Here we go...Phase 3 is underway!

The young Shan Chu of the Triads stood in front of a large aquarium-like tank, watching large and small exotic fish. Like a ruler or general, he held his hands together behind his back. A knock came at his office door, and he beckoned his visitor to come in. The young, Asian woman stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

"Thank you for coming, Mai."

Mai answered with a short 'hmmm'. He held out his hand to Mai, and she timidly walked closer to him. She took his hand, and he pulled her into an embrace.

"Have I forced you into do something you didn't want?" he asked. "After all, he is your father."

"But I am your wife," Mai answered. "That means more to me."

"You haven't told the travelers your name?"

"No…I've concealed it from them…just like you said."

----------

"It's been two days," Reno whined. "Nothing's happened! We've got nothing!"

"Shut you face, Reno," Vincent replied. "Be glad that we're having some peace."

Reno groaned and asked the bartender for a glass of beer. Vincent asked for hot sake.

"If you're trying to please the natives," Reno teased, "This is Taiwan…not Japan."

"I know that, idiot."

"But how can you drink that stuff?" Reno asked. "It's like drinking warm, ultra-bitter licorice…I hate it!"

Vincent welcomed the sake with open arms. Reno watched in macabre interest as Vincent drank and gagged.

"Ah, deliciously bitter," Vincent said to himself. "Just the way I like it."

A shiver went up Reno's spine. He didn't feel like having a beer anymore.

"Tell them to forget my drink," he said. "I'm phasing."

As Reno left the bar, he could have sworn hearing someone call him a wimp. Still shivering with disgust, he walked up to the elevator and pushed the button to go up. The elevator chimed, and Tifa walked out.

"Where are you off to, little Miss Lockhart?"

"Out," Tifa replied placidly. "Call me on the cell if something happens."

Tifa attempted to go past him, but Reno grabbed her arm.

"Why go out?" he said slyly. "There's plenty to do here…"

"Reno," Tifa said sharply. "I don't believe that I've ever been interested."

She managed to slip out of his grasp, but Reno was persistent. He grasped her waist before could completely get away.

"May I come with you then?"

Tifa snarled and began to ball up her fist. Suddenly, a stray bell cart came flying towards them, nearly hitting Reno. He let go of Tifa and backed out of the way, just in time. The bell cart was abruptly stopped by the closing elevator. A bellboy came stampeding and stopped in front of them, apologizing in Chinese.

"I'm sorry," the bellboy said, still in Chinese. "Some lunatic stole the cart from me and gave it a good shove over here. I think he intentionally tried to hit you, sir."

"Lunatic?!" Reno repeated.

The bellboy retrieved the cart and the elevator finally shut.

"Yeah...he was slightly taller then you...he was blonde...he had dark blue eyes...and his hair was spiky..."

----------

Maude Reynolds ran with all her might through the English countryside. A small boy's hand fit inside hers like a glove. The boy slipped and fell, and Maude took him in her arms. She continued running through the fields, trying to get back to the estate.

"Who...who were those guys?" the boys asked.

"I don't know!" Maude answered. "I don't care to find out either..."

The boy looked over her shoulder and saw two men pursuing them. He swallowed his breathe and trembled with fear. One of them pointed a gun and starting shooting. Scrambling to get away from the bullets, Maude made it to the hill by the house. She crouched and let herself slide down with the bundle in her arms. They heard more gunshots, and the boy saw the two men, rolling lifelessly down the hill.

Maude stood up at the base of the hill and continued running once more; the estate was finally in sight. Another gun shot fired, and Maude cried out in pain. She fell forward and lost her grip on the boy. He landed with a painful thump, by Maude's side. She coughed out blood and moaned in agony.

"Maude!"

Maude managed to look at the boy one last time.

"J-just run!" she screamed. "Get out of here! Get inside!"

Reluctantly, the boy left her side and kept running...back to the estate...with gunshots ringing in the distance.

Cloud finally woke up panting. He sat up in the hotel bed and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"That's the second nightmare in a row..."

----------

A cold shower was definitely needed. At least, in Cloud's view it was. The nightmare had been all too real, almost as if he were reliving something. No...'reliving' was too absurd a word.

Cloud leaned on the shower wall and let the cold water pour all over him. The disturbing dream had been mitigated, but it had not been forgotten.

A supposedly five-year-old Cloud sat alone in a sterile waiting room. The reception desk was empty, and the TV was blaring the evening news. He heard the all-to familiar loud clicking of heels and felt someone's shadow loom over him. A teenaged Lucy Skandon patted him on the head and smiled. He disliked her touch immensely.

"Hi there...are you scared? Do you miss your parents?"

He nodded without looking at her. Behind Lucy, a little girl stood, taking a deep interest in Cloud. Lucy pushed the girl in front of her and encouraged her to introduce herself.

"Hi...my name is Shera. What's yours?"

Cloud watched with relief as Lucy left the waiting room.

"My name is Cloud."

Shera became even friendlier when she saw him smile. She climbed up onto the chair next to him and took his hand. Because he wasn't used to being touched by girls his age, Cloud cringed at the sudden act of affection. Shera was completely oblivious.

"I'm four," she said cheerfully. "How old are you?"

"Five and a half."

She let go and curled herself onto the chair, the soles of her feet on the seat. One of her flip-flops fell onto the floor, but she didn't care. Shera was a skinny girl, wearing a yellow, summer dress. Her hair was in short, braided ponytail.

"I'm coming with you today," she said. "We're going with your mum and dad."

Having not seen his parents in two weeks, one could only imagine how excited Cloud felt.

"They told me that from now on...we're cousins! Isn't that great?"

The cold water came to a halt.

"Something's wrong with me..."

Confused?

Super! My job is half-done...