Disclaimer: I don't own any of the FFVII characters, places, etc.
Chapter 3: Seeds
"You get your brute hands off of me!" Cassie commanded, practically spitting fire at the sorely tried Detective Quincy Drake. His gray eyes and lean face were set against the maelstrom as he helped her out of the cramped backseat of the police car. The gleaming cuffs winked around her thin wrists while her pink painted toenails set themselves down against the dirty black pavement. Drake pushed Cassie's head down before she managed to crack it against the roof of the car in her thrashing.
Reno climbed out of the passenger seat and shut the door, feeling the radiation of Cassie's livid temper as she marched ahead of Drake. The cop glanced back at Reno and jerked his head, motioning for him to come along. He sported a bruised jaw after pulling Cassie off of the social worker who had come to inspect Reno.
A second car rolled up and said social worker climbed out, both eyes black with red claw marks where Cassie's nails had dragged across his skin. The balding man had made the mistake of being callous with Cassie and telling her that Reno would be transferred to the Sector 5 workhouse, known for its brutality and the roster of Midgar's worst juvenile delinquents. Reno hadn't particularly cared, still numbed by the events of the evening and trying to keep his smile in place. His cheeks were starting to ache…
"Ms. Providence," Drake turned her around sharply, so fast that she spun on her heels and lost her balance. Reno stopped to watch as Cassie drew in for another snarling attack on him. Drake held her steady, gripping the blood smeared shoulder pads of her pink dress and staring her down. "You will calm down," he commanded. "I need you calm and reasonable."
Cassie opened her mouth and Drake's face became suddenly dangerous, his gray eyes shining at her like a predator's. His thin mouth set itself in a grim line and it looked like he tightened his grip. The aura felt ominous even to Reno, penetrating the numbness around him.
"Finally, someone muzzled the bitch," the social worker sneered sauntering past. Cassie was shaken out of her obedient daze and lunged like she wanted to bite him but Drake held her steady. He leaned in closer and Reno watched as Cassie responded to the movement.
"Stay. Calm," he reiterated. Without further ado he spun her around and marched her in through the glass doors. Cassie continued without a quip, brooding darkly. Reno had never seen her so fierce before and he followed along mutely, passing beneath Drake's arm as the detective held the door open for him.
Concrete floors greeted Reno and when he looked up he saw a barren roof and desolate concrete walls. Fluorescent lighting glared harshly off of the surfaces while an enormous desk made of scrap metals loomed before him. A husky clerk sat there, shuffling through pages and entering the information into the oldest and shabbiest computer Reno had ever seen. The clerk looked up as Reno passed by him, peering at him from behind thick coke bottle glasses, and then turned his eyes to Cassie.
"Evenin' Drake," the clerk greeted.
"Cronin, would you get me Julia West from Social Services?" Drake asked. Cronin nodded, pressing a button on his desk as he lifted up the battered receiver of an old black phone. The spiral cord was full of knots and stretches as it hung taped to the plastic earpiece. Reno heard the heavy metal door buzz open and followed Drake and Cassie through.
"More social service workers?" Cassie demanded suspiciously.
"Mrs. West is a good friend of mine. After you botched things up with Brody over there, I'm going to need all the muscle I can get," Drake answered. Reno looked again at the battered bald man and admitted to himself that he had sold Cassie short. But his attention was stolen by a woman with spiked gray hair seated patiently at the desk they approached. "Ah, you're here faster then usual, Lyn," Drake said not bothering to conceal his disdain. The woman looked up and Reno was surprised to find a youthful face accompanying that gray hair.
She gave him a smile and Reno reflected on how cruel her features appeared. She had a sharp nose, jutting cheek bones, and a razor edged jaw line with a crooked smile to almost reduce her gleaming amber eyes into a beast's. Still, Reno found her fascinating as he detailed the tiny silver hoops and studs running up her ear and the immaculate press of her coat. She stood up and Reno felt a tremor of fear as she extended her arm to shake his hand, watching the material in her navy blue coat fold over thick muscles. Peeking beneath her sleeve was the ink from a tattoo, while the back of her knuckles were scarred white.
"This was a big deal," she answered, her smile more feline then human. The muscles in Drake's arm stood out as he squeezed Lyn's knuckles together.
"Ms. Providence, would you be so kind as to fill out this paperwork?" Drake asked once Lyn released him. The woman remained standing and studied Cassie. Drake released one of Cassie's wrists and then snapped the cuffs back in place when her arms were in front of her. He gave her the clip board and pen and put her down in a nearby chair. Lyn's eyes turned to Reno.
"Cute brat," Lyn's smile creased the mocha skin around her eyes. She turned back to Drake while Reno critically examined the relaxed posture she had with loose shoulders and one leg supporting most of her weight. The tailored coat and pants she was wearing brought out her figure, and added to the raw power she projected. Even though she'd been sitting, there didn't look to be a wrinkle on the immaculate jacket or pants.
"What did you want?" Drake asked.
"Wanted a look-see at the kid's record. Thought I'd try it the legal way first," Lyn replied still standing. Drake had seated himself and opened a desk drawer.
"And what made you come to me?"
"You're in pretty tight with that bitch working records. I could rough her up but that always gets me into trouble."
"Your diplomacy is fascinating."
"You can't say I go home empty handed," Lyn replied.
"I see that Shin-Ra is unusually interested in this one. Care to give me any details?" Drake pushed.
"That's about five million gil for some of that high tech damage," Lyn replied, uninterested in divulging her secrets.
"For a stolen bike?"
"As if Shin-Ra would give a rat's ass about some kid's toy."
"Then why would you be at all interested in the boy? He stole a bike and lost control of it," Drake scoffed. Lyn's expression was mockingly tender.
"Why don't you leave me to worry about these complicated things, huh Drake? Now hand over the files."
"It's that Soldier guy, ain't it," Reno said before he could help it. Lyn turned and gave him the once over a second time. She took a step towards him and pulled her hands out of her pockets, squatting before him and then peering up again into his face.
"Now where did you hear about them?" she asked him, her voice toned down and quiet. Her eyes were hunting for something in his face.
"5 million?" Reno changed the subject.
"More'n you can even imagine, huh?"
"Too bad 5 million ain't enough to make him pretty," Reno scoffed, determined not to let her win this game. A smile played across her feral features.
"What's your interest in him?" she asked. Reno just smiled and shrugged. She reached up and pulled the goggles off of his face, pushing them back into his hair. She examined the soot covered cheeks and filthy hair and seemed to measure each tooth, including the hole where the last grown tooth would come in. "Do you like games, boy?" she asked.
"Why're you askin' me if you don't even like 'em," Reno fired back.
"Oh believe me, I love a good game. So, here are the rules." Lyn leaned in closer until her bestial face pressed its cheek against Reno's. "In this new world, if you're not careful, you'll end up blown to pieces and left in a bloody sack in some back alley. And you know what? No person in the world will ever give you your justice." Her voice was low and sweet in his ear. Reno's expression glazed over as he focused on Drake who sat doing paperwork with a corner of his eye on Reno. "There are no rules in this new world. It's just a matter of makin' people think there are rules."
There was a loud crack in Reno's ear and he jumped. Lyn reeled backwards, one hand cupping her nose as she landed on her butt unceremoniously. She looked up with surprise at the clipboard wielding Cassie who stood with fire in her eyes.
"You keep your own poison!" Cassie snapped, rising to the occasion like a paladin of justice. Her mussed hair and dirty feet suddenly seemed regal while Lyn looked like a dazed animal staring up at her, blinded by her brilliance. "I know your kind, Turk!" She spit on the ground, ready to strike with the clipboard. Lyn had recovered by this time and heaved herself up smiling. She pulled her hand down from her face, blood streaming down her lips and chin. It dribbled onto the white blouse beneath her navy jacket and even stained the black tie.
"You're cute enough to eat Cherry Cheese Cake," Lyn winked. "I'll let a saucy girl slide on account of how damn pretty you are. Drake, I need those files."
Drake looked like he could hardly contain his hysteria and lifted the receiver of his phone. He cupped the mouthpiece to mask his laughter, scrunching his eyes shut and laughing audibly. Lyn only smiled and sat down on the desk, looking back at Cassie.
"You've ruined my reputation, Cherry," she said pulling out a handkerchief and cleaning up her face. "I'll remember that next time we brush shoulders."
"Keep your fangs out him," Cassie told her curtly, shoving Reno over towards her chair. "Or it'll be the barrel of a shotgun unloading in your face." Lyn just smiled.
"What'll happen to that Soldier?" Reno asked looking over his shoulder. Cassie almost hissed at him and Lyn shrugged.
"He's Shin-Ra property, a 5 million gil piece. I imagine we'll put him back together and he'll go on with his duties," she explained. "This little fiasco won't even go on his records."
"You're despicable," Cassie intoned viscerally. "Don't listen to her, Reno. He'll pay for chasing after your brother like that."
"No one will accept a case against the SOLDIER when he was specifically assigned to retrieve or destroy the bike from the bandit and you can take that to the bank, Cherry," Lyn called, disinterest in her voice. "5 million gil speaks much louder then a slum kid's life." The gleam in her eyes was not lost on Reno who felt a boiling hatred and anger surge through him. Reno grinned.
"Scram, Lyn. Records are pulling up the information right now," Drake said, still recovering from his bout of laughter. He wiped some tears out of his eyes, shaking off the last of his chuckles. "Good to see you for once."
"I'm a barrel of fun Drake. You just gotta wait for the powder keg to light up," Lyn assured him, swaggering off. She didn't look back but Reno felt like her attention was still on him. He thought about what she'd said, thought about murder meaning nothing in the face of money and politics.
"Mrs. West, I'm sorry to say you missed out on the best show I've seen in years," Drake greeted someone but Reno was too absorbed to think much of it. He was vaguely aware of a checkered skirt going past him as Cassie hunkered down to finish up the paperwork. "I hate having called you out so late on a work night."
"That's the only time you call me Drake," replied a kindly voice. "Now what's the problem with this case?"
"Landon," Cassie distracted him. He looked over at her. "Your folks taught you to read, didn't they?"
"No, but I learned a little from Cam."
"Cam taught you to read? Cam hardly even likes you," she replied amazed.
"Only 'cuz he's lazy and always makes me go get the bike parts." A pang of grief struck both of them at once and Reno looked down at his bandaged hands. "How come you wanna know?"
"Landon…what's this word?" Cassie held out the clip board pointing at the first blank. Reno looked at the word and then up at Cassie.
"I thought…how d'you keep all that money straight?" he asked. She smiled with shame in her lowered blue eyes.
"All of that is numbers and there are colors for each race slot. I can do those," she confessed. Reno was silent a moment, reshaping his world again this evening. He took the clip board from her and the pencil and put it down on the first blank. He proceeded to spell out Cassie Providence and looked at the next box. He checked female.
"How old are you Cassie?" he asked.
"Sixteen," she replied, her cheeks blazing crimson.
"Let's get the paper tomorrow," Reno said looking up at her. "Jay liked the funnies." Cassie nodded timidly and Reno went back to the page.
"Think you can help out?" Drake was saying in the back ground as Reno filled out Cassie's address. Cassie dictated it to him, watching in fascination.
"Well, these cases are hard to manage, especially if the elder went awry in spite of the 'reform' policies of Sector 6, not to mention how hungry Sector 5 is for fresh little workers," Mrs. West replied. "I'll see what I can do. Little thing like him won't last long in a place like that. Besides, I'm sure the panel might be willing to give him a second chance since he's so young. I'll go appeal to a few favors owed me."
Reno was suddenly aware of a hand in his hair and he looked up at the tallest Wutian woman he'd ever seen. She must have been around five foot eight with long, silky black hair and a genuine smile. Her eyes were warm and inviting.
"Don't worry about a thing. You've got a good friend here in Drake. He'll look out for you." She pushed his hair back and smiled broader. "What's your name?" she asked him.
"Reno," he answered.
"A good sound name. You'll do us proud and be exemplary for the board, won't you?"
"Yes ma'am," he nodded smiling. He looked back down and continued writing, hoping she hadn't caught that gnawing anger and hatred in him.
"That's a boy. I'll be in touch Drake," Mrs. West said with a pat on Reno's head. She left in the next moment and Reno listened to the echo of her heels on the unforgiving concrete floor. Lyn hadn't made any noise when she'd left.
Reno filled out the paperwork while Cassie spoke with Drake and then answered generic questions himself. He felt nothing as he spoke, explaining what he could about Jay and his possible connections to the Soldiers, admitting to the bike theft and omitting Cam's name entirely. He felt even less when he described the crash site and wreckage and how he had found it. His real attention was on the Soldier, anger and hatred slowly building in a constant churn as he realized the Soldier had been out to kill his brother, as he realized that the Soldier had put on a façade for him. It made him boil over to think that he had been duped. But he smiled instead of scowled and he could tell that it unnerved Drake to see that smile.
"Let's get home Landon," Cassie said wearily when Drake was through with them. "You can crash with me. I'll explain it to the headmaster." Her fingers were lightly on his shoulder.
"Ms. Providence, a word?" Drake said. She looked back at him and then trudged towards him when she realized he wouldn't budge from his desk. Reno watched Drake speak and glance at him and then saw Cassie nod her head.
"I'll think about it," she answered. "Let's go Lan," she said again and this time they left. They walked together through the dark streets, almost stumbling with exhaustion, before slumping into some empty rail seats. The train started moving and Reno suddenly became aware of the plush seats. He recalled how eerie a decaying train car could be and felt the cold fingers of his brother's hand on his once more. He clenched his fists.
"I ain't leavin' this, Jay…I ain't gonna let it go…"
