Sinner's Descent
Chapter Six-Severed And Tied
Seifer could feel a cool drop of sweat slip from his brow onto his cheek, and he reached a hand up absently to wipe it away. It was stiflingly hot in the room, and he desperately wanted to shed his coat, but he was told that Ansem would be there any moment. Shifting uneasily in his chair, he was left with no other option but to wait.
Gippal, for once, was absent from the meeting. Seifer was not happy with his progress on finding the lunatic mercenary, which was what brought him to the damn meeting in the first place. Swinging his leg, Seifer eyed the closed door wistfully. If only they would hurry up!
He looked up sharply from the stitching on his trench coat when the door opened. To his sheer displeasure, it was not Ansem who walked in. It was a strange looking woman dressed in dark shades and carrying a staff. When two others followed the strange woman, Seifer began sweating even more profusely. Had he known he would be outnumbered, he would have brought more men with him. Another, a man with a staff, joined the witch lady across the table from Seifer, followed by a man with a hook on his hand.
"Where's Ansem?" Seifer blurted, tossed into infinite unease by the three intimidating figures. The witch lady gave him a cool gaze, her rounded eyes flicking over his form disdainfully.
"He is not in attendance," she said, her voice condescending. Seifer gritted his teeth, fisting his hand in his lap under the table. He hated being talked to like a moron. He was leader of a fucking Alliance!
"I see that," he bit out angrily, glaring at the witch. "Why ain't he?"
"Why don't you shut your trap for a few moments," the man with the hook on his arm said calmly. He lifted the metal piece for further investigation in the light, and Seifer immediately shut up, perceiving the indirect threat quite clearly.
"Now, now, Hook, do not be so harsh," the man with the staff said softly, giving Hook a meaningful look. "Tell me, Seifer, is it? Yes, as I was saying, you are in contract with Ansem of catching and keeping lively the mercenary?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. Seifer nodded mutely, not sure where this was going.
"Hmm, as I thought, Jafar," the witch said, her voice an ever-constant mechanical drone. She gave Jafar a sideways glance. "Boy, you would do wise to break the contract. The mercenary is in league with Ansem," the witch said bluntly.
Seifer's eyes widened as a jolt of shock went through him. He had been double-sided by that bastard, Ansem! "What the fuck are you talking about? You mean to tell me that this...fucker was two-timin' me the whole way?" he demanded, standing up and shoving his chair back. He slammed his fist on the table, his face contorting in anger as he stared at the witch. He had been shelling out extra money for more Negotiators to find the bastard, and paying Ansem interest all the while!
Her voice and face remained blank as she gave him a curt nod. "Yes." After turning to Jafar, she nodded once again.
"You see," Jafar continued, his voice soft and lulling, "It seems that Ansem has been working behind the backs of many. We have come in his stead, without his knowledge, of course, to offer you a deal of our own," Jafar added, his voice silky as he fingered his staff with a fond look.
Seifer was drawn to the snake-like figures on the head of the staff, and he found the rest of the world fading away as he was entranced by the glowing eyes. What were these people saying? In fact, he couldn't even remember why he was here. And while he was at it, where was he?
"You will sever your contract with Ansem."
Who was that? Seifer shrugged. Whatever they wanted. "I'll sever the contract."
"You will let it be known that you have hired the mercenary, Sephiroth, to kill the leaders of both Underground and Gijitsu."
Why would Seifer do that? Who were the leaders of those things? And what were they? With another careless shrug, he nodded his head. Why not? "I will hire the mercenary to kill the leaders." As long as he could stare at the pretty snake longer...
"You will not speak of this mission or meeting to anyone."
Nope, he sure didn't plan on doing that. "I won't speak of the mission or meeting to anyone."
With a snap, he shook his head, some of his focus coming back. Sever his contract with Ansem. He had one? Apparently, if he had to sever it. Absently, he stood from his chair, completely forgetting the three seated across him. He had to sever that contract and then hire the mercenary. To kill...who were they again? Oh! The leaders of Underground and Gijitsu. Yep, those two. Or however many there were. With a sigh, he pushed the door open, stepping out into the lobby. He had a bunch of stuff to do.
Maleficent narrowed her eyes on Seifer's back as he nearly stumbled out of the office. He would not be broken easily, without much interference. And Jafar would know immediately and put a stop to it. Standing from her position next to said man, she nodded her head in approval.
"Impressive, Jafar. It is encouraging to see at least one being is taking action in this pitiful Alliance," she said, giving a nod to Hook as well. Jafar stroked his dark beard with a pleased look, settling back intohis chair and cradling his staff.
"I will inform the mercenary of our plan." With that, she was out the door as well, the cloak tied around her throat swishing through the door behind her.
Jafar emitted a pleased chuckle, turning to Hook. "It seems that employing the witch in our efforts payed off, hasn't it, Hook?"
Hook nodded his head, returning a lopsided smile. "Indeed it has, Jafar, my boy. Now, I'll be down below, working," Hook added, wagging his brows before disappearing as well.
"You know, Tidus, we really shouldn't be doing this. What if something happens? Aren't the people at war in these Sectors?" Yuna asked tentatively, feigning fear as she glanced about suspiciously.
Tidus shook his head, giving her a huge grin. "Nah, we hired some people to take care of that stuff. So Northside is good over here," he added, grabbing her hand and helping her over the fence. They were sneaking into the back of one of the antique stores in Sector One.
"What are we getting anyway?" Yuna asked, changing the subject as to not seem to interested. She mentally stored the hired information, her brain clicking instantly with possible scenarios.
"I just wanna show you something!" Tidus said, his voice gaining back some of it's excitement as they neared a large stand. He reached up on the top shelf and gingerly lifted something circular down, holding it out to Yuna.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at what he had displayed in front of her. She had heard of it somewhere in her schooling, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it at the moment.
"Oh, wow," she breathed, reaching out to touch it. It was shiny and polished on the surface, though she could see something frozen inside reflected on the outside. Idly, she wondered what the name of it was, running her finger over the smooth finishing on it.
"It's called Materia," Tidus informed her, as if reading her mind. She nodded silently. The name definitely sounded familiar. Tidus suddenly shoved it in her hands. "Go on, keep it! You seem to like it!" he explained, noticing the incredulous look on her face.
Yuna clenched her jaw, the overwhelming feeling of guilt coming back strongly as she closed her hands over the Materia. She despised this kind of work with all her being, but it was needed, to ensure the safety of the city.
"Thank you, Tidus," she said softly, reaching forward and giving him a quick hug. "It's beautiful," she added, planting a kiss on his cheek.
He smiled, a faint blush dusting his cheeks as he nodded. Leading her quietly back out the store, he helped her back over the fence, careful to keep her suspended in the air until her feet were planted firmly on the ground.
"Where do you think the people at the store got it?" Yuna asked, reaching for his hand as they strolled back down the streets of Sector One. Due to the Northside rule in these parts, there was no curfew, therefore it wouldn't be suspicious for a young couple to be walking down the streets so late at night.
"Eh, I dunno. Heard there used to be a lot of it around the caves back when the old Midgar was up," Tidus said carelessly, shrugging his broad shoulders and scratching his blond head. Yuna nodded, storing the information once again. "I suppose I should take you home, right? It is getting late," Tidus added, glancing up at the clock centered on one of the high towers. Yuna nodded, gripping his hand more tightly as he pulled her along.
She adored Tidus, but she knew her work had to come first, no matter what the personal business was. Besides, he had his ties to Northside already, and she hers to Gijitsu. There was little they could do to change that. Sighing, she followed him closely, smiling when he helped her step down from the curb. It was just too bad she wasn't going home. As much as she longed to keep the precious Materia, it needed to be turned in to Haschel.
Strife fingered the Mako slowly. His messanger, Zidane, had managed to secure a piece with his tail, something that generally surprised him. He had not known that Mako could even be touched by a human who wasn't infused without harm. Then again, that was probably why the boy had used his tail.
His brain couldn't even begin to comprehend the many situations the Mako brought. Sephiroth was likely involved. Either that, or there was a very strange coincidence. And it also meant that someone, besides himself, knew of the frozen Mako ponds in the cave. Judging from the many ponds being harvested, it was more than one person as well, according to Zidane's information.
Strife sighed, not sure how much more of this he could take. It seemed as if history were repeating itself, just not with the same circumstances. Fingering the Mako once again, he marveled at the feel against his bare fingers. He was immune to such forces as Mako, due to the fact that he was imbued with more of it than any mortal creature alive.
Setting the Mako down, he pondered what to do. To inform Haschel was a given. They had been working together, sort of, the past week or so, and it was only right that he do so. Sighing, he figured he might as well start somewhere, and he lifted his hand to reach for the phone.
As the loud ringing startled him greatly, he nearly flopped over backward in his chair as he reached on his back for the absent Buster Sword. It was initial habit, though he hadn't carried the sword for years, and he found himself staring in shock, his heart beating rapidly, at the ringing phone. As it was only Haschel and Tifa that had the personal number, he picked it up warily.
"Strife."
After a few seconds of listening, Strife sighed heavily when Haschel's voice came into the ear piece.
"Afraid I've got some bad news, Strife, old pal," Haschel said gravely. Strife cocked an eyebrow. Either it was another of Haschel and Cid's fashion disaster ploys, or there really was bad news.
"Shoot," Strife said, leaning back in his chair.
"We're being hunted."
Strife took this in very slowly. Hunted? As there was only one mercenary with the abilities to hunt Alliance leaders,and Strife had a very accurate guess as to who the hunter was. "Sephiroth, huh?" he said dully, rubbing his forehead. Just what he needed. Another crazed man, wait... This was the same lunatic. The same crazed guy coming after him, only in different places.
"Pretty sure of it," Haschel replied nonchalantly, as if he received death threats every day. Which, Strife realized, he probably did. His own death threats were sent to Tifa instead, who found the most amusing ones to read at the weekly Alliance meeting.
"Then I guess I might as well tell you my little secret," Strife said heavily, launching into an explanation of the Mako his messanger had discovered. "Which means, according to your new info, that Sephiroth is behind it. Either that, or someone is a really smart little bastard," he added, immediately dismissing the idea. Nope, it was Sephiroth.
"Troubling, troubling," Haschel murmured. He paused for a moment, as if hesitating. "Could this have anything ot do with the book?" he asked.
"No doubt it does. Which means Sephiroth will want to come after it. I don't know how they found out about the pools. I discovered them myself not too long ago. About a month, in fact. It's dangerous stuff," Strife added darkly, his mind going back to the past.
"Yes, I know, I know," Haschel readily agreed. "I'll inform Cid, then. Take it easy, Strife. And beef up on security. Leonheart said your gaurds are pathetic," he added, hanging up before Strife had a chance to retort. It wasn't his fault if Kongol had to visit his homeland.
Tossing the phone back on it's cradle, he picked it up again, dialing Tifa's number. Action had to be taken immediately. Especially if he wanted to keep his life. Sephiroth might be nothing but a mercenary now, but Strife knew how his mind clicked. It would be no time at all before he was busting through the office.
Ah, so some of the secrets are unfolded! Oooh! Yay! I'm actually excited to write the next chapter! Whoot! It's too bad Tadpole is sick, though, and won't be able to edit for a few days. I should have two or three chapters done by then, though, so be patient, please! Review!