Rude's cell phone buzzed in his jacket pocket. A quick hand retrieved it and it snapped open and to his ear before it had a chance to ring the second time.

"Rude."

"It's Reno... and before you start goin' on about why I haven't called before this--let's just leave that until I get back. Tseng's probably sent you out already to come find me right?"

Rude smiled at the tone in the redhead's voice, and wondered if the other Turk could hear the GPS locator and the engine in the background.

"Yeah."

"And I'm guessing you're already pretty close. I figure though if we get too many people around here it could get a little more volatile, you know what I mean? Look, just tell Tseng that I will be coming back... another day I figure, and I'll have both--uh, clones with me."

Rude was glad that Reno couldn't see him--the redhead would have been far too pleased with himself for the look of shock that fell across his features.

"Both. You mean--"

"Yeah, that's why I took Yazoo out of the hospital. He said he could 'sense' his brother and all... long story. Again, I'll fill you in once things settle down a little bit. As it is right now, the big guy--Loz--is healing up and doesn't seem to be quite as courteous as Yazoo was."

If anyone could find a Sephiroth clone courteous, it would be Reno.

"Right, well I'll let Tseng know. But I'm not going far away Red."

"I figured. Just give us some space for a bit more. Tseng said he wanted answers, and this is the only way I know right now to try to get them."

Rude nodded into the phone, of course Reno couldn't see it, but he knew the redhead would take his silence for a confirmation anyway.

"Right, I'll call with any new developments, otherwise you might not hear from me for another day or so. Try and have fun on your camp out." Reno laughed.

"Judging by your location... you too." Rude answered with a wry smile.

"Whatever man." Another laugh, "I'm out." The cell phone in Rude's hand clicked and he lowered it from his ear as he pulled his car over and turned off the engine.

He started dialing Tseng's extension--he knew Reno wouldn't make the follow-up phone call to their superior. That's why he'd phoned him. As he waited for an answer, he slid off his seat belt and pushed his chair back from his driving position.

If he was going to be here a while, he'd have to try and get comfortable.

Loz had fallen back asleep when Reno came back inside, a cigarette fewer and feeling like sleep would come as soon as he had the chance to be horizontal.

That was understandable though, both he and Yazoo had been awake almost all night, and it was now afternoon. Reno looked around the small room for a sign of the other man. He found the light blue hospital robe shirt that Yazoo had been wearing crumpled in the corner of the room, but no other sign.

This meant he couldn't go to sleep yet...

He went back outside, wondering how Yazoo had been able to sneak past him--and as he stepped out, he saw the clone and chose to wonder about his wily ways later. The silver haired man was kneeling on the stone cluttered shore of the dark stream that ran through the forest. In a few hours, the ethereal glow from the trees would be more noticeable, but as it was, they reflected strangely in the water and played in beams across the young man's face; his shoulders; his bare chest.

Reno shifted and cleared his throat, but the clone didn't seem to notice. Instead he dipped a finger in the water and pressed it thoughtfully to his lips.

"What are you doing?"

The clone didn't start, but let his hand trail back to the water.

"Seeing if it still tastes the way he made it." He shook his head. "It doesn't." He turned his head to look over his shoulder at the redhead. "Is your partner still coming to find you?"

Ah, so he'd overheard.

"No. Not for a couple of days at least."

"But you still plan on bringing both Loz and myself back to Shinra."

Damn, he'd overheard that too.

"Only when you're ready. We can't stay out here forever."

Yazoo sighed, standing from his crouch and trying to shake the water from his hand before wiping it dry on the light blue hospital pants.

"I know. I don't know if Loz... will be okay with that."

Reno moved closer to the other man, trying to ignore the way Yazoo's shoulders flexed as he drew his arms around himself.

"I'm going to need your help there. You're obviously very... close with your brother. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you don't end up back in the hospital--but he needs to be willing to cooperate. With you. And me."

Yazoo snuck a glance over at the redhead, an eyebrow raised as if in question that he himself was cooperating with the Turk. He didn't voice it however.

"If he's with me... We'll come."

Inside, Reno felt a huge weight lift off of him. He'd been worried about how he'd bring the clones back. Yazoo was turning out to be very helpful.

" He won't like it. But he doesn't have anywhere else to go... neither do I." Yazoo paused. "Why am I trusting you?" It sounded rhetorical, but Reno decided to answer anyway.

"Because you want to. You want to think that everything is going to be alright eventually."

"And trusting you is going to make everything okay?" The small smile that accompanied his statement made Reno celebrate internally again.

"Of course, yo." Reno threw him a grin and a thumbs-up. "Or at least better than it could be. I'm looking out for your best interests." That earned him a chuckle too. He was getting good at this clone-of-Sephiroth-amusement thing.

"But why?" It was a question that Yazoo had wanted to ask for a while. This was going above and beyond regular Turk-ish customer service.

Reno shrugged.

"I guess it's just cause you're so pretty princess." Reno smirked and walked away from a shocked Yazoo with a laugh.

He couldn't believe he'd just gotten away with that...

Loz felt the familiar weight slide into the cot next to him. He shifted over to let Yazoo have a little more of the edge.

"You're tired too?" He mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Mm. Haven't slept yet. Only unconscious." Yazoo said, a small laugh into his brother's broad shoulders.

"That's not fair Yazoo. I worry about you."

"And now I'm here, and so are you. I've never been so happy to hear your voice in my head brother..."

Loz nodded his agreement, pulling Yazoo's slim arms around his waist. He'd gotten rid of the hospital garment. That made him happier.

"You're not thinking to me right now. Is it because of Reno?" Yazoo asked, his voice quiet in Loz's ear. He knew his brother all too well. Loz released a sigh.

"He fought us... to try to stop us."

"But we're not looking for Mother anymore Loz. He's got no reason to--"

"But you don't have to like him Yazoo."

The younger brother paused, resting his forehead in between Loz's shoulder blades.

"He's trying to help us Loz. Trying to keep them from hurting us any more than they have."

"And what's in it for him? Why do you think he's doing it? For friendship?"

Yazoo withdrew his arms from around Loz's waist and sat up to look down on his brother.

"And why not?"

"You trust people too easily brother." Loz said, turning his face into the pillow. "If you plan on going with him, I'll go with you. You know that. But I don't trust him, and I won't."

After a few moments of silence that signaled the conversation over, Yazoo laid back down, staring at the uneven ceiling.

What Loz had said... it reminded him far too much of when they had been traveling with Kadaj towards Midgar to find Mother. He'd been given the task by their younger brother to find shelter for the night. He'd preferred to do so peaceably, as it meant they were usually able to stay in an inn with a real bed instead of camping next to their motorbikes.

He'd found a suitable place (or so he'd thought) and was about to purchase a room with their limited gil when a stranger had approached him with a better offer of a room.

He'd thanked the man and had followed him, trying to appear harmless--even as the man led the way into a dark alleyway.

He'd asked where they were going before the meaty-fisted man had decided that it was his chance to take advantage of the slim boy-like character and had called out the other thugs from behind a dumpster.

No match of course, but Kadaj had yelled at him afterwards, telling him he'd 'failed Mother' for not finding a place. They'd have to sleep in the nearby forest instead.

Loz had looked at him then, a worried look, and had drew him close in a hug.

"You're not hurt right Yazoo?"

"Of course not. There was only four of them..."

"Don't do it again."

An order. From Loz.

And then he hadn't thought to him all day, like he was disappointed in him. It had distressed Yazoo at the time. Loz seldom got angry at Yazoo, and it was never for long, but he always felt guilty when he did. Like he'd done something horribly wrong.

Yazoo turned over, his back against his brother's.

Loz wasn't thinking anything to him now either, and although his familiar warmth and breathing comforted him, Yazoo didn't feel so tired or relaxed anymore.