I couldn't sleep that night. I just wasn't tired. Deep, ragged breath filled the room from the other men. A shaky, rhythmless void of noise serving only to fill the silence. We weren't supposed to be awake at this hour but I avoided taking night medication anytime I could. It sapped the only life I had now and I wasn't willing to succumb like that anymore. I was tired of being some lifeless zombie, handled like a mad scientist's guinea pig but where else could I go? No home, no job, no relatives. I was trapped here. Rude would take me in but I didn't want him to lose his job for harboring a runaway. I wasn't worth losing everything over. He would take the risk and I wasn't going to give him the chance. I would serve out the rest of my days as a prisoner here.
Rising I pulled on the thin robe they supplied us when it was chilly. I had to hold it closed; they did away with the robe ties after someone killed themself. Not to say I hadn't contemplated but there were better ways to accomplish it. I went over to the door and leaned against the frame. It was a fairly basic lock, I could pick it if I had really wanted. Scanning around I noticed something was weird. I did a double take but there was no mistake.
Two of the beds were emptyy. Loz and Yazoo's specifically. That couldn't end well. I tried the door and cursed, it swung open with no problem. I headed out into the maze of the halls evading the eyes of late night janitors and watchmen. One of them drew close and I held my breath. Quick and silent I pounced the man and knocked him out to continue on. The two brothers could have been anywhere in this giant labryinth. They tended to be creatures of habit so I took off for the shower chamber. If I knew these two well enough there was no doubt what they'd be up to.
No one else may have detected them but being a Turk had its perks. I recognized the deep, sharp breath immediately. The same noises I used to make during the twenty minute bathroom breaks at work. I knocked on the shower door trying desperately to break them up before they got caught. If Lazard got wind of their activity they would be severely punished but the two seemed disinterested in the threat against their lives. I banged harder on the door only to be ignored.
"Loz, Yazoo!" A whisper echoed in volumes. "C'mon!"
"B-Brother..." Yazoo had no intention of listening. The sex addict had been deprived since his arrival, he took any occasion he could to sneak a quick fix. Loz was his obedient little puppy. Whatever Kadaj or Yazoo said was law, the burly man would make no decisions for himself.
Strong arms pinned against my chest and clapped over my mouth, wrestling me down to the floor. I looked back to find Lazard pinning me, his two 'angels' heading for the shower door. Lazard had two minions he utilized we called his angels, a tall, quiet man named Angeal and a cruel, egotistical redhead, Genesis.
Angeal pulled open the door for Genesis to reach in and yank the two brothers apart, throwing Yazoo halfway across the chamber. Loz scrambled for his brother's side but Angeal held him back while Genesis took to restraining me. Lazard rose and approached the trembling Remnant, yanking the beauty up his by hair. I had never seen Yazoo naked before, he was extremely beautiful. It was no wonder they took so many efforts to detract from the man's charm. He had a body to die for.
"How unfortunate..." Lazard pinned the smaller man to the wall. "You still don't get it, do you Yazoo?"
"Do what you will to me..." Yazoo held no fear of Lazard's tortures, "Leave my brother out of this."
"Oh, I plan to." A serpentine smile coiled onto the man's lips and he yanked Yazoo out, motioning for the angels to follow. I was dragged across the floor back into the dorm rooms, running into Zack on the way.
"Lazard!" The young boy was relieved to see the brothers were safe. "I came in to check on them an--"
"Come with me."
Yazoo was thrown to the floor, his arms and legs spread wide apart by handcuffs connected to bedposts. He hid behind the curtain of hair, trembling in the humiliation. Lazard threw on the lights ensuring everyone could see the grand spectacle.
"YAZOO!" Kadaj thrashed violently against the restraints around his limbs securing both him and Sephiroth to their beds to "prevent murderous intent" late at night. Mako eyes filled with panicked tears rubbing his wrists bloody in his frenzy to escape. Sephiroth watched calmly as Lazard circled Yazoo's body. I think he frightened me far more. It just wasn't natural to be that calm.
Lazard's voice was strong, commanding the attention of every captive in the room. My stomach sank further and further. This was sick... Yazoo was terrified, just leave him be!
"See here, you sniveling fuck-ups? Pretty little Yazoo went and broke the rules again... and you all know what happens when you break the rules..." Everyone cowered into their beds. They knew the Executioner's cruelty in some degree. I struggled against Angeal and pain cracked through my skull filling my eyes with white. His power was not to be disobeyed either.
Through the blur I heard the crack of whip tails on skin, Yazoo howling in pain with every blow. Kadaj's protesting was becoming louder, I heard him clearer than the ones I was right next to. I blinked trying to focus my eyes but Angeal's hand held my head down. All I could make out was the white tile floor speckled with spots of fresh blood. My blood? No... Yazoo's blood.
More screaming plugged up my brain. Louder and louder... It mixed with the pain and filled my head with a terrible migraine. I couldn't see to think, it was all a giant blur. He didn't need to hit me this damn hard. I tried to look up when the fuzz cleared and he hit me again, throwing my useless body to the ground. Muffled voices. Genesis asking him something and the deep grumble of a reply.
Finally the screaming stopped. There was no sound. None at all. Not Loz crying, not Yazoo's wailing, not even Kadaj was raising hell. The light began to clear from my eyes and I blinked them open. Blood... painting the pale canvas crimson staining his beautiful hair. He wasn't crying. He wasn't moving.
"L-Lazard..." Zack's hand was over his mouth fighting back the urge to vomit. Watching someone get beat to death was a hell of an experience even to a SOLDIER. Lazard said nothing in his defence but looked at Angeal and motioned to the body.
"Take him out and burn the body. If anyone asks he attacked me first." Angeal released me and gently undid the cuffs from the Remnant.
"....Yes sir."
"Don't tell me you feel remorse, Angeal." Genesis sneered. "It isn't like anyone will miss them." There was no retort from the other. He lifted the body and carefully carried Yazoo outside. Silent moments passed and through the windows we could smell the sweet aroma of pine become malodorous with burning flesh.
Zack waited for Lazard to leave before picking me up and helping me over to bed. I didn't make any effort to help him. He laid me down and pulled up the covers then turned to shut all the windows. With each slam another wave of silent tears fell from Loz's eyes. Kadaj was curled into a ball on his bed, tiny arms wrapped around his knees making him even smaller than normal. I sat up, wanting to rush to his side and hold him through the nightmare but Zack returned and laid me back down. It wasn't safe to challenge worse tonight.
I looked over at Sephiroth. He was sitting up staring at Yazoo's empty bed. If not for his chest rising and falling with breath I would have thought him petrified. There was something new in the swordsman's eyes. A spark of something dangerous, something devious. The calm face was nothing more than a fabrication. He was extremely upset by what had occured here. He looked at me and I nodded, letting him know I still acknowledged him as master of our ward. Zack appeared at his bedside and coaxed Sephiroth back down, letting the Remnant brothers cry themselves to sleep. Approaching them was a bad idea.
I laid back down and closed my eyes, thankful to Angeal I had not beared the sight of Yazoo's murder. Nothing could get those horrible screams out of my dreams and they played like broken records over and over and over all night long. I stared up at the cieling giving up on sleep. There was no doubt a whole new war had begun. Lazard had sparked a note in Sephiroth I don't think he anticipated. Sephiroth was smart. He knew how to manipulate the executives into making them think exactly as he wanted them to. His reign on this Compound was supreme.
He had every intent on showing Lazard where he belonged.