Stolen
Chapter 23 - Angels Fall First
Stolen
Chapter 23 - Angels Fall First
Squall...
The brunette looked up and around.
"Rinoa? Where are you?"
Squall... help me.
The SeeD kept running, his gunblade drawn.
"Where are you? I can't see you."
Over here... please, Squall, you have to hurry.
"I'm coming, Sweetheart. Just hold on..."
Squall...PLEASE!
Squall stopped, examining the rocky outcrops to the west of him; at their base were a set of fresh footprints leading the SeeD commander towards rocks. So intent on finding his rogue wife, he didn't see the scorched marks in the red dirt until the white-hot bars of the mystical cage flew up around him.
He pressed his hand against one of the bars, instinctively snapping his hand away from them as the sparks of energy shocked him.
From behind the rocks, a glowing white figure sauntered out; brilliant white wings extended out mockingly. The black hair and eyes of the angel nothing but a sickening joke played out to tease Hyne herself.
Smiling all the while, Rinoa walked slowly to the cage, blinking in slow motion as if to show disinterest.
"Squall...help me."
Lawson felt sorry for the boy. Stroking his hair as she would her crying son; The woman rocked him back and forth, trying to stop the young man's intense shaking.
It was worse this time. It had been an hour since she'd heard the scream and found him on the floor. In the past, she'd just assumed that he was in a waking dream, but then the screaming pierced the silence, followed by babbling.
It wasn't natural.
The boy had obviously seen things that no one his age should ever see.
But the things he spoke of made no sense whatsoever. His fevered babbling as he shook uncontrollably was almost prophetic. Six months ago, when he'd arrived, she remembered the first time she'd heard him.
He'd mumbled about Rinoa's demise. At the time, she'd passed it off as just his minds translation of the rumours that Rinoa had gone mad. But that hadn't explained why he recounted the events like he'd been standing right there. Since then, Lawson had been writing down every little thing Kaien said in his nightmare state, hoping that one day she could help the troubled boy change his fate.
But today was different. It was as if the weakened youth was fighting his future. Not wanting to believe what he was seeing. His shaking had become convulsing, leaving Lawson with a confused and fearful look on her face as Kaien bit his lip.
"Daddy..." The pained cry came, almost a scream ripped from his throat. The seizure stopped almost immediately, the lone tear sliding down his cheek going unnoticed by the brunette's carer.
"Master Kaien?" Lawson asked, tentatively as she approached the young man again.
"How long?" He asked weakly, pulling himself into a sitting position.
"An hour. Sir," She paused, looking the youth over a moment. "Are you okay?"
Kaien quickly stood, grabbing his bomber-jacket from the chair by the door.
"Sir?" Lawson asked; a confused look plastered on her pretty face.
"Please tell me you kept my bike."
Lawson nodded.
"I won't be home tonight, Lawson. So, don't worry about dinner. Go home and see your family. Tell the old fuddy-duddy the same."
"Where are you going?"
Smirking, the brunette turned to look at Lawson.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He grinned, walking from the room.
Green and grey eyes both snapped open in the dark simultaneously.
"She's awake."
The brunette nodded as they both sat up.
"She's furious."
"But only with me."
Green locked with grey before looking down at the sleeping man, his dark locks a mess on the makeshift pillow as he tossed lightly in the warm Galbadian air.
"He's a light sleeper."
Grey looked up, scanning the area for somewhere that would shield the greying man from the voices. He pointed to a tree not far from them, the blonde nodding. Both men moved towards it quietly.
"She'll come looking."
"She'll find us."
"If she has me, she'll have no need for you."
"Squall, listen to yourself..." Seifer began to complain before he was silenced with the brunette's lips against his own. Time stood still as their tongues wound around each other, hands quickly fisting in each other's hair. All too soon, the smaller man pulled back, leaving both men gasping for breath.
"Protect him, Seifer." He pleaded before heading back towards the castle.
"It iz only experimental."
"I don't care." The blood-covered man snapped, causing the short scientist to reel backward.
"If you die zere, you die here az vell."
"It's a small price to pay when you have nothing to live for, Doc. Do it."
The Doctor hovered over him, placing the mask over his face and injecting the bright purple serum into his arm. Switching the machine on, Odine quickly jumped away as the body on the table began to vanish.
The Ellone machine worked better than he ever imagined.
Before the man totally disappeared, his mind sped through all the memories of his late wife, and of the daughter he would never see live.
At least I'll see her again. Drew Carson thought before he vanished completely.