Words: 1679
See Chapter 1 for standard Warnings/Disclaimer.
Additional Warning: This fic is Unbeta'd I edit it myself, though I do have a couple friends who have read it as I worked on it.
A/N: Just three more chapters, and the epilogue to go and this stories over folks... Hope you're ready for the climax, because it officially starts now~
Larxene swore loudly as Sephiroth got loose and impaled Marluxia. She quickly got to her feet and summoned her knives back into her grasp, too late however, as Sephiroth came at her next. Sephiroth reached out and grabbed her around the throat, tossing her like a rag doll into a nearby wall so hard in dented inward and sent spiderweb cracks outward from the impact point. Her breath was gone as she fell to the ground clawed frantically in an attempt to get up, gasping uselessly.
"Die." That cold voice sent a chill up her spine, and through watering eyes Larxene watched as Sephiroth rose into the air in the middle of the open space.
The ground trembled beneath her and for a moment Larxene assumed it was only her own treacherous body giving out on her until she heard the cracking, tearing, rending grind of support beams and walls. Chunks of buildings began to tear away and fall with thunderous booms to the ground. Larxene forced herself to her feet to get out of the way, but only made it a few steps before the damage already done to her caused her to reel and fall. A scream of pain was torn from her as a slab of concrete landed on one of her legs trapping her.
A sudden crunch caused her to jerk and look upward, her mouth opening in a silent scream as a massive chunk of the building dislodged and began to fall toward her. Time seemed to slow as she waited for the horrendous feeling of being crushed to death, so much so that she could swear it had stopped.
"You'd best move if you want to live, ducky." A voice said pointedly from nearby.
Larxene sucked in air as if she'd forgotten how to breathe all this time. Whipping her head around she found a dark figure standing several feet away looking perfectly relaxed as he leaned against a wall, shuffling a deck of cards.
"Luxord!" Larxene gasped, shocked that he was even there and what it could mean for her.
"I'd hurry if I were you." Luxord drawled lifting his head so she could see his eyes and the dark smirk he was wearing. He pulled a card from the deck he was shuffling and showed it to her: The Ace of Spades. "You've only got a minute left."
Snarling, Larxene twisted around and set her hands to the slab of concrete pinning her leg and shoved, hard, dislodging it enough to inch from beneath it. Her heart hammered in her ribcage and as she stood, immediately she knew the bone was probably broken in several places. Despite that fact she forced herself to walk on it, staggering toward the smarmy man in the shadows.
It was only seconds after she collapsed near Luxord's feet that sound and time rushed back into the world. With a thunderous boom the piece of building that had nearly been Larxene's end hit the ground sending a cloud of dust and debris to wash over them.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Larxene snarled.
Instead of answering her Luxord came forward and kneeled down before her and, before she could spew more venomous words at him, clamped his hand over her mouth. Larxene stared blindly at the man as he pressed her back further into the shadows against the dingy wall. Had he saved her merely for the pleasure of killing her himself?
"Hush now, we wouldn't want the owls to find the squeaking mouse now would we?" he breathed into her ear.
Larxene's wide eyes shifted to look out the corner of her eyes. She could see them just there; Vincent perched atop a large chunk of broken building, and Sephiroth standing on the rubble nearby.
Vincent shook his head, "Let's go. There will be trouble if we're still here when the authorities arrive. You over did it, as usual Sephiroth."
Giving a single soft hmph Sephiroth jumped into the air, gave a single flap of his wing, and was gone. Vincent took another glance around, then followed.
As soon as the two were gone Larxene forcefully shoved Luxord away from her. The man chuckled, holding up his hands in a placating gesture as he moved back to recline against the wall again.
"I asked what you were doing here, Luxord!" Larxene snarled, her pain making her even nastier than usual. Then, a thought occurred to her. "If you're going to kill me get it over with! I won't beg you!"
"I wouldn't expect you to." Luxord murmured, taking out his cards and beginning to shuffle them again. "Even if my intention was to kill you, which it isn't."
"But if you know, then surely the Superior knows!"
Luxord's previously closed eyes slit open and he smirked knowingly at her, "About you taking the information for Saix from that informant and using it in the hopes of bringing Saix down, and possibly even the Superior himself?" Reaching up Luxord scratched his chin thoughtfully, ignoring Larxene as she swore vehemently at him. Pinning her suddenly with his gaze he smirked as she froze up again, "Not unless you or I tell him. Now, come along I think we best get moving eh?"
As Luxord came toward her again , Larxene lashed out at him with her good leg, "I didn't need your help!"
"Didn't look like that from where I was standing, now stop fussing and let's go." Ignoring her sputtering Luxord grabbed her arm and tugged her up, before slinging it over his shoulders to take the pressure off her obviously broken leg. His other arm went around her waist. When she didn't immediately try to eviscerate him he smirked, "There's a good girl."
"Don't get complacent, old man, or I might just stab you in the back."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
The rain had stopped sometime. Axel really wasn't sure when exactly. He could only be grateful for it. He didn't like rain much, and had even less reason to now. It made his fire harder to produce because of the energy burnt up when it turned to steam. Sure, the steam was good as a diversion but otherwise it was just a nuisance. Now he stood in a telephone box on the other side of the street from the building he'd been told to go to, waiting for the person on the other side of the line to pick up.
Finally a click and then, "Who are you, and what the fuck are you doin' callin' me at o' dark in the mornin'?!"
Axel gave a tense chuckle at the sound of Reno's sleep thickened voice, "Hey, big brother."
He couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd bothered calling Reno that, certainly it seemed like it had been awhile. Maybe that was why he had chosen to in this instance. Things were so uncertain right now, and he felt as if he were standing on a precipice just waiting to fall off. Though, he supposed, it was more correct that he was waiting for someone to push him off at this point. He was so damned tired by now...
"Axel? What's goin' on?" Reno's voice was sharp, clear, and alert now. Apparently either the words or the tone Axel had used had tipped the man off that all was not well.
"I've found him." Axel breathed. Those words had been repeating in his head over and over again since he'd been told where to go. Almost like a prayer for salvation, and maybe it was one at that. Whether for him or Roxas he couldn't tell anymore. It was probably for both of them, but mostly he just wanted Roxas to be safe. "I'm going to get him."
"Axel?" Something in Reno's tone sounded a little worried, and a little scared. It made Axel smile just a little bit. It was always good to know people cared, and right now he could use all of that feeling he could get.
"I want you to call that FBI guy, Agent Leonhart, after approximately an hour and give them the following location. Just tell them I'm here and they'll come, I'm sure." Axel muttered. "Ready?"
"Yeah, give it to me." Axel repeated the address of the building on Oblivion Boulevard. It was silent as Reno copied it down, when he finished he quietly said, "Be careful, kid."
"Bye, Reno." Axel hung the phone up and stepped from the phone booth before he looked across the street. The building was a silent gray facade that stared down at him almost challengingly. Taking a deep breath he ran across the street: He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of cowardice and sneaking this time. No, now was the time to bring this whole mess to its conclusion. Axel was ready and he'd either save Roxas, or die trying.
The front door was locked, and he wasn't really surprised, by a chain and key lock around the handles of the front door. Axel didn't let it stop him for longer than it took to melt part of the chain into nothing. Shoving open the front doors he stepped into the empty main lobby. Bare pillars stretched out around him, and the echo of the emptiness made his skin crawl. Grinding his teeth together he jogged forward, the sound of his footsteps overloud in his ears.
Reaching the back of the room where there was an elevator dock, Axel paused and eyed it speculatively. He wasn't sure if they'd have all the power necessary active, but it was worth a shot. He jabbed the up button then waited, a moment later the doors swung open silently. It was a good thing he hadn't tried to step forward though, as there was nothing waiting but the gaping maw of an empty elevator shaft.
Axel swore quietly to himself. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Whirling around he made his way toward the stairwell he'd spotted earlier. His instincts were telling him to head for the roof.