.
4. Talk
It took a while, but she was used to finding people who didn't want to be found. She was also used to interviews involving snapped fingers and broken kneecaps, but that wasn't necessary this time.
She tried the rec-room first. He was sometimes there, shooting the breeze. Next she tried the gym. Usually it was full of sweaty men and easy banter – hardened warriors weren't above snapping butts with wet towels. That led her to the locker room, and some girly shrieking from the occupants. She checked the guard rota and records of day-passes into Midgar, but he wasn't logged. She even tried his quarters. He was rarely there. He hated being alone.
Finally providence answered. Reno passed her on his way to wash off blood and catch some zees.
"Think you might be interested in the roof, yo."
Reno was a jerk, a lech, a potty-mouth and a smartass, but he could be disturbingly perceptive. She hurried to the top of the residence-building, where nobody went unless dead pigeons had clogged the air-vents.
He balanced on the edge, legs drawn up and forehead on his knees. He could mash monsters without breaking a sweat, but he looked like a little kid. His shoulders shook. Everything screamed 'go away'.
"Hey."
He looked up. "Cissnei?"
She sat beside him, this boy-man who'd been forced to kill his mentor. He was obviously torturing himself. She'd predicted it when she heard. She didn't know what that was like. To her, killing was a necessary evil. Maybe that was why she liked Zack. He reminded her there were still good people in the world, even if they couldn't stay innocent forever.
"Wanna talk?"