I really couldn't think of a name for this chapter. Urgh.
I have where I want to go in this, but it's getting REAL hard to get there! Please review and offer suggestions. (Mainly so I can do the eventual opposite.)
JJ
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14. Gunfights, Compromise, and Truth
The fire fight was like a dance; a dance of which he was a master. He dodged bullets with ease, flying from cover to cover, taking down his targets twice as fast as Barrett and Tifa combined. He'd instructed her to stay back; her aim wasn't bad, but he didn't want to risk placing her out in the open. Barrett's firing was haphazard and indiscriminate; it didn't matter what it was, he'd shoot it. His rapid flurried bursts of fire added to the chaos, elevated the panic in their enemy. It only took a few minutes until the ring of the final shot faded, empty shells tinkling onto tiles.
Shards of glass crunched underfoot as he crossed over to where he knew Tifa to be crouched. "Clear." He called, exchanging a brief smile with her as she resurfaced.
"That was exhilarating," she admitted, dusting herself down. "Though I think you should leave some windows intact Barrett. It wouldn't do to compromise the structural integrity of the building while we're still in it."
"They have to know we're here by now," Vincent stated unnecessarily, crouching by the corpse of a ShinRa marine to take a handful of magazines from his belt. They'd be of little use to him, now he was dead. "All of their forces will be concentrated at the top floors, I'd imagine."
"Won't it be a little silly to go in from the bottom?" Tifa mused, eyeing up the towering glass column before her; within it, she could see flight after flight of steel stairs, zigzagging upwards out of her focus.
"Hopefully Yuffie and Cloud will make it up before then, and create a distraction," Vincent replied, craning his neck to briefly appreciate the vastness of the building's interior, the complexity of its architecture.
"I say we take the lifts at least some of the way," Tifa stepped over a body, heading in the direction of the elevators. "Don't want to tire ourselves out before we've even given them some real hell," She cracked her knuckles. "I hope I see Reno, I feel like sinking my fist into his face, too."
They stepped into the closed space of the elevator, selecting floor 30 as their destination. They kept their weapons trained on the doors, should the elevator be called to a stop at any other floor, though it seemed their ascent was not to be interrupted so far.
The doors slid open slowly, a polite ding omitting from the console to announce their arrival at floor 30. They cautiously stepped out into a small waiting area, and Tifa almost chuckled at the sound of smooth jazz music playing in the background. How terribly cliché. The space they were in was lined with identical doors, though the only one that stood out was the door directly ahead of them; larger, double doors, with frosted glass panels set into the wood, though they were too far away to see inside.
"I think we're at the science labs," Tifa muttered, circling around an array of potted plants and standard issue waiting room chairs.
Vincent's grip tightened around his pistol. "I know it well," his words were sour in his mouth.
Tifa chose to say nothing more. They made their way cautiously towards the double doors at the end of the corridor; a sign above depicted a stairs symbol, and Vincent figured they'd have to work their way up floor by floor, unless they happened to chance upon a key card. Though by the looks of things, the place was deserted. It'd be pure luck to stumble across an authorised employee now.
Their passage through this floor was unobstructed- Vincent had conducted a brief search for a particular crazed-scientist, but his search had been fruitless—save for an abandoned card key atop a work bench which allowed them passage through the next two floors. Not wanting to waste too much time, they'd pressed on. The next few levels of the building were science-related, each one apparently more secret and classified than the last. With each flight of stairs they ascended, his chance of encountering Hojo heightened. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.
Floor 34. Voices could be heard ahead, a few of which Vincent did not recognise, though it seemed Tifa and Barrett knew them well enough.
"Turks," Barrett spat, grinding his teeth together menacingly.
"Ask questions first, shoot later," Tifa told him firmly. "They might have access codes for the upper floors."
"Don't see what we need 'em alive for that," Barrett smirked dangerously, his back now pressed to the wall, out of view of the glass windows ahead.
"It's a conference room in there. A dead end… We've got the advantage." Vincent hissed, agreeing with Tifa. "We burst in- in 1…2…3!"
He kicked open the doors, startling the two men and one woman within who had previously been involved in a heated argument.
"Shit!" Vincent assumed that must be the redhead in question. And his hair was very red; spiking this way and that, a direct contrast to green eyes and pale skin- all clashing horribly with the all-too familiar navy suit. "Ah! Lockheart- so nice to see you, as always." He eyed her black fitted garments in a manner that made Vincent's blood boil.
"Shut it, ginger." She scowled, squinting down her gun barrel at him.
"Since when have you been the firearm-type, babe?" He chuckled, blatantly unfazed by the threat they represented to him.
"Since now." She cocked her gun in the same instant he drew that damn nightstick of his. Damn, she could remember the last time she'd been hit with that- muscle convulsions and stinging burn had lasted for hours afterward. It sparked blue with static and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
Elena, the blonde female Turk was eyeing Vincent with interest. "He is a new one, yes?" Pale blue eyes considered him from beneath her feathery blonde fringe, her gun trained on Barrett. "Interesting."
"You're outnumbered," Vincent said cooly. "Nobody has to die. Just give us what we want and we won't kill you."
"So sure of yourself, huh?" Elena chuckled. "He's obviously never met a Turk before."
It was Vincent's turn to laugh."I used to be one. It's pretty clear standards have dropped since then."
"It hurts!" Reno winced at his words, taking the moment of distraction to lash out with his nightstick. She thought about shooting, but her instincts sided with her training first. Thanking the gods she was wearing rubber soled boots, she kicked the sparking weapon from his hands, her fingertips sent into a little spasm regardless of her protection.
Suddenly both were weaponless, their respective pieces of metal sent scuttling across the ruby carpets, out of reach and sight. In a moment of almost comic realisation, she locked gazes with the red head, flashing him a sweet smile before drawing back her arm and driving her fist into his face. Unbalanced, clutching his bleeding nose, she took the opportunity to connect her foot with his stomach, winding him, sending him to the ground in a heap. Elena had tried to shoot Vincent, though that had become her final, fatal mistake. Tifa couldn't see the blonde anymore.
Reno's partner faltered, his hands raised defensively before him- for Rude was a fighter like her. Vincent aimed his gun at his head.
"No." She said loudly, taking both the bald Turk and Vincent by surprise. "I made a promise."
Rude exhaled deeply. "What are you doing, Tifa?"
"I'm trying to stop the President from making a big mistake."
"It was Scarlet's idea, to fire the gun," The Turk told her, glancing out of the window. The metal hulking form of the cannon could be seen, tiny lights flashing on and off along the length of the immense metal construction. "Do you think the president is going to listen?"
"I think he will. We have a much better proposal for him." At this, he raised a brow, surveying her over the rim of his dark glasses.
"If you don't mind, I will join you as far as the President's suite. I don't agree with what Scarlet is doing. Believe it or not, I don't want to die just yet."
"Well isn't this nice," Barrett grumbled, flexing his immense arm muscles. "Let's just get over this sappy show of unification and get the hell on with it!"
"Where can we find Hojo, Heidegger and Scarlett?" Tifa asked him as they strode from the conference room. Rude had his key card pinched between his fingers, read to allow them access to the next floor.
"They will be where they are always to be found; sniffing around the President's backside." Rude snorted indignantly.
"Well, we can kill several birds with one stone." Vincent gripped his gun tighter.
"What exactly are you planning, Lockheart?" Rude turned to her, his eyes hidden by his trademark dark glasses. "For what good it's going to do…"
"I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise," she responded coolly, nudging him through the door he had just opened for them. "Keep moving or I might change my mind."
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"For what reason have you stormed my building this time, Avalanche?" The president was by all means irked, though it seemed he had accepted his fate, seated at his desk, slumped in his high-backed chair. Vincent's team had encountered Cloud's on the way, and they had stormed the room together. Rude had scanned them in, his arms raised in submission as he stepped into the huge open space that was Rufus's office.
"You're making a mistake, Rufus," Cloud had stepped forward, pointing one gloved hand accusingly. "Fire that cannon, and meteor will hit us like a tonne of bricks."
"I'd say a lot more than a Tonne, Cloud," Scarlet hissed angrily, her arms folded across her ample chest. "More like a few hundred thousand."
"You seem to know a lot about it-" Tifa interjected, taking a few directed steps closer to her blonde arch enemy. "But if you'd bothered to do your research properly, you would see that the meteor is not moving. As long as Sephiroth stays in that crater, gathering his strength, he won't budge it."
"Which is why we have to strike first!" Scarlet's face coloured, her fists curling tightly.
"- you make a valid point." Rufus said softly. All the assembled members of Avalanche turned to him. "We should use the time we have wisely."
"And we've got just the thing that might work." Cloud spoke again, all eyes on him. "But, the thing is, we're uh… gunna have to work together." The president narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. "We have the pilot, and you've got the funds. We've got explosives, you've got a rocket."
"This is absurd!" Scarlett groaned, stalking across the marbled floors, her heels clicking. "That rocket is a hunk of metal."
"… and wouldn't be much of a loss, either. I see where you're going with this, and I like it so far." Scarlet whirled to stare with ire at her president. "We send it up there, and blow up meteor. Even if it fails, it's a good show of solidarity to the public…"
"Tha's right, think of yer image to the last moment." Barrett grunted to himself.
"It could take a week to fuel the thing, but it just might work. I'll expect Cid Highwind and whoever else wants to go along with it at Rocket town in seven days time. We ask for no payment, and we will co-operate with you. Do we have a deal?"
"Done." Cloud nodded curtly. "You fire that cannon only when we know it's the last option we have. If meteor is out of the way, then we can take care of the rest of your mess."
"Sephiroth was way before my time, I can assure you."
"Where is the scientist?" Vincent cut in curtly.
"He took off when the building was breached." The note of dislike was evident in the young sable-haired man's voice. "If you find him, do what you want. He creeps the hell out of me."
"With pleasure."
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"It feels weird just being let go, doesn't it?" Tifa's voice interrupted his musings as they waited out on the helipad for the Highwind to drop its ladders down. The turbulence from the propellers sending her hair whirling about her face. "Hey, you're still mad about not finding Hojo, aren't you?"
"I guess." He looked down at the standard issue steel-toe capped, black lace up boots he wore, identical to Tifa's. "But I'll find him. He can't run forever."
"No, but he sure will try." She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "There are worse things than death Vincent. He is an old man; he's probably scared out of his wits, knowing you're after him." He took a little comfort out of that.
"Hey, wait!" Cloud's foot was on the bottom rung of the ladder when a man with clipped shoulder length black hair came jogging over. He had a smart goatee beard and wore a royal-blue suit.
"Do we know you?" Tifa frowned, turning to address him. She felt a little disconcerted that he smiled upon hearing her voice.
"I know you, but we've never met. My name is Reeve. I… I control Cait Sith."
"What?" Tifa tucked her wild hair behind her ears, frowning slightly. The she did something Vincent wasn't prepared for; she slapped the man hard across the face. "That's for stealing the keystone. If you'd have no stolen that… things might have been different." With one last glowering stare, she whirled around and began to ascend the rope ladder with surprising agility.
Vincent raised an eyebrow at the man, who was currently rubbing his reddened cheek. "God. I'm not sure which side I should be on… She's certainly feisty." The man did not seem angry, and Vincent was treated to the same recognition he had shown Tifa. "You must be Vincent." They shook hands.
"Look, we should get going before Rufus changes his mind," Cloud yelled over the sounds of the straining Highwind engines. "Are you coming with us, or not?"
Reeve grinned and jogged over to the ladder, his ruby cheek forgotten. Vincent sighed a little before following.
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The atmosphere on the Highwind was livelier and more optimistic than it had been in a long while. Tifa felt it was easier to breathe now, without the threat of the cannon being fired. A part of her was afraid that Rufus might go back on his word, or at least it had been, before Rude had hacked into the systems and disabled the override system. There was no way Scarlett was getting her way on this.
Cid of course, was on cloud nine. He was going to realise his dream of going into space, with the added bonus of potentially saving the world. All that was left to do was decide who would go and who would stay. Rufus had forwarded documents stating, amongst other things, that only three other people should accompany Cid onto the Rocket.
Red had shaken his great head and declared his desire to remain grounded. "I was never destined to leave this planet."
Barrett had expressed a desire to remain behind- he wanted to use the time to keep an eye on ShinRa and the crater whilst Avalanche could otherwise be distracted. Tifa also suspected he would also pay a visit to Marlene in Kalm, too while he had the chance. Reeve intended to redeem himself fully by reversing his spying role, and turn his attentions to ShinRa. He was ever suspicious of Scarlett, he told a scowling Tifa, and he would not allow himself to become complacent. It would be foolish, he warned them, to underestimate her ambition.
"With this travel sickness? I don't feel like watching my own vomit float about—do you?" Yuffie was staying.
That left Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent.
Cloud wanted to go, of course. He was their leader, somehow, and he wanted to be present for the whole journey.
Tifa asked for a little time to think about it, though she was already leaning towards going. When would she ever get another opportunity like this one? Life was so short, uncertainly so, and she didn't want to regret missing out. Even in the event that something could go horribly wrong—what would she be missing out on? Waiting around for a little while long for Sephiroth to kill her?
Vincent had accepted right away. Secretly he shared in Cid's enthusiasm for the launch—going where no man dared to go before? Oh, he dared alright. Just thinking about space and the vastness of the universe made him appreciate what little value his insignificant existence held for him.
"You do know that sex in space is impossible right?" Cid told him with a smug grin one evening over a hand of cards. Everyone else had retired to bed, leaving only the Pilot and himself on the lamp-lit bridge.
"I'd like to think that you know this only because you read it somewhere. Not because you actually tried it."
"Guilty. I do read occasionally." The Pilot shifted in his seat, rubbing his aching neck as he scrutinised his hand. "I'll raise ya five, Valentine. Reckon Tifa'll come along?"
Vincent considered his question carefully. Amidst the recent chaos, his conversations with Tifa had been brief and anything other than that even more so. He imagined she didn't want to risk not being able to return to face her enemies, and exact her revenge. "I cannot say. Perhaps I should find out, though. We are due to fly in a few days time."
"I hear ya." Cid set down his cards only to slip a cigarette between his lips, his haggard face illuminated by the flare of his match. "For all the teasin' I done, I didn' say a word to anyone else. For what it's worth, I think you two are good fer each other. I don' really know anyone well enough to tell 'em what to do."
"There hasn't been a lot of time, has there." He agreed, not really seeing his cards. Time... So little of it left.
"Not much," The pilot admitted, taking up his cards again and puffing smoke away from the table. "But enough, right?" He gave a throaty chuckle, winking as he caught Vincent's eye.
Vincent did not return the smile, instead tossing his hand down on the table face up. He had been bluffing. "No. Not enough. There is never enough."
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The ship swayed gently in its docking position, subjected to a strong easterly wind. Vincent's fingers trailed along the plated walls of the gangways, the ship creaking and groaning around him. He passed door after door leading into the small cabins that each of the Avalanche members occupied at night. He passed Yuffie's, Cloud's, and even his own. He passed the empty room that stood between Barrett's and Tifa's, before pausing at the latter.
He hesitated, arm raised, poised to rap gently on the door. She would be sleeping no doubt. But time was spectre that loomed in the back of his mind, both taunting him and encouraging him. He shouldn't waste it. The handle was cool in his palm as he turned it, resisting only a little due to rusted hinges.
The interior of the room was all dark hulking shapes, edges illuminated by an oval of faint moonlight penetrating the cabin's sole window. He had been right to assume she was sleeping. Her face was relaxed, but by no means untroubled. As he drew closer, eyes adjusting to the darkness, he could distinguish the tiny fluctuations in her features- the slightest tremor of her brow, the twitch of her lashes. All telltale signs of troubled sleep. Signs he knew too well.
How had it come to this? He was into his late twenties, an ex-Turk, a human experiment, and she a proud and beautiful innocent, victim to life, barely into her twenties. How had they come together like this? Despite what oceans may separate them, he knew they were bound together though endurance—through hardships, through time, and through pain. They had survived. They had fought, and fought hard. Only to be faced with the promise of the same end. That unified them, but also kept them apart.
Of course, it was a hard thing for anyone to have to accept, let alone one as young and as full of promise as she. He wondered if she would have married, or had children (the doubtful part of his mind pointedly kept him out of his imaginings of her future), and what she would have become. She was still growing, after all. Hell, they all were. There was always some lesson to learn, always something else to be done.
Now, the lesson was haste, without sightlessness, foresight without the imprint of false hope, and honesty without fear.
Her hair was soft beneath his fingertips, sliding between them as would the finest of silk. Her cheek was warm, skin possessing the barest hint of moisture, in the cramped, poorly ventilated living space. The mattress sank under his weight as he perched there beside her, fingers smoothing away the frown, and rousing her gently from her disturbed slumber.
"Vincent?" Confused and bleary-eyed, she gazed up at him, her warm hand curling around his. "What is it?"
"I just wanted to see your face," He admitted, offering her a weak smile. "I fear the passage of days is too swift for my liking, and our time together is scarce at best."
"You have noticed, I was afraid of that."
"Noticed?"
"It's just a fear thing, again." She scoffed at herself shifting aside to allow him space to fit beside her. He settled facing up at the ceiling, fingers interlaced over his chest. "The more I like you, the more we are together I... I become angry that it's only going to be taken away."
"If we are together until the end, we will always be so. Or at least, that is my understanding." He gave an indifferent shrug which did not suffice to lessen his discomfort. He knew where this was going to go, and as afraid as he was, perhaps it was all for the best.
"That's a nice thought," She turned towards him, propping herself up on her elbow, watching his unshifting expression carefully. "I'm sorry for shutting you out. It's not fair of me to take something from you and try to give it back."
"I understand completely. I am guilty also." He sighed heavily. Tifa tugged his arm aside to better nestle herself against him. Her cheek against his shoulder and her fingers laced with his, she felt at ease.
"I want you to know I don't regret anything if that's what you might have been thinking." He remained silent, not wanting to admit he had toyed with that explanation more than once before now. "I think I will go with you on the rocket," She glanced up at him, meeting his ruby stare.
"What made you change your mind?"
"I couldn't let you go alone with Cloud could I?" At this, he laughed. "But seriously, I wanted to experience it with you. And maybe it could help us forget, even if it's for a little while."
A comfortable silence settled upon them like a blanket, and it wasn't long before Tifa felt sleep tugging at her eyelids once more. It felt good to nestle against someone, whose arms felt strong enough to protect her, enough to hold them both steady.
God, she was doing it. Something she'd tried to convince herself was a bad idea, that would distract her from her true aims, but instead, it was making her stronger, more defiant. It was getting harder to resist it.
She was falling in love with him.
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First one in a long time. I have literally just written this, and wanted to get it uploaded to apologise for such a long wait. Next chapter is space travel!