Notes: Thanks to Stacey for plot help!

Chapter Two

Sephiroth mostly ignored the flight attendant's message over the loudspeaker. It was the same sort of thing that was always said at the beginning of a plane trip---giving the estimated time schedule, the name of the in-flight movie, and reminding the passengers that food, drink, and magazines would be provided. Oh, and of course---they needed to remain in their seats until the seatbelt light went off. He had heard it all many times, and now he had more pressing matters on his mind.

He and Zack had been delayed for several hours as the hijackers had been taken into custody by some of the local SOLDIERs. They would be held by Shinra's military for the time being, while the pieces of the mystery were put together---or until they killed themselves, whichever came first. The captured men were not willing to reveal any sort of information, as Sephiroth had known. Both he and Zack had given accounts to the local SOLDIERs of what had occurred.

The police had also arrived on the scene, having learned of what had happened from some of the passengers. They had wanted to examine the casket themselves, but Sephiroth had exercised his authority over them, saying that it was a matter directly concerning Shinra and SOLDIER, and that they would take control of the coffin and of the investigation. The police chief had not been pleased at all, and had protested, but Sephiroth had prevailed, and the casket was now in the cargo hold of the jet. It would come with them to Kalm, but it would not be handed over to Broken Circle. At least, not immediately. It would remain with SOLDIER at first.

What bothered the general the most was the contents of the coffin. He had chanced to peer inside before it had been loaded, just long enough to make certain that no explosive devices had been attached. And he had very nearly slammed the lid down again in shock. The body inside had been an exact duplicate of the monster whom Sephiroth had defeated in Dismal. The straight, almost stringlike black hair had been spread around the very pale skin of the face and neck, making an eerie contrast. A hint of sadism had played upon the thin lips, as if even in death, he had been thinking of some misery he was going to bring upon others.

The corpse had been attired different than the Rakesh from Dismal, in a brown business suit with a white shirt and a red tie. But seeing that monster dressed with such dignity seemed more disturbing than if he had been wearing the blue coveralls of a prison guard.

"Seph?"

He looked up when he felt a soft touch on his upper arm. Zack was watching him, the lavender eyes filled with concern.

"Maryn's asleep now," he said. "That's better for her, after all this. But what's going on with you? You must have found something pretty freaky before we boarded."

Sephiroth ran a gloved hand over his eyes, the weariness growing. Maryn's aunt had invited him and Zack to spend the night when they arrived in Kalm, and though he had planned to politely refuse, it was sounding like a good idea as more time went on. It would be late at night before they would reach their destination. And with the onset of this new outlandish mystery, they would need to remain in Kalm for at least a day or two.

"The body in the coffin looks exactly like Rakesh," he announced.

Zack gave a low whistle. "Okay," he said. "So how do you explain that?"

"I can't." Sephiroth glowered out the window at the clouds floating past as they gained altitude.

"Maybe it's a twin or something?" Zack grinned weakly. "But it'd be crazy for them both to be named Rakesh."

Sephiroth shook his head. Any way this was examined, it did not make sense.

"A surname, perhaps?" he mused after a moment.

Zack made a helpless shrug. "Guess it could be," he said.

"What exactly was done with Rakesh's body?" Sephiroth, having been hovering between life and death for several days following the stabbing at the Dismal prison, had not been in any condition to know the answer. Not that Zack necessarily would know, either. He had spent the majority of those days watching over his best friend and refusing sleep. The fate of the body of the one who had nearly killed Sephiroth would have been the least of his concerns.

Zack studied Seph with a sidelong glance. "You know, I'm not sure," he admitted, "but I think some of the other SOLDIERs buried the dead on both sides." He frowned. "They might've just tossed the people from Dismal into a mass grave."

Sephiroth nodded slowly. He could imagine that. After everything the inhabitants of Dismal had done to SOLDIER, the warriors were not likely to feel any great need to take the time to bury each corpse individually, as they had done for those of their comrades who did not have families for their bodies to be sent to. A mass grave for the enemy would seem a logical solution, especially out in a desert wasteland.

"You don't think the guy in the box is the Rakesh, do you?!" Zack exclaimed, sorting out Seph's question in his mind.

"I don't know," Seph said. "I'd have to examine the body for wounds and a broken neck." He shook his head. "That conclusion doesn't make sense either. How would Rakesh's body get to Gladsheim?" That was the largest and closest town to Dismal, and it was where Sephiroth and Zack had stayed during the past weeks, at the SOLDIER base. When they had first boarded the train that day, there had not been any mention of a body being transported on the ride. None of the passengers had spoken of it, either. Had it been kept secret from all of them?

Zack ran a hand through his hair. "And not just how, but why?" he declared.

"And why would he be thought to be some businessman?" Sephiroth frowned again. Maybe no one else had looked in the coffin. If someone had wanted to get the body elsewhere, they could have decided to pass it off as the corpse of some prominent businessman with the same name. But with it being such an uncommon name, it would seem too much of a coincidence that the tycoon would drop dead just in time to have his body switched with the other Rakesh's. And there was still the question of who on earth would do something like that.

Zack groaned. "Man . . . I thought we'd left that guy behind us, at least," he said. "Looks like his ghost is just gonna keep haunting us for a while."

"And why am I not surprised." Seph's voice was filled with heavy sarcasm. After getting over the initial shock, it somehow seemed annoying and fitting to be bothered more with this nonsense. The other mysteries of Dismal were as of yet unsolved, and with Rakesh being such a pest, of course he would want to throw his own monkey wrench into the works. Nearly killing Sephiroth would not be enough to satisfy him, especially since his victim was still very much alive.

"Have you been able to remember where you heard the name Broken Circle before?" Sephiroth asked now, anxious to change the subject. When presenting the information to Zack several hours ago, the brunet had also found the name familiar, though he was not sure why.

"Nope," Zack said, his voice filled with frustration as well as regret. "My mind's just a blank."

"Could it have been in Dismal?" Sephiroth pressed.

Again a helpless shrug. "Could have been!" Zack frowned, rubbing at his eyes and face as he tried to concentrate. "Dalton had lots of stuff setting around in his house. Maybe it was something we just caught a glimpse of the night we were first looking."

Sephiroth sighed but nodded. In his experience, he would remember eventually, and at a moment when he was not even consciously thinking of it. That was irritating, especially when it was information needed sooner and not later.

"Maryn looks peaceful."

Sephiroth snapped back to the present, following Zack's gaze across the aisle. The child was stretched across both of the seats on her row, since the second one was vacant, and she was sound asleep. Her thick red curls were spread against the cream-colored velvet of the seats, and she was facing the backs of them. At the moment, she did not look as though she was suffering any ill effects from what had happened on the train.

According to Zack, she had hidden under the table in their booth for most of the time once the shooting had started, so he hoped that she had not witnessed all the different people being gunned or cut down. If she had, she had said nothing. But they had learned that she seemed to have a quiet acceptance of death, an evidence of what she may have seen and heard in Dismal. And while that certainly did not mean that death did not affect her---far from it!---it did mean that she recognized and understood what it was. Of course, it could have been, and likely was, her parents' deaths that would claim the main responsibility for her views.

Now Zack stood up to get her a blanket from one of the overhead compartments. "Wish I could settle down like that," he said through a yawn. "Bet I can't sleep good until we get to Kalm. Maybe not even then."

"Who knows." Sephiroth allowed himself a grim smirk. "I doubt we'll be getting up to investigate her aunt's home in the middle of the night. Maybe you'll have the chance for a decent sleep."

He watched as Zack walked with near silence across the aisle, then leaned down and spread the blanket over the small form. Maryn reached out, grabbing a corner of it in her sleep. Zack smiled, his expression tender and soft, as if he was looking on a beloved younger sibling. He had become terribly attached to Maryn the last few weeks. Would he even be able to say goodbye, when the time came? Of course, he would have to be able to, but it was going to be very hard for him.

Zack could become so fond of someone within such a short amount of time. While Sephiroth, meanwhile, distanced himself as much as possible from almost everyone. Any previous friends he had known had been more like casual acquaintances. He had not wanted anything to do with Zack at first, beyond the necessary association between SOLDIERs. And ah . . . it was so different now. If he lost Zack . . .

He frowned at his vague reflection in the window glass. How had he wandered onto that topic? True, he could have lost Zack in Dismal. They had tried to hang him. And Zack could have been killed earlier today. But he had not even been thinking of that right now. Nor did he want to. Zack dying seemed unthinkable. Sephiroth had never cared about anyone the way he now cared about Zack.

"Hey . . . you're sure you didn't knock your shoulder out of order?"

Zack was coming back over again, eyeing the indisposed left arm. He had somehow gotten Seph to mention that he had been forced to grab onto the bar with both hands when he had tumbled off the roof. And though Seph had said then that he was fine and that no damage had been done, he had been carrying that arm quite close to him.

"I'm sure." Sephiroth watched as Zack plopped down in the seat next to his. "The wound hasn't starting bleeding again. The stitches are holding." In spite of that, it had been dully aching since the action had taken place. It was nothing a warrior could not handle, but it was very exasperating. He had strained something, even if it was not serious.

"You're hurting." Zack looked at him. "The pain's all over your eyes."

Sephiroth immediately looked away. "You see too much in my eyes," he said, also referencing the time when Zack had discovered his catlike pupils.

Zack smirked. "You know it wouldn't be as interesting if I didn't!" he said.

Sephiroth grunted.

The flight was quite normal, which was a relief after the wild train ride. Zack did end up dozing after a while, his unruly spikes flopping into his face as he half-snuggled, half-slumped in his seat, propping himself up on an elbow. But Sephiroth stayed awake until the seatbelt light came on again and they approached the international airport of Midgar. He leaned over, affixing Zack's seatbelt for him. He received a mumble in reply, but Zack was too tired to fully drag himself back to consciousness.

Heh . . . so much for him not being able to slumber until they got to Maryn's aunt's home.

Sephiroth sighed to himself. Once they landed, their military Jeep should still be waiting for them, since they had left it there several weeks back. They could then drive it into Kalm---or Zack could, at any rate, so it was good that he was getting some sleep now.

It would be a relief when the sling could at last be removed. It had been so tiring the past weeks, unable to do many tasks that he usually could accomplish by himself. In some cases, he could do them, but it would take much longer and was very awkward. Washing his hair was one of the latter, though he could use his left hand sparingly---as long as he did not raise it over his head.

Opening a jar was one of the former. It had been humiliating, to have to get Zack to assist him by holding it still while he turned the lid. But it could not be helped. And Zack was patient, as always.

Zack often told his friend that needing help was not something of which to be ashamed. He had fought with valor and tenacity in Dismal, and no one would think less of him for not being able to do as much while he recovered. That was true, but Sephiroth still despised such inabilities.

A slight smirk crept over his features. Zack had also said that maybe Sephiroth was too independent for his good. That was possibly true as well. But it had been ingrained within his personality during many years of being forced to fend for himself. The scientists had certainly done very little for him, and even as a child, he had gotten so that he had not wanted to ask them for anything.

He watched out the window at the lights of the runway. The plane was touching the pavement now, the landing gear rolling across it as they slowed and at last halted. The seatbelt light went off, and the passengers came alive again, beginning to talk with each other as they stood and headed for the door.

He looked back to Zack, whose balance on his elbow had been lost. Now he was blinking sleepily, shifting into a proper sitting position as he took in the crowds. "Here already?" he observed, yawning like a cavern.

"We seem to be." Sephiroth reached down, undoing his seatbelt before standing. "The rest doesn't look like it's helped much," he remarked.

"Funny how that is, isn't it?" Zack mused, unbuckling his own seatbelt as he eased himself upright. "I feel more sluggish now than I did when I dozed."

"Hopefully you'll wake up in the next few minutes," Sephiroth said dryly. "You have to drive."

"Oh yeah," Zack said, stretching to get out all the kinks and knots that had formed from his odd position. "Hope they left the Jeep where we had it."

"If they didn't, they'll be hearing from me."

Zack smirked. "I pity them."

He looked across the aisle once the sea of people had thinned. Maryn was awake now as well, sitting up as she looked uncertainly at the long line. Then she turned, kneeling on the seat as she studied the view out the window. "Wow," she said, the excitement and awe in her voice.

Zack smiled, walking to where she was and leaning his hand on the wall next to the window. The lights and the buildings were everywhere, and beyond them, more lights could be seen from the city. "Did you ever come to visit your aunt, Maryn?" he asked.

She scrunched up her features in thought. "One time," she said, slow and hesitant. "I was really, really little." She gestured with her hand. "I remember all the big, pretty lights and the buildings everywhere. I asked Mommy and Daddy why we couldn't live in one of the nice houses. Daddy said we needed to stay in Dismal and make it big and pretty someday." Then she frowned, pulling her hands away from the window. Instead of saying more, she began to push herself off the seat. Now she was subdued.

Zack frowned as well. She was probably thinking about the explosion that had killed her parents, and how Dismal had ended up reduced to nothing more than a ghost town. He moved to follow her.

"Hey," he said softly, "I bet your parents would be happy that you get to come live in the city now, with your aunt."

She nodded, still silent. "Will you have to go away tonight?" she asked then, walking to where Sephiroth was bringing up the rear of the line.

Zack gave a gentle smile. "Not tonight," he said. "Your aunt invited me and Seph to stay over, since it's so late."

Maryn looked up, relief spreading across her face. She beamed, reaching for his hand. He took hers, squeezing it in a comforting manner.

"And me and Seph live pretty close to Kalm, when we're not on assignment," he said. "We can come visit."

"Yay!" she cheered, happy again. As the line advanced, she skipped forward, bringing Zack with her.

Sephiroth watched, the shadow of a smile on his face as they walked alongside him. But a new mystery was taking shape in his mind. If Maryn had been aware of her aunt for years, then there must have been some information about her in the child's former home. Why, when her parents had been killed, had Dalton taken her in instead of contacting the aunt? It did not make sense, especially since he had not been fond of his ward at all.

Trista Mueller lived in a modest but welcoming house in a pleasant Kalm neighborhood. When Zack at last parked the Jeep in the wide driveway, the lights were still shining through the windows despite the fact that it was going on for midnight.

"Looks like she waited up for us," he announced, turning off the engine and removing the key.

Sephiroth climbed out of the car first. He had been sitting on the passenger side, with Maryn in between him and Zack. Now she hopped out as well, while Zack exited from the driver's side. She waited until he had shut the car door before heading to the porch.

Sephiroth detected a hint of hesitation in her movements. Now that the time had finally come for her to reunite with her aunt, she was reluctant and nervous. It was a human emotion, and not unexpected from a child.

"Your aunt was very happy to hear from you when you spoke to her on the telephone," he remarked as they climbed the steps to the large cement porch.

She nodded. "Yeah. . . ."

Zack smiled. "It's been so long ago when you saw her, that it feels like you're just meeting her for the first time, doesn't it?"

Another nod.

He rang the doorbell. "I bet when you see her now, it'll be like no time has gone by at all," he said.

She smiled a bit.

The door opened. A tall woman with long chestnut hair was standing in the entranceway. She looked tense for a brief moment, but upon seeing the armor of the SOLDIERs, it faded. Then she noticed Maryn, who had drifted back to Zack's side and was regarding her shyly. She smiled, bending down to be at the child's eye level.

"Hello, Maryn," she greeted, her tones quiet and musical. "I'm your aunt Trista. Do you remember coming here before?"

Maryn smiled more, nodding. "This is Zack and Mr. Sephiroth," she announced, some of her courage returning as she gestured to them. "They're my friends."

Trista straightened up, looking from one to the other. "Thank you so much for bringing Maryn here," she said, relief flooding her voice.

Zack grinned, shaking her hand. "Hey, it's a privilege," he said. "We're glad that Maryn's got a good place to come to."

Sephiroth gave a slow nod of acknowledgment as he also shook the woman's hand. She seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties, and there was a definite trace of sadness in her eyes. He had noticed it as soon as the door had opened. But it had faded somewhat upon seeing her niece, and the last thing he was going to do was pry. It was hardly his business, and he was not interested anyway.

Now Trista stepped back, gesturing to her living room. "Well, it's not much," she said, "but you're both still welcome to spend the night with Maryn and me. I'm afraid you'd have to share a room, though," she added apologetically.

"That's okay with me," Zack said, his boots landing on white tile as he entered. The squares were only at the very front of the room, which was otherwise covered with beige carpet. It was cosy and homey, and reminded him somewhat of his own home in Gongoga. He had the terrible urge to just fling himself onto the soft couch and stretch out, but of course he resisted. It would be very impolite.

Maryn bounded in after him, gazing around the room in awe. She vaguely remembered it, and the house and Aunt Trista in general, and little details were coming back to her as she advanced. She had been fascinated by the mural of an autumn forest, and she had snuggled with that worn couch pillow. . . .

Sephiroth came in last, and Trista shut the door behind him. As he moved out of her way, a local newspaper caught his eye. It was laying on a small table by the couch, half-folded and bearing the headline Broken Circle Corporation in Crisis. He frowned at it, leaning over slightly in an attempt to catch any details. It seemed to be interviewing the board of directors about the man Rakesh's death. They did not know what the explanation was, they said, but they were determined to find the answers. And, they added, the "unfortunate incident" should not make anyone wary to follow through with their business deals involving Broken Circle.

"You know about the Broken Circle company?"

He straightened up. Trista was standing right behind him, her voice quiet.

"I know of them," he answered carefully. "Can you tell me more?"

"Not right now," she replied. "But you should know this." She turned, making certain that Maryn was not listening. The little girl was occupied on the other side of the room, pointing out to Zack her favorite places on the mural. He was commenting on her choices, seeming to enjoy their time together.

Trista looked back to Sephiroth, who was watching her with questions in his eyes. "Maryn's parents worked for them," she said in an undertone. "It was because of Broken Circle that they moved to Dismal on assignment!" With that she turned, walking over to where Maryn and Zack were.

"Do you want to see your room, Maryn?" she asked with a gentle smile. "I hope you like it. I tried to get it ready as best as I could, and to put in things I remembered you like."

Maryn looked up, smiling happily. "Yes, please!" she said. "I'm sure I'll like it!"

"Well, let's go then." Trista led the way into the hall, and Maryn followed after her, her gait light, her earlier distress forgotten.

Zack sauntered over to Sephiroth, looking relaxed. "I think she'll adjust just fine," he declared. Then he blinked, peering at the other's deep expression. "Hey, what are you thinking about?" he asked.

Sephiroth focused on him. "Ms. Mueller just said that Maryn's parents worked for Broken Circle," he said, using the same quiet tones that she had exercised. It was information that Maryn was not supposed to hear, probably for the continuing memories it would bring up of her departed parents. And Sephiroth was quite content to respect that.

Zack gawked at him. "Yeah?" he gasped.

Sephiroth nodded. "And that they had been sent to Dismal on an assignment." He frowned, starting to move past Zack. "I intend to ask more about this later." Maybe after Maryn went to bed, or perhaps sometime the following morning. Trista had seemed to want to tell him more, but had not felt it possible at that moment.

Zack hurried after him, reeling from this news. "This just keeps getting more weird all the time," he exclaimed.

As they approached the hall, Maryn and Trista could be heard conversing in a room near the other end. Sephiroth paused, gazing down the corridor thoughtfully.

"I've also been wondering why Dalton took Maryn in, instead of sending her here," he said. "We both know he didn't appreciate her being around."

Zack stopped as well, crossing his arms. "That's a good question," he said. "It doesn't make much sense, does it?"

"Nothing does. I'm hoping this woman can give us some answers, instead of only adding to our questions." Sephiroth pushed himself away from the doorframe. "And now, we should join them before it starts looking strange," he said. "We can talk more in our room."

Zack nodded, moving to follow him again. "Hey Seph?"

"Hmm?"

Zack grinned cheekily. "You don't snore, do you?"

Sephiroth grunted. "How on earth would I know?" he answered flatly. "I would be asleep when I would be doing it."

"Well, if you don't wake yourself up in the middle of the night, then you probably don't." Zack placed his hands behind his head.

Sephiroth was silent for a moment. "The only time I was awakened in the middle of the night," he replied, "was when someone sleepwalked into my quarters and fell on me." He gave Zack a sideways glance. "And I hope his sleepwalking won't become a habit."

Zack bowed his head in a mock way. "Point taken."