Everyone alive will remember this day, remember where they were when the terrorists flew the Aeroship into the decommissioned reactor in Fort Condor. Vincent and I are eating dinner with our neighbors when the radio station we'd put on as background noise breaks into the programming and begins to tell the tale. The sounds of static over the radio, the occasional scream... it is all too horrific. Our dinner is abandoned on the kitchen table as we switch to the television, and spend the night huddle before the screen, staring numbly at the images. No one takes responsibility, but that doesn't stop the commentators from giving their opinions.

"Viewers, I cannot even begin to describe the situation to you, without comparing it to the events that began The Jenova War, eighteen years ago. I know that some of our viewers never experienced the horror of the Fall of Sector Seven, or the destruction of Midgar in Avalanche's battle against Shin-ra and Sephiroth, but our older viewers will remember…"

In the other room, I can hear Vincent on the phone with someone. I text Rude and Tseng, hearing back from both of them within seconds.

"I wasn't even alive. Do you remember the War, Reno?" Kia asks. She holds her sleeping newborn, Charlotte, to her chest, while her husband, Niko, looks at me for answers.

"Yes, I was there, so was Vincent, but he actually fought against Sephiroth. What that guy said wasn't true. Sector Seven wasn't the beginning of the war, and Sephiroth wanted to destroy everyone, Shin-ra just…"

"Cloud's asking we form parties to go to Fort Condor tomorrow," Vincent interrupts as he strides back into the room. "He's been told the Mako energy levels are dangerously high for anyone who hasn't previously been exposed. Will you come with me? Nanaki's already on his way here."

"Of course," I say.

"I don't understand what's going on," Kia whines.

"No one does, darling, no one," I tell her.


I send all the leftovers home with our neighbors when they finally leave at midnight. Even if I was hungry, it doesn't matter because in the morning we'll be on our way to Fort Condor. I'm so on edge, sure that there will be a next attack that I have to get Vincent to hit me with a Sleep spell so that I can get some rest as we wait for Nanaki to arrive.

I'm awoken in the middle of the night, not by Vincent's gentle words or Nanaki's bristled tongue, but by angry shouts as our front door is kicked open. I sit up, but I'm so out of it that I can't find my Electro-Mag Rod. Someone – not Vincent – grabs me by the arm and drags me out of bed. I hear glass break, and looked down to see the photograph of Vincent and me that sits on the bedside table is shattered. Someone else forces me down the stairs. I'm dressed in only my sleep shorts. My face is shoved into the dirt and a foot steps on my back between my shoulder blades, as someone else attempts to tie my hands back with a plastic band. The person pushes my left arm down.

"Dude, my arm doesn't bend like that. It's been broken too many times." I fight against them, and he changes the angle. At least that means I'll be able to get out of these restraints, but I'm still trying to shake off the effects of the Sleep spell and I'm seeing halos of light around everything.

"This one is Reno of the Turks," someone yells, I turn my head his way; he is a blurry silhouette against the flashing lights of the Midgar Self-Defense Force. I relax, these are the good guys; there must be some sort of mistake. They know who I am; this can be cleared up quickly.

"I'm just an electronics repairman now, yo," I say, trying to keep it calm. "I haven't worked for Shin-ra in a long time."

"Shut your mouth," someone mutters.

The ground shakes as a transport vehicle pulls up, its brakes squealing. There's no way I'll allow them to put me in that.

"Where's Vincent Valentine?" a female voice asks from the other side. I turn my head and the foot puts more weight on my back, filling my mouth and nose with dirt.

"Lay off man, I'm trying to answer the lady's question," I spit.

"She wasn't speaking to you," the goon on top of me answers.

"Let him speak," she says. The sound of breaking glass comes from above me; the smell of Assassin's Tears is so strong.

"Sounds like you found the liquor cabinet. I'm coming off a Sleep spell, give me a break," I say, shaking my head. "He was here when I went to bed –"

Running feet clunk on the stairs above me, but I don't dare look around again. "I found a note, ma'am," a new voice says, he's out of breath. "It says: 'Reno, I've gone to meet Cloud. I should be back before you wake up, but if not, you shouldn't worry.' It is signed V."

"I don't know what you guys want, but he'll be back soon. Cloud lives over –"

"Cloud Strife lives over The Seventh Heaven with Tifa Lockhart," the woman says. She's reading the information off of a tablet.

There is a loud noise from upstairs and I flinch, trying to look up. The foot grinds down on me and grabs a hold of my ponytail; he wrenches my head backward.

"Stop resisting, or I'll snap your fucking neck." I close my mouth, and eventually he lets my hair go.

"Fucking terrorist," he says.

"What?"

"Shut up, Portkins," the woman orders.


I'm not sure how long I've been in this undignified position when I hear the reassuring sound of Cerberus' hammer cock to the ready; I snicker.

"Valentine," says the female leader.

"What?" I say.

"Shut up smart ass," the guy holding me down demands.

"Reno, close your mouth," Vincent growls. I hold my tongue, but only because I like it when Vincent gets all bossy.

"What do you want with me?" Vincent's voice comes from another direction. He's in the air, skipping along the rooftops; they might have come for Vincent, but they are playing with his badass mode now.

"We are here on behalf of the Midgar Self-Defense Force. We have received a tip that you are in possession of illegal Materia."

"Are we not presumed innocent?"

"Not after the attack on Fort Condor. We've learned that a Mastered Materia was used in the bombing."

"We are not responsible for the attack," Vincent calls from above us; a searchlight swings to find him, but he is already gone. I dislocate my right thumb and slip the restraints down so that I am holding them with my fingertips. It will only be a matter of flicking it away. Then all I'll have left to deal with is the guy holding me down, but his attention is on Vincent, and rightly so.

"Be that as it may –" In the distance, Nanaki's roar echoes off the empty streets.

"Um, excuse me," Kia interrupts. She's holding her baby and Niko is right behind her. A chorus of guns are cocked and aimed at them.

"They're civilians!" I scream. The guy above me, picks up his foot and slams me into the ground, knocking the breath from me.

"We were having dinner with Reno and Vincent when the first reports came in. We are their alibis."

"Then this won't be hard, Valentine. Come down and we'll have you back to your homes in a matter of hours."

"Reno, Vincent," Nanaki speaks from the darkened alley.

"Red XIII, you were also mentioned in the tip. Come peacefully and no one needs to be harmed."

"And where would you take us?" Nanaki asks.

"To our headquarters on Ultima Street."

"Let Reno up, allow him to get dressed, and we will take our own vehicle there. There is no way we're getting in your transport, it's not going to happen, but we will allow you to escort us."

"That's not gonna –" the jerk above me says.

"Agreed," their leader responds. "You may get him clothing, but he stays here."

"I'll watch Reno," Nanaki offers.

Vincent leaps to the landing, and the troops around him quail. I chuckle, earning another shove. He disappears into our home and comes back a few moments later with a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, socks, and sneakers. He has my Electro-Mag Rod in his hand. It's charged for the first time in months, in anticipation of possible looting and rioting in and around Fort Condor. Vincent walks straight up to the man holding me down, and behind him Nanaki growls low at the rest of the squadron, watching our backs.

"Stand down, Portkins," the woman tells him. As he steps back, I slip out of the restraints and get to my feet. I brush dirt off of my chest and legs and then dress in front of them. I shove my feet into the shoes, but don't bother tying them.

"I'll get the truck," I offer, and walk into the garage, making all the goons have to choose between even more targets. The keys are in the truck and it starts after the third attempt to turn over. I pull out and look at the scene in front of me.

"Hey, sexy, you need a lift?" I ask Nanaki. He laughs and jumps into the bed.

"Do you need both of our neighbors, or will one be sufficient to prove our innocence?" Vincent asks.

"One will do. We don't want to inconvenience the baby."

"Niko?" I say, and he looks like he's gonna piss his pants. Kia hands him Charlotte and she gets into the truck and slides over on the bench seat until she's next to me. Vincent gets in next and closes the door.

"Alright, sunshine, lead the way."


A/N: I hope you like this sequel to Enemy Skill Materia. This is an eight chapter (complete) story and will be posted every Tuesday. Please review!