A/n: So I went back and changed a few small things in the first three chapters. You don't have to go back and read it, it's not that big a deal. In fact unless you have photographic reading skills, you may not even notice what I did. I just noticed a few things that needed to be smoothed out.
Reeve was not happy when his phone rang just as the sun streamed through his window. His alarm wasn't due to go off for another hour. Rolling over, he smacked around with eyes closed probing for the aforementioned annoyance. It was on the forth ring when he managed to answer, "Tuesti speaking."
"Reeve, sorry about the time. I need a place to stay." A solemn voice replied as sirens blared in the background.
Now awake, Reeve shot up in bed his covers falling to pool around his waist. He used one hand to rub the weariness from his face as he attempted to figure out what his top agent was straining to convey. "Vincent, what happened? Where are you?"
"Outside what used to be my apartment. It seems I have become a target." The sirens grew distant as Vincent moved away from the commotion of the burning building. "I also have some new developments."
Reeve processed this in his half aware mind. It took a moment before it clicked. "Can you be in my office in a half hour?" He suggested. After Vincent agreed, he shut off the phone and set it aside. "Yuffie. It has to be," Reeve uttered to himself. He made a mental note to check into the younger agents WRO issued phone records as soon as he got into the office.
Glancing over to check the clock, Reeve sighed deeply. He had to get moving if he was going to meet with Vincent in less than thirty minutes. He took a quick shower to freshen up before finding a clean set of clothing and slipping into it. He held a bagel between his teeth as he rushed out the door suitcase in hand.
Security would be heightened for another two hours yet to the point that even he, WRO commissioner, had to be detained several times. Yet Reeve arrived with just enough time to begin the record search. Vincent entered the office moments later smelling of soot.
"Sorry I'm late. Had to show our call, and Cerberus, before they would allow me in the door," Vincent explained before taking a seat on the well worn couch. In his hand he held a long black piece of thin fabric. It was difficult to tell what it was, and Reeve was too distracted to care.
Reeve paused in his task before asking about the badge he issued a few weeks prior. As Vincent recounted that night's activities Reeve continued hunting. Vincent stood when he was finished speaking and came around the desk to see what the commissioner was working on. He slipped the textile into a pocket as he moved.
"All agents have a chip in the phones we give them. It's so we can react quickly if the need ever arises. So even if they do not know where they are, we can still find them. However, it also records any non-enciphered messages sent and received. This is in case we ever do have a double agent we can track them down. I have never had to do this before, and it upsets me even more that it's Yuffie's record I'm probing in." Reeve sat back into his chair so that Vincent might be able to find what he may miss.
They both saw the messages in question at the same time. Reeve gasped in horror as Vincent simply shook his head in shame.
"This, this can't be!" Reeve shouted as he stood and pointed at the screen. "That can't be right! Yuffie was my most trusted informant. Vincent, tell me this is a mistake!" The commissioner was about to hyperventilate, and Vincent had to place one hand on his shoulder to calm his friend down.
The gunman leaned in closer to assure the messages were what they seemed to be. He had already read many of these when they were on the joint mission to Icicle Inn. What shocked him were how many were sent before they even left.
He recognized the screen names Cloud and Tifa used, there was even one named SmokingPop he assumed to be Cid. "SilverGunman?" He addressed out loud. Most, if not all of the discriminating messages were sent to that name. Piercing it together quickly in his head, Vincent knew it could only be Yazoo.
Reeve had calmed down by this point, but had moved behind his office chair as if he were trying to hide from the truth on the screen. His fingers tapped the back of it in aggravation. "Looks like I need to commission a Cait Sith for another recon." He pushed away from the chair and moved for the door.
"Reeve, wait," Vincent called before he got that far. "I have an idea first. It's time I received a new name."
Marlene knew something was going on during the course of the next week. She had seen almost all of the old members of the AVALANCH group coming and leaving the bar several times. It was even more suspicious when she would enter a room they would all suddenly cease talking.
She asked Tifa first as normally the barmaid gave in during the past. This time she was merely brushed off and told it was adult stuff. Even Shelke, whom she could count on not to know she wasn't supposed to be told, replied in her monotone voice that is wasn't for her to worry about. She smiled gently after saying it which really put Marlene on edge. It didn't look right on the ex-tsviet's face.
Making up her mind when she found out her poppa was to be visiting soon, Marlene found her best dress and slipped into it. She stood at her window and waited until she watched him enter the bar before running down the stairs and calling out for him.
Barrett threw open his arms and picked her up into a tight bear hug, "Oh, Marlene. I missed you so much. Tifa been takin' good care of ya?" He set her down and glanced over the dress. "What's up with the fancy clothes? Got a wedding I don't know about?"
Marlene giggled lightly before answering. "No, I just wanted to dress up since I knew you were coming back. Is there any news?" She spoke sugar sweet making it hard for Barrett to answer honestly.
He turned away unable to look at her as she answered, "Well you know. We think we may have been able to find another oil field down near Fort Condor. Not sure yet, we gots to do more drillin' to find out." Turning back to her, he rubbed the top of her head before sending her off. "Why don't you go play with yer friends now? I need to go talk to Uncle Cloud."
Putting on a brave face, Marlene nodded as he headed to the back. "Uncle Cloud? She repeated. "Very suspicious." She ran back upstairs and found Denzel laying on the floor in the corner of his room. "Whatcha up to?"
He jumped before raising one finger and harshly shushing her. "The adults are talking downstairs. I can't hear everything, but it seems like something big is going on."
Not one to be left out, and wanting to know the big secret too, Marlene joined him on the wooden floor.
Below, Cloud could be heard starting the impromptu meeting. "Is everyone here? Alright, we need to figure out what we are going to do. It's been close to two weeks and we still have no answers."
Shelke spoke up offering a solution. She still wasn't on the best terms with the missing ninja, but even she could see Yuffie was a big part of this group. "I could do an SND dive. We would be able to find out answers in the web."
Reeve leaped out of his seat at the first mention of her dive, he protested violently. "No! I refuse to allow you to do that! Each dive takes more out of you than the one before. Soon we won't be able to recover you at all. We are just starting to come up with a cure for your body, don't you want that?"
Others added in their own reasons for why they didn't want for her to dive. The room became a cacophony of shouts and curses. Vincent was the only one not participating. He sat stiffly in his chair while his fingers typed a message into his phone. When he finished, Vincent pocketed the phone and stood. All sounds died as he did so. Six pairs of eyes, ranging from deep blue to wine red stared up at him.
"You might want to answer them," He spoke to the bewildered group just before tones and music filled the small room. "Reeve and I already began a plan," He went on to explain.
Cid released a barking laugh as he was the first to pull out his phone and view what was waiting on the screen for him. "Really, Valentine? That's too rich! Wait til Shera gets a look at that!"
"Actually, if you could sent that request on, I would be most appreciative." Vincent replied softly.
Cloud was scrolling through his own request, and like Cid, couldn't hold back his own amusement. "Well, that certainly catches my attention. Are you sure about this, Vince?"
There was a very modest nod before Vincent replied, "Reeve has been teaching me."
Vincent sat at Tifa's bar the next day. Beside him rested a glass of red wine that had been untouched for some time now. Besides the barmaid, he was the only one present in the room. Tifa stood on the other side washing glasses before putting them away. Her eyes glanced up once in a while as she worked watching her friend tap away on the laptop sitting in front of him.
"How's it going?" she asked after a heavy breath sounded from the man.
"I'm getting closer." he explained. "I've gotten him to follow my posts. Having all of you as friends seemed to have caught his attention." Red eyes narrowed before another sigh escaped. "Are all these games this infuriating?"
Tifa stopped what she was doing and came around the counter to see what he was playing. Her eyes went wide in stupor, "Vincent! You have the top score! I don't even know how. Yuffie could never get that high, and she beat us all!"
Cloud entered from the back just in time to hear her outburst. "Vince, how much time have you been playing that game? I've been getting Connect! alerts all day. Almost wrecked Fenrir once because of it."
Tifa turned quickly as her hands settled on her hips, "It's your own fault. You know you're not supposed to be on the phone when you drive," She snapped.
Cloud shrugged off the reprimand earning a tired sigh from her. "Any new calls come in today?" He asked quickly changing the subject. He knew Tifa would have to go upstairs to check and he wanted to speak to Vincent alone.
Rolling her eyes, she went just as he expected. When his girlfriend was gone, Cloud leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "I didn't want to hurt Tifa, but I heard some news when I was out near Junon today." He moved back before rounding the counter and pulling a bottle of beer from the mini fridge below.
Vincent didn't turn his head, but his eyes did shift as his friend opened the bottle and took a long swig of it. Cloud then sat back down. Making sure no one was going to walk in on them, he went on, "In Mideel, there was some commotion about a young girl and a white haired man. It sounded like they were shopping for materia."
The laptop was slammed shut at the same time Tifa came back down the stairs papers in hand. Golden digests pushed back away from the counter with such force scratches were left in the Formica. "I need to go," Vincent stated suddenly.
Cloud jumped from his seat and barred his path. He leaned in close and whispered even though Vincent's enhanced ears would have heard it anyway. "Meet me at the church in an hour. I'll go with you."
"Just what are you plotting over there?" Tifa called out warning them that she knew a scheme was being hatched.
Cloud was quick to come up with a lie, "Reeve mentioned he needed to see Vince. Something about some important mission."
Tifa gasped in disapproval, "Doesn't he realize we are hurting here? Can't he ask someone else to take it?"
"It is... fine," Vincent replied in false assurance. "Maybe I might find some information in the meantime." She didn't like it, but Tifa allowed him to go.
By the time Cloud managed to escape to the church, well over an hour had passed. He found Vincent in the back pew with a look of deep contemplation on his pallid face. As the blonde's boots echoed in the sanctuary, Vincent looked up.
"When do we leave?' he asked in an eager manner most unnatural for the sharpshooter.
One brow rose in surprise. "Don't you want to hear the rest?"
Vincent stood and made sure Cerberus was firmly strapped to the side of his hip, "You can explain on the way."
Now Cloud was doubly alarmed. "Vince? You feeling alright? You do realize this is Yuffie we're hunting down. You know, the girl that you asked not to call you."
The gunman paused in his tracks. His friend had a valid point. So why was he so eager to rush off and rescue the ninja? Was it simply guilt? Yes, he was sure that was it. Guilt; if only he thought faster, moved quicker. He thought Hojo had implanted him with incredible speed and reflexes, yet twice now he had failed someone he cared about.
Wait, cared about? But he cared about all his comrades, Yuffie was no different, was she? As Cid would call her, she was the brat of the group. Nothing more than a nuisance that you hated to get rid of once you got used to it.
Cloud remained back and watched as emotions romped across Vincent's face in the same way were his demons to hold free reign during a battle. There was so much going through his mind that as soon as one expression became apparent, another took its place. Cloud was sure he didn't even realize that his stoic persona had dropped. He wanted to smile yet refrained from doing so, it seemed Vincent was finding his human side again.
Body catching up with his brain, Vincent pulled his face into the expressionless mask most knew of him. "We should be going before Tifa finds out," he grunted as he left the church.
The boat ride to Mideel had been uneventful to say the least. During the night, the two warriors discussed possible plans of action. As Vincent retold of his dealing with Loz within his own apartment, an idea seemed to light upon Cloud's face.
"This is perfect. If we can hide you as we disembark we may be able to pull this off."
Vincent stared unblinking waiting for more details. Cloud was so used to the gunman's odd patterns he hardly noticed. Continuing he explained more, "They probably think you went up in flames with everything else. Most likely they only expect me to show. We shouldn't disappoint."
His companion grunted in approval.
Sleep came quickly to them that night now that they had an idea of how to handle the situation. Cloud was up early, yet Vincent even more so. Shaking his head, he gathered his belongings together as the ship entered port. He made his way to the gangplank and joined the rest of the crowd. As soon as his heavy booted feet hit solid land he could feel the unmistakeable spirit of activated materia in the air.
It was difficult to pinpoint where it originated, but the user was strong. He glanced around wondering if his friend felt it too from wherever he may be. Attempting to appear nonchalant and blend in, he made his way to the newly built hotel.
It was not easy for the swordsman to stroll through the renewed city as he was. Bitter memories of mako poisoning and falling into lifestream burdened him. Though it was not the same place as it was almost a half decade ago; that helped to take some of the pressure off his tired soul.
Adjusting his travel bag over his shoulder, Cloud discreetly glanced at each person he passed hoping that at least one of them might have been his missing comrade. He was also trying to figure out where the heavy sensation of materia was coming from.
Unseeing violet eyes stared as travelers entered the town. They soon found the one figure they wanted. Yuffie watched from a cliff overlooking the town as he made his way through the crowd. Her silver haired captor stood next to her, pale yellow orb clinched within leather gloved fingers.
"How many do you see?" Yazoo inquired as he concentrated on the manipulate in his hand.
Yuffie answered in a deadened voice that had her friends heard they may have related it to the same lack of tones Shelke used at one point of her life. "Just one. He is heading in the direction of the hotel."
"Looks like Loz did his job right for once." Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead from the sheer exertion of using the materia as he was. His pet's will was strong, although made weaker by the drug they added into her water the other day. It was not an easy task to keep her under control. Yazoo raised one hand to wipe away the few drops that began to run down the side of his right temple.
His pet stood unmoving next to him. She would not make any motion to help unless he commanded her to. Meanwhile within the confines of her own psyche, Yuffie was screaming and clawing like a frenzied animal. She knew what she was doing was wrong, Cloud is her friend! She didn't want to hurt him! And Vincent, poor innocent Vincent. His death stained her hands. After the water Yazoo had given her, she found herself revealing all his weaknesses without discretion. Loz had returned boasting about how they managed to eliminate one obstacle. She now understood why Vincent tormented himself so much over the death of professor Crescent.
She wanted to curl in a ball, hug her knees, and cry out for the one person she truly cared about more than her own existence. If she ever made it out of this situation alive, Yuffie planned on finding her own coffin and locking herself inside. It was starting to sound like a better idea with each passing day. Wutai be dammed, how could she run a country if she couldn't even protect one friend?
Yazoo was speaking again, not that she cared to listen. Her body obeyed his voice no matter how hard she struggled. He led her away from the cliff side and into the forest away from town. Each step grew more laborious for the clone. It would not be long before he tired and passed out. Yuffie prayed to Leviathan that it would be soon and she could run off and to the hopefully waiting arms of her reluctant leader.
Leviathan seemed to be ignoring her today. She wished, and not for the first time, that she had been a better child of the Wutai god. Loz stepped out from behind a tree he had been under once they grew close enough. Only when her body was carefully bound and gagged did she feel the effect of the manipulate fade. Loz threw her over one shoulder as he helped his brother walk.
"All is going according to plan," Yazoo informed. "Brother has arrived. We begin the next stage after I rest."
In case anyone was wondering, I'm not quite sure how far a manipulate materia would work. I figure if in game you could cause enemies to heal you, why not have a more powerful being take it one step farther? Hence Yazoo, as a clone of Sephiroth, be able to force Yuffie into doing what she would normally oppose.
