Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the settings. So don't hate me if they don't come out the way you wanted them to.
Note: This is a side story to Be My Angel. It is a detailed version of how Reno cam to the notice of Shinra and than how he joined. Hope you enjoy this story. Thank you for reading.
My Choice…Right.
Reno pulled the leather jacket he had on closer around his thin frame. It was cold, but it was also that this wasn't one of the best areas to be walking through. Even if it was the fastest way home. Shivering, he checked to make sure his jacket hid his concealed weapons, but didn't give them away with unnecessary bulges.
When he was sure it was okay, he continued walking, albeit a little faster. This cold was unforgiving and was making his finger tips and nose go numb. He heard a small noise behind him, but when he checked over his shoulder, he couldn't see anything in the dim light. But his hand still reached up inside his sleeve, loosening the knives he had attached to his wrists. Better to be prepared than to not be.
He continued walking, ears strained for anymore sounds. His eyes scanning the shadows ahead for movement. There…behind him and to the left. He was being followed. He didn't even glance behind as he went into a light jog. He heard the soft curse as the man behind him sped up to keep him in his sight. Seeing a corner to duck behind, he sped up again and went to turn the corner.
He had to duck to miss the swing aimed at his head. Rolling on the ground away from his ambusher, he sprang to his feet, knives in hand as he faced them. They weren't much, but they were both taller than him and much more heavily muscled than his lean frame.
One had a long club in his hand, what he had avoided earlier. The other pulled out a small hand gun. He studied them, before he decided to dive in.
He was barely aware of the gun going off, missing him by inches. He felt his left hand knife sink into flesh, one of the two curse as the swung their leg at him. It clipped him in the side, making him retreat a few steps before he dove back in. He ducked again under the wooden club, bring his right hand knife up the front the guy, cutting through cloth, skin, and muscle before it hit bone and bounced out of the guys chest.
He saw the first one he had stabbed reaching for his dropped gun. He sent out a kick in the side of the head and the guy dropped like a stone. He was breathing heavily as he stared at his two attackers. Both bleeding sluggishly from knife wounds, one out cold on the pavement.
He spun around when he heard clapping. He couldn't see him very well in the shadows, but from what he could see, he was well dress and trimmed with a slight belly that pressed against the buttons of his suit jacket. "Well done. They said you were good, but never this good. You just took out my two top men in less than five minutes. Not bad at all." He smiled, more tooth than smile really, like a cat that's found a new toy to play with.
Reno took a step back. Even at fourteen, he knew when someone was more trouble than he could handle. He heard a boot scrap against concrete and turned to see three more of the man' goons blocking off his escape. He turned back to the man in front. "What do you want?" He asked softly, his breath white in the cold air.
"He smiled again, "Why to make you a proposition, my dear boy. I've been watching you closely for sometime now. Always taking odd jobs, living off of you pay check when ever you get one. No permanent home. I could change that you know. I would pay you double, no triple what you receive in a month, if you would come work for me. I can always use a man of your talents." Reno stared at him Had he just been offered a job, or was it an order. Work for him or die.
He sighed. He'd known his choice even before he nodded his head. Besides, he needed the money. "Good, now come this way." The man stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his skinny shoulders. He repressed a shudder at the touch. "so what is your name, boy?"
"Reno." He said softly. The kept a tight grip on him as they reached a door in the ally. It was dark inside the hallway that connected their layer to the ally. It didn't even bother him. He'd lived in the dark for to long for it to bother him now.
"Did you catch that, Sir." He asked over the phone.
"Yes." Rufus Shinra reply as he watched the video that had been sent to him via cell phone. They had been hearing rumors for the past six months about this boy, but this was the first time he had seen him in action. He wasn't what he had been expecting. He was just a child, and from the looks of it, someone whom was living badly.
"Do you want us to go in after him?" Tseng asked over the phone.
"No. That would just complicate things at the moment. Let us wait a little while before we strike. Did you catch his name?" They had been having a terrible time trying to get information on this kid. But no matter where they looked or whom they asked, none of their informants had any info on him. It was like he had appeared out of no where. The only place they were having trouble getting information, reliable information was from the lower plate. They kept their people well protected, even under threat of beating or worse.
"Yes Sir. It was Reno, but that was all he said, no last name."
" Good. For now, just keep an eye on him."
"Yes, Sir." Tseng ended the phone call. Rufus continued to watch the video. Whom ever he was, the kid had spunk, going into a gun and club fight with nothing but two little knives. Though during the fight, he had seen the bulge of a gun under his jacket. "I wonder why he never pulled it out?" Rufus muttered aloud.
It didn't matter. He was now on Shinra's radar. He wouldn't escape them this time, not when the company and especially Rufus wish him to become apart of the company.
3 Years Later.
Reno lounged against the wall, cigarette in a gloved hand. Although he looked casual, his eyes were scanning the crowd in front of him. He knew they were there, just watching him. He let them, it was like a game to him. Try and shake the watchers. It was one he look forward to everyday.
He'd been playing this game for about six months now. He'd just noticed them six months ago, but they had probably been there longer. Chucking the spent butt on the ground, he stepped on it and headed back inside. He'd noticed lately that they had been watching the boss, too.
Though he didn't tell anybody. If none of the others he surrounded himself with had noticed than why should he bother. Reaching the office, he opened the door and slid through. The boss was in a meeting with another client, but he didn't even look up when Reno came in. It was normal routine for him to go out for a smoke when he was bored during a meeting.
The client was shaking his hand. 'Must be over with.' He thought to himself. He opened the door for the other man, than shut it "So is that the last one." He asked him, leaning against the wall.
The boss just nodded. Taking out a pill bottle, he popped a few aspirin into his mouth and took a swig from his coffee next to his elbow. "I'm going to take a nap for a few minutes. Make sure no one disturbs me." Reno just saluted him, a cocky grin on his face as he sat back in the vacated chair.
Even with no window in the room, it was still not as stuffy in the rest of the building as in here. The boss like his air clean.
He'd been reclined for a few minutes when he realized it had gotten really quiet outside the door. The chair he was in was off to the left of the desk, furthest from the door, but still in view of it. He couldn't hear anything. One of the draw backs it seemed of having a sound proof room.
He pulled out his gun, checking to make sure it was loaded and had the safety off. The boss was still out of it. He walked over to shake him awake, but when he touched him, his skin was cold. 'Shit!' he could only get that one though through his head as the door exploded off its hinges, the shock knocking him into the wall behind him.
As the smoke cleared, he realized that he now had four guns pointed at him from across the room. He blinked tears and dust from his eyes as he waited for them to shoot.
He heard loud foot steps coming down the hall. He braced himself as another walked in. Blinking, he was surprised at the contrast between the ones now facing him and the man whom had just walked in. The ones in front were all in the black suits, the ones whom had been following him.
But this man, he was different. He seemed to give off an air of command. His white suit stuck out like a sore thumb next to all the black, and his blond hair and blue eyes didn't help much either. "What, are you here to shoot me instead of them?" He asked, the sarcasm rolling off his tongue with ease, even in this situation.
He wasn't prepared for the man to lift the gun in his hand and than fire it. He was braced for the pain of a bullet, but when all he felt was a small sharp pain in his side, he looked down at a small dart embedded in his cloths and skin. "What?!"
He looked up at the man in front of him, "What the fuck was that for?" He didn't even get an answer as he felt the sedative begin to take affect. He felt his knees give out and his body started to fall to the side. He couldn't even feel it when his body struck the ground.
His vision was growing dimmer as he watched the ones in black step forward through the ruble towards him. He finally let go and let the darkness swarm his vision.
He opened blurred eyes to see nothing but a concrete ceiling. He dried drawing in a deeper breath, but his dried throat was having nothing of it. He closed watering eyes as he coughed, pain shooting through his side. He could feel a large bruise there.
He tried to lift his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes, but on closer inspection at his inability to move them, he found them shackled to the chair he sat in. He finally looked around at his surroundings, taking in blank concrete walls, lack of windows, and the single door in and out. 'Guess I'm here to be interrogated.' The thought didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. He had known something like this was coming when they had started to tail the boss as well.
He heard a click behind him, but didn't turn his head as someone came in. It was one of the ones he had seen tailing him. His long black hair was held back in a ponytail. He remembered this guy the most because had been unable to shake him no matter what he did. He remembered naming him spot, mainly because of the dot on his forehead, but also because he was like a spot he couldn't get rid of.
The guy didn't stay long though, just set a pale, plain folder on the table next to him before he left. Shrugging it off, he continued staring at the wall.
"Sir, are you going in?" Tseng asked Rufus as he stared at the TV monitor. It showed Reno from four different angles place in each corner of the room.
"In a moment. This boy doesn't cease to amaze me. Even in there, he doesn't loose control. I wonder what he will chose?" Standing, he left the room.
"Looks like Rufus has found a new toy to play with." Came a soft voice in the corner. Rude leaned against the wall, dark shade reflecting the TV screen.
"That he has." Tseng replied, a small smile on his face as he watched the door in the room open, letting in the Vice President of Shin-Ra Corp.
Rufus walked to the table and grabbed the folder. He'd already read it, but it didn't matter. Walking around the room, he stopped in front of Reno and opened the folder. "Let's see…Name: Reno Sinclair. Age: 17 years 7 ½ months. Only child of Helen Sinclair, father unknown. Hair: red, Eyes: green. Proficient in both the use of explosives and ammunition. Good with any kind of blade. Incarcerated at the age of 12 for beating a 25 year old man to death, charges dropped on account of self defense. Currently, unemployed, past jobs include theft, selling stolen property, and transporting illegal substances. Most resent job: body guard to a major drug lord, now dead." He stopped as Reno stared at him.
"I've got to tell you, your life hasn't been all that great. Raised in the lower plate, lived off the street, poor and starving, than falling into a life of crime. This would be enough for me to have you imprisoned or worse. So tell me, what do you think lead you to a life of crime?"
Reno just glared at him. "Go fuck yourself!" He spat at him between clinched teeth. He didn't have to explain to this man his reasoning behind his life.
Rufus didn't need him to explain though. It was in the file. "I assume it has something to do with your mother's illness?" He saw the blood drain from his face.
"H-how?" He asked in disbelief. How had he found out about his life so easily.
"It's amazing what you can find out on a person with just there name alone, especially one as unique as yours. There aren't very many Renos running around out there with hair as bright as yours." Rufus let a smile cross his face, it was cold and professional.
Reno just continued to stare at him, the gears in his mind working searching for a reason why he had been brought here. He could see it in his eyes, the cold calculation of the situation. This is why this boy had caught his attention. Never freezing, always watching for an opening. But he had made sure there was no opening. Only two options to choose from.
"You're wondering why you're here? That is simple. I have an offer for you. We have been studying you for some time now. You show great potential, in many areas, but you lack guidance and discipline. So my offer is this: join this company and become one of my Turks. You won't have to worry about a home any more and your mother could be entered into our medical facility. Your life could change for the better."
"And if I refuse?" He asked, knowing already what the answer would be, but he still wanted it out in the air,
"If you refuse, than you will never leave this building…alive." The threat hung over him. Join the company or death, not much of a choice, but he had had worse choices in his life.
To never worry have to worry about where his next meal would come from, or his next place to sleep. To know his mother would be in better hands than she already was. It was to great a temptation. He looked him in the eyes. "First off, who the hell are you anyways?" He could probably give a guess, but he wanted to be sure.
Rufus stared at him, before laughing. This boy …it was gong to be fun to watch him grow up. "I am Rufus Shinra, Vice President of Shin-Ra Corp."
"Oh, well than Rufus, I guess I can do nothing, but accept this 'offer' you have presented me with, but can you unlock these things, my back is one whole itch and I can't reach it." Rufus nodded and signaled for Tseng to come and let him out.
Well, here is what I think actually happened to Reno. I'm not sure if it happened this way, but it seems like it would have been fun to watch.
This is a more detailed version of what he told Kadaj in chapter 3. I had a lot of fun coming up with this. And it shows another thing he and Kadaj have in common. They both had no choice when it came to part of their lives. This is just a side a story. I am currently working on the next chapter of this and other scenes [smirk] and will update when I am finished. Also, if any on is a beta, I would really appreciate it if you could beta my stuff. I've fallen into a bad habit of typing my stuff up and not rereading it, so need someone to help me out with that. Just message me if you want to help me out. I'm also thinking about becoming a beta myself so, if I do, I'll let people know and they can ask me to beta them if they want.
Also, if you want to see updates on my stories, just go to my profile. I update it about once a week and it is usually accurate when it comes to how far along I am with a new chapter and other stories coming out.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this.
Until Next Time
~Reiya