I already wanted to put this chapter up last week, but then, when I was just sitting at the computer, opening the document, my computer told me that it wasn't even sorry, but this document couldn't be opened anymore. To put it short, I was pretty vexed. Still, I hope you will enjoy!
Chapter 10: Reeve: Wherein Reeve lies
Reeve was staring at the clock on his desk. He once had had a dream. The dream of a new world where the planet wouldn't be abused, where the people lived in peace. It had been the dream of a world where there were no wars. He had dreamt about how he would rebuild the world and given a life worth living to the people in it. Everyone would have been equal, everyone would have been well. There wouldn't have been any regime like Shin-Ra to rule and frighten them. There wouldn't have been two classes of people, no more misery. Education for the children, health-care for the ill, work, bread, energy for everyone.
Where was this dream, now? He still dreamt it, sometimes, at night. But it seemed farer away than on that day he had realized that the president's death hadn't changed anything and that he couldn't count on his son to make the world a better place. Even though now, he could perhaps count on the son.
He had build up WRO, with WRO, he had build Edge, build schools, replanted woods, started hospitals, industries, but his dream wasn't any closer. He had been forced to join hands with Shin-Ra again and he had to admit that Shin-Ra was now using technologies that were far more advantageous to the planet than oil. Geostigma had returned and he had no idea where it came from or what to do about it. He couldn't even protect his best friends.
Cloud had disappeared and Tifa was so unhappy.
She had seemed so tired and so relieved when she had arrived in the morning. But she hadn't stayed longer than after Denzel's examinations. She had a bar to run, she had said and looked so ultimately sad that he had just wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her. But, of course, that was impossible as much as he wished for it. And Denzel had tried to kill Rufus Shinra.
Reeve didn't even know what to make out of that. He only felt sorrier for Tifa and for a moment had even hated the boy. Couldn't he have thought about how much strain this was putting on Tifa now? When the last thing she needed was strain? Denzel, in his naivety, had thought he was protecting Tifa and taking revenge for Cloud, but… good Gaia!
The digits turned to 13:55 am and Reeve got up. Rufus was due to arrive at 14:00. He had to meet him on arrival.
But instead of Rufus, a lonely dark-suited form was already waiting in his anteroom. A dark presenceless presence.
Tseng's hair was ebony as usual, the expression stern but unmoved. Reeve noticed that the Turk's left hand was bandaged and felt a surge of bad consciousness. Could that be Denzel's fault?
"Tseng!" Reeve was surprised as he seized the Turk's cold hand. While Rufus' hand felt cold to touch, Tseng's was just cold because the Turk was cold in his entire appearance. "Where's Rufus?"
The Turk didn't move a muscle in his face. "I'm afraid there has been an emergency in Junon. Shachou had to take the helicopter directly after breakfast."
Reeve nodded. "Come in!" He studied the Turk. Rufus seldom went somewhere without his Head-Turk, but Reeve had long suspected that Tseng's position in the company was more than that of just the head of the Turks. That Rufus had sent him now to conduct business was certainly a proof for that. Reeve didn't mind, though. He liked Tseng.
"I'm thankful that you kept Tifa and her children over night, despite…"
"Rufus bears them no ill will. Even if he did, it would have been inhuman to have them go home in that weather."
Reeve nodded and wished that he instead of Shin-Ra had hosted them over night. He felt embarrassed about Denzel's behaviour, also because he liked the boy a lot. Perhaps, they had talked too bad about Shin-Ra in front of him and that embarrassed him, too. It wasn't justified anymore.
"I'm very sorry for the trouble," Reeve continued as he offered Tseng a seat.
"Don't worry," Tseng replied, face still unmoved. "We neither have enough material nor would it be wise to conduct a lawsuit."
Reeve gave a relieved sigh. Since Meteor, Shin-Ra wasn't the law anymore, still, he wouldn't have like Tifa to be in Shin-Ra's debt. And even if he didn't think much below Shin-Ra, he couldn't imagine them to execute a boy. He nodded, slowly, but just before he could bring the topic to the planed rebuilding of Midgar, Tseng continued with something else: "The boy that has gone missing from your facility has been found this morning."
Reeve felt himself pale. Fear was tightening his stomach. This was not good. "Oh? Where was he? I hope you are sending him to us again?"
If Tseng was looking right through his act, he didn't show but replied calmly: "We didn't find him, the police did. He was murdered."
All the hope Reeve had had dropped stories deep. He knew what was coming now and prayed Tseng wouldn't give any details. He would get details soon enough and they would be ugly, he knew.
Tseng was studying him and Reeve had the feeling that he was looking right through him. "Elena uttered the suspicion that he was tortured before he was murdered. Shin-Ra, despite everything, doesn't torture children."
Relief was flooding Reeve's veins. It had been stupid of him to suspect Shin-Ra and to utter it aloud, yet, Shin-Ra's sudden and curious interest in the new Geostigma had alerted him. But they had only asked for information and been satisfied with those they had been given. Surely, if they were the ones who had kidnapped the boy, they wouldn't have been satisfied. For now, Reeve was just more than relieved that Tseng hadn't drawn any connection between Geostigma and the abductions.
"It was foolish of us to utter this suspicion…"
"Yet, when Shin-Ra's around and people disappears, it comes readily," Tseng stated. "I'm sorry that this is still the case and Rufus is equally regretful. But I can assure you that Shin-Ra isn't responsible for this."
Reeve nodded, a bit enthusiastically, maybe. He was eager to change topics. But Tseng continued:
"I saw the pictures, too, but my conclusion goes a little further: this child wasn't tortured for a maximum of pain, the torture is a by-product of perhaps experiments. Torture would have focussed on other areas of the body, but the wounds focus on the Geostigma-blotches the boy had."
Reeve looked at him, tried to hide his emotions. The sickness from thinking about what had happened to the boy, the fear that Tseng might draw further conclusions and admiration at the Turk's deduction. "And… uhm." He cleared his throat. "What do you make out of it?"
Tseng looked him into the eye, coldly. "There could be someone else here in Midgar who is interested in Geostigma, with fewer scruples than you. It might be best to be careful with the patients. If you need help to protect them, I'm sure Shin-Ra can oblige."
Reeve nodded, slowly, but couldn't read in the Turk's eyes if the Turk drew any further conclusions. "That is very kind of you." He asked himself if he should tell Tseng that his suspicions weren't that wrong after all they knew. But then, the Turk would draw further conclusions that he didn't want Shin-Ra to know. Not even about the other victims they had found so recently.
Tseng seemed to study him a moment longer and then opened his file, but then suddenly hesitated.
Reeve caught map that was now lying in front of the Turk, and saw that Aeris' church was marked on it. He frowned, too: "Rufus isn't really planning to turn it into a spa, is he?" he asked, eager to change the topic.
Tseng shock his head. "No, of course not. But I was wondering about something else."
"Oh?" Reeve was worried. The problem about Shin-Ra was that they were smart.
"The boy, Denzel, I think he carried materia with him. Did you know?"
"Materia?" Reeve felt relieved. Thank goodness! "Perhaps he got some from Cloud?"
Tseng eyed him suspiciously. "The boy didn't wear a bracelet."
"Maybe he is keeping it as a souvenir. How did you notice?"
"It showed some effects."
Reeve nodded. "Yes. Tifa said the boy was pretty talented with materia."
Tseng studied him, coldly and in the same moment Reeve felt himself freeze inside. Tseng was looking directly through his act.
"If there is even a slight possibility that materia helps Geostigma-patients, please tell us," the Turk said.
So that was what Tseng was aiming at! Reeve was relieved. Here he had been sweating that Tseng might uncover everything but he was only worried about treatments! As he couldn't have been much more wrong, Reeve nodded. "Of course." And suddenly, another thought crossed his mind. Rufus had been infected with Geostigma, too. "Why are you so interested in Geostigma?... Has Rufus shown any… any signs of it?"
Tseng seemed surprised. "No, not so far. I don't think he will, anyway. The illness hadn't proceeded very far with him. We have some patients in Junon and we would like to treat them."
Reeve gave a slight, uneasy laugh. "Yes… yes, of course…. Why don't you send them to us?"
Tseng seemed to think a moment. "I will have to ask Rufus about this," he replied evadingly and turned the first page of his file.
Reeve wasn't sure if he had bought it. He hoped very much that there weren't many patients in Junon. And that those weren't showing all of the symptoms. If there were some who did… it was better if they got them before Shin-Ra found out.
The rest of their conversation went smoothly although Reeve wasn't sure if Shin-Ra wasn't hiding something from him. After Tseng had left, he reached for his mobile to call Tifa.
His heart was hammering. He knew he shouldn't, but he just felt he had to tell her.
Tifa answered with a sleepy voice.
"Hello, it's Reeve," Reeve replied. "I think I have good news for you."
"Oh?" said Tifa and for a moment, she sounded really cheerful.
"Shin-Ra doesn't plan any further actions against you. I think they just wanted to give you a scare. And, they don't suspect anything concerning Denzel. They think he was carrying materia."
"Oh. Okay. That's good, I suppose." She sounded tired again, let down in her hope and Reeve was slowly getting a bad consciousness that he had called her after all.
"And… Tseng tells me they really don't want to pull the church down. I don't think you have to fear them…"
"No," Tifa replied. "That's surely good news." She didn't sound much like it. "Uhm… they didn't seem too bad, yesterday evening."
"And… keep an eye on Denzel. Patrick has been killed."
The other end of the telephone went quiet for several moments and this time, Reeve felt really sorry he had told her. But – he couldn't bear it to know Denzel in danger.
"You don't think it's them, do you?"
"Don't be silly. They don't know enough. And… I don't believe the present Shin-Ra would do anything to children."
"Yes…" She seemed to think of something and Reeve could almost see her smile when she continued. "They were nice to Denzel and Marlene. I think Marlene fell for Rude."
Reeve had to smile, too. "It can't have been too bad, then."
"No… it wasn't, really. Only – Shinra's so… I don't know… He seems so sincere, but I can't forget... – it was a mistake to go there."
"You were worried, what else should you have done?"
"I don't know!" Suddenly, she sounded desperate again. "It didn't help! It only made things worse! I've been such a fool to go there!"
"Tifa… Don't blame yourself. I'm sure Cloud will come back in good time."
"Yeah…" She didn't sound as if she believed him. She sounded so very sad again.
"What about us having lunch again tomorrow?"
"Reeve… I really can't accept again! You are too kind."
"Come on. You have to go all the way to here. At least, have a decent lunch. I'm sure the children will like it. It's good for them after last night and it's good for you, too."
He heard her hesitate and hoped she hesitated because she wanted to come and was just debating with her consciousness.
"Okay. Fine. That's really kind of you, Reeve."
"Don't worry about it."
"Thanks."
The line went dead on him, but Tifa had sounded at least a little relieved and Reeve felt a lot better. He would have gone to the end of the world for her.
Hope you enjoyed. The next one will deal with the church again where two characters will meet.
Please review!