Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII
A/N: This won't be a long story, probably a few chapters, but I was compelled to write. It's a bit different from what I'm used to writing, so please be patient as I adapt this adventure style. I'm more used to fluff... anyways...Hope you like! :)
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Beep.
"Cloud! Please! I think they took her. They took Ti-"
Cloud's brow furrowed as he replayed the cut off message again and his heart began to race at Denzel's frightened voice. He mounted Fenrir and ditched the last deliveries, racing toward his home. It sounded as though he said they took… Tifa. The thought left a sick feeling in his stomach and he went faster, his eyes unseeing toward the things around him.
In record time he got home. As he entered, however, he felt himself tremble and forced the bile that raced to come up, back down. The bar was a disaster. Chairs were broken and glasses were shattered all around, blood staining almost every corner. Hastily, he searched for Tifa. As he went to the next room, his body stopped cold. There were three men, all in black with masks on, dead. Two on the floor and one hanging on the wall, the pole of a broom struck through him. Again, the blood that was everywhere had him racing up the stairs, stepping over a fallen man.
"Marlene! Denzel!" He cried out, barging into their room.
He searched through their closet and under their beds before going into his and Tifa's room next. He heard a creak above him and held his sword tighter, ready to fight.
"Cloud…?"
Instantly, he grabbed the nearest chair and felt around the ceiling. His fingers met an uneven surface and he pounded it, eyes widening as a part of the ceiling went back. A second later, Marlene stuck her head out. "You came!"
He released a breath and held his arms out for her to climb down, then again with Denzel. "Are you hurt?" He asked them, checking them over.
Marlene shook her head no, but Denzel remained silent. Cloud crouched down and put a hand on his shoulder, catching his gaze. "Denzel," he started off, keeping his tone controlled even though his mind was racing with all sorts of scenarios that could have played out… the worst of them being Tifa dead. "Where's Tifa?"
The younger boy's eyes watered and Cloud felt himself tense. "Denzel!"
He shook his head and opened his mouth several times before stuttering, "I- I don't know… We were just having breakfast… All these men came and- and- and-"
He broke down then, burying his face into hands as Marlene felt her eyes water as well. Denzel had seen more than her, him being the one to hide them when Tifa ordered them to get out of sight. He'd stalled for her, and grabbed her cell phone before darting up to his secret hiding spot, but not before witnessing Tifa being stabbed with a blade then grabbing the nearest item, a broom, and pinning the guy into the wall with it.
"Let's go." Cloud told them, pulling out his phone to call Barret.
"Where are we going?" Marlene asked as they all mounted Fenrir. Cloud cursed when he reached Barret's answering machine.
He hung up and looked back at the frightened young girl, "You two are going someplace safe."
FFVIIFFVII
Reeve had called him right after dropping the kids off at Elmyra's and he found himself at WRO headquarters.
When he got to Reeve's office he was surprised to see everyone there, minus Yuffie and of course… his Tifa. "What's going on?" he demanded angrily, striding into the office.
Reeve was sitting behind his desk his head in his hands. Barret was leaning toward the wall, his stance tense. Vincent and Nanaki were both by the window, and Cid was leaning against the desk smoking a cigarette.
"That's exactly what I wanna know." Cid told them gruffly. "First, I get this crazy ass call from Yuffie at the crack of dawn this morning, and now you've called me here. What the fuck is going on?"
"Shut the hell up and let the man speak!" Barret yelled, turning around and glaring at everyone, waiting for Reeve to explain.
Reeve took a deep breath and folded his hands in front of him. "Tifa and Yuffie were both taken captive this morning."
Cloud narrowed his eyes. They'd taken Yuffie, too? What was going on? "Taken captive or murdered?" He asked, unwavering as all eyes turned to him shocked. "I came home and found blood everywhere and Tifa was missing. I want to know what's going on here. Now!" He hit the desk, as he had leant forward to be face to face with Reeve.
Reeve flinched, as did a few others. "They're not dead."
"How do you know this?" Vincent asked, uncrossing his arms, and finally speaking.
"Right before I called you all, I had my men dig up any information they could on the men who attacked them. A group that calls themselves Providence. Not living up to their namesake, obviously. They're angry at us for the riddance of the Tsviets. Apparently, they'd been trading illegal nuclear weapons as well as other weapons for the past year. What for, we haven't figured out."
Everyone was listening intently and Cloud narrowed his eyes in thought. When would they finally have peace? Would they forever be the targets of a bunch of careless loons? Gods, he prayed Tifa was alright.
"I've had some of the Turks try and track them down. Yuffie's call to Cid has been most helpful. Because of her work here in WRO, I'd had a chip installed to track her locations faster than your standard tracking devices. We should be informed soon on her whereabouts."
"What about Tifa?" Cloud grit out. Barret nodded in agreement.
Reeve stood up. "It's unlikely they would separate the two. To them, woman are weak and insignificant, which is why I believe they chose to take just them. They don't seem to be too logical in their decisions. Their tactics are mostly physical and rash. I'll assume it's because of their young age."
Cloud nodded, still fighting the itch to leave and search for Tifa himself. However, he knew the only way to get her back was to be logical and strategic. His impulses would get him nowhere, and probably do more harm than good.
A young man came into the room and set a map onto the table near the window. "Sir," He said, standing up straight, "We've discovered their location."
"Where?" Cloud asked, moving toward the map as the rest followed his lead.
"Here," The man pointed, "About five miles east of Junon."
"Get your things, we leave immediately." Cloud ordered, daring them with his glare to argue. Nobody did.
Sooo...? Continue or no? Let me know! :)