Chapter 8: Trouble
"Dad~!"
"Yes?" Vincent sighed, lifting his gaze from the book he had been reading. It had been nearly a month since he had officially adopted Karina, so while there was still an occasional twinge of discomfort, he had well gotten used to his new title. But as she walked into their apartment, he realized the first test of said title would be much worse than fighting off a boy.
"Tseng, why are you here?"
"Vincent Valentine, well this is a surprise." the Turk looked thoughtful for a moment as he took in the growing look of suspicious in the former Turk's eyes. "Though, I suppose it does explain a lot about the reports we've been getting."
Karina walked over to stand with Vincent, a look of hesitation clear on her face. "He wants to recruit me."
"I knew it was only a matter of time with the way you were improving," he grumbled, but hardened his glare on the Wutainese man. "You can't have her for the Turks."
"We don't want her for the Turks. Yet." Tseng reached into his jacket to pull out a paper. "We're trying to rebuild the infantry to provide security for Edge. The W.R.O. is stretched thin, and monster attacks are increasing, especially where Edge and Midgar meet. They asked us to step in and help."
Vincent took the paper, giving it a quick once over. It was an official document, signed by both Reeve and Rufus, stating the the W.R.O. and what was being referred to as "Neo-ShinRa" were working together to rebuild the areas devastated by the "Old ShinRa", Geo Stigma, and the Deep Ground attacks, as well as protect the population from the increasing monster attacks brought on by the lack of security measures. To do so, it said, they would be using the Turks as an asset to help recruit persons with skills useful in the required areas.
"I see…" he gave Karina a glance. "I'd rather she didn't become affiliated with ShinRa…"
"The recruits are only ShinRa Infantry in name and pay, all commands are given by the W.R.O., as is the training. However, they will be wearing the infantry uniforms ShinRa used before the fall, so that is a concern."
"A major one."
Karina frowned. "I would need some major identification so I won't be attacked."
The men turned to look as her as she clearly thought it over, but she looked to Vincent with an expression that was screaming for him to give his opinion. He sighed, looking back at the paper.
"Should something happen, will they be called upon in the same ways the infantry used to be? Riot and crowd control, VIP guards, those kinds of things?"
"Yes, and if the W.R.O. asks it of them then in those kinds of situation they will be working in unison with the W.R.O.'s own detail." Tseng's answer was immediate. "I doubt she would be called on for those kinds of things early on though."
"You haven't seen her with a gun."
"True, and considering she's your daughter I'm sure she's already a very formidable opponent. It might make rising through the ranks a bit easier."
"Which would put her on those details more often when they arise?"
"Possibly, but I can't say for certain."
Karina looked between the two men, then carefully took the paper from her father to look over for herself. Seemingly content with the action, Tseng dipped his head.
"I'll be back at the end of the week. If you have an answer sooner, I'm sure you can ask Ms Lockhart how to reach me."
Vincent watched his leave before giving the girl a concerned look. She was reading over the paper slowly, being careful to make sure to understand every sentence. Suddenly he resented having taught her how to handle a gun so well, and couldn't help but ridicule himself for having not at least been more careful.
"Karina, I hope you know that the option to turn down this offer is likely only a formality, and actually probably means very little."
"I do," she looked up at him. "I'm more or less familiar with the kind of guys who work with ShinRa, and went back to ShinRa after Meteor-fall. They usually only accept a 'no' to save face, then turn right around and try again anyway the second that have even a slight reason."
"And you do realize that despite any objections I may have, this decision has to be yours, and yours alone?"
"Yeah. My only hang up, well, real hang up, is that you had no prior knowledge of this."
"Reeve and I aren't so close that he tells me everything going on with W.R.O.."
"Yeah, that would make sense if this was just a small thing, but this," she motioned to the paper, "isn't just some small thing. This is a joint army between the W.R.O. and ShinRa of all things. All things considered, I think he would have brought something like up, especially knowing that you yourself might be approached at some point."
"The Turks know better."
"But the troops need firearms training and as biased as I am I think that need would outweigh the threat of getting their asses kicked." Karina sighed, and shook her head. "And now that they know you've got a kid, whether I agree to this enlistment or not could very decide the matter of whether they will come for you with whatever pretense they have to come up with to make you agree."
Vincent gave her a look, wondering just where all this had come from so suddenly. That happy little girl he had picked up in Nibelheim wasn't sitting at his table anymore. No, that girl sitting there had been replaced by a serious, calculating young woman.
She had turned into an almost carbon copy of himself when he was younger, and that though was terrifying for a multitude of reasons.
"Karina, maybe you should think about this more after lunch." he picked up the paper to get it out of her view. "Mr Dole from the shop down the street dropped off something he said you had been asking for."
"Alright."
As the girl got up and went over to the counter, Vincent couldn't help but clench his fist, crumbling the paper in the process. The Turks hadn't just shown up because of reports, they had shown up for surveillance. They must have heard through one channel or another about Karina's arrival, and her adoption. It was clear to him that as true as the paper might have been, Karina's thoughts were more than likely right on the money. She would be an asset to the infantry, but he would be the biggest asset to make that infantry worth anything.
