Redheaded Stranger

Chapter 25
Secret Conversations

The day started more productive and interesting than Squall could have hoped for. They had a visitor at the Garden that claimed to have information to link Mayor Travis to Odine, information that would land the man in prison for years. When Irvine brought the young woman into his office, she seemed nervous, but eager to give them what she had.

"Have a seat," he said to her. "Ms...?"

"Oh, Brooke Hillman," she answered shyly, shaking his extended hand before taking the offered seat.

"I've been told that you have some evidence that will help us. Is that correct?"

She stared openly at him, not speaking for a moment before she realized he had spoken to her. She took a deep breath and giggled a little with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's just that you're so famous. You're the savior of the world and.."

"I'm just a man, and I didn't do it all on my own, believe me. Please, tell me what you have." He was trying not to be outwardly rude, but he hated when people flaunted over about him being a damn savior. He was uncomfortable with the title and didn't want it, never had. She didn't seem to be bothered by his reaction and got down to business.

"I have some conversations recorded and some Gil transactions that Travis thought I destroyed for him as well," she said, digging in the duffel bag she had brought in with her. "Some of the recordings will be enough to land him in some serious trouble," she said, handing him a small disk. "They were planning an assassination attempt on President Loire." Squall was speechless, mulling over what she had just said as he took the disk from her hand. Without a word, he stuck the disk in the player on his desk and listened intently to the two men talking.

Odine, I'm tired of the wait. I belong in Esthar and you know it.

Ve must be patient. Zis vill take time.

I know, I know. I'm just fed up with playing nice with the bastard. Do you know how many times I've wanted to just strangle the man when I've been forced to be in his presence. He's too fucking soft! Esthar needs a strong leader, not that fool!

Calm yourself. I vill think of zomething.

Think of something faster. I want him dead, Odine. D.E.A.D Dead!

Squall shut off the recording, not needing to hear anymore. His hands were clenched into fists and Brooke shivered at the look of pure rage on his face.

"It goes on like that," she said softly, her voice slightly wavering. "Some of the other disks have them discussing how it was to be done. It was planned to take place a few months from now, during his annual speech in Esthar."

"How did you come in possession of these recordings?" he asked, forcing himself to relax.

"I made them," she said, looking down at her hands to avoid his intensely beautiful eyes.

"You?" He seemed unbelieving of her statement. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the embarrassment coming back to invade her.

"I have a knack for computers, electronics, you name it. I...I just knew there was something not right with the man. It took a long time for me to get his complete trust so I could get close enough."

"Why would you go to all the trouble?" She seemed reluctant to answer and he wasn't going to push her. What she had brought him was enough and he was grateful.

Steeling herself, she look back up at him. "My sister...She works as a call girl," she explained softly. "A few years ago, Travis payed for her services and she was beaten badly. He's a sick son of a bitch that gets off by abusing women. It's a twisted fetish he has." He remained respectfully silent as she continued. "I got a job as his secretary, but it wasn't easy. Luckily, my sister used a false name for her job, so he wasn't able to connect me with her. With a lot of time and effort, he came to trust me with all his personnel business. I knew he was helping Dr. Odine, but I didn't know how bad things were until I started to record their meetings. All of the disks are of the meetings they had before Odine was on the run. In all honesty, I didn't even know that Odine had that lab in the tower. Travis kept that to himself," she finished then fell silent again.

"I think it would be best for you to stay here at Garden until this is done. Alright?" he said and she nodded silently. He took the disk back out and looked at her with amazement. "Have you ever thought about becoming a SeeD?" he asked her, giving the shocked woman a rare smile.

XXXXX

Squall sat in Laguna's office along with Kiros and a few trusted Palace guards, going over the recordings. He watched his father's face steadily get paler while he listened to the disks. Listening to two people plan your death in detail couldn't have been the most pleasant thing to experience. He attempted to turn it off at one point, but Laguna stopped him, wanting to hear all of it.

The guards shifted restlessly, and Squall knew it was because they wanted to go get the man who had planned on killing their beloved President. So angered, he had nearly went to get Travis himself before he even came here, but thought better of it. This needed to be done right, and he didn't want to risk any fuck ups. The room filled with shocked silence when the last recording ended.

"Laguna, are you alright?" Kiros asked worriedly.

"Go get a warrant for Mayor Travis' arrest and get some soldiers ready. I want him in custody as soon as possible," he said calmly. Kiros nodded and left quickly, the two guards in tow.

"Well, are you alright?" Squall asked, repeating the question that his father had ignored. The pallor of his complexion had not improved and he looked in a state of shock.

"As good as I can be after hearing that. It's a real eye opener to say the least," he said, chuckling nervously without humor.

"I'll go with them to make sure things go smoothly," Squall said and moved to leave. Laguna nodded silently, watching him go. He stopped before he reached the door, turning back to the stunned man. "Are you sure you're alright..., dad?" He didn't call Laguna 'dad' that often, but when he did, it always seemed to cheer the man up for some reason. As he hoped, the man smiled slightly and some color seemed to come back into his face.

"I'm fine. Just go get the bastard and I'll feel a whole hell of a lot better," he answered strongly.

XXXXX

Travis sat at the dinning room table, eating a late lunch with his wife, wishing he were anywhere else. Hell, he'd rather be in the office than be in her company. He was tempted to make up a reason to leave the house, but she was starting to become suspicious about his late work nights and he didn't want to give her any more incentive to suspect his infidelity.

He watched her stuff her face and was sickened at the sight. She had been such a beautiful woman when they had wed, and part of a rich and respected family as well. That's how he was able to start his political career, and it was now the only reason he kept her around. Being the Mayor, he had to keep up the appearance of family values, but fuck if he had to like it.

He lifted the newspaper he was reading in front of his face to block her out, glancing over the headline. It was about Odine's death and he snorted with amusement. The man was more famous for being murdered, than he had been for any of the work he had done when he was alive. 'So ironic,' he thought, not paying any attention to the ring of the doorbell. He dimly heard his butler speak to whomever the visitor was.

Only when the shouts started, did his attention peak. "What the hell is going on?" he growled, throwing the paper on the table. Esthar soldiers burst into the dinning room, causing his wife to emit a high pitched scream. The look on her face would have made him laugh if not for the serious situation. "What do you think you're doing in my house?! Get out!" He was thrown roughly against the table, his arms pulled painfully behind his by a severe looking young man with a scar gracing his intense face. He looked familiar, but he was so shocked with what was happening, he couldn't place where he had seen him.

"You're under arrest for aiding a fugitive and conspiring to assassinate President Loire of Esthar," the man said, brutally handcuffing him. His wife was still in a panic and he yelled for her to shut up. "Calm her down," he barley heard his captor say to one of the soldiers. She was gently taken from the room, her screams turning into horrified sobs.

"What proof do you have?" he spat. He groaned in pain when he was yanked up off the table and forced to walk from the room.

"More than you know," he answered him, pushing him outside where a crowd of spectators had gathered. Travis didn't struggle while he was led to the airship, but kept muttering about false arrest and suing the city of Esthar for their trouble. Squall would have loved to just take the man's head off, but he resisted the urge as he led him to a secure room where he could be watched until they reached Esthar.

"Sit," he sneered after taking the handcuffs off him. Travis sat on the only chair in the room and glared at him.

"This is outrageous! You have no right to do this!"

"Shut your mouth before I change my mind about killing you right here!" Squall warned lowly and the Mayor paled with the words. "You should feel lucky that I'm a man of integrity, because I thought about it. I knew my father wouldn't have wanted me to dirty my hands with your blood, and that's the only thing that saved your ass."

"Leonhart," Travis whispered, now recognizing the man before him. He was sure to never forget his name again. He smiled in a way that turned his blood cold before leaving him alone in the room with two angry looking guards keeping watch. He dreadfully wondered if he would survive longer than Odine had after he had been captured, and proceeded to lose his lunch.

"Shit, I'm not cleaning that up," one of the guards muttered as they looked on with disgust.

XXXXX

"Talk to me," Reno said smoothly when he answered his ringing cell as he toweled his hair dry.

"Cid gives the okay. Let Rufus know and we'll get started when he needs us," Cloud said stoically over the line.

"Don't sound so excited, Strife," he snickered, getting an annoyed sigh in his ear. He loved to tease the blonde relentlessly every chance he got. It was a little game he had always enjoyed and never tired of. "You sound like you could use some stress relief. Wanna have a little phone sex, babe?"

"Asshole."

"Yeah, baby. It's real tight too. Wanna find out for yourself?" The only answer he got was a soft click, signaling that Cloud had hung up on him. He chuckled, snapping the phone closed and tossed it on the bed. "You're only gonna be able to hold out for so long, Strife," he muttered lightly as he started to dress. He put on a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt that accented his slim muscled form. He finished up by brushing his hair and pulling it back to tie it in it's usual way before leaving his apartment.

He went down the hall, loudly knocking on Rude's door until his annoyed partner answered. "Cloud called with the okay. Do me a favor and go tell the boss."

"Why can't you do it?"

"Unlike you, I have a date with a couple of hotties. And don't go bitchin about it to Rufus, because he already knows where I'm going. Don't wait up, partner," he said with a little wave and left Rude standing there, shaking his head and wondering where he stored all that sexual prowess.