#... interesting

She was under pressure from the Empire to give the batch up and that pressure could've ranged from vague threats to actual violence. We have no idea what they said/did when convincing her to take the money and give them up. They could have just offered the compensation and ensured her they would leave her alone or there could have been threats to her life, her livelihood, anything.

I, honestly, wasn't surprised when she gave them up. Again, she told us who she was from the very beginning. But, also, not everyone is going to be on the batch's side. There are going to be people who live in opposition of the end goal (and not everyone who isn't 100% assisting that end goal is evil either. some people are simply living their lives.) Cid has always been very much on her own side, covering her own ass, that's a big part of her character. She was never going to be in the batch's corner, she told us that from day one.

Covering for the batch wouldn't have made much sense and I didn't expect any different from her nor do I hate her for doing it. Not everyone who isn't 100% on the batch's side is an evil irredeemable enemy who must die bloody and in pain. As much as the batch was trying to live their lives and escape so was Cid. And covering for the batch was a threat to that life*. Of course she gave them up.

Disagree with what she did all you want* but she had her reasons and not all of them end in 'she got money so she gave them up and that means she is an evil SOB who should die'. I think there's room there for other motivations/discussions and I am disappointed that we didn't get to see her in S3. I would've loved to see her grumble and complain at least one more time.

*She yanked their chains and abused her power and made their lives hell. Could've cut them loose long ago instead of using them the way she did.