AN: Set during Before Crisis. Asher is my version of Nunchaku Male

For RedCherryAmber who issued the challenge: "Asher is ordered to do something he really doesn't want to do, how does he deal with it? Conditions that must be met: he can't figure a way out. Whatever it is, he has to go through with it."

Chapter 1

Friday, April 6th, - Spring Break 2001 was supposed to be the best week of my life!

Jamie wrote holding her small diary in one hand and her pink gel pen in the other.

She paused to look up as sunny Costa Del Sol came into view. From the crowded rail at the front of the ship she could see the city growing larger and larger in the distance. Dolphins raced the ship, jumping out of the water in front of it and gliding along the side. The girl smiled at them and wished that Kelly were here to see this. Things hadn't exactly gone as planned for this trip.

She turned her attention back to her diary.

I hope it will be…but…well I'm almost to Costa…but Kelly isn't and it really hasn't been my day.

First we were late, and that was my fault.

She thought back to that morning.

"Quit checking the mirror, Jamie, we're just going on the boat. No one will care what you look like," Kelly insisted.

Jamie couldn't help but smile a bit at the thought. It was funny how flustered Kelly could get.

She probably would have dragged me away from the mirror if I didn't have a freshly sharpened eyeliner pencil dangerously close to my eye.

Then again, Jamie knew that she was being a bit immature.

"There might be boys on the ship!" she'd pointed out.

"There will be plenty of boys in Costa," Kelly had countered, "save looking pretty for them. Personally, I plan on sleeping for most of the voyage."

"That's because you'll be on sea sickness meds," Jamie said, "and you don't know what it's like … I never get to talk to guys. With how my dad is … I hardly get to wear make up either!"

"Which explains why you're taking so long," Kelly said, rolling her eyes.

I wasn't trying to make us late…I just wanted to look good. I think I look prettier with make up, dark eyes look better with mascara. Sure, I'll still be pale compared to those Costa girls, but maybe I'll manage to get some sun without burning. There's no time to do anything with my hair so I pull the long brown mess back into a ponytail and call it done.

We got to the dock in time to board, but only barely. Security has been tighter than ever since the terrorist attack back in February, and it took forever. Fortunately, we were both wearing dresses so they didn't spend much time on us. We didn't have any place to hide anything.

The trouble started when we were called to board and there was something wrong with Kelly's ticket. Apparently, someone with that ticket number had boarded all ready … some sort of mix up.

We had to step aside while the man behind the counter tried to figure out the problem. He stared at his computer screen in consternation. I started chewing the side of my thumb out of nervousness. At this rate it looked like we wouldn't be getting on the ship after all.

Jamie remembered standing there, trying not to pace as the man explained the situation and tried to fix it.

"It seems we've overbooked the ship, " said the man behind the counter. "I'm very sorry. I'll see what I can do." He turned his attention back to the computer screen.

In the present, Jamie was tempted to write down nasty things about the man. That he wasn't helpful at all…but that wasn't true and even in the diary she often used to vent, she didn't want to be unfair.

I'd expected the ship to be crowded. It's spring break and Costa Del Sol is the place to be…well unless you want to extend winter fun and head up Icicle Inn for some late season snow boarding.

All the same, I didn't think there'd be any problem getting there…we'd booked our tickets months ago.

A lot of good that did us, thought Jamie, once more pausing to think. The man really hadn't been so bad. It wasn't his fault there'd been a mix up and he'd done all he could.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, but the only thing I could do is move you to another ship," he'd said. "There's a first class ticket available for a ship departing later this afternoon, would you like to take that instead. You'll have to wait a few hours, but I assure you we'll do everything possible to make up for the inconvenience."

Jamie put pen to paper again.

The man was really nice and got Kelly a spot on a later ship. She was perfectly happy to wait and take the first class ticket. The problem was there didn't seem to be anyone available to trade their spot on the later boat for my ticket on this one. That meant taking separate ships and arriving at separate times. I've never traveled on my own before …

It was a miracle dad let me go on this trip in the first place, and the only reason he agreed was because he thought Kelly's parents were coming too. I didn't want to lie to him, it's just … he's crazy. Ever since mom …

It's lucky I have even have friends to invite me places. After the article he published … it was so offensive. The Hijacking was only a few months ago, and a ton of people died. Like one of my friend's dad was a first responder during the hijacking and saw a lot of bad things, and then another girl I know lost her brother because he was in the army and the terrorists…they killed a lot of people that day.

I don't think my dad meant to hurt anyone. I think he really does believe the Junon Hijacking was a conspiracy. I don't think so…President Shinra himself was shot. He could have died, and if the Terrorists had managed to use the cannon all of Midgar would have been…

I think sometimes, when something terrible happens and you don't understand the reasons, it's easier to make up reasons. It's not just that there are evil people who want to kill everyone because somehow they think it's the right thing to do, it has to be a part of some conspiracy, because if you make up the reasons, at least then it makes sense…I don't know. My dad's crazy, and he can't help it.

I love him, because he's my dad. He's the only family I have left. When I was little I wanted to be just like him. I still sort of want to be a reporter. That's why I write everything down here…gotta keep in practice.

It's just … a lot's changed since I was little and sometimes it isn't easy to love him. I really don't think I should have to listen to him. I'm going to turn eighteen tomorrow, so really, I don't have to anymore. In a few months I'll move out on my own and there's nothing he can say about it. I might even get a job with the Shin-ra Company. He'd hate that.

He flipped when he found out I'd subscribed to the Silver Elite fan club. He says Sephiroth is a 'pawn of Shinra's oppression'. Whatever, I think he's hot.

Anyway, since I'm practically an adult. It's really no big deal that Kelly's on another boat. I can hang out in Costa for a few hours on my own. I could go to beach and read a book, or go to the movies …

Kelly and I both have PHS's. She'll send a text when she gets here and then we can check into the hotel. No minor hiccup is going to keep us from having the best spring break ever!

Jamie closed the diary and put it back in her bag. She needed to go grab her bag and get in line to disembark. All the while Jamie wished she could be half as confident as she sounded on paper.

His assignment was simple. Asher of the Turks was one part of a larger operation, and everything was falling into place. His target was a girl named Jaime Downing. Well, maybe target was not the right word. He wasn't exactly kidnapping her or anything. He just had to keep an eye on her while the Commander had a word with her father.

His eyes went to the file again. Her boat hadn't arrived yet, so Asher had time to wait in the hotel and study. He liked to have the assignments practically memorized before he even started a mission. Better to be thorough.

Asher had been a Turk for a little over a year now, but he still worried about messing up. Reno said he shouldn't be too hard on himself, everyone messed up sometimes, even Turks as great as him. Yeah…Asher could believe that…it seemed more often than not things hadn't gone according to plan.

So far the Turks had been unable to defeat AVALANCHE or catch its ringleaders. Fuhito, Elfe and Shears were all formidable, and it seemed the terrorists were always one step ahead of Shinra. Their first major attack, the 2/30 Hijacking, had changed history. The terrorist forces had taken out several members of Shinra infantry, shot President Shinra, and managed to hijack the Junon Cannon. Their plan was to fire the cannon strait at Shinra tower. The tower would have collapsed, killing thousands of workers inside, Asher included, and depending on how much power they put into the cannon they might have taken out a good chunk of Midgar itself.

In a way, it was that attack which had brought the young Turk here today, or rather the fallout from the attack. He turned to the black and white copy of Mikeal Downing's article "Junon Cannon Hijacking: Inside Job?"

Asher sighed; the article was laced with typical anti-Shinra propaganda and conspiracy theories. Mako linked to extreme environmental damage, Lifestream theory, and pro-AVALANCHE arguments. The usual stuff that cropped up in underground papers. For the most part Shinra ignored it. If it was to be a battle for the hearts and minds of the people they'd fight words with words and since the company practically owned the press, Shinra would win.

However, Downing had gone beyond parroting the usual anti-Shinra line. His theory was that the attempted Hijacking was made possible due to an intentional intelligence leak. Shinra had allowed the attack to happen and almost succeed as a scare tactic to justify heightened security and to demonize opposition.

The theory was ridiculous, and Asher knew for a fact it wasn't true. If there had been a conspiracy or cover-up, he would have known; his department would have been at the centre. The problem was Downing had other theories that were right. Truth mixed with lies was like sugar and poison: all the more dangerous because it was easier to swallow.

If people looked into the things he got right and found proof, well they might just buy all of it. As it was Downing knew a lot of things he shouldn't…Things Asher hadn't even known until he'd been briefed.

Apparently there had been a cover up back in 1997. There'd been an accident and the city of Kalm had been destroyed. Shinra had rebuilt the town and hidden any evidence the accident ever happened. It was better that way. Everyone who'd lived in Kalm was dead and people knowing about the tragedy wouldn't change that…it would only lead to resentment, and people like Downing calling for the end of Shinra.

Shinra fixed the town, good as new. It became the same old city it had always been and new people were brought in. Hating Shinra for the accident…. supporting AVALANCHE and other extremists…that didn't fix anything. It just caused more pain.

Downing needed to stop before something he said got someone hurt or killed. Everyone had the right to say what he or she wanted, but not when it put others in danger. Not when it called for the over throw of the world's defector government; not when it encouraged terrorism.

They could have had Downing arrested for sedition, but Shinra didn't want to create a martyr. They'd play this nicely. Pick him up, let him know he needed to stop, and let him go once he agreed. He would agree. He had his daughter to think about.

Asher looked at his watch. The ship would just have landed. Right about now, Jamie and the rest of the passengers would be informed that Junon harbor was closed until Monday due to a terrorist threat. Jamie had been traveling with another girl, but the Turks had ensured her ticket was changed to a later boat; a boat that was now delayed.

Jamie would be alone and he would be there to keep her company.