Cloud looked up at Healin, he may have been on friendlier terms with Shinra but he still didn't fully trust them. Oddly enough it was the Turks he trusted the most, more specifically Reno. If only because it'd been Reno who had offered to help save Yuffie. Forget the fact Elena was taken too becaue he was sure the Turks could have handled it themselves. Reno had been the one who "refused" to fight them on Da Chao, claiming it was their day off. Cloud knew Turks never had "days off." It'd been Reno again who had let them pass on their way to fight Sephiroth, again claiming they were off duty.
The Turks and Cloud had become good drinking buddies over the past few years. They all tended to hang out at Tifa's newly constructed bar in Edge. Reno had even paid for it stating the money was a gift from Rufus. Cloud had found out through Rude that it'd all been Reno's money and that Reno'd felt so guilty about dropping the plate on Tifa's bar that this was in part his atonement. After finding this out, the Turks got free drinks. Tifa assured Reno it was because friends dont charge friends.
Sighing Cloud decided he'd put off going into Healin long enough and grabbed his sword as he began climbing the steps to he wndered why Rufus had chosen Healin as the meeting place. Perhaps Rufus wanted to treat him to a day at the Spa? Cloud let out a chuckle at that thought like Rufus would ever do that.
Upon opening the door to Healin Cloud heard a click and he raised his sword just in time to deflect several bullets sent his way, courtesy of Elena and Tseng. While the two Turks kept Cloud semi distracted Rude tried to sneak up behind, unfortunately for him, Cloud saw him and somersaulted out of the way while muttering to himself, "I knew the Turks couldn't be trusted"
Just as Cloud landed on his feet he had to bring his sword up again to deflect another onslaught of bullets. Growing annoyed he pushed off the ground, flipping in mid air to dodge more bullets aimed his way, he came to land behind Rufus whom he'd noticed only seconds earlier.
Rufus began to clap. "Ah good you still fight like the soldier you once claimed to be." he said with some amusement in his voice.
"Pft only in my head" Cloud mumbled wondering where this was leading. Louder he asked, "Quit wasting my time, what do you want?"
"Straight to the point good, there's no time to waste on this matter. In case you haven't noticed one of my Turks was not fighting you today. In case you did miss it, Reno's not here." Rufus was cut off by Tseng's phone ringing. Glaring at Tseng Rufus motioned for him to answer the phone.
Giving his phone a quick glance at his phone Tseng handed it to Rufus mouthing the word Kadaj.
"Hello" Rufus answered cooly.
"I don't have time to waste on you, put whoever's in charge on." Kadaj said.
"That would be me, but if you haven't got the time to speak with me...." began Rufus.
"Quit being insolent or I'll hang up and you'll never see your subordinate again." Kadaj replied icily. "Now where can i meet you?"
"Do you know where Healin is?" Rufus asked.
"No but i'll find it. I'll be there In about an hour with one of my brothers. If you give me what I want you'll get Reno back if not, well you know the consequences." Kadaj said as he hung up the phone.
Shaking his head at the Phone Rufus looked back up at Cloud. "Please Cloud help us get Reno back. He is indispensible, loyal, a hard worker when he wants to be and..."
"I don't care what he is to the company. Tell me what he is to you. Why you want to save him as a person not as your employee." Cloud replied.
Swalloing Rufus answered, "I know what he is to you Cloud surely you're going to help us no matter what I say. It'd be foolish to jeapordize his life for the sake of your pride. You may hate me, you may not trust the other Turks very much, but you do like and trust him. Am I right?" asked Rufus.
"I would never risk his life for my pride." Cloud ground out. "You are risking his life for the sake of your pride. Does his life mean so little? Now tell me why you want to save him, when it goes against Turk policy to save them should they be captured."
"One I'm different from my father, every Turks life is important to me and had it been any of the other Turks captured I'd be going through the same measures." Rufus said, meanwhile he was thinking 'except maybe asking for your help' "Secondly Reno is my friend and I wouldn't let any harm come to him."
"Damnit Rufus I know what he is to you just as you know what he is to me. You are his brother, that's all I wanted to hear from you. You couldn't even say that to save his life, your lucky I don't tell him, he'd be crushed." Cloud said getting frustrated with Rufus.
"You're risking his life as much as I am so let's stop this foolishness and work together. Kadaj should be here in about 20 minutes."
Nodding Cloud replied "You're right, I'm going to get Tifa to help, unfortunately the rest won't help, they still don't trust Shinra or the Turks." with that Cloud walked out the door and to his bike.
As Cloud walked out the front door Rufus shouted after him, "My Turks will be at the Northern Cave, That's where Reno was headed."
As soon as Cloud had left and the noise from his bike had died away Tseng rounded on Rufus, "What's this about you being Reno's brother? That's utter bullshit! and you didn't even refute him on it!"
"No Tseng it's the truth. You couldn't have known though because Reno's file is "s" clearance. Shinra eyes only. Of course that's because of his ties to the Shinra family." Rufus answered calmly.
"Sir shouldn't he be higher ranked than second-in-command of the Turks?" Elena asked.
"He would have but, first he's technically my half brother, the bastard son of my father. That alone would warrant keeping Reno's lineage a secret, but he's made a few decisions that warranted, in my father's mind, Reno from climbing any higher in the ranks. It took a lot of persuassion from me to get my father to keep Reno in his current position.
"Decisions? What decisions?" Elena asked.
"That's for Reno to tell." Rufus answered.
"So that's why Reno was treated like crap by your father, and so well by you." Tseng mused. silently in his head he was jumpng up and down. 'This means I'm the best, Rufus' just biased towards Reno.'
"I suppose I do treat him slightly better, but you must understand there are things in Reno's past that warrant it." Rufus replied.
Before any more questions could be asked dredging up more of Reno's hidden past Rude said, "That's enough! Kadaj will be here any second and we must prepare for him."
Everyone turned and stared at Rude with questioning eyes, but before any questions could be asked of him the door was thrown open and in walked Kadaj and one of his brothers.
A/N: Well this turned out way different from how I had it written, Damn Cloud and his over thinking. I couldn't get him to stop it in the beginning lol. anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
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