Ace grinned as she moved back on the roof and watched the procession of people pour out of the house. Stupid Seed's, Poor unsuspecting seed's, you try so hard to protect him not even realizing he's already ours. Ace's grin widened as they pulled out of the drive and she flipped off the roof and landed with an unnatural grace onto the pavement below. She moved her wrist up to her mouth "Ace to command" "We read you Ace what's your situation." "Moving into phase 2. Warning to the boss. The seeds are moving quicker then planned, more determined then believed, move incentive 1 to new base advised." "Copy that Ace will tell the boss, Be careful don't agitate the target to much." "Copy that, I know what I'm doing, I've done this before, and I know the target's limits." Ace lowered her wrist and took out her lock picks and in seconds had the door open and stepped inside. "Aw how homie. Makes me sick." She said in disgust as she looked around the house Rinoa tried so hard to make a home for her friends. "Now if I'm right…and I'm never wrong. Squall's room is just over here…..ah ha here it is, I can hear him." She squatted down and took a small tube connected to a box out of her bag. "Nightie, night Squall. Sweet dreams." She said as she pushed the button and a hiss came from the tube as sleeping gas was filtered under the door and into Squall's room. Ace smiled in satisfaction when she heard the heavy thump of Squall's body hitting the floor. "Now time for phase 2" She pushed another button which sucked the gas back from the room into the little box then got up and opened the door. "Well, well Squall how long has it been since we've met like this?" She sighed with a smile "Let me think…..I think the last time was when you wouldn't behave and I had to teach you a lesson…Yes then that girl got in the way…" Ace frowned "But no matter she's been taken care of." She leaned down and gently ran her hand across Squall's face. "Soon it won't matter. You'll be back with us where you belong. No one here appreciates what you could be." Squall groaned and moved his head "Iliana?" he whispered. Ace's face darkened and she pulled Squall's unconscious body up from the floor and threw him against a wall. Squall let out a cry and slid still unconscious to the floor as Ace walked over and kicked him in the side. The sound of ribs cracking and breaking filled the air along with a scream of pain from Squall. Ace smiled again "Iliana is gone. There's only me now and soon you'll finally come to understand that…" She leaned down and once again smoothed her hand across his cheek. She leaned in and kissed his forehead smiling once again. "You just need to remember you're training. Then everything will be just fine." She got up and walked over to Squall's bed taking a microscopic machine and planting it under his headboard. "Until next time Squall." Ace said as she slipped from the room and out of the house.
Squall groaned and opened his eyes flinching as the over bright sun sent sharp pains zinging through his eyes. As his eyes adjusted he looked around and shook his head in disbelief as he looked out over a familiar terrain. "Great, how'd I get here?" He sighed as he stood and looked around the wasteland made of blood red sand. "Do you even remember where here is yet?" Squall sighed. "Don't you ever go away?" "Not really it's quite impossible for me to do so." "Why's that?" "You'll find out soon enough. Ace has found you again." "Ace…." Squall didn't know why but his insides froze and he became so terrified that he couldn't breath. "Why…..why am I feeling such fear? I don't even know who she is!" "You may not remember who she is yet…..but your body and subconscious remember." "What do you mean…..was it the mission?" "Yes….I'm sorry Squall but this is only the beginning….it only get's worse from here." "What do they want from me?" "I have to go…..She needs me…." "She who?" "Iliana….." Squall flinched as white hot pain shot through his side. "AH" what's going on Squall screamed again as the pain got so bad that he couldn't think. Squall fell to his knees as the world spun and began to fade until blackness encased him.
Squall awoke in a panic and tried to stand only to be brought to his knees clutching his side. Oh shit….What the hell happened to me…" He looked down and noticed that already a dark bruise was staining his side and he could feel the broken and cracked ribs. He looked around in confusion as to what could have done this but the last thing he remembered was taking off his shirt and getting ready to take a shower. "Ugh….I don't understand this…" (Ace has found you) echoed in his head. "Ace…Did Ace do this…" He staggered to his feet and winced leaning against the wall and trying to breathe through the pain. He heard the door open and shut and the murmuring voices of Rinoa and Zell talking. Shit I can't let them see me like this… Squall moved away from the wall and painfully pulled himself into the bathroom and shut the door. Sitting heavily down on the toilet he tried to collect his thoughts and figure out what had happened. He gave an aggravated sigh as nothing came to mind and he pulled open the medicine cabinet to get the gauze and wrapped his ribs. Great the one time I do need you you're AWOL. Figures…. He sighed as only silence greeted his inquiry. "I guess I'm on my own…"
Zell sighed as he pulled down some glasses and poured him and Rinoa something to drink. "Well that was an absolutely pointless search….Its like this girl popped out of and back into thin air…" Rinoa nodded and thankfully took the glass. "Thanks Zell…" Zell smiled and nodded as he sat down across from her. "This is so confusing…I don't understand any of this. Why would someone want to hurt Squall like this?" Rinoa looked at Zell as he shook his head "I have no idea Noa….I don't like this at ALL. Something is defiantly up. I wonder how Selfie, Quistis, and Irvine are doing." Rinoa nodded "I hope so to." They both looked up as Squall walked into the room. "Hey Squall..." Rinoa smiled as Squall nodded almost normally. "Are you feeling better?" Squall nodded once again and half smiled sending Rinoa's heart into a flutter and her face into a brilliant smile. Zell frowned as he noticed that Squall's movements were slower then normal and every time he moved the corners of his mouth twitched in pain. "You sure you're ok?" Zell asked. "I'm fine" Squall turned and smiled at his friends. It was the first smile they had seen grace his lips since the Mission and both felt their hearts drop because it was also the falsest smile they had ever seen. Squall turned and headed for the door as soon as he saw the looks on their faces and knew that they had seen right through it. "Squall….where are you going?" Rinoa asked. "None of your business." Was all she heard as he disappeared around the corner. "Great….That went well…" Was all Zell said as he turned and sighed as once again Rinoa was wearing the look of a crushed puppy. I hate it when she looks like that. Zell thought as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her in comfort.
Selfie sighed as she plopped down in a chair in Cid's office. "You can't tell me there's absolutely NOTHING! No clues! No information! How does someone just UP and Disappear!" Cid shook his head "I don't know…..not even Kiros could find anything out." Selfie groaned "This is gonna KILL Squall if he finds out…" Cid nodded "Which is why I think it's a good idea NOT to tell him about it. I agree with you on the fact that something weird is going on and it's defiantly revolving around Squall." Selfie nodded and sighed. "I wonder how Quistis and Irvine are doing." Cid scratched his chin in thought. "I wonder if it would help if I made a call. The new director owes me a favor." Selfie smiled and beamed. "I beat it would help!" Cid nodded as he walked over to the desk and picked up the phone. Selfie waited with a bated breath as she watched Cid's face as he talked to the director. She smiled widely as he smiled gratefully and said thank you and hung up. Cid looked over to her and smiled "He said he would tell them anything they needed to know." Selfie jumped into the air pumping up her fist. "Yea! That's great!" Cid nodded "We have the best agents in Garden on this case. It'll get solved in no time." Cid looked over and noticed a young girl slipping into the restricted Records Department. "Selfie…come with me" he said as he and Selfie slipped out and headed for the door.