The fishing trawler eased toward Dollet Harbor with a speed that mirrored the trepidation felt by her captain.
"I gotta tell ya, Mr. Peters," the captain muttered, calling Squall by the name that Laguna had provided, "I'm a little nervous about this. I've heard rumors about Galbadian soldiers moving into Dollet in preparation for a troop movement to somewhere."
"That means that there will be troop transports in port at the harbor," Squall reasoned. He turned to Laguna and waved him out onto the deck.
"What do you think?" Laguna asked.
Squall shrugged. "The last time I was on a mission in Dollet, I was the one on the troop transport, and we just busted right up onto Lapin Beach."
"Not an option this time," Laguna pointed out.
Squall nodded. "I would hazard a guess that our best bet will involve a short swim."
Laguna pursed his lips. "Wetsuits would be nice."
Squall shrugged. "We don't have that luxury. This is a fishing boat."
Laguna chuckled. "Nothing's easy with you, is it?"
Squall shook his head. "Never is."
The two men headed back inside. Laguna clapped the captain on the shoulder. "Let me put your mind at ease, pal. Drop anchor out here and set up for some fishing. We'll be out of your hair and off your boat in a few minutes."
"You're sure?" the captain asked, a concerned look on his face.
Squall nodded. "We'll be fine," he assured the captain. "Thanks for your help." He handed the man a 1,000-gil note and headed onto the deck with Laguna.
Laguna looked over the side of the boat at the clear blue water below. "At least we can't see any Fastitocalons," he observed.
Squall grabbed the shopping bag from where it lay on the deck. "Strip," he ordered.
Laguna looked at him. "What?"
Squall sighed, pulling off his jacket. "You don't think we'll be the slightest bit conspicuous walking through the streets of Dollet in soaking wet clothes? Strip them off. All the shopping bags in FH are waterproof." He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off over his head.
Laguna shook his head. "Never the easy way with you, son," he muttered as he followed Squall's lead.
Reed was a short, shifty-eyed slug of a man with no redeeming values and a mouth like a drunken sailor. He could be counted on to lie, cheat, steal, or do anything else he had to in order to stay out of the hands of authorities. He would mug his own mother for a drink, and would turn on his own brother to save his hide.
He was also the best source of street information on the entire Galbadian continent. Reed could find out anything you wanted to know-for a price. That price was usually more than most people were willing to spend.
On this occasion, the price Reed was asking was out of the question.
"I will not sleep with you!" Quistis cried, outraged.
Reed leered. "Afraid I might change your world, sweet thing?"
Quistis folded her arms across her chest. "Yes! One night with you, and I might swear off men forever."
Reed scowled as Zell chuckled behind his fist. "You know, you got a big mouth, bitch."
Zone took a step forward, but Zell was already there. Before Reed could blink, he found himself dangling two feet above the ground, staring into the grim visage of the tattooed blond man.
"And you need to learn some manners," Zell gritted. "Now, you have information for us?"
Reed shrugged. He'd been roughed up before. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."
"This isn't a game show, asshole," Zell pressed, slamming Reed's head against the wall. Ugly black flowers appeared in Reed's field of vision. He blinked a couple of times to clear his head.
"Nothing comes for free in this world, Spike," Reed smirked.
"I'm losing my patience," Zell muttered over his shoulder.
Quistis looked to Zone. Zone looked around the immediate area. The street was clear in both directions. He shrugged.
Zell grinned. "I was hoping you guys would be thinking what I was thinking." He shoved Reed into a side alley. The short man fell onto his back, and then scrambled to his feet. He yanked a stiletto from a sheath on his belt, and Zell kicked it out of his hand. Reed turned to run, but Zell lashed out with his leg again, kicking the back of his knee and dropping him to the pavement. Zell dropped a knee onto Reed's back, and the short man cried out in pain.
"Let me put this to you another way, asswipe," Zell whispered in his ear. "We want the info you've got for us. We considered paying you. Now, I'm debating whether or not you walk out of this alley under your own power."
Reed whimpered.
"So, what's it going to be?" Zell pressed, leaning down on Reed's back a little harder.
"It's in my back pocket!" Reed bleated.
Zell reached down and snatched the notebook from Reed's back pocket. "Thanks, pal." He stood, releasing Reed, and headed back to the street.
Reed started to get up, then felt the handle of his stiletto. He grinned evilly as he picked up the weapon from where it lay and got to his feet.
Zell heard the rapid footsteps and swung around in time to narrowly avoid the slash of Reed's stiletto. He leaned back, and the blade whipped past his face. Reed was thrown off-balance, and Zell took advantage of his momentum, slamming his head into the wall. Reed collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Zell shook his head. "That's gonna leave a mark," he commented to Quistis as he walked out of the alley.
Squall sat down on a rock to pull on his boots as Laguna rummaged through the bag for his jacket. "That was...refreshing," he commented.
Squall pulled on his second boot and stood, picking up his jacket from where he had placed it on a nearby rock. "We'd better head in so that we can get to a rental place before they close."
Laguna shook out the bags and rolled them up, stuffing them into the inside pocket of his jacket. Squall stared at him.
Laguna rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hey, man, don't litter."
Squall rolled his eyes and turned toward Dollet.
Quistis looked over the list of names that were scrawled inside Reed's notebook. "These don't match any of the names in our listings," she declared.
Zell nodded. "I don't recognize any of them either. So, what's the plan?"
"Zone and I will stay here and search the town in case this guy's doubled back on his way to wherever the hell he came from. You go back to Balamb and see if you can find anything with these new names," Quistis explained. Zone watched in a daze as Quistis and Zell walked up to the ticket counter and purchased a ticket back to Balamb. He was going to be a part of the action. He was going to make a difference.
He was going to be alone with Quistis.
Zone felt his stomach churn again.
Reed clutched his throbbing head as he got to his feet. His ears were still ringing, and he was dizzy as hell.
"Rat bastard," Reed groaned. "When I catch that son of a bitch, I'm gonna..."
Reed's rantings were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on pavement behind him. He turned around just in time to feel the sharp jolt of a long, slender blade being inserted into his chest, just below his ribcage. He fell to the ground, gasping for air as blood filled his lungs. The footsteps faded back into the night, and Reed contemplated what a pile of shit he had made of his life as he slowly drowned on his own fluids.
"Hyne," Squall muttered.
"The captain was right," Laguna whispered from his right.
The town of Dollet, once peaceful, had again become a hive of military activity. Troop transports filled the harbor, military vehicles were parked along the streets, and Galbadian soldiers marched through the avenues of the town with an air of dominion.
Squall dropped down behind the rocks and pondered his next move.
"It's almost sunset," he said. "We'll head into the town and hole up somewhere until dark, then make a beeline for the rental place just as soon as the sun goes down."
Laguna nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Let's go."
The two men made their way down the rocky path to the outskirts of the town. Squall and Laguna climbed the stairs from Lapin Beach to the street level, crouched low. Squall peered around the corner, and then motioned Laguna to follow. They crept up the street, past the home of the local artisan, toward the pub.
The crowd was just beginning to gather inside the pub as Squall and Laguna approached. Squall tapped Laguna on the arm. "This is perfect. We can hide in here until it's dark. There's a big enough crowd. We can blend in."
Laguna chuckled. "I doubt that. I don't think we fit in anywhere."
Squall ignored him and headed into the pub.
Quistis watched as Zone walked out of the shop, head hung in defeat.
"We've checked the hotel, the shops, and the bar, and still no sign of any of these guys," Zone complained, tapping the sheet with his hand.
Quistis shrugged. "We'll just have to try some other places."
They headed back upstairs. Zone watched Quistis' tall, slender figure as she climbed the steps to street level. His heart turned a back flip as he caught a tiny glimpse of her calf from beneath the folds of her skirt.
"Um, Quistis?" he began weakly.
"Yes, Zone," she replied, turning to face him as she reached the top of the stairs.
Zone felt his face grow hotter, and his mouth didn't want to cooperate with his brain. "It's...um, well, I mean...it's after dark. Isn't it kind of...dangerous to still be out looking?"
Quistis put a hand on her hip. "I don't think so. During the Second Sorceress War were had to do half of our missions at night. You learn to adjust."
"Oh, OK...I was just...I wasn't sure, that's all," Zone stammered. He reached the top of the stairs, and Quistis let him walk ahead of her, a look of quiet amusement on her face.
Rinoa went to the record player and switched it on. Caraway saw her out of the corner of his eye and spoke.
"Please, Rinoa. Not right now."
Rinoa sighed. "I really want to understand. I want to understand what happened to my mother-who she was, before the accident. Before you. Surely, you must know something."
Caraway slammed his glass down onto his desk. Rinoa stared him down as he glared up at her. "You are infuriating!" he bellowed. "All this talk about your mother...I'm trying to rebuild our country, and you want to wallow in the past!"
Rinoa felt the tears forming, and forced them back. Caraway picked up his laptop and stormed across the room to the door. He turned to give Rinoa one last glaring look before walking out and slamming the door.
Rinoa sadly turned back to the record player and put the needle down on that same, worn groove.
"Darling, so share with me...your dreams if you have enough..."
"...Your tears if you're holding back, or pain if that's what it is..."
The song played on the jukebox like some kind of sadistic joke. He and Rinoa had danced to this song. Every aspect of it reminded him of her.
He prayed that she was all right.
He looked over and saw Laguna staring into his drink.
"Tell me about her," Squall asked.
Laguna looked up at him. "Hm? Oh, Julia?" Laguna's face melted into a goofy smile. "Aw, she was the greatest. She had beautiful hands that could play songs on a piano that sounded like the choirs of angels. Her voice was so sweet, it must have come as a gift from Hyne." Laguna's face slowly fell. "When I had heard that she had been killed in that accident, all I could think was, 'I hope she'd been happy.' What a mess."
Laguna shook his head. "What a loss."
Squall sipped his drink and nodded.
The streetlights of Timber were few and far between, Quistis observed. She mentioned this to Zone, who shrugged.
"We've been trying to get the town council to put in more of them, but you know how it is trying to get a good idea past a government, right?" he replied.
Quistis was about to reply when a shadow flickered against the wall behind Zone. She cried out a warning, and Zone dove to the ground, rolling out of the way.
The attacker charged forward, headed for Quistis, who was struggling with her whip. The Save the Queen was caught on a snag in her belt. The shadow was almost on top of her when Zone appeared behind him, slamming all of his weight into the mysterious assailant. The two of them toppled onto the asphalt, and Quistis waited for an opportunity to strike. She didn't want to hit Zone by accident.
There was a cry of pain, and the shadows separated. Quistis lunged for the mysterious attacker, but he pushed her aside, slamming her against the wall as he made his escape.
Quistis climbed slowly to her feet with a groan. Zone was on his hands and knees, trying to get up, when he suddenly clasped one hand over his abdomen and collapsed. Quistis hurried to his side and helped him up. Her hand came away slick and warm, and she peered into the dim light.
"You've been cut!" she exclaimed.
Zone gritted his teeth. "It's not that bad," he lied. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his knees began to give out. Quistis held him up and slung one of his arms over her shoulder.
"I'm taking you out of here. We'll find someplace to hole up until morning," she told him. Together, they made their way to the safety of the Timber Hotel.
Laguna slung his arm over Squall's shoulder and belted out yet another verse of "Ballad of the Drunken Wendigo" into his son's ear. Squall flinched as he guided Laguna down a side alley, away from the revelry and merriment of the pub.
"We're clear," Squall whispered.
Laguna straightened, brushing himself off. "Ecch," he muttered. "I hate the smell of cigars. It'll take weeks to wash the smell out."
Squall shook his head. Laguna furrowed his brow questioningly. "What?"
"For a president and ex-soldier, you sure can be prissy sometimes," Squall replied.
"Hey!" Laguna protested, but Squall waved him off.
"So, what's the plan?"
"We head to the car rental office and use this old military ID," Laguna answered. "It's almost an antique by now, but it should still do the trick. Then, we head for Deling City and see if we can't find your girl."
Squall nodded, and they hurried down the street, keeping to the shadows.
Rinoa sighed as the record finally fell silent, leaving her alone in the dim light of her father's study. She gazed down at the lights of the city as she toyed with the ring that dangled from the chain at her neck. She caressed the familiar contours of the lion's head, and her heartstrings snapped. She fell to her knees and sobbed, her painful cries filling the room.
"Squall!" she wept. "It's not fair! I never got the chance to love you!"
As she cried, the images of her love filled her mind, refusing to be banished by will or despair.
Squall stood impassively by the entrance to the ballroom, resplendent in his SeeD uniform. She had never seen anyone so handsome.
She felt the icy coldness of space surround her, the bony fingers of death's hand surrounded her soul...and then, before her eyes was Squall. His eyes shone behind the glass faceplate of his space helmet, and she read her name on his lips.
She watched as the scientists placed her in the stasis chamber. The fog surrounded her, and she felt the heaviness of perpetual slumber engulf her. The sound of breaking glass awoke her moments, or perhaps hours, later, and there stood Squall, hacking away at the machine with a fierce determination that was only barely reflected by the firm set of his jaw and the fire in his eyes.
Squall stood on the balcony overlooking the Garden courtyard. The music from the band sailed through the air as she stepped out behind him. She watched him slowly turn around to face her, and his lips quirked into a smile that melted away all the doubt and fear in her heart.
The tears streamed down her cheeks, each one a testament to a memory now past, and fell to the floor, scattering like her broken dreams.
"Does it hurt much?"
"Not much anymore. Thank you."
Quistis smiled as she watched Zone settle himself more comfortably against the headboard of the bed. She gently pushed him forward and shoved a pillow behind his back. He settled against it with a sigh and a faint smile.
"Thank you," he grinned shyly.
Quistis shook her head. "I should be thanking you, I think," she replied. "If you hadn't been around tonight, I'd be lying in a gutter somewhere."
Zone shook his head. "Don't say that. You're a much better fighter than I am. I just...couldn't stand the idea of you getting hurt, is all."
Quistis smiled, sending goose bumps up Zone's arms. "You're too modest, Zone. I think that's how it happened."
Zone cocked his head to one side, quizzically. "How what happened?"
Quistis sat on the bed next to him. "How I failed to realize what a good man you really are."
Zone's stomach turned back flips. He tried to move aside, to give Quistis more room, but she set a hand upon his thigh. She felt him quiver, and she smiled more brightly. "Relax, Zone. I just want to thank you."
"I think you did that already," Zone replied, his voice trembling.
Quistis shook her head, purring softly in her throat. "I meant...properly." She moved in closer, and her lips brushed Zone's.
Zone felt as though his head would burst. His pulse pounded in his ears as he felt her hand caress his cheek. His lips parted, and the tip of her tongue poked forth, exploring his mouth. He hesitantly responded in kind, and their tongues intertwined. He felt, rather than heard, her second moan, and her hand slid around to the back of his head. She ran her fingers through his dark hair as their lips continued their passionate dance. Zone felt Quistis' fingertips as they traveled the length of his spine, stopping at the small of his back. She pulled him gently to him until they were entwined-head to toe, body and soul.
Quistis' pulled away from him for a moment and looked into his eyes. Her own eyes twinkled in the dim light of the bedside lamp. Her soft lips quirked upward in a coy smile. "Still in pain?" she asked.
Zone shook his head. "Not much," he whispered, fearing that his words might break the spell that this moment held.
Quistis giggled quietly and ran her fingertip down his jaw line, along his neck, and across his collar, coming to rest on the first button of his shirt. "Don't worry," she purred. "We'll go slowly."
"Why?"
Laguna looked over at his son as he drove along the dirt track that led to Deling City. "Why what?"
Squall turned to glare at him. "Why didn't you tell me?" he muttered.
Laguna sighed. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it."
"I changed my mind," Squall snapped back.
Laguna shook his head, checking in the rearview mirror for any sign of a tail. "I didn't know how to approach you. You said it yourself; you thought I was a fool. So, here I am, the bumbling fool who somehow stumbled into a presidency, trying to explain to the most heralded hero, the greatest warrior on the planet, that he sprang from my loins!"
The outburst of laughter from the passenger's seat caused Laguna to swerve off the road. When he righted the vehicle again, he looked over at Squall. "What the hell was that?"
Squall wiped tears from his eyes. "Well, that would have been one way of doing it," he chuckled.
Laguna smiled wryly. "I'm glad you think so."
Squall shook his head, sighing. "I've spent so much time wondering. I've wondered who my mother is, who my father is, where I was born. I've always wanted to meet my father."
"Well, here I am," Laguna announced, smiling winningly.
"Yes," Squall agreed. "Here you are." He rolled his eyes. "Guess I should have been careful what I wished for."
Laguna turned his attention back to the road in a huff, and Squall looked out at the passing countryside.
"I never understood how much a friend could mean, until you came along.
"When I first met you, I thought you were arrogant, slimy, and devious. I figured you'd do or say anything to have your way with me. Maybe you really were all of those things. Maybe everything you said to me, everything you did to help me, was a ploy to find a way into my bed. But, somewhere along the way, your words became more real. Your actions held meaning. You gave me reason to believe that you are a better man than you present to the world.
"That's why you can't leave yet. There is so much that I want to tell you-so much that I want to do with you. If you come back to me, we'll take that trip to FH that you've been hinting about. I'll even fish with you-if you promise to bait the hooks.
"I'll let you fly there, if you want. Then we can go to the Balamb Hotel and order anything on the menu, dance under the stars, make love all night long. We can do all these things. We can spend the rest of our lives together...but first you have to come back to me.
"Please, Irvine. Come back to me."
Selphie sighed and rubbed her bloodshot eyes. She leaned forward, and her warm, salt-stained lips touched Irvine's motionless ones. She held the kiss for a moment, willing what little strength she still possessed into him, and then sat back onto the cot. She turned off the lamp above the bed, and the room fell into darkness. The still shroud of the silent night was pierced only by the rhythmic beat of Irvine's monitor.
"I love you, Irvine Kinneas," Selphie whispered before closing her eyes and giving herself over to sleep.
