Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII. Square Enix owns it. I do not own anything. Do not sue me.
Authorial Notice: Thanks for the reviews guys! Chapter one was edited. I hope it sounds a little better than it did. Enjoy the new chapter! Fang's appearance! I'm not too confident in this chapter. It's slow but it'll get better once I get to the REAL plot!!
Jesus… explaining this next part took up a whole page.
There are a lot of things mentioned that you might not recognize, such as SWAT terms, acronyms, ect. I'll try to explain everything the best I can throughout the story, because it's goign to be used a lot. I want it to seem somewhat realistic. Here's a few notes:
*SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics
*Element/Gold: Element/Gold is the whole squad. Example: "Element [or Gold], fall in on me." It can be said either way.
*Blue: Blue is two defined members of the squad. Example: "Blue, check that door."
*Red: Red is two defined members of the squad. Example: "Red, check that door."
*BANG: A flash bang grenade is used to temporarily blind a target if they're looking in the direction of the grenade when it explodes. It can easily avoid blinding by looking in the opposite direction.
*CS Gas: CS is a grenade that, when it explodes, it releases a gas that causes eyes to water and difficulty breathing. There is no way to avoid its impact unless the target manages to run out of the room prior to explosion.
*STING: Sting Grenades pelt targets with rubber balls that disorient them. Can be avoided by getting behind cover.
*Optiwand: An Optiwand is a tiny camera attached to a small telescope in the shape of a long barrel gun. It has a flexible end that can be used to peer under doorways and around corners. It is used for stealth and is normally used to avoid going into a room without knowing what's behind the door.
*Breaching a room: This is a term used by SWAT members to enter a room quickly and surprising perps on the other side. There are two types of breaching weapons, C2 (an explosive with a detonator) or a breaching shotgun. The C2 can injure anything that is close to the door upon impact. Breaching shotguns are safer if there is a civilian on the other end.
Lost Then Found
Chapter Two
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination."
--Tommy Lasorda
XXXXXXXX
Lightning and Serah's Apartment
1200 Hours - Friday
Serah Farron danced around the kitchen to the beat of the radio as she cleaned. It was Friday, which meant it was time for her to clean. She mainly had to clean her own mess. Lightning was never home to cook anything. That morning before she left for work, she cooked Serah breakfast and prepared coffee, leaving it in the microwave as well as the dirty dishes in the sink for Serah to clean.
"Nice dancing," an exotic voice said behind her. She turned around to see Fang, Vanille, and Snow giggling at her. She turned a few shades of pink and cleared her throat.
Serah walked towards the radio and turned it down. "I locked the door. How did you get in?" She asked, slightly embarrassed.
Fang tilted her head and bent towards Serah slightly, "you told me where Light keeps the spare key, remember?" As she put her hands on her hips, she stared at Serah, a small smirk on her face. "Now, will you tell us why you're dancing around the kitchen like some kind of superstar?"
She giggled and bit her lip, slightly embarrassed. "I think I just had too much coffee!"
Vanille went to the refrigerator and pulled out a can of Fizzy soda. "You seem like you're in a good mood," the red haired girl said, plopping herself on the counter.
"I'm trying to get in a good mood. Lightning's a workaholic. I tried to ask her if we could spend a day together before the wedding but she said she 'worked', and it's ticking me off," Serah replied, causing Fang to scoff.
"Yeah. Last time I saw her was a week ago when she came into the store for some coffee on her lunch break, and it was a quick 'hello, how are you' then she was gone," Fang said as she sat down at the dining room table.
Snow joined her at the dining room table as Serah swept the dirt into a dustpan, throwing the contents into the trashcan. She tried to pull the trash bag out of the can but was unsuccessful. "Snow!"
"Already on it, honey," he said, pulling the trash bag out, taking it out the back.
Fang chuckled as she looked at Serah. "You've got him whipped," she said, causing Serah to smile and Vanille to laugh.
She was right. Serah did have him whipped. He tormented Lightning by calling her 'sis' but deep down, Serah knew she liked it, and him. She giggled at a past memory.
"What's so funny?" Vanille asked, staring at her.
"I'm remembering the time Lightning threatened Snow when we first got together. She said that if he hurt me, she'd throw him in the barbeque," Serah smiled.
When Serah and Snow first got together, Lightning did not approve. She said he was, in Lightning's words, 'a good for nothing bum who can't even support himself', as she put it. After a while, she got used to him being around.
"But she loves me now!" They heard Snow yell from the outside as the garbage can slammed shut.
"Are you ready for the wedding?" Vanille asked, ignoring Snow's comment, shaking Serah from her thoughts.
"Yes. I'm so excited," she said, voice soft, "You two are going to look so pretty in those dresses."
Fang let out a small chuckle and a sideways smile, "well at least she will," she gestured to Vanille.
"Oh get off it!" Snow started as he emerged from the backdoor, closing it behind him. "You're going to look great, Fang. Come to think of it, I've never seen you in a dress. And I, on the other hand, am going to look great in my tuxedo."
Ignored him, Fang looked towards the wife to be. "Is Lightning giving you away? Is she going to wear a dress? That would be quite a sight," Fang inquired, crossing her legs. 'A very good sight…'
"She's supposed to… I just hope she remembers. The wedding is on Monday and from what I know, she's working. I wanted to spend a day with her before the wedding but that's not happening. I swear to Eden, if she shows up in that damn uniform of hers I'm going to be so mad."
"She's so focused on Begum, I'm surprised she can even remember her name, let alone get dressed sometimes," Fang said. "She'll remember, Serah. It's the most important day of your life."
Serah looked down at her hands, which were folded on her lap. "But what if she doesn't remember?"
"Then I'll drag her there, kicking and screaming if I must. She might be a workaholic, but she is your sister. She'll be there. She's giving you away. It might even be the saddest day of her life."
"You know," Vanille chirped, "she works too much. She needs to relax!"
Snow laughed sadly, "yeah. That's not happening until she gets Begum." He looked around as his stomach grumbled at him as if saying 'feed me'. The others looked at him in surprise, "so uh… who wants lunch?"
"I'm a little hungry. As long as you cook–" Serah was interrupted by the singsong ring tone her phone was making. Her smile faded as she looked at who was calling. She handed it to Fang. "Tell her I'm busy."
Fang pushed the button and put Serah's phone to her ear. "Hello, sunshine!"
"Don't call me that," Lightning said forcefully.
"Okay, Claire."
Lightning huffed on the other end before getting to the point. "Where's Serah? I have to talk to her."
"She's cleaning," Fang said, looking at Serah who was sitting next to her and winked, "she'll call you back."
"I'll call her when I'm done. I have to go. Bye," Lightning said before a dial tone hit Fang's ear.
"Well that was rude," the dark haired woman said, staring at the phone. "You need to call her back," she said, handing the phone to Serah.
"I'll do it later."
To Serah, later meant never. If it was important, she knew Lightning would call back.
XXXXXXXX
Bodhum Security Building – SWAT Training Facility
1230 Hours – Friday
Lightning looked at her phone, closing it slowly. When she heard Fang answer Serah's phone, she felt goose bumps form over every square inch of her body. What was it about Fang that made her body react like that? Whenever Fang was around her, she felt nervous – almost intimidated. Something that was foreign to her. She didn't know what it was about Fang that caused the shield she had worked so hard to build around herself to nearly crumble.
As she looked down to place her cell phone in her pocket, she saw a member of her squad struggle to pick a lock.
Her team excelled in shooting targets, breaching, clearing a room, and everything in between, except for one simple thing.
Picking a lock.
"Are you serious? Come on! I might be with you on missions but I can't do everything for you! You can't always breach the room. That takes away the factor of surprising the fugitives!" She said from the catwalk, overlooking her team.
"God, she's a bitch…" Officer Olivia Radon said as she tried to maneuver the tumblers so she could open the lock through shaky hands, causing the other three officers to chuckle at her comment.
"Yeah, too concentrated on this Begum guy to have a heart," Officer Ulysses Maile said, causing the group to chuckle louder.
"She needs to relax," Officer Celia Bookmen finished.
"I heard that, guys," Lightning said sternly as she looked at her watch, halting their laughter. "Time's up, that's one minute." She leaned against railing and sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked back down at her team from the catwalk. "You need to practice more. I saw how you were shaking, Radon. You were nervous. That's a one-way ticket to getting the squad killed. You have to relax."
"It's not her fault," Officer Jacob Tremens mumbled.
"I don't think I heard you, Tremens," Lightning challenged. "Can you repeat that?"
"Nothing, ma'am…"
"Farron!" She heard the briefing officer call as she turned to see him walking towards her to her.
"Lieutenant Amodar," she greeted professionally, back straight.
"You're in drill. Get your squad to the scenario training. Meet me there in ten minutes. You're being scored again," he said as he walked past her to the scenario building.
"Come on, team. Grab two bangs, two CS, and two stingers, as well as two optiwands – one for each element. Make sure your primary and secondary weapons have the training ammo as well as your pepper ball and taser. Bring a breaching shotgun, as well. You have ten minutes. Move," she said as the four walked ahead to the scenario building to get their gear, which was only one building away.
Lightning was already in gear, as she knew she was going to be ranked that day.
She was exhausted. Her toned body was aching all over. Her head hurt from the hangover she woke up with from the night before.
She stretched her muscles and walked ahead to catch up with her squad.
Her mind went to the conversation Lieutenant Amodar and herself had that morning.
XXXXXX
Earlier In Training Facility
"Sir? You said you wanted to speak with me."
"It's about your vacation time. You have accumulated over two hundred hours. You need to take some time off, Farron. You're working yourself to death," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We're longtime friends, Sergeant. Listen to me as a friend, not a fellow officer."
She looked down, "I need to catch Begum."
"I know you do. Believe me," he started, "I want to grab the bastard as much as you do. But think of your sister. Think of how she must feel. The wedding is on Monday, right?" Lieutenant Amodar asked, causing the light honey pink haired Sergeant to nod slowly, causing the older man to smile, "my wife's excited. She hasn't stopped talking about the wedding since she found out. Hell, it took her weeks to pick out the dress she wanted to wear! Take this next week off, Lightning. If we find anything new on Begum, you'll be the first to know," he started, "after your scoring today, go home. Spend time with your sister and family before the wedding. I'm sure she misses you."
"But sir-" She tried to say but was interrupted by Amodar.
"Stop there, Sergeant. Don't argue with me. Get scored and go home. To your sister. And get some rest! You look like shit."
'Why does everyone keep telling me that?'
XXXXXXXX
She shook her head from the thoughts and readied her team. "Okay, guys. This is, as you know, a real time scenario. There are real targets ahead of us. They are fellow officers who, as you also know, have volunteered for this. Perps are in black vests and civilians are in green. Do not use your primary unless the target is either shooting at us or pointing his or her weapon at a hostage. You know the rest. We're going stealth."
She looked between her four members. "Tremens and Radon, you're squad red. Maile and Bookmen, you're blue. All of you are element. Fall in on me and get ready to move. Five shots to the body count as a kill. Remember that."
Lightning waited in anticipation for the ring of the bell, telling them the 'mission' was on.
Author's Notes: I struggled with this chapter quite a bit. I had to play some SWAT 4 to remember the procedures. I know it's not that good but, hey, what can you do? If you have any ideas, shoot me over a PM and I'll be more than happy to consider it.
Special thanks to Haruka-Chan 212 for her help in chapter one! She also helped me in this chapter too. If you haven't read her FFXIII stories yet, shame on you. You need to check out Wedding Date, and Unbreakable Bonds. Read it! I DEMAND IT!