"What is this?"

The committee just looked to Rochefort and cleared their throats. I walked up to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up sadly. "I'm sorry, sir."

"He… he's… I'm sorry."

My mind went blank for a moment, not even taking in the words. As soon as I restarted, Gentrie was looking at me sternly. I must have been showing my emotions, which was bad since I was in the presence of the committee. Mere moments after I had composed myself, Hojo walked into the room with Lucretcia. They simply glanced at us and took in our blank faces as they sat down on the other side of the room at a small table. I turned back to my comrades, suddenly my underlings.

Gentrie saluted me. "What would you like to do, Commander Valentine?" Hojo's eyebrows rose, but I ignored them for the moment. He returned to attention. "There are matters to discuss." He glanced meaningfully towards the scientists. I nodded and stepped over to them.

"Please allow us to excuse ourselves. This is private Turk business."

He glared but nodded.

We left the mansion and they looked to me to guide them somewhere that we could talk unobserved. I started toward the mountain path. We were halfway to the mako reactor when I turned off into a small cave that led to a natural mako fountain. I had found it two days before, and noticed it was a very private area. We gathered among the rocks and Gentrie sat me down. I let my face show my distress now, since it was only the Turks. They were family, after all. One of the committee members cleared his throat.

"I assume you want details." I nodded. I remembered his name was Gregorovic. "Falcon went on a mission for a special assassination. He was taking out a child prostitution ring, a personal assignment. In the process, he discovered that the honcho was working directly for Shinra and the company was getting a good sum of money from all of the major whore houses in Midgar."

I looked over at the fountain, seeing Corneo in the mako.

"He confronted the president about the matter, and as expected, Shinra wasn't happy." Gregorovic was speaking in a monotone, as if giving a verbal mission report. "He had him shot in the middle of the wasteland between Midgar and Kalm."

I turned to them. "And you allowed this to happen?"

They shook their heads. "We were unaware of it until the soldiers returned with his body. We had no choice but to store it away for recording and cremation." They all had sat down at some point, and all of them were as far from me as possible. "Shinra expressed strict orders for you to remain on assignment, despite being our leader."

That was perfect, because I would've strangled him.

I was supposed to die first. I was the SiC, the one sent on the most difficult missions, the dirtiest jobs. That was the point. But he died first because he exposed one of the few workings of Shinra Co. that we hadn't been aware of yet. That was supposed to be me when I slaughtered Corneo in a fit of rage and madness. The Turks were always at risk of death at any second, but the commander was thought of as at least risk.

That was the thing, I was the new commander. But I was on assignment, so most of my duties would be left to my SiC, which hadn't been chosen. But I knew one man that I felt was capable of that. He was a little known Turk, our top assassin and top intelligence agent. He was top in, quite literally, everything. He was also about two years my senior, and had become a Turk after only a year of training.

I had some idea why he wasn't even considered earlier, but I knew the man for the job. His ambitions for becoming commander were perfect for the situation. And as soon as I returned, I would roughly put him back in his place, perhaps killing him if he proved to be mutinous. I'd have to get spies to keep tabs on him.

"My Second will be Veld. And I will assign Gentrie and, when he graduates, Showecker as my own personal spies to keep him in line. If he tries to take my position from me while I'm away, I'll fly in and kill him right then and there." They just looked at me with worry in their eyes.

It still struck me as strange that Turks would show their emotions even to each other. It was plain on their faces. Hopefully Veld will change that on my suggestion.

I stood, keeping myself neutral. I was more upset than I would ever let on. My lover had just died. I was about to break down. But I held it in and stepped outside the cave, walking steadily back down the mountain path. They could handle the rest. I'm sure they'd send me the paperwork I'd have to do. Gaia knows that Falcon had hated it. I would welcome the distraction from my own thoughts.

I returned to the mansion with my most commanding poise. I found Hojo in the basement working with the new monster. He turned to me with a grimace. "This thing is a pregnant female. It'll be perfect for a new experiment I wanted to test. Soon I'll work on a human female, if a damn woman can get pregnant around here." He sounded thoroughly angry at this, but I just ignored it. I had other things to worry about.

"Professor, I have certain news that must be shared with you." He simply nodded and waved his hand to show that I should continue. "Although I have a new status as Commander of the Turks, President Shinra has requested I remain here. Although in emergencies, I may ask for leave to return to Midgar to lead them properly."

Hojo simply shrugged. "That'd be fine with me."

I just stood there for a moment. I was listless, almost eager for something to drown my attention with. I didn't get it down there, so I left the mansion with permission to wander a while. I found some of the village men gathering in the square with weapons. I approached the mayor cautiously. They were all looking at me with slight fear.

"Is there something going on?"

They glanced at each other warily. "There's a dragon running rampant not far from the town. It's taken three children and two men already."

My eyes widened and I reached my hand out to him. "Vincent Valentine, Turk. I'll help you. When will we be heading out?"

The man looked pale but relieved. "We're meeting here at about nine tonight. We'll decide who's going then."

I spoke with them for a while, and some were dubious about how well I could fight. I shrugged and offered to show them. We headed a bit away from the rest, and I asked them what they wanted to see.

"How about you fight me, hand to hand, none of that there gun you got."

I sighed. "If you insist, then I suggest all of you fight me at once."

They chuckled and shrugged. They surrounded me, and I closed my eyes, centering myself. I heard one step closer, and my eyes popped wide open. He was coming from my right, and he was running. I waited until he got closer and I sidestepped, letting him fly past into another man coming from my left. They thunked together and then three more launched themselves at me. I jumped forward over one and turned to duck beneath another. The third I stood and sidestepped again. Only one was left, and he charged at me, thinking I would dodge, but I stood still and he ran into me, which threw him back several feet, though it didn't budge me. They all looked up from the ground that they had tumbled to, and I believe that they were convinced, despite my having not even tried to land a single blow. It was nearly pathetic.

They shook my hand and thanked me for offering to help. I went back to the mansion quietly. I passed the other Turks, and they saluted as I walked by. I got inside and went to my room to change. I was back in my jeans and a new black shirt. I heard a knock on the door, and Lucretcia called for me. I opened it and she was shuffling her feet in the hall. I suddenly felt my chest trying to tear itself from the inside. I held back from showing it, and kept my face neutral. "Yes, Professor?"

She sighed and looked up with a scowl. "I just got the news. Shinra should be shot. I'm sorry."

I just shrugged. "Death is expected in this line of work. The only difference is that the Second is usually the one to die. Falcon was reckless and ran straight into his demise."

Lucretcia's eyes widened exponentially. "He was your friend, right? How could you be so cold about his death?"

"Do not be mistaken," I said softly. "Benjamin Falcon and I were not friends."

She looked at me in confusion before I glanced into my room. The bed was cold and empty, and I was dreading the nightmares that would come with sleep. She noticed my glance and she invited me to join her for a picnic the next day. She claimed that the monsters on the mountainside frightened her and she needed someone to protect her. I agreed and asked to be left to rest, informing her of my volunteering to assist against the dragon. She nodded and left and I went to the bed regretfully. It was foreboding, the crisp white sheets. They reminded me so much of the white carpets with the blood that stained them in Rupert Shinra's office.

Perhaps my eyes were the blood.

Sorry for the wait. That was kind of sad, but not as sad as it will be soon. Vincent hasn't had his my-lover-just-died emotional breakdown. It might come in the next chapter. I hope to get it up quickly, since although I have exams, I only need to take two. I took one today, and after this three day weekend, I take one on Tuesday, and then I'm free until the next Monday! I'll get a chapter on each of my stories and maybe a one-shot if I get any requests... ;)

R&R plz!