Enjoy, Chapter Twenty Four, Exotica.
Zack was jolted awake by a dull thud and a scrape. He brushed his bangs from his face, sitting up groggily and scratching his chin, which as of the night before, was clean-shaven. Flint sat
up violently in the cot next to him.
"What the hell? We aren't supposed to land until-" he was interrupted by a rapid knocking.
Zack went to the door, looking through the peephole.
It was Cid.
He opened the door and the man ran in, a rather frantic expression on his face.
"Okay, look. If anyone asks, the stolen property that's in the cargo hatch is yours, got it Zidaine? And Klaus is your hired body guard, you are rich merchants from- uh- Gongaga. You might
have to talk to the SOLDIERs, but as long as everyone stays calm, we don't got nuttin' tuh worry 'bout."
Cid said in a slightly panicked voice.
"SOLDIERs? You said-"
"SOLDIERs have intercepted our ship, and have a search warrant to make sure I ain't carrying fugitives-"
Zack and Flint looked at each other awkwardly.
"Uh, well, those 'fugitives' are right here." Zack said sheepishly.
If Cid's face could've gotten any paler, it did just then.
"WHAT THE HE- Aw screw it, jus' find a place tuh hide. I'll deal with you later, and make sure you don't get caught.
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Cid watched as Klaus heaved Axel onto his shoulders, giving a smile and a lazy two fingered salute, and running off with Zidaine. Those kids don' seem nuttin' like bloodthirsty fugitives. He
took a deep breath to calm himself, and made his way up to the deck where thirty or so SOLDIERs were filing on from the gangplank.
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They formed a tight square on the main deck, their feet moving in unison and stopped, rifles propped at their sides. One stepped forward, wearing a dark green uniform with a high collar.
He was a broad built man, but was rather fat. His heavy set face was intimidating, complete with slicked back hair, thick black beard and moustache.
"Who is the captain of this here ship?"
he rumbled, his voice sending shivers through the ranks. Cid came out, a cigarette hanging loosely on his lip.
"I am, and if you're lookin' for fugitives, their ain't none here." He growled.
The 'leader' crossed his arms.
"Unfortunately, I can't take your word for it, and I will conduct a search of your ship. Whether you cooperate or not, it is up to you." He said, watching Cid with dull brown eyes.
Cid shrugged carelessly, turning and walking towards the bridge.
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"Attention crew and passengers of Shiva. There will be a search conducted through all of the cabins and holds. I ask you to cooperate and remain unseen- I mean, sane- Um, yeah. The
ship will be searched through cabins first, and then holds."
Cid's voice rumbled over the loudspeaker. There was a dull click and then silence. Zack adjusted Cloud on his back, motioning Flint to follow him down the hall.
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Cid returned to the man as he began divvying up the SOLDIERs into parties.
"I thought-"
The man gazed at Cid coolly.
"This way, the search will much less time, and we can both get back to our lives hm?" He turned to his men.
"Alright, search the ship for the escaped fugitives. Whoever finds them first will get a hundred thousand gil. One of them is sick, and the other two are ex-SOLDIERs. Search the ship twice
over."
He ordered.
"Go."
The men nodded, "Yessir." they shouted in unison, splitting up with their groups, leaving to SOLDIERs behind, standing with their leader.
Cid turned around, wondering if he would have time to warn Klaus, Axel and Zidaine, but found himself looking down the barrel of a rifle.
"I'm afraid I can't let you leave Mr. Highwind." Cid turned around, letting a wisp of smoke leave his lips.
"A little hostile." He said with a smirk, extinguishing the cigarette with his calloused palm and crossing his arms.
"Don't call me Mr. Makes me feel old, and how'd you know my name anyhow?"
The man pulled out a long list. "We have orders from President Shinra to intercept any ship in these waters and search it. He has really taken an interest in these fugitives."
The man shrugged. "He's put a large bounty on their heads, no doubt they have something he wants."
Cid shrugged, gathering up mucus in his throat and expectorating quite an impressive loogey over Shiva's rail.
"Yeah well, he's a greedy ol' bastard ain't he."
The two guards that stood beside him stepped forward but were stopped by a subtle flick of his hand. "Everyone has a right to present their opinions, even if we know they're wrong."
He said quietly, looking out to sea.
"So, I know your name, but you don't have mine." He said, watching Cid with an interest.
"Sorry mister, but I really don't give a shit." Cid said, lighting a new cigarette. The man took the cigarette from Cid's hand with amazing speed and inhaled, blowing smoke through his
nose.
"It's Heidegger." He growled, throwing the cigarette over board.
Cid watched it go with dull eyes. He reached up to his pack, but if was empty.
"Damn. You wasted my last one you ass hole." He grumbled, and the SOLDIERs gave Heidegger a look, as if asking for permission.
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"Nothing here either." A voice said, inches away from where the three hid in the shadows of a cargo crate.
Zack took his chances, peering out to see a group of three, maybe four SOLDIERs standing in a a semi-circle. All of them were grunts.
"Um, you guys go ahead, I'm gonna do one more look around." A younger one said.
"Whatever." One of them said, and the others trouped up the stairs, mumblings of 'kiss ass' and 'Heidegger's pet' reaching Zack's ears as they went.
When the SOLDIER was sure they'd gone, he headed towards where Zack and the others were hiding.
"Now I won't have to split the reward with those idiots."
He could hear the boy mumbling with his advanced sense of hearing. He stopped directly in front of Zack.
"I know you're there, come out or I'll have to-"
Zack stood, wearing his most angelic smile.
The younger boy balked, his hand flying up to salute from habit but then falling limply to his side.
"Mr. Fair sir, where have you been? They sent searchers out or you-"
He paused, "Gaia! You aren't the fugitive are you?" he said, eyes widening.
Zack sighed. "I'm really sorry about this." He said quietly.
"Sorry abou- HEL- uhnn." He grunted as Zack smashed his head against the shelves with impressive force, causing a stack of skids to tip dangerously, and with a giant screech of metal
grinding concrete, come crashing down on top of him.
Zack quickly checked his pulse to make sure he was alive, then ran back into the shadows as footsteps trampled down the stairs.
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"Holy shit, he's out cold!" one of them exclaimed, dragging his comrades body from the rubble and checking his pulse.
"He'll be fine, but it looks like he did quite a number on his head. Damned idiot, snooping around the freighter's cargo hold. It's dangerous."
One SOLDIER took hold of his feet, while the other took his arms. "C'mon, all that's left is the interrogation, then we can have dinner back on our own ship."
"Interrogation?" The SOLDIER holding his feet nodded.
"Heidegger always makes 'em squeal. In a matter of time, that guy'll wish he'd never been born."
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Before Heidegger could speak, the SOLDIERs returned, carrying an unconscious man, deemed to have upset a pile of skids and had been knocked out. After reporting they'd found
nothing, Heidegger sighed, cracking his knuckles. "Well Mr. Highwind, unfortunately the President ordered me to do an interrogation of the Captains of each of the ships." He rumbled as
two SOLDIERs grabbed Cid's arms and tying them behind his back.
"And to attain the information by any means necessary."
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Zack waited anxiously in the shadows as he heard SOLDIERs scrambling around on the main deck.
"Here, take Cloud back to the cabin. Stay unseen, and for Gaia's sake, don't make any noise."
He helped Flint heave Cloud onto his back, who was looking rather pale at the moment, and climbed up on deck, unseen, hiding in a heavy, but luckily crate, looking through a large crack.
Cid was being led into his cabin, the door shut behind him and the billowing curtains drawn shut. "Cid, for Gaia's sake, please don't rat us out." He whispered, not really blaming him if he
did.
President Shinra was a cruel man, and Zack knew he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
An hour passed in silence, his breathing moist in the cramped box. There was a slamming door, and the SOLDIERs, along with Heidegger and his guards filed off the gangplank and
unattached it, setting sail back towards the coast of Costa Del Sol. Cid still remained to be seen.
After a considerable amount of time, when he was sure Heidegger's ship was out of sight, Zack cautiously opened the crate, shutting it and hurriedly walking over to Cid's quarters.
First of all, if you're wondering why I called this chapter Exotica, I had this stuff called bubble tea the other day, and it was really yummy, the flavor was Exotica, so yeahhh...
Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Poor Cid :(
Thanks for reading,
Lucifer