked.
The Illuminati groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, "no...not you..."
Gabe slapped him again, "shut up...I'd like you to answer some questions."
The Shroud laughed, "and what on this screwed up planet makes you think I will do that?"
He narrowed his eyebrows, "tell me, Illuminati scum, did Greymalkin go easy on your friends? No? I can see from that frozen look on your face he didn't."
Zell was about to speak, but Squall put a hand on his shoulder. Dincht turned, and Leonhart shook his head. Zell nodded.
Gabe bought the man closer, glaring at him in the eye, "we share a few tricks, he and I. You wouldn't want to know what kind, would you?"
The Illuminati stammered a reply, "I-I can't...they'll...kill me..."
Gabe ignored the dripping sound he heard issuing from the shroud. Gabe sniffed, throwing him to the floor, and backing away. slightly.
"Don't ruin the shoes now," he quipped, "very well, you can answer my questions, or you can go to prison, where I promise you that you will not be treated so kindly."
The Illuminati spat at Gabe's feet, "what can you do? Alicia is all knowing! All powerful! You are nothing to her!"
Gabe raised an eyebrow.
"She will soon have what she seeks," continued the shroud, "and then you are all doomed."
He furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the Illuminati. The man's eyes had gone wide, his jaw slackened.
Gabe had just enough time to figure out what was happening, as his eyes widened in shock. He leapt away, pulling Squall and Zell with him, "GET BACK!"
The three tumbled to the ground, as a gust of green smoke issued forth from the Illuminati's mouth. The shroud hacked and sputtered, foaming at the mouth, muscles seizing, until he collapsed in a dead heap.
Zell coughed as he got up. Squall brushed himself off.
Gabe rose to his knees, rubbing his forehead, "dammit..."
Squall shook his head, "mind explaining?"
Gabe got to his feet, wearily replying, "poisoned gas, hollow tooth. You figure it out. Dead men tell no tales."
He cast a fire spell at the dead body, "don't need this crap spreading, who knows what other tricks they use the dead for?"
Squall nodded, "I don't like this...too many unanswered questions."
Zell cursed, "these guys are beginning to creep me out."
About half an hour after the first shot was fired, the authorities finally came to the scene. Huge lamps lit up the site with a sterile white glow.
Surprisingly enough, there were no civilian casualties to account for. In fact, there were no bodies at all, and precious few witnesses. This lead to some rather pointed questions. Upon checking out the shrouds on the rooftops, all anyone could find was a mass of ash and bits of black cloaks, which lead to even more pointed questions.
The SeeDs were sitting on a bench, drinking coffee, or whatever the black sludge in their cups was supposed to be, as the police officer Murdoch asked his question again. He was an experienced cop, with only a bit of a beer gut, entering his mid-forties, and his patience was wearing thin.
"Alright kids, I don't give a damn if you ARE SeeD" he said, "there are going to have to be more explanations than...'oh, the men in black were shooting at us.' This is the second accident today, what the Hell is going on?"
Squall stood up, staring the officer in the eye, "we don't have time for this."
The officer narrowed his eyes, "excuse me?"
"You heard me," he answered.
"Listen buddy," started Murdoch, "I don't care if you're the bloody president of Esthar-"
Gabe stood up as well, "I'm inclined to agree. Explaining would take too long. And the answer may be more disturbing than whatever your spin doctors decide to put on this case."
Fuming, the officer glared daggers at the two men.
The police had, at Gabe's suggestion, cleared away bystanders and traffic in a half mile radius, which was normal procedure anyway. Now he was making more demands, and accusations to boot.
"Okay pal," answered the disgruntled cop, "if you don't-"
Gabe took off his overcoat, unbuttoning his shirt, which drew a shocked response from several of those present.
Before anyone could reply, he drew a medallion from around his neck, handing it to the officer, "there's an inscription on the back of it, check it first and come back. I suggest you also check my friend's identification as well, as you've been neglecting to do."
Murdoch was about to protest, but the fire in Gabe's eyes made him acquiesce. The officer walked away.
Gabe turned, putting his coat back on, and sat down, examining his shotgun, "damn it, I'll have to repair this thing, can't shoot worth a damn now..."
Squall propped his foot on a slab of fallen concrete, leaning on it, "there's something we have to ask you."
Irvine glanced at Gabe sidelong, "care explaining what the heck that was?"
Gabe shrugged.
"And what was with Siren?" demanded Zell, "since when does SeeD give out GF's on loan?"
Rinoa blinked, "that blast? It was Siren?"
Squall nodded, "seems so."
They all turned, facing Gabe.
He raised an eyebrow, "Nida owed me a favor alright?"
"But what about the attack?" continued Zell.
Squall nodded, "I've never seen her do that before, how'd you get her to do that?"
The man grinned back at them, "I asked nicely..."
They were about to press for more information, when the officer came running back.
"Fine, it checks out," he answered, gesturing to Squall, "you're friend there really is a SeeD commander. And you...whatever you are, it's thrown up a hell of a lot of flags on our system, I didn't think they classified stuff that high anymore..."
The SeeDs raised their collective eyebrows at Gabe.
Murdoch shook his head, "I have no choice but to let you go."
As Gabe took the pendant back, the officer asked him, "seriously though, what happened?"
He shook his head, "honestly? I wish I knew."
"Great, what are we gonna tell the media? They'll eat this one up"
Gabe shrugged, "tell them some drunks started firing, and hit several gas lines. Unnamed authorities were on site to quell the problem."
Murdoch sniffed once, then grinned, "heh, you a spy or something?"
Gabe smiled back, "something...definitely something."
He nodded, "stay out of trouble."
"Right..."
Gabe stood up, facing the others, "shall we?"
Squall nodded, "let's."
Leona drew up next to Gabe, as the group began to walk to the cars.
"What happened here?" she asked.
She shook his head, gesturing to the various investigators cleaning up the wreckage of the scene. It would be days before the street was cleared of fallen concrete and debris...and weeks before the buildings could be repaired.
"Too many prying eyes and ears," he quipped, remembering what he had said once, not so long ago.
As he walked on, Gabe caught a glint out of the corner of his eye. He snapped his head around, turning to the source of the light.
Gabe's eyes widened as he caught site of it...
Irvine's head snapped up, as he heard Gabe shout and point. The SeeD took a quick glance, seeing what he was pointing to...it was an Illuminati, enshrouded in a black cloak, and holding a rifle...
It was a sniper, with his sights set on Rinoa...
SeeD's resident sorceress saw the red dot of light on her chest, looked up, and cursed...
Squall briefly heard screams and shouts. Then his mind was clear, he couldn't hear a thing, but he saw the bead of light on Rinoa, and moved, his heart pounding...
Irvine's hand reflexively reached for his weapon, loading it in a heartbeat. In another heartbeat, he had balanced the gun on his upraised left hand, squeezing the trigger with his right.
Only two heartbeats...
But that was all the time the Illuminati needed, and a shot rang out from his weapon, the bullet seemed to scream through the air, as if the wind could not bear to suffer the projectile. Slowly it exited the gun's shaft, mere seconds before Irvine's blast killed him in a haze of fire. The man screamed in pain as he died, falling in a smoldering heap from the rooftops...
And his bullet continued...streaking towards Rinoa...
Rinoa heard Gabe's shout of dismay, and a second later, the chatter of Irvine's weapon. Yet she knew it was too late, as she looked up to face the attack she'd never see. Time slowed, as if crawling by...but she new that time would soon catch up to her...
Time enough for Squall to step in front of her, time enough for him to spread his arms, preparing to take the blast.
Yet still, time crawled slowly by, and although she had not the ears to hear it, Rinoa let out a tortured scream...
Squall closed his eyes, ready for the bullet's embrace. What he wasn't ready for, however, was feeling a body slam against him...
He opened his eyes, slowly, wondering why he was alive. All too soon, he had his answer...
Quistis was wrapped in his arms, shuddering into his chest. She slowly looked up at him, a trickle of blood streaming from a corner of her mouth.
"Are...you...alright?" she asked.
Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Squall was screaming, his senses howling, yet all he could do was blink as he replied, "yes..."
Quistis nodded, "good..."
Then she went limp in his arms...
He slowly eased her down, cradling her in one arm, as he drew his other hand from behind her back. He distantly looked at his bloody hand. And then it finally hit him, with all the force of a load of bricks...it was her blood.
Quistis had taken the shot.
Then his SeeD instinct kicked in, and he realized it was worse...she wasn't breathing either...
Author's Note: Hmm...finally got to this part, yeah, it took a while. Moreover, the last sniping sequence may have taken a bit too long...oh well. Anyway, I will be developing the triangle a bit...hehe. Please bear with me as I do this, it's a new plot device for me. Anyway, I hope you've been enjoying this story, please send me a review or something (and try not to rag on me...okay? ). Uhm...additional note...I just finished writing the next chapter, but by the time you read this, I will have moved well beyond that. Uhm...the next chapter is a bit disturbing, as they have to get the bullet out...yeah...
