Genesis stepped out of the transport truck that brought them home and froze. Something was wrong. There were guards posted everywhere and the place was just abuzz with activity. A lead ball was starting to form in the pit of his stomach. Whatever Lazard had been planning must have gone horribly wrong. Cloud stepped out and looked up to Genesis, it was obvious that he came to the same conclusion. Zack followed him out with a confused look on his face.
"What's going on?" Zack asked, looking to Genesis.
Before Genesis could answer however, a 3rd Class SOLDIER came running up to him. "Commander Rhapsodos sir, I've been ordered to bring you, Strife and Fair to the Director's office immediately upon your arrival."
Genesis just looked to the 3rd. "We'll go, but we have a man in the transport that requires immediate medical attention."
The man just nodded and turned, telling someone on his radio to get a medical team on their way to take care of Luxiere.
"Kunsel, stay with Luxiere, we'll figure out what this is about." Genesis said and the man nodded.
They followed the 3rd class, Genesis was already formulating what he was going to say, the surprise he was going to put up when being informed of Lazard's actions. He trusted Cloud to do the same, he knew the risk. Zack he didn't have to worry about, the man would truly be surprised.
The elevator ride stretched out and Genesis knew that if things went south, he would get himself and Cloud out, they were still battle ready after all.
As the door's to Lazard's office opened and the man in question sat grimly at his desk, Genesis almost blurted out 'what are you doing still here?', but managed to control everything except a slight look of surprise on his face, luckily only Lazard had seen it.
"You may go." Lazard said, looking at the 3rd that escorted Genesis. The man glanced at Genesis, then left.
"What's this about Lazard, I was certain with the extra security and being escorted to your office-" He stopped, remembering that Zack was in the room. At the moment however, Zack didn't seem to paying attention to Genesis.
"My vacation went fine." Lazard said dully and Genesis knew that whatever the man had planned, was successful.
"Why are we here then? Usually we get a bit of a rest before we have to hand in a mission report." Genesis said, trying to read the man. Lazard wouldn't look at him.
"Yesterday at 8 am, someone broke into the labs and stole some equipment. By 9am both Professor Hollander and Commander Angeal Hewley were reported missing. A review of the security footage, well, you wouldn't believe me if I just told you." Lazard said, hitting a button, and the footage started to play from a projector.
Genesis just stood and stared, watching his oldest friend break into the labs, knock guards out and carry out several pieces of equipment.
"Why." Genesis finally said quietly. Both Zack and Cloud were stunned.
"At the present time we don't know, but there are standing orders to subdue the two so they can be brought in for questioning." Lazard said.
Genesis fell into one of the chairs in Lazard's office. Zack sank to the floor and Cloud still stood, but had turned to look at Lazard.
"Genesis, you should know that, if they are gone more than 72 hours or resist any attempt to bring them in, they will both be listed as enemies of Shinra and the use of deadly force will be authorized. I don't have a choice on the matter." Lazard said as carefully as he could.
"I'll find him, I'll knock some sense into that idiot. What the hell is he thinking!" Genesis said before striking his fists on Lazard's desk.
"I'm going too!" Zack said, looking at Genesis.
"I'm sorry Fair, but because you are Hewley's student, I have to detain you." Lazard said, looking at the man.
"But why! Genesis's is his best friend! Why me and not him!" Zack demanded.
"Because being a best friend isn't an official standing in SOLDIER. Genesis is also our best bet at resolving this before things go too far. Don't worry, I was just told to detain you, you're not a prisoner, you just need to stay in the Shinra building until you've been released." Lazard said, looking to Zack.
"For how long?" Zack asked.
"Until Angeal returns or your own loyalty is proven." Lazard explained.
Zack looked like he wanted to argue more, but Genesis cut him off. "We're wasting time. Go back to your apartment or mine, if you wish, and sit, wait and behave. How would it reflect back on Angeal, if his student suddenly starts questioning orders right after he leaves?"
Zack just looked at Genesis, then looked away. "You're right."
"Take Strife and see what you can find." Lazard said, looking to Genesis.
"I'll bring him back." Genesis said, standing and leaving the room, Cloud in tow. He tried to fathom what exactly was going through his friend's head.
~2 Days ago~
"Angeal, you're dying." Hollander said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.
"What?" Angeal said, looking up at Hollander from the examination table, he had come in for the man to examine his shoulder that was getting worse instead of better.
"That injury you received, it triggered something in you. Something that lain dormant in your DNA. You're aging far too fast now, I hate to say it, but it's because of the process used on you when you became a SOLDIER." Hollander said, trying to sound fatherly. Angeal had always respected the man.
"You said at that time, it was experimental." Angeal remembered.
"Yes and unfortunately this was a side effect we didn't fore see." Hollander said softly.
"What about Genesis?" Angeal asked, he knew his friend had had the same process used on him.
"I'm afraid, if he receives a similar injury, it will have the same result. You were lucky it was such a small wound. If Genesis is injured in actual battle, well, then it may just kill him out right." Hollander's voice sounded regretful.
Angeal thought back to what Genesis had told him about a mission he and Cloud had been on. The monsters with the mysterious ability to keep something from healing properly. Luckily Cloud had been able to overcome it, but now Angeal doubted it was something special about the monsters. His mind then went back to Cloud, but he knew that wasn't an option. Cloud had already tried to heal him.
"Is there nothing you can do?" Angeal's voice was pleading, for himself and his friend.
"Oh, there is, if Hojo would give up his equipment!' Hollander said with a bitter laugh. "Since he became head of the science department, he's hoarded all the best equipment for himself."
"Surely for this." Angeal said, looking up at him.
"You know about Hojo, do you really think he cares about someone's life? Look at the way he treats Sephiroth." Hollander said.
"You're right." Angeal said, a bit defeated.
"There is something we can do, but I don't know if you'll like it." Hollander said, looking at Angeal.
"What?" Angeal said, a little bit of hope back in his eyes.
"We could steal the equipment." Hollander said slowly.
"Steal it?" Angeal sounded almost confused.
"It wouldn't be a great course of action. We'd have to run from Shinra, but I know a place we could go. I could develop a cure for you and for Genesis and then we could return, asking for forgiveness afterwards." Hollander said with a tone of encouragement.
Angeal looked down, he couldn't fathom what Hollander was suggesting: Stealing, going on the run from Shinra. It was madness.
"It really is the only option we have. We really don't know how much time you or Genesis have left." Hollander placed his hand back on Angeal's shoulder.
"Why would you do that for me?" Angeal said, knowing the man would be sinking his own career.
"Because, unlike Hojo, I actually care about my patients. Your condition is partially my fault and I'll do what I can to correct it."
Angeal looked up at him. "Can I think about it?"
"For a moment maybe, but if we are going to move, we should do it soon. Right now both Genesis and your student have an alibi and can't be implicated. If we move after they get back, it could mean trouble for them." Hollander said soothingly.
Angeal knew that Hollander was right. He put his face in his hands and sighed. "What do we need to do?"
Genesis stormed out of the building, Cloud close behind. Cloud had yet to say a word to Genesis, he really just didn't know where to start.
Genesis went to the garage where the company vehicles were kept. He walked past the guards and went to a row of motorcycles. "Get on." Genesis said as he slipped his leg over the side. Cloud did as he was told and wrapped his arms around Genesis's waist.
The motorcycle started right up and off they went. "Where are we going?" Cloud finally asked.
"There are two places I can think of, that Angeal would have gone." Genesis said, trying not to snap at Cloud. It wasn't Cloud's fault that Angeal had lost his mind.
Cloud just leaned his head on Genesis's back as they rode on.
Silence reigned for the rest of the trip and Cloud wanted to break Genesis out of his brooding, but the wind was whipping too hard to even try and talk. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Genesis pulled over and stepped off the bike.
"Where are we?" Cloud said, looking up at Genesis. There were grass and flowers everywhere and not too far off was the start of a small forest.
"I don't know if it has an official name. It's someplace me and Angeal found right after we joined Shinra. Neither one of us felt at home in the big city and we found we could make it out here, spend a few hours and then head back, all in an acceptable amount of time. I thought maybe he would have come here to get away." Genesis said, starting down a path into the forest. Not 50 foot in, the path opened up and there was a small run down log cabin, long since abandoned.
Genesis opened the door and noticed that the layers of dust were undisturbed. "He's not been here." Genesis said as his shoulders fell.
Cloud just hugged him and Genesis pulled him in tight. "We'll find him. Where is the other place you'd think he'd go?"
"Banora, to his mother." Genesis said, still hugging Cloud.
"How do we get there?" Cloud said, looking up at Genesis.
"We'll head to Junon, it's closer than Midgar at this point and requisition a helicopter." Genesis said before pulling away and heading back to the motorcycle.
As he was walking however, his phone rang. He damn near ignored it, but he thought for a moment that it might be Angeal. He pulled it out and Lazard's number flashed across the screen.
"What do you want?" Genesis nearly snapped.
"You need to return to Midgar right away." Lazard's voice filtered through the phone.
"But Angeal-" Genesis started when Lazard interrupted him.
"Has been spotted on the Western Continent. When they attempted to bring him in, he disabled the entire squad and left. He's been officially listed as AWOL and an enemy of Shinra. I don't think you want to be out there searching for him right now." Lazard finished.
Genesis damn near crushed the phone in his hand. Finally he said "We'll be back soon." and hung up.
Cloud, who had heard the whole conversation due to his hearing, just placed a hand on Genesis's arm.
"Let's just go." Genesis said, though he sounded nearly broken. Cloud just nodded, slipping on the motorcycle behind Genesis.
As Genesis made his way back into the building, Cloud was still trailing behind. He didn't know what he could do to comfort the man and it hurt to see him so distraught.
As he walked through the main entrance however, Sephiroth came walking up to him.
"What the hell is going on?" The silver haired man demanded.
Genesis gathered a scowl on his face and about snapped when Cloud put a hand on his arm and said, "No one's told you anything?"
"Not a damn thing, I just got back from Wutai an hour ago and Lazard's been in a meeting with the executives the entire time. I went to find you two or Angeal so I could get an explanation of what the security was about and couldn't find you. No one else will even speak to me." Sephiroth looked clearly irritated.
Genesis looked conflicted for a moment, then looked up to Sephiroth. "Come with me, I'll explain back in my apartment, not out here."
Sephiroth just nodded and the three of them went to get on the elevator.
When they entered the apartment, Genesis chucked his coat off and Cloud went and sunk onto a chair.
Sephiroth slipped in last and shut the door before turning back around, watching Genesis pace across the floor. "You're acting like someone died." He finally said.
Genesis looked up, a pained expression on his face and Sephiroth indeed thought the worst, but that wouldn't explain the extra security. He glanced to Cloud, but the blonde wouldn't meet his gaze.
"Sephiroth, he's gone, Angeal's left us." Genesis finally said with a heavy breath.
"He died?" Sephiroth said, almost in shock.
"No," Genesis quickly corrected. "I hate to say it, but I might have been able to deal with that easier. No, he's turned on Shinra. He and Hollander stole a bunch of lab equipment and ran. I was out trying to find him before things got to complicated and, well, I wasn't successful." Genesis said bitterly.
Sephiroth just walked in and sat down on Genesis's couch, an unreadable expression on his face. "Do you have any idea why he left?"
"No" Genesis said, shaking his head.
"No contact?" Sephiroth said, looking at Genesis.
"None." Genesis said bitterly. If Angeal had explained to him what he was thinking, Genesis may very well have left with him.
Sephiroth nodded and looked away, "What do you plan to do?"
"I don't know!" Genesis nearly screamed. "They've authorized deadly force. I can't kill him, I don't know!"
Sephiroth just shook his head. "Torn between Shinra and your best friend. But is there really so little here for you that it would make it such a hard choice?" Sephiroth eyes flickered from Genesis to Cloud.
"Don't put words in my mouth!" Genesis snapped. Cloud was still the most important thing in the world to him.
"I'm just trying to put things into perspective for you. Your loyalties to this company are being truly tested. You've always made rash decisions." Sephiroth pointed out.
Genesis finally collapsed on to his couch. "I have to talk to him and find out why he did it."
"Will it make a difference?" Sephiroth asked.
Genesis bit his lip. He knew Sephiroth was more loyal to the company than any of them, mostly because he didn't really have an alternative. He had never known life outside Shinra. Perhaps it was time to tell him what he, Cloud and Lazard had uncovered. If Angeal had discovered some of the same truths on his own and went to Hollander for answers...well, it might explain his actions.
"Yes, I could." Genesis said, looking down, and Sephiroth just stared at him, stoic as ever. "You've asked me several times what I planned to do about Hojo, I've never told you before now, that is."
"Genesis?" Cloud said, looking over at his mentor, he knew Genesis had wanted to keep Angeal and Sephiroth out of the loop for their own protection, but Angeal was already in enough trouble of his own making.
"It's alright, Cloud. It's probably long past when we should have said something anyway." Genesis said a bit bitterly.
"What's going on." Sephiroth said, narrowing his eyes.
"On Cloud's first mission, we ran into a few genetically altered creatures. I grew suspicious and started to ask Lazard questions. Over the last several months we've been using Cloud's missions to investigate Hojo's illegal experimentation. All the rumors we've heard are true and more. We have evidence, but not enough to move yet. It goes high, all the way to the top. The president is knee deep in all of it. We've been biding our time till we could figure out how to eliminate Hojo without bringing the company down on our heads, the only other alternative is, well..."
"To take down the president, which is treason." Sephiroth finished.
"Now you see why I've kept quiet." Genesis said, still a bit tense. He still didn't know exactly how Sephiroth would react.
"And you think this is connected to why Angeal left?" Sephiroth said.
"It's the only thing that makes any sense in my head. If Angeal discovered what was going on on his own and went to Hollander, he may have convinced Angeal to take matters into his own hands." Genesis said as his shoulders hung.
"Why wouldn't he say anything, though?" Sephiroth asked.
"Likely for the same reason I didn't. It's why I need to talk with him. So are you going to go turn me in now?" Genesis said. still slumped over.
Sephiroth's eyes flickered from Genesis to Cloud. It would be very easy to implicate Genesis, but he couldn't do it without risking Cloud. "No, if what you say about Hojo is true however, now that he is unchecked, Cloud can't go near him. I'm surprised you've let Cloud near him since you found out."
"I didn't have much of a choice. We didn't want to just destroy the company. The people need Shinra's stability. I've been patient and listening to Lazard. I need to speak with him, too. He said, he had an idea of how to advance our plans and when I spoke to him when I got a back, he said his vacation had gone well." Genesis said, looking to Sephiroth.
"So right now, all we have is a lot of questions and no answers." Sephiroth finally said.
"That seems pretty accurate." Genesis said as a knock came at his door.
Cloud stood and answered it.
"Za-a-ack!" He stuttered out. The man before him looked horrible and he still had tears in his eyes. "What happened." Cloud said, moving the boy into the apartment and shut the door.
"Turks." Zack said, rubbing his eyes. "I've spent the last 4 hours being 'interviewed' by Turks. Whatever Angeal took, it's really pissed Hojo off and they wouldn't believe I had nothing to do with it."
Cloud led Zack to the chair he had been sitting in.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I will be, I finally convinced them I had no idea and that I'd been off the continent the entire time. They finally decided I was loyal enough to the company to let me leave only after I swore to kill Angeal, if I ever saw him again." Zack sniffed a bit.
"You're not serious." Genesis snapped.
"Of course not!" Zack said, throwing his arms up in the air. "I could never kill him. Why do you think it took so long to convince the Turks? I'm a horrible liar."
They sat in silence for another moment before Zack looked at them and asked: "What are we going to do?"
"For now, nothing. They can't force me or Sephiroth to take a mission we don't want. I can refuse missions for Cloud. Other than that we go on and act like regular Shinra employees, as normal. It will be hard to deny we're conspiring if we act like we are all the time." Genesis said finally.
"And what? When you 3 refuse, they send me to chase Angeal down?" Zack said, a bit furious.
"There isn't anything we can do about that, but be discreet. Outside this apartment, Angeal is the enemy. We'll have dinner once a week like we normally do and we can discuss anything else then. Hopefully we can bring him back, but if not, we have to make sure Shinra doesn't catch him." Genesis said.
"What if it turns out he thinks of us as the enemy, too, and isn't willing to negotiate?" Sephiroth said, looking to Genesis.
"He won't." Genesis said firmly.
"But if he does?" Sephiroth pushed.
"Then we deal with that then." Genesis finally snapped.
"Just be prepared." Sephiroth said before standing. "I'm going to go see if Lazard is out of his meeting. I still need to report to him. If he's free, I'll let you know."
Genesis just nodded.
"I should go check on Luxiere, too, I haven't seen him since we got back. Kunsel is probably pretty confused, too." Zack said, standing.
"Just remember, you can't even let them know you still have sympathy for Angeal." Genesis said.
"But Kunsel is my best friend." Zack said a bit taken aback.
"All the more reason not to drag him into this, Zack. Talking like he's anything but our enemy could be considered treason at this point." Sephiroth pointed out.
"I.." Zack started before he faltered. "I suppose you're right."
Both Zack and Sephiroth left after that, and Cloud simply slipped over to the couch, sitting down next to Genesis.
Genesis just slipped his arms around Cloud, pulling the blonde into his chest. "Thank you, for being here." Genesis whispered in his ear.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else." Cloud whispered back, tilting his head so he could claim a kiss from Genesis.
"Stay with me tonight, in my bed. I really don't want to be alone." Genesis finally admitted. He was afraid where his thoughts would go, if he was alone.
"All you have to do is ask." Cloud said, leaning back into Genesis's chest. Cloud had been keeping to his own room, mostly because of Genesis's insistence. The older man was too afraid that having Cloud curled up next to him night after night would wear his already thin willpower too far. Tonight however he just wanted someone to hold.
It was late and Genesis decided that, even if Lazard was free soon, everything else could wait until morning. "Let's get something to eat and get some rest." Genesis said, letting the weariness in his voice show through.
Cloud nodded, "I'll take care of dinner." He said, slipping out of Genesis's arms.
Cloud went into the kitchen and made a few simple sandwiches, but when he came back out, Genesis was passed out on the couch. He didn't have the heart to wake him and so he just ate his sandwich, sat the other next to the bed in Genesis's room, then came back out and carried the man to bed. He slipped Genesis out of his belts and boots as best he could, a small blush dusting his cheeks at the thought of undressing Genesis.
When the man looked decently comfortable, Cloud went to change himself before coming back in and curling up tightly against the man. He silently prayed to the goddess that, whatever reason Angeal had left for, was a good one and that the next time Genesis saw his best friend, wasn't at the point of a sword.
Alight, I think this constitutes a major plot shift (As if everything before now didn't!). As of right now in the original time line we are about a month away from the accident that injured Genesis, so things are happening a little bit ahead of schedule.
Anyway as always please review :) I always love to hear what you think! - DHT