VII: Flight procedures
I keep forgetting to mention a detail about my friendship with Reno that I think is probably pretty important and maybe rather predictable: we are both very competitive, particularly with one another. After the mission we went on together (and after I recovered from my wonderful battle wound), ShinRa finally officially hired me, and I had to undergo a bit more training, though I wouldn't even call it that compared to the near-death experience they had first presented me with.
Anyway, most new employees have to go through the tests more than once to obtain their various licenses-y'know, to pilot the helicopters, to use certain equipment, to make explosives, etc. I was their first employee who only went through each test once. Reno, on the other hand, hadn't even TRIED to pass some of those tests, just skipped them and got temporary licenses, which can be renewed every year and let you do a more basic version of the job at hand.
Yes, that's right: he was breaking a law when he piloted that helicopter.
Thankfully, everyone has a license to drive a motorbike, so I felt pretty safe on the back of that monster set of wheels with Rude driving. …Especially because it was Rude driving. I knew we would make it back to headquarters in one piece, despite the chaos going down on the streets of Edge.
The offices were pretty much empty when we arrived, save for a few straggler employees who would rather work overtime than deal with the nonsense going on in the city. They didn't bother to greet us when we flew in; most of the time they knew we're in a hurry, and we don't have time to deal with paperwork or customer service. Unless you count kicking ass as customer service. I would. But that's just me.
"Take the one with the biggest guns!" Reno shouted as I ran ahead. Rude had run to get some "extra goods," and there was no way in hell I was letting Reno pilot if I was readily available to do so.
"We're not trying to blow up Edge, we're just trying to blow up some slick-headed bastards!" I shouted back, climbing into one of the most reliable copters. As Reno climbed in to the passenger seat, I tossed him a headset, putting one on my own head as well.
"Oh why oh why must my life be full of such fuckery," I chanted, starting the engine as Rude came jogging into sight. He was carrying a brown bag filled with something unidentifiable. I wasn't going to ask, I didn't want to know. As long as it helped our cause, there was no room for complaint.
"I always get the back…" I heard him grumble as he climbed in through the backdoor.
"Don't worry buddy, next time I pilot, we'll stick HER in the back," Reno said, chuckling.
"Ha ha, yeah, say that now, but you'll be thanking me later," I snapped, pouting as I opened the roof above us. "Unless, of course, you GIVE me a reason to kill you."
"It's never worked before, though."
"Very true."
About two minutes later, we were completely airborne and zooming over Edge, making our way toward the highway system. Ironically, with the three of us together, things weren't as chaotic anymore. I suppose it's a bit tougher managing things on one's own.
"Down there, down there!" Reno finally shouted, pointing to three little black wisps shooting across the pavement. Taking the copter down closer, I could see Cloud leading the way, with Yazoo and Loz on his tail. It appeared that they were shooting at him, and my guess was that he was probably shooting back.
"You losers are chasing the wrong guy!" Reno said with a smirk, firing at the two remnants.
"Hey! Be careful when you touch stuff!" I snapped, trying to concentrate on flying close enough to the highway to get us in range of attacking them.
Frowning, I watched as Loz turned his bike around and latched on to Yazoo's, firing back at us.
"You forget about the bridge, big guy?" I said as the two disappeared under a bridge. When they appeared again, I'd moved the copter to the side, taking them by surprise. Reno took the chance to fire again; I didn't complain, just tried to concentrate on getting as close as possible.
As Cloud zoomed past us, I turned the copter to face the remnants, and Rude opened the door to look out at them.
"Nice choice, Rude," Reno laughed. I glanced in the rearview to see a large bazooka planted on Rude's shoulder, and a grin spread on my face. Another reason why we'd always be friends.
"You might want to pull back," Rude said shortly after firing, so I took his advice and pulled way out, just in time to watch that entire section of the highway explode and become engulfed in flames.
None of us said anything, but I could tell by the giant smirk on Reno's face that our job was most likely done.
"Shit."
Next thing I knew, someone's motorbike came crashing through our helicopter. Yes, THROUGH IT. Somehow one of those silver-haired punks had launched himself up to our level and was now soaring through our 'copter at full speed (though the event felt as though it went in slow-motion). I could hear Yazoo's laugh in the background. They had somehow survived, and now Rude was in trouble.
"Shit!" I echoed as Yazoo shot one of the main control sticks between me and Reno.
"Rude!" Reno shouted, looking out the window. He leaned over and grabbed the broken lever in a panic, and in result completely wrenched it off of the command board. Burning with rage, I turned to Reno, unable to react in any other way.
"…I'm going to fucking kill you," I said, our equally frightened eyes locking despite the rumbling of our death vehicle.
"If we don't die in this damn thing first!" Reno shot back, running to the backseat area. I could hear him muttering to himself, then call out Rude's name. The copter was beyond control, so I followed him back to see what was going on.
"Hey, Rude, you're all right!" he said. Rude was hanging on one of the stationary wings, looking dazed.
"Yeah, I'm just peachy."
Before any of us could say another word, the copter slammed into a nearby building, sending the three of us plummeting to the concrete. Luckily, it wasn't too high of a fall, and we all looked up just in time to see the copter burst into flames farther ahead on the highway.
"That coulda been us," I said, shooting a look at Reno. He ignored me, both he and Rude distracted by the cord that had fallen between them. We all looked up to see another copter of our own soaring above us.
"Hey guys!" Elena called out, waving.
^^vv^^vv^^
Moments later, Mae, Reno, and Rude were crammed into the helicopter with Elena, Tseng, and Rufus, who was back in his wheelchair, the sheet covering him again. Even though the vehicle was a bit bigger than the one they'd recently crashed, six people inside it was more than snug.
"So what should we do next?" Elena asked the three new arrivals. Reno rubbed his sore neck, in the process elbowing a very irritated Mae. Rude said nothing, fulfilling his role of the strong silent type as expected of him.
"We can't just let 'em go," Reno finally replied. "Now it's getting personal. I hate it when it gets personal."
Tseng chuckled quietly from the pilot's seat. "I think you're the only one who's making it personal."
"Still. They need to be stopped. We might as well do it since we're all here."
"And how exactly are you planning to pull that off?" Elena asked, smirking at Reno. Silently, he glanced at Mae, who was still brooding over their recent defeat. She lifted her light blue eyes for a split second, then made a face of pure disgust and turned forward again, looking as if she had swallowed a lemon whole.
"I have something," Rude said suddenly. He tilted his head to face Elena, but other than that slight gesture, he did and said nothing to give away what he had in mind.
"Alllll right." Elena put her hands on her hips, smiling. "Well, Rude, you've never given us any reason to distrust you before, so let's go for it! Tseng!"
"I'm on it, but do you really have any right to boss me around?"
"If I don't do it, who will?"
"Me, and that's what he's afraid of," Mae responded, a toothy grin spread across her face. Reno let out a small chuckle of agreement, and Mae elbowed him in reply.
"And that's why we're friends, Mae." Elena beamed, and Mae nodded in agreement.
"Pass 'em up," Rude said suddenly, nodding ahead, where the crew could see Cloud, Yazoo, and Loz just below them entering a tunnelway.
"Got it," Tseng said. The helicopter seemed to lean forward itself, as in an effort to catch up to the trio.
"So, Rufus, you doin' okay now?" Reno asked the president, who hadn't said a word the whole flight. "I mean, you kinda lost me'n Rude there. Wasn't sure how you were gonna fair with just you and Mae."
Though she knew he didn't mean it as an insult, Mae made sure to stretch her arms so that her left elbow stuck into Reno's ribs.
"We were fine," Rufus replied, speaking at last. "I felt I would be safe with Mae there, because I know she works just as hard as you..." Rufus paused, trying to hide a smile. "Actually, I'd have to say she works harder than you.
Pouting, Reno sighed and put his chin in his hand while Mae's grin only expanded.
"We're coming up on the end of the tunnel," Tseng announced, looking at Rude via rearview mirror. "What's your suggestion?"
"Go ahead and land," Rude answered. He nodded at Reno, who immediately perked up and nodded back.
^^vv^^vv^^
I always trust Rude up until he decides to include Reno in something. At that point, I still trust Rude, but I worry for the sake of his and everyone else's safety.
So when Reno followed Rude out of the helicopter, leaving the four of us to sit and watch whatever they were about to try to pull off, I couldn't help but be anxious.
"They're up to no good," Elena said, pursing her lips, only slightly amused.
"When are they not?" Tseng pointed out.
"Good point, but somehow I never get used to it," I replied, and Elena nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, the other two were standing not too far from our copter, and I watched in a mix of terror and amusement as Rude handed Reno a bomb.
"Hey, partner…" I heard Reno say, nodding down at the obviously handmade bomb. "This thing…got any bite to it?"
"ShinRa technology at its finest," Rude replied.
"Oh, so you made this."
"If nothing else, it's…flashy."
"Oh, good."
"Fuck yeah it's gonna be flashy, it's fireworks strapped to a detonator!" Elena yelled from beside me, sending us both into hysterics. I love my co-workers.
"You love it, I know," Rude said, smirking.
"Looks like today we're clocking out early," Reno added, facing forward again.
"But the real question is, did we really ever clock in?" I said. "If you catch my drift." As expected, everyone's heads turned to face Rufus, who had kept silent through most of the ordeal.
"Yeah, Rufus, are we getting paid for this?" Elena chimed in.
Rufus just chuckled, with no other indication of an answer.
"Hey, they're coming back," Tseng said. I looked out to see Reno and Rude slowly walking back toward us. Tseng put the helicopter into gear again, lifting about five feet off of the ground.
"Look," Elena murmured, pointing to the end of the tunnel. We could see headlights coming closer, the moment of truth approaching.
Cloud zoomed out from the tunnel, right past Reno and Rude, right below our helicopter. He seemed to glanced back over his shoulder at us, and a smirk crossed his face, one that somewhat matched those of Reno and Rude.
Moments later, Reno and Rude were back in the copter, and we were lifting off just as Yazoo and Loz passed through on one bike.
"Mission accomplished," Reno said with a grin as the bombs exploded, smothering the area in smoke and brightly-colored fireworks.
