((A/N: This was suppose to be a little side smut, but muses changed their minds at the last minute. Those who have read my other writings will recognize a couple of the OCs.. sorry I tend to recycle muses.))
~20~
"It's so dreamy, oh fantasy free me
So you can't see me, no not at all
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention
Well-secluded, I see all.."
-Time Warp by Little Nell,Richard O'Brien,Patricia Quinn
~~(line here)~~
The relationship between Reeve Tuesti and Vincent Valentine was a complicated one. They were both former members of AVALANCHE, they had been part of the team that took down Sephiroth, and were friends with the 'Saviour Of The Planet'. They were also friends, not just traveling companions or teammates, thanks to other events. The two of them shared the same sophisticated pleasures and tastes in bed partners. They had even been lovers once upon a time. But now they were just friends with fringe benefits. Reeve got what he desired and so did Vincent, just in a slightly different way.
The WRO Leader was walking a fine line when he made Vincent the Commander in charge of locating the mako source in a recent investigation. The man was a loner even if he did help out when needed. When he made the ex-TURK liaison between the WRO and Shin-Ra, he knew he had crossed that line but for all his intelligence, he didn't know how to correct his mistake. He also knew he was going to pay for it, just not to what extent.
Twelve days after his last contact with Vincent, Reeve's aide passed a request from President ShinRa's secretary for a meeting later that day. He read the request over then nodded, approving it. From there, the details were haggled out between the Aid and the Secretary. About twenty minutes before the appointed time, Reeve found himself waiting in a very plush private waiting room. Right on time, a TURK entered and beckoned for Reeve to follow him. He frowned slightly when he noted their direction of travel was not to President ShinRa's office. Instead they passed through several doors to stop in front of a private elevator.
"As punctual as ever Reeve," Rufus said in greeting as he approached the elevator, Tseng at his side as always.
Reeve smiled in greeting, "Indeed Mr. President.. Rufus," he corrected himself at the ever so slight lift of a blond eyebrow.
The doors opened with a swipe of a keycard and a press of a thumb. The TURK which escorted Reeve, entered the elevator first checking everything before nodding to Tseng.
"Thank you Chase," Rufus said as they entered the elevator.
This time it was Tseng who swiped a card through the reader, along with a code. He had yet to say anything.
After several long moments of silence, Reeve spoke up finally. "If I may ask, what's this all about?"
The blond let the corner of his mouth tilt up ever so slightly. "Mr. Valentine will be arriving shortly via Captain Highwind's Airship. At that time everything will be transferred to Shin-Ra custody. He requested that you be present."
"I.. er..." The WRO Leader was at a loss of words. "Oh hell..." he finally muttered.
A muffled cough came from the rear of the elevator car.
Reaching up he ran a finger around the collar of his long coat. "What I meant to say was.. umm… How upset is Vincent currently?"
Rufus crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight as he did. "I'm afraid that I can not supply you with that answer. You'll just have to ask Mr. Valentine yourself."
This time, it was Tseng who laughed softly at the expression on Reeve's face.
~~(line here)~~
Security was just as tight as always when Rufus was anywhere in public. Even though the landing field, maintenance bays, helicopter garages and warehouses was part and parcel of the Compound (just not directly attached to the main area inside the city), the same precaution was taken. Sunlight flashed ever so often from one of the men or women on duty on the roofs. Those that were pulling sniper duty, well only few well trained (or just plain in the know) knew where they were or one of the possible locations. Patrols on foot with guard beasts roamed around the outer perimeter as well as inside it. While up in the sky itself, the unique 'whomping' sound of helicopter blades slicing through the air as they made flyovers.
Coming in at a slow pace from the west-north-west a trio of airships under heavy escort/guard. At the helm of the main airship was Captain Cid Highwind. With a firm yet light hand he flew his pride and joy towards the designated landing area. The two airships that followed at an equally sedate seeming pace were piloted by experienced veterans of the DeepGround air attack. Their escorts were the best helicopter pilots Shin-Ra had. Reno was lead of escort group with the Highwind, with Morgan and Ari as leads of the other two airship escort groups.
The comm chatter between the helicopters and the airships were kept to a minimum for the most part. Constant updates flew back and forth, along with the occasional sarcastic and barbed comments.
"Shut the hell up ya fucking redheaded jaknap asswipe! I know what the fuck I'm doing. Been doing it longer then your scrawny ass's been alive. Now go fucking bug someone else ya prick!" Cid yelled into the comm as he scanned the gauges before looking over the rest of the bridge crew.
A snicker from Reno cut across the momentary silence.
Leaning against the wall behind the pilot, Vincent kept the pressure on the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath then let it out again. "Chief, just ignore him, this job is almost over for you. And Reno, stop poking at Cid. For fuck sake you're a damned TURK. Act like the professional you're suppose to be."
"Whatever ya say old man, yo."
The silence continued for almost a minute before the next round of updates came across the comm.
"Why the hell you even doing this Vince?" asked Cid.
"Define 'this'"
"You know.. This.." the pilot waved his hand indicating everything to do with Shin-Ra. "They found something to force you into working with'em or what? I can always dump the cargo and haul ass out of Edge. Not'in they can do ta stop me." He didn't let anyone smoke on the bridge, including himself and he'd been craving one for the last hour since they got within contact range.
A rare smile crossed Vincent's lips at the crusty old pilot's version of concern. "No, if anyone it was Reeve that has caused me to work with Shin-Ra."
"Wha? What the fuck did he do? Ya never told me Vince. All I know is I got a request to haul shit from the middle of nowhere ta Shin-Ra over in Edge and low and behold I get you as part of the deal." Cid reached up and patted his pockets for something to chomp on. He didn't even have a pack of gum much less a toothpick on him. "Damn it all to hell," he muttered.
"He made me the Liaison between the WRO and Shin-Ra."
"Ifrit's hairy ballsack..."
"Hnn."
"Hey Highwind," Reno's voice cut across the comm chatter again.
"Wha ya want ya little punk?!" barked Cid.
"Got the unloading orders. Live cargo first, followed by the dead. Everything else after."
"Motherfucker!" Cid uttered rolling his eyes heavenward. "You fucks sure know how to screw up things don't ya?" he waved to the crewman at the comm station. "Get the other two on the horn and patch em in."
"Aye chief!" A moment later the thumbs up indicated they were patched in.
"Bluegrass."
"Aye Captain?"
"Jennifer."
"Sir?"
"Don't call me 'Sir' I work for a fucking living. Change of plans you two. Live cargo get's dropped first then the dead shit. I've got everything else so I'll be unloading last. Got that?"
"Yeeehaaw! I get to go home first," crowed the captain of the airship 'Mirage'.
"Bite me you asshole," Jennifer, captain of the all-female crewed airship 'Sunset Seductions', uttered. "Thank Gaia! These stiffs are giving me and my crew the creeps," she complained.
"Yer pay will be wired as soon as I get it. Highwind out." He gestured for the connection to be terminated between the airships. "Anything else?" he asked.
"Just that the manifesto and documents be there as shit's unloaded."
"Great.. will have to play shuffle-fucking-board then. Vince has the paperwork."
Vincent pushed off the wall so he could move to the front of the bridge viewport and look out. "Chief, drop us within fifty feet of the main building there," he said pointing to the one in question. "I'll drop down from there. Reno, inform the people on the ground. I'll be highly pissed off if I'm shot."
"Ya got it," Reno replied.
"Planet fucking Damnit Vince, I hate when you do that shit," Cid muttered.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Thanks for the smooth trip." With a small wave, Vincent left the bridge and headed for the cargo bay. One of the WRO members was waiting on him next to the smaller cargo door, which was standing open for him. He nodded to the WRO member then simply stepped out the door as if he was walking from one room to another. A tiny flex of power (thanks to Chaos, even if he was asleep once more) ensured a smooth landing on the roof of the building. His only acknowledgement of the sniper hidden there was that he didn't step on the person, instead he simply stepped over and dropped down off the roof.
Vincent absorbed the impact of his landing with a combination of an even tinier flexing of power as well as the bending of his knees. As soon as he had landed he was meet by a high ranking TURK and escorted to where Rufus, Reeve and company were currently located. The documents and manifests were handed over to the appropriate personnel to be scanned and documented before copied in quadruplicate and handed out to the supervisor in charge of the landings.
From the fortified observation post the group watched as the first airship, the Mirage captained by one Jason 'Bluegrass' O'Donald, landed where designated before it was swarmed by Shin-Ra personnel.
~~(line here)~~
Vincent was currently settled into a chair that was positioned close to, but not in, a corner of the room. A small table was positioned next to his left elbow with a carafe of coffee and a single cup sitting atop it. His crimson hued eyes scanning the contents of the data pad in hand. "How current is this information?" he asked.
"As of four years ago, when we held a Silver Talon operative, it was current." Tseng answered, eyes flickering from screen to screen momentarily, before they returned to the ex-TURK. From his position he was able to watch over Rufus and Reeve, keep an eye on everyone else in the room and still speak quietly with Valentine. "At the time, we were not in any position to commit to another confrontation against an unknown organization just for the sake of one young man. No matter how talented he was."
"I see," Vincent replied. His lips quirked up in amusement as he continued to read the initial reports of how the person in question first infiltrated then evaded capture until he was cornered and final detained. The video footage compiled from security cameras was proof positive of what the reports described, of the young man's skills. "Attempted to recruit him?"
"But of course." Tseng shook his head slightly. "Several times over his… stay. Unfortunately, the.. person… who claimed 'guardianship' over the young man held too much over him. From what was implied, the young man had his choice; return willingly to whatever was awaiting him…." Another scan of the room, the screens and the occupants. He noted the unloading of the second airship was in progress.
"Or?"
"Or he could continue to try and run, resulting in the possible deaths of associates. The young man's… guardian… also indicating his 2 year old daughter would pay the price of his refusal to return to the Silver Talons." The expression 'If Looks Could Kill' aptly fit the look Tseng saw flitter across the ex-TURK's face at that little piece of information. The very corner of his mouth curled up a micrometer as his eyebrow twitched.
Vincent was very careful of the delicate porcelain cup currently being held in his gauntleted left hand. With slow and deliberate care he placed the cup on the table then withdrew his hand, curling it tightly into a fist before placing it in his lap. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Galian was suddenly very awake and very much pissed off, but wasn't demanding to be let out so he could rip something (more like someone) apart, which was odd. Just as odd as the sense of 'wait...stop, go back!' as he returned his attention to the datapad. This time the video had to have been from Rufus's office. He reversed the video till the feeling of 'stop' and 'that one' had him pause the video. The frame of the video was a close up of the young man's guardian. A blink had his eyes shifting from crimson to gold then back again. "I can confirm then, that this man, is indeed the leader of the Silver Talons. I… remembered…. a debriefing with Veld and several other. At the time this man had just become the leader. Apparently via overthrow of the previous leadership, including all secondary and tertiary command."
"Hmm…" Tseng frowned. That was not good news. "Do you remember anything else?" He left the 'that you are willing to share,' unspoken.
Vincent thought about it for several minutes before he finally shook his head 'no'. "Nothing else at the moment." He uncurled his left hand, flexing his fingers for a moment before once more carefully picking up the delicate porcelain cup and taking a sip. "Assignment accepted."