Obsession Kills
Chapter 7 - The secret's out
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters they belong to squaresoft and the song lyrics belong to the singer, producer, writer.
Author's Notes: This is a little complicated, all the pairings switch in the middle.
From Seifer’s p.o.v.
Obsession Kills
Chapter 7 - The secret's out
“Thanks.” I said as I brought a newspaper from a small corner shop. I brought it to stop Squall from getting too bored; I was just on my way to see him now at the hospital. Unfortunately I had bad news; I didn’t find his attackers I won’t give up though. I knew Zell would try something, I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. I know I’m a hypocrite as Quistis much better but I don’t really trust her either. How can you trust a silent, dangerous girl that had a habit of fading in and out of shadows like a ghost?
I won’t be able to meet her like I said I would but I hope she understands that I have to be there for Squall. Zell’s probably told her.
I walked in to the ward that he was in. My eyes ran over the room before resting on his bed. He was dozing lightly, half sitting up. I smiled and walked over, sitting beside the bed; I placed the paper on his lap. He jumped in his sleepy state, his eyes slowly opened and he looked over at me.
“Sorry to wake you. I brought you a paper.”
He smiled and struggled to sit up, I offered to help but he waved me away. Too independent for his own good.
“Thanks.” He replied as he opened his paper.
I leaned back in my chair as I tried to think of something to say.
“So has Zell been in to see you much?”
“No I’m quite glad. I don’t want him to know that I don’t remember him.”
“Memory still not good then?”
“No, have you seen either Zell or Quistis lately?”
“No. I’m sure Zell will show up sooner or later. He’s probably out looking for your attackers like I am.”
He frowned slightly at my comment and went back to his paper. He skimmed through the pages, until suddenly he froze, his eyes going wide with the paper lying limply in his lap.
“What is it?” I picked up the paper and read the article.
There was a picture of two guys that the police had been after for a while.
“I recognize one of them as my attacker.”
I looked up at him in shook.
“What does the paper say? What have they done now?”
I scanned the pages. There was photo of a nearby street. My mouth fell open; this article was about their death. Both of them had been snipered last night. The police suspect professionals.
I gave an ironic smirk. Professionals that’ll be about right, so much for vets.
“Who do you think did this?”
I looked up at Squall who was still in shock.
“I have a few ideas.”
He looked at me with a confused expression.
“There’s a few questions I need to ask your boyfriend.”
Squall glanced at the door. “Looks like you can ask him now.”
I turned to see the blonde, I closed the newspaper and folded it neatly.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” He asked Squall. The brunette glanced at me first before he answered Zell.
“Better than yesterday.”
“Sorry I had to leave so suddenly but I had something to do.”
“Hmm that’s been taken care of now has it?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“You’ve disposed of the problem have you?”
He frowned at me like I was insane. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Changing the subject, Squall’s attackers have been killed.”
“Really?” He didn’t sound at all shocked. He sounded more like I’d just told him it was going to be sunny tomorrow.
I opened the newspaper on the right page and gave him time to read it.
I narrowed my eyes wondering how many innocent people he had gunned down in the street. Of course I’ve hurt people even put them in hospital but I’ve never killed anyone. I know he wasn’t alone last night. Quistis was with him, I know she was. I knew that girl was dangerous. I should have figured it out sooner; her attitude fits perfectly with her job.
How can you get involved with someone like that without the risk of ending up on the end of a sniper rifle when they were done with you.
“That’s good though right?” Zell said snapping me out of my inner dialogue.
“What is?”
“That Squall’s attackers were killed.”
“That depends on your point of view.”
He looked puzzled by my comment.
“I know those guys were killers but what does that say about their murderers?”
“Look those people needed to die; prison would have been to good for them and besides they were professionals who wouldn’t have hesitated to kill one amateur detective.”
I glared at him. “I didn’t know you cared.” I sneered.
“I don’t but Quistis does.”
“What?”
“She’s the one who said that you would be in danger if we left the job to you.”
“So you admit it. You do realize that we bring in murderers every day, we’re not supposed to mingle with them.”
“I am not a murderer, it’s just business and I don’t mix my job with my personal life.”
“Really? What was last night then?”
“That was revenge.”
“Which has nothing to do with your job. That’s murder.”
The short, blonde gritted his teeth. I know pissing off an assassin isn’t very wise but I don’t think he would hurt me either for Squall’s sake or for Quistis’ sake.
Squall looked extremely confused. I’m not surprised everything’s a bit fucked up.
My ex-lover and best friend is dating an assassin whom he doesn’t remember, I’m totally against the relationship while I think I’m in lust with a female assassin who is hardly ever seen, stalks around in the shadows like a vampire and seems incapable of emotions.
Can things get more complicated?
“Why do you hate me so much Seifer? What about Quistis do you hate her?”
I kept quiet, not being sure of my feelings for the blonde girl yet.
“No, I didn’t think you would.”
I walked to the door and gestured for Zell to follow me.
“If you don’t hate her for being an assassin then why do you hate me?!”
I glared at him with gritted teeth.
“I can take care of myself but I don’t want Squall to get hurt!”
“You don’t still love him do you?”
“Yes but like a brother and if you hurt him I’ll kill you!”
“I’d like to see you try.”
I pushed past him and out of the hospital, not trusting myself to take him up on his offer. I’ve never taken a life but there’s always a first.
As I exited the hospital I viciously attacked a rubbish bin, kicking it with full force. My anger remained though it fuelled me on and I was glad Zell was no longer here or one of us would end up in the morgue.
It was still early but I didn’t care, I could really do with a drink right now.
I stalked to the nearest bar. As I entered I noticed the place was crawling with criminals and lowlifes. Many of them knew I was their enemy, they grinned and cracked their knuckles. If they wanted a fight I’d give them one. My fingers stroked the hilt of Hyperion as I shot angry glances at everyone in the room. I was at a big disadvantage of 17 to 1. At first I would have taken the lot of them but my anger was draining and if I ended up in hospital who would look after Squall? Zell? Over my dead body.
I drew my gunblade and backed out again but the mob was closing in on me. The barman looked worried.
“Hey I don’t want no trouble in here.” He shouted. “If you wanna fight, you go outside.”
One guy stepped out in front of the others. “Do you really think you can take us? It’s 17 to 1.”
“17 to 2!” Someone shouted and a small round object smashed through the window. I recognized the metallic sound as it bounced to the ground.
I bolted out of the bar and up the alley as the grenade exploded I leapt into a deep, concrete stairwell.
I folded my arms over my head until the deafening sound had faded. As I looked up I realized for the first time that someone was sharing my hiding place.
The figure was slim, dressed all in black; her blonde hair tied up in a bun upon her head. She turned to me with a small smirk.
“I think we won.”
I chuckled despite myself.
“Why were you in that bar? Do you have a death wish? Cause if you do I can help you with that.” Her face was dead pan but I think she was kidding.
“I needed a good fight. Your boy came to the hospital to see Squall and seemed determined to piss me off.”
“You mean Zell?”
I nodded.
“Going into bars starting fights, what happened to the law-abiding detective?”
I smiled. “I used to think it was the police, Feds and all the other good guys on one side and the murderers, drug dealers and other scum on the other. But now here I am sitting in a stairwell with an assassin who’s just killed 17 people to help me.”
“Things are never black and white.”
I noticed she had a black backpack that was clipped on around her waist. “Are you at work now?”
“Supposed to be but I think our researchers got it wrong.”
“Can’t find your guy?”
She shook her head.
“Tell me, I’m a detective.”
She raised an eyebrow “helping me now are you?”
I shrugged. “Finding people is my job.”
“Fine.” She nodded. She left the stair well and walked down the alley, I followed her in silence.
She stopped in front of a black BMW and unlocked it with one button, then disarmed the security system with another button.
“I didn’t think you would have an alarm, they don’t work you know.”
“Mine does.”
I gave her a puzzled glance.
She smirked and armed the system again.
“Touch it.” She said.
“What?”
“The car, touch it.”
I reached out and gingerly brushed my fingers along it. A small electric current sparked from the black paint and I pulled my hand back quickly.
“The car also has cameras in it so I can catch any thieves.”
I shook my head. “You’re like James Bond or something.”
She opened the door and grabbed a fleece from the back seat. She handed it to me.
“Give me your trench coat.”
I did as she said and pulled the fleece over my head.
“Get in.”
I got into the passenger seat and she handed me lots of bits of paper with names, addresses, and photos on. I sorted through them until I saw a photo of the guy we’ve been after for ages.
“You’re after this guy too?”
She nodded. “Everyone’s after him. But we want to get there before the police, feds, PIs etc.”
“But I am a PI.”
She shrugged. “Not today you aren’t.”
She leaned forward to open the glove compartment in front of me. “I know you don’t kill people but for today that may have to change.”
She handed me a small, black pistol equipped with a silencer.
“Do you know how to use this?”
“I’m not stupid. I do have a gunblade is this really necessary?” I fisted the gun to emphasise what I was talking about.
She frowned and gave me an impatient look like a teacher trying to instruct a student. She tapped the hilt of my gunblade.
“This may make a good show but it’s not the same as having a good reliable gun by your side.”
So I took the gun and attached it to my ankle as a back up weapon.
“Why are you doing this in the daylight anyway?”
She started the engine and pulled away just as a fire engine raced up to take care of the fire in the bar.
“Daylight is better. No one would suspect an assassin in broad daylight. People seem to think we only work at night like you did, and besides the bad guys are on guards during the night, during the day they put on their masks and go about their fake little lives.”
I sat there realizing that Miss Emotionless had done most of the talking and seemed more human in the daylight, I wondered if she was always like this with Zell. I decided to see how much she would tell me about herself.
“You got any family?” I asked
She glared at me.
She seemed to have fallen back into the role of Miss Bad ass. I wondered what had caused the change.
Did she not want me to get close to her?
Have I hit a nerve with that question?
“No but I did have once.”
I looked up in shock; I hadn’t expected her to answer.
“Oh. I’m an orphan so you were lucky to have them when you did.”
She flinched slightly.
“No you were the lucky one.”
I frowned. Something must have happened to her as a child, I wished she’d tell me.
We continued our journey to wherever in silence.