A/N: Two characters in this chapter haven't appeared for a while. A refresher: Sierra Lorcan was the lead weapons designer/engineer, reporting directly under Scarlet. She was friends with Elena and was in a relationship with Reno. Her stepbrother Jin stole weapons and information from ShinRa while posing as a secretary (Elena initially mistook him for a woman). When Elena was sent to Icicle, Reno went to collect the stepbrother and finish up this case involving Jin.


-oooo-


Chapter 46: Occupational Hazard

The rescue teams found bodies today, but just those of the scientists.

Vanya, Kane and Kamryn are nowhere to be found. It has only been hours since the explosion.

Most of the TempTurks went to help with the rescue. Rude joined them, which Tseng reluctantly allowed. He wouldn't let any of the rest of the core team go. He didn't feel comfortable having us all in a hot zone at the same time.

I'm not close with Vanya, Kane or Kamryn, but I like them. I don't know how much more change I can deal with.

The gym is fairly empty when I come in, but there's a smattering of other ShinRa employees working out. Wearing shorts and a sports bra, I head over to the punching bags, slip on gloves and get started.

My mind drifts. I replay the reunion with Elyssia again, wondering if she had anything to do with the Sector Zero bombing. That thought keeps returning, but I've kept it to myself. Maybe that's why she was so desperate to get away from me — she was too busy planning a bombing on her former employer's property?

I hope not. For both our sakes.

My mom called back first thing in the morning to apologize (actually, it had been her fifteenth call, but my replacement phone hadn't come in). We talked and at end of the call she told me that she already let Dad know about Elyssia. Now Dad is planning to fly up to Kalm, and they're both going to visit me in Junon.

Keeping track of my dad is difficult now that my parents are divorced. He travels a lot, preferring to backpack through largely uninhabited territories throughout the globe for months at a time. Such a big change from his strict, structured ShinRa military days. He's ditched technology use, but always makes sure to call on my birthday. If I just want to talk, there's always a special way to get in touch with him.

Family reunion. I should be excited, but I'm not really sure how I feel about that news just yet. Part of me is desperate to get Rufus to find Elyssia again, but I've managed to delay the urge. I need her to come forward on her own.

I take a swig of water and get back into my workout. My thoughts wander back to the time Rufus showed up in the Midgar gym and watched me. How we flirted and how giddy I was about the whole thing.

He wasn't just being nice, then, but he is now...right? That ship has sailed for him, surely. It's been six months. He probably gave up. Realized he was crazy for expressing himself like that only for me to reject him on New Year's. Maybe now that the stress of Meteorfall has leveled out, he's realized that he doesn't really want me back all that much.

A surge of frustration guides my next punch into the punching bag. It swings away and snaps from its mount, crashing to the floor with a thud.

After showering and putting my uniform back on, I make my way to the executive floor and pause in the breakroom. I grab a big banana and an even bigger blueberry muffin. The TV is playing and I see the back of a head sporting red hair.

"Reno, I thought you took the day off?"

The redhead looks over his shoulder. The light dusting of freckles across Rod's nose crinkle as he grins. I laugh. "From behind you two look alike. I should've known better. No ponytail."

Rod shrugs. "Most people mistake me for his hot older brother."

A little laugh escapes me. I want to ask him why he didn't join the other TempTurks in Midgar, but think better of it. Instead, I head for the door.

"Hey, let me ask you something," he says.

I wait, taking a glorious bite of muffin. He perches himself over the back of the couch. He's balanced just on the back of the couch with his long legs dangling over the edge. "You seeing anybody?"

Warmth crawls up my cheeks and I stuff half of the muffin in my mouth. Rod waits while wearing a mischievous grin until I have no choice but to answer.

"No….?" I say, stopping short of launching into a long explanation.

"You don't sound sure," he says, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I'm not seeing anyone."

"Really? A pretty girl like you?"

I shrug, ignoring the warmth crawling up my skin. "Plenty of pretty girls are single. Nothing wrong with that."

"Well sure, but it's such a waste."

"Besides, as soon as a guy finds out I work for ShinRa, they'll run away screaming. Especiallythe whole Turk thing." Why can't I just stop volunteering information?

"That's why you should stick to your own tribe." Rod's grin appears bigger.

"Well, it isn't a good idea to date fellow Turks." I want to crawl out of my own skin and slither away.

"Says who? Some of us make it work beautifully." He gives another one of his disarming grins.

"You're not even a full Turk anymore."

"That's the beauty of it." He grins even wider. "All the perks without nearly as much responsibility."

Is he serious?! "I'm not looking for a Turk…partner. Uh…nope. If I wanted to date a Turk, I would've already snatched one up."

"The guys not your style?" He quirks a curious brow. I don't need clarification, I know he means Reno, Rude and Tseng.

"I...what? They're fine."

Rod raises an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Hmm, let me guess...," he squints while pinching his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "You and Rude seem close. Great guy, solid boyfriend material. But everyone likes Reno — women just fall into his damn lap. And then there's Tseng…but he's way out of your league."

I arrange my face into a smirk. I'm not gonna take his bait. "You're really reaching, aren't you?"

Rod shrugs. "Tell me. What's your style?"

"I'm not interested in dating a fellow Turk. No Turks. Ever."

Rod titters. "I'm not asking you out, Elena. I was just asking for Finneas' sake. I think the kid has a crush on you. I don't want him to get his little hopes up." My mouth falls open.

I can barely tell if Finneas is an adult or a little boy half of the time, and he's never once….

"Totally don't believe you."

Before Rod can respond, the phone rings. I put my food down on a counter and I answer it quickly while Rod waits, amused. I don't even check whose calling.

"Hello? Elena here."

"It's me." A rush of air fills my lungs at the sound of Rufus' voice. Willing my voice not to come out sounding weird and squeaky, I answer in a professional, polite but detached tone. "Hello, sir."

Rod's expression sobers, and I wonder if he's thinking this call could be about our colleagues.

"Are you available?"

"Yes. Yep. I'll be right there."

I give Rod a wave. He offers a good-natured rolling of his eyes and returns to watching TV.

-oooo-

Aisha, wearing silver hoop earrings, passes by me on her way out of Rufus' office. She's busy talking into the receiver clipped to her ear, but she offers a polite smile in greeting as she passes by.

Swallowing a strange fluttering crawling up my throat, I press a button on the panel next to the door to let him know I am outside. After a second, the door slides open.

Rufus is standing behind his desk with his hands in his pockets and his back to me as he looks out of the window, as usual. "How are you, Elena?"

"I should ask you how you're doing." I cross the floor and take a seat on the other side of the desk.

Rufus turns around and locks eyes with me. The fluttering inside of my throat starts up again, and I try to smile. He looks away first, instead pulling his chair back and taking a seat across from me. "I'm fine. The search for talented engineers to replace the four lost in Midgar has already started. Perhaps one could argue that recruiting so soon is in poor taste, but it's necessary."

"Want to talk about it?"

Rufus quirks a brow and sits back, pressing his fingers together. "Actually yes, that's why I called you here. I want you to go talk to a recruit—"

"Doesn't it get exhausting pretending to have everything under control?"

"What?" A twitch in his lips and the tightening of a muscle in his jaw hints that some of his well-practiced smoothness has cracked.

I lean into my seat and mirror his pose, pressing my fingers together too. "Come on. Try me. You helped me with the Elyssia thing and listened to my ranting and raving. Go ahead. Rant. Rave."

He glances at me and shakes his head slightly, smoothing a hand over his perfect hair. "What are you playing at?"

Shrugging, I grin and swallow the pesky fluttering in my throat. "Nothing. Just wanted to return the favor. You helped me with the Elyssia thing and listened to my ranting and raving. Go ahead."

"I don't rant and rave."

My laugh comes out sounding like a bark. "Sure. But you shove your employees and slap them in the face."

Rufus chuckles darkly and seems to relax a bit more. "Heidegger earned that slap. I don't regret it."

The memory of slapping Rufus resurfaces. I smother an uncomfortable smile. "Yeah."

A look crosses Rufus' face that hints at the fact that he probably is thinking about the same thing. I quickly speak up again. "Don't bottle it up. We can talk about business in a minute." Why am I doing this? Why not just talk business and go on my way?

He pushes away from his desk, standing up. He goes over to the bar and begins to pour himself a drink.

"It's a little too early to be drinking heavily, don't you think?"

Rufus chuckles. "You're concerned?"

"Can't have an alcoholic for a boss."

"It's water," Rufus says. There's a hint of something rougher in his tone — is he offended? "Anything for you?"

"Vodka with a twist, please."

"Water with ice, it is."

While he's busy with the drinks, he talks. "Losing the central reactor in Midgar and the core team of scientists is a blow, but we'll bounce back and get rid of the threat."

"Threat? Is it confirmed that there was an attack? It wasn't just from instability in the reactor?"

"It's a very real possibility, but speculation is beside the point right now."

When he's done, he comes over to my side of the desk. He slips a coaster in front of me, puts a glass of water on top of it and returns to his seat. A pleasant, sweet whiff of his cologne lingers in the air.

"Why do you do it? Why not just cash in your chips and spend your youth enjoying the spoils of your wealth? Let someone else have all the headaches of rebuilding? I mean, you don't actually have to work. Heck, you don't have to run the company at all. You could literally shut down operations, if you wanted to. You're young, healthy and so rich that you own an island —"

"Two islands, actually," he corrects matter-of-factly as he comes around to his side of the desk.

"Two! Two islands!"

Rufus shrugs as he takes his seat.

"So why bother? Why not live out your days partying, lazing and doing anything you want without a care in the world?"

Rufus' lips turn to a rueful smirk. "Good question."

"Is it because you want forgiveness for what the company caused?"

My line of questioning should make him go quiet and cold, possibly changing the subject smoothly or abruptly cutting me off. Instead he frowns thoughtfully and tenses his shoulders. "I don't care what the faceless masses think of me."

Mulling it over, I run a finger around the rim of my glass. "What about forgiving yourself? This is really your dad's fault, but it would be a lie to say you didn't play a part. We all did."

Rufus doesn't say anything, he just looks away for a moment, his eyes cast to the side. I stare at him, taking him in, admiring the familiar, elegant line of his nose, thick blonde eyelashes, the curve of his jaw, the fullness of his lips….

Damn it.

His eyes shift, and he's looking at me again so suddenly that I can't pretend to not have been checking him out. A weird little laugh escapes me that kinda sounds like I'm being strangled. I look away, fidgeting with the zipper on my blazer. After a moment, I look up again. He's watching me, curiosity reflected in his pale blue eyes.

We're silent for a moment too long, and I force myself to keep up the chatter. "So, um...I guess if guilt isn't a powerful motivator, what is? Responsibility?"

He quirks a brow and takes a sip from his glass. "ShinRa is the only entity with the resources to repair its mistakes. It's my responsibility to fix this problem."

"That sounds way too noble for a ShinRa to say."

He gives me a very slight uptick of his lips; his gaze is warm, but there is something else, something cautious hidden there. "I can't enjoy the spoils of my obscene wealth if there's no planet to enjoy it on, can I?"

"As long as you're selfish about the whole thing." I laugh. "It would be very un-ShinRa of you if you were doing this for the good of the planet or the general population."

"Naturally," he says, sarcastic. "Benevolence is unbecoming of a spoiled pretty-boy brat."

"Who says you're pretty? Nobody likes arrogance."

"Is telling the truth arrogant?" He quirks an elegant brow. He sits back in his chair, chin resting on the knuckles of his left hand.

"You have a point there." I swallow the buzz of emotion in my throat. He raises the other brow and I swear his smirk becomes more defined, highlighting handsome details in his face. "Uhhh, are we gonna save the world like Avalanche?"

As expected, Rufus looks disgusted but amused. "Are you comparing ShinRa to a pack of dirty misfits?"

I giggle. "Well, they did save the world."

"Allegedly."

The former Avalanche members have been very quiet about their role in saving the planet. ShinRa hasn't taken credit, but the public doesn't know who to give credit to.

"What about the Promised Land? That was a big project last year."

Rufus scoffs lightly. "The Promised Land isn't real."

"What? I thought you believed…"

He shrugs, but the motion is heavy, his humor almost completely gone. "I bought into the lie. Perhaps poisoned by my father's desperation for sustainable energy. My father was a fool; he believed a myth passed down through generations of ShinRas. I'd been hearing about the Promised Land since I was a child, so of course I believed in it."

A frown furrows his brow, and his lips are tight with scorn as he speaks. "It was an embarrassing waste of time and energy. It almost cost more."

The Temple of Ancients, part of the reason we had been there was because of the Promised Land project.

"Fact is," Rufus continues, "there isn't some undiscovered land on this planet pouring with unlimited mako for us to use without consequence. It's a desperate, ignorant fantasy. Superstition will get us nowhere."

"Yeah…I agree, actually."

"I'm glad you do," Rufus says, animated. His eyes are lit up with passionate frustration. "We need a new energy source, a better and more sustainable one that doesn't drain all of the planet's resources. It is up to ShinRa to create one."

I stare.

"What?"

"You're just so…passionate about it."

Rufus chuckles. "Yes. Passionate about my hatred for my dead father and his foolish beliefs." He smooths away invisible dirt from the desktop before he meets my eyes again. "This gets us back to the point of why I called you in here..."

"I'm not desecrating your dad's grave."

Wide eyed, Rufus laughs. The sound, surprisingly warm and pleasant with just a scrape of bitter sarcasm, lightens the mood. A warmth joins the jittery feeling dancing around in my nerves. Quieted, he chuckles. "Do you really think I'd ask you to do that?"

I shrug, feeling a tug at my lips.

He clears his throat and changes subjects, but a slight smile plays on his lips too. "The WRO has poached one of the best, brightest engineers ShinRa ever had. Her abilities went well beyond weapons. I want you go to talk to her. See how she feels about coming back."

"You mean Sierra Lorcan, don't you?"

"Yes. You two were friends, right?"

I open my mouth to answer then hesitate, thinking it over. "Wait, why would you want someone who was accused of conspiracy against ShinRa to work here again?"

"She was found innocent of any wrongdoing. I doubt Reno would've let her go otherwise."

"Well, yeah...but…"

"Other than her current choice of employment, I have no reason to believe she has anything to do with our present dilemmas."

"I don't know…" I admit. "The way things were left…maybe someone else should be the one to approach her…"

Rufus shakes his head. "I am aware of her history with you, Reno and the company. If anyone has a shot of convincing Lorcan to return to ShinRa, it's you."

"And why is that?"

He picks up his glass, takes a sip and places the cup back down delicately. He meets my gaze and warmth crawls up my cheeks. "You have a way of tearing down people's walls."

"I do?"

Rufus just gives a slight nod, not breaking eye contact. "Yes."

"How so? Give me very specific details."

Rufus opens his mouth to say something, but the sound of his intercom buzzing interrupts. He glances at me, and I shrug. He presses a button to answer. Aisha's voice fills the room.

"There's a call from Midgar."

"Transfer it," Rufus says, his expression darkening. He glances at me. This better be good news.

Rude's voice comes through the intercom, as clear as if he were standing in the room with us. He sounds tired, but relieved. The sound of voices and machinery is ambient noise in the background. "We found them. A bit banged up, but somehow they're alive."

I relax against my chair. Rufus' eyebrows raise, pleased, but his lips are still drawn in a tense line. "Get back here in one piece. Keep me updated." The call ends.

"Great news." I smile, sitting up a little straighter.

"Yes," he says, seeming more relaxed. He sit back in his chair and drums his fingers on the desktop lightly. "You can't go into the WRO alone. Take Reno with you."

"Are you sure that isn't vodka in your glass?"

Rufus chuckles softly. "Rod is available, isn't he?"

"Reno. I'll take Reno."

He squints curiously at my sudden change of heart, but doesn't comment. I stand up, straighten my tie and leave his office to hunt for Reno. On my way out, I have this desperate urge to look back to watch him, and wonder if he's watching me.

-oooo-

The city is covered a haze of black smog and smoke carried by the wind from Midgar. Beneath the layer is the WRO headquarters. It is a large five-story glass building in downtown Edge among a cluster of partially constructed high-rises. There is no signage indicating that the building houses the World Regenesis Organization headquarters.

The air burns my throat and eyes as soon as we step out of the helicopter. I cover my mouth and nose with my hand, coughing. Reno does the same as we quickly head for the front doors.

Two thick, muscular WRO guards standing at the front doors watch us but don't say anything directly. They speak into headsets as soon as their eyes land on us, probably warning someone that we're here.

Reno's stroll is confident and aloof. He didn't protest joining me on this assignment, but he's been oddly quiet. I try to match his demeanor and ignore my nerves.

The receptionist's gaze lands on us lazily at first. She straightens up and looks stricken to see two Turks staring back at her. I recognize her from the ShinRa lobby last year — it's Edna, the environmentally conscious receptionist who'd rant to anyone who'd listen about how ShinRa was polluting the planet.

She stares at us over cat-eye glasses.

"Can I help you?" she says, her tone cold. There is just a hint of fear in her voice. Two other receptionists, one man, one woman pretend to busy themselves with their computers.

Reno says nothing. His arms are crossed and he's looking around the lobby, seeming disinterested.

"Yeah, we want to speak with Sierra Lorcan," I say.

"I don't know who or what a Sierra is." She shrugs, defiant and obviously lying. The disrespect makes me want to snatch her by her collar and threaten her entire family just on principle. But we've been reminded constantly over the past six months that we don't want to create ripples with the WRO. The people look up to this infant organization as their "savior from the tyranny of ShinRa." Any direct conflicts will apparently put a chink in Rufus' master plan, so we have to play nice.

"Come on, Laney," Reno says. He shoots Edna a look that manages to be disgusted, disinterested and belittling all at once. She looks away, face screwed into a pinched frown.

"Where are we going?"

"I knew this was going to happen." He heads back toward the front doors and I have no choice but to follow, demanding in a loud whisper that he slow down. He doesn't. We reenter the smog outside. He walks us around the length of the building — which takes an entire city block by itself — and we end up at an unguarded backdoor security entrance. He pulls out a white card and slides it over a card reader. The light turns green and he pushes the door open.

"If you had that the entire time, why did you let me go in there?"

"Swiped it off of one of those guards on the way in."

"I could've done that."

"But you didn't," he says, waggling the card in front of me. I make a grab for it and he dances out of my way. "Their security system is crap."

We take the stairs to the fifth floor, which is where the important people have offices, according to the blueprints I studied on the flight over. There's nothing spectacular about the floor, just a bunch of white hallways and closed office doors.

The floor seems empty. There aren't any names on the doors. After a second, we see a stocky olive-skinned guy with short, curly black hair coming down the hall.

He glances at us, but doesn't pay us any attention until I call out. "Hey, can you help us?"

The guy looks annoyed at the interruption and seems to be in a hurry, but he stops anyway. "Sure, what?"

Reno scoffs but says nothing.

"Where's Sierra Lorcan?" I ask, as polite and sweet as I possibly can.

"Think she and the others went out to a meeting. You can wait in her office though. Last one down the hall, across from Director Tuesti." And with that, he's gone in a flash, rushing toward an elevator.

"Director Tuesti," Reno mutters to himself, rolling his eyes.

"Play nice. Traitor or not, Reeve helped save the world," I say, with just the slightest tinge of sarcasm. It was true, though. Reeve and the rest of Avalanche saved the world while ShinRa fell apart and scattered.

We find her office. Her name isn't on the door, and it is unlocked.

"I'll go wait somewhere nearby. I doubt she wants to see me" Reno says. I can't read a single thing into his tone. He leaves, disappearing around a corner before I can protest.

I go inside of the office and look around. The office is a lot smaller than the one she had at the old ShinRa HQ. There are no decorations on the walls, but there are a few photos on her desk among scattered papers, a laptop, and other random items. There's two chairs in the office, one behind the desk and the other across from it. There's a partially unpacked box in the corner.

"Someone said Turks had been asking about me. I wasn't expecting you, but I guess it could be worse."

I stand up to turn around.

She doesn't completely look like the Sierra I remember. The smooth, caramel brown skin, brown eyes and full lips covered in red lipstick are all the same, but gone is the pin-straight black hair. Instead, big and poufy, there's a thick, curly crown of hair that's been dyed the color of honey. It frames her face in energetic spirals. She looks even younger than twenty-five now.

My mouth goes dry. I forget the practiced speech. "Hey…remember me?"

"Of course, Elena," Sierra says, her arms crossed over her blouse. She hovers near the door, not taking another step forward. "Why are you here?"

A chasm seems to open up between us. That part of me that hoped for a happy reunion curls up and dies. Turk mode it is, then. I straighten up and clasp my hands."Rufus sent me. He wanted to offer you a job."

Sierra steps back, incredulous. Her arms drop and she frowns in confusion. "I don't understand. I thought it was pretty clear when I stopped showing up at ShinRa that I had resigned my position."

"Yes, but…see…listen. Can you sit down?"

She doesn't move.

"I don't bite," I say, offering a small, friendly smile.

Sierra stares at me for a moment before entering her office. She makes a huge loop around me, making sure she's not too close, and comes around to sit in her desk. She rests her perfectly manicured hands on a closed, silver laptop. "He wasted time and resources sending you here."

"Just…hear me out. I mean, you don't hate me, right?"

Her expression softens and she shakes her head. "I don't hate anyone, Elena. I wish things were different, but here we are."

A small sense of relief crawls up my chest. "Well, I'm glad you don't hate me." I give her a genuine smile that she doesn't return. She just shifts some papers and looks away for a second, shoulders tense. "Rufus thinks your talents would be better served at ShinRa."

She lets out a harsh, humorless laugh. "Creating weapons again? No thanks."

"Weapons aside, you're a very talented engineer. You were one of the best ones to ever work at ShinRa. If not the best, Rufus thinks."

The flattery gets a proud smirk, nothing more. She shakes her head. "Get to the point, please? The WRO doesn't have the resources ShinRa does to go around wasting time."

Ouch.

"Rufus wants to hire you as the top engineer in ShinRa's green energy program. He wants to talk to you himself to go over the details, of course."

Sierra raises a skeptical, perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"The old ShinRa died with his father. Rufus is nothing like his dad, really. He has a plan —"

"Do you really believe that?"

"I—"

"Look outside. Look at the sky." She gestures toward a window. I glance over my shoulder at the thick smog that is clouding the view of the city. I ease down into the chair, unable to form words fast enough.

"That was ShinRa's mako reactor that just blew up. Who is going to clean up the mess? The WRO will have to pick up after another one of ShinRa's catastrophes. Rufus can go on and on about making strides and cleaning up the planet, but he just wants to keep a tight grip on his power. Lip service won't heal the planet, and it definitely won't heal those hurt by the company."

"It isn't about power. This is our world, too. It is ShinRa's responsibility to protect it."

"Even if he believes what he's saying, he can't do away with years of damage. How many people probably died from that explosion? Hmm? Those mako reactors have always been a hazard, especially after Meteorfall made them unstable, and ShinRa still uses them. And now only after the planet is almost destroyed, ShinRa wants to make changes? No, Elena. I don't buy it."

"Just consider it."

"Consider what? ShinRa can attempt its so-called green energy projects without me," she says, her tone final. We stare at each other in silence for a moment. She softens just a bit and looks at me with an expression I can't figure out. "I don't get it. Why do you still work for ShinRa? Are you really that naive?"

NAIVE?!

Gripping the arms of the chair, I move to stand up, to storm out of her office, but she keeps going.

"The nerve of Rufus ShinRa sending you over here. I guess he thought he could manipulate me by using you? He should've had the decency to come to me himself."

"Well that's—"

"How can you continue to work for such a horrible, evil company?"

The stab of hurt and anger is raw and unexpected; my words rush out. "ShinRa isn't evil. You're wrong. Rufus is trying to make the world better. That's what we all want. We're all in this together. You don't know him, Sierra—"

She scoffs. "And you do? Your judgment is clouded because he's your boyfriend."

"He's not—"

Sierra rolls her eyes, disbelieving. "Even if President ShinRa has well-intentioned ideas and plans, the company is evil. The ShinRa family is evil. Do you really think it can shed its former skin? Do you really think six measly months suddenly changed years of corruption and tyranny? ShinRa didn't give a damn about the planet until it was almost destroyed. I find it hard to believe in this sudden change of heart. It's dishonest and despicable—"

"You're such a fucking hypocrite."

We both whip around. Reno's standing in the doorway with an odd smile, then I realize it's not a smile at all, but a sneer. He's not even looking at me, his attention is focused on Sierra.

She gasps and looks at me with accusation burning in her eyes, but her attention is immediately drawn back to Reno. She's clutching the edge of her desk, as if she's ready to spring at any second.

Reno crosses his arms, eyes narrowed. "ShinRa wasn't so 'evil' a few months ago, huh? When you were collecting checks?"

Sierra's jaw tightens, eyes blazing. Her words come out tight and just barely on the edge of shouting. "Get out before I call security."

"Call them," Reno snaps. I can practically feel the incensed energy radiating off him, but he doesn't raise his voice.

"Reno, Sierra please calm down, this isn't that big of a deal." I jump up from my seat and step between them, even though Sierra's still behind her desk and Reno is at the door. I'm not sure which one I'm protecting. I turn to Reno, who's glaring, his skin flush with color. "We can leave, really. I did what I came to do. She said no. It's over."

He doesn't respond. I put a hand on his shoulder, which seems to make him snap out of it. He looks down at me, eyes lit up with anger. "Fine." He heads for the door.

"Are you even going to acknowledge what you did?"

Why did she have to say something else? Why?!

I whip around, Sierra is looking past me and at Reno, seething. "You killed him. What can you possibly say to that? Sorry?"

Reno turns back around, quiet. I step out of the way and just stand there, useless. Part of me wants to leave them to privacy, but the other part tells me to stick around in case I have to stop Sierra from trying to claw Reno's eyes out.

"He started it," Reno says with a thinning veneer of calm. His voice is disturbingly cool, but his expression betrays him.

"You murdering bastard. That's your excuse!?"

And the calm breaks away. His words are harsh, biting. "Would you have preferred if I let him kill me instead?"

"No!"

"Then what?! If you cared so much about your step-brother, you wouldn't have reported him in the first place."

"What?! How dare you —"

"Don't give me that self-righteous bullshit."

Sierra gasps. I shift from foot to foot. This was a bad idea.

"Admit it. Maybe you didn't want him dead, but you at least wanted him to rot in a cell far away from your precious legacy. You didn't rise in the ranks so quickly at ShinRa by being a 'good' person, and you know it."

"That's a lie—"

Reno laughs, a humorless, disgusted sound. "The only person lying here is you. If you didn't want something happening to him, you damn sure wouldn't have reported it, especially to a Turk." He indicates me with a wave of his hand.

"Reno, we don't have to do this…" I start.

"Maybe it was all your idea in the first place, and I was just too blind to see it."

"My stepbrother gets murdered and it is my fault? I had nothing to do with it!" Sierra shouts.

"That's what you say."

Tension crackles in the room. Sierra looks like she's torn between wanting to slap him, cry, and run away. Reno's angry, it is written all over his face, his stance.

"Please guys, this is crazy." I look from Reno to Sierra and back again. There's nothing for me to do.

Reno forces out a frustrated sigh, raking his fingers through his hair. "Look, Sierra," he says, his voice softer. "I was doing my job. I'd never—"

"Great excuse," Sierra says through her teeth.

"It must be nice," Reno says with a ragged edge. "To pretend that you don't have lives on your hands. Those weapons you made were used to kill thousands of people."

"That's totally different —"

"I guess it doesn't matter because you never got to see their faces. It is different when you are behind a cushy desk not having to see the outcome of your actions. What happened that night was your fault, Sierra. The only difference is that you had me do your dirty work."

"Get out!" Sierra shouts, enraged.

"Is there a problem?" Reeve appears at the door with two guards next to him. Sierra sighs in relief and sinks down into her chair.

Reno swears under his breath and just storms out, pushing past Reeve and the guards.

I hesitate. Reeve looks at me, wary. I eye Sierra. She's sitting with her shoulders slumped and her face buried in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Sierra." I reach out a hand, but draw it back. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Just go," she says, her voice muffled. "Go away."

Pained, I follow Reno out, avoiding Reeve's judging gaze.

When I finally catch up with Reno, he's already reached the helicopter. He's pacing next to it and smoking a cigarette.

"Reno, I thought you quit." I probably should give him a break, given what just happened back there, but it's all I can think to say.

Reno grumbles something under his breath and drops it on the ground, crushing it under his boot. He slides open the copilot side of the helicopter and gets in. I go around and join him on the other side. He's staring out of the window, glaring.

"Sorry," I say, sitting next to him in the pilot's seat. I slip on my headset and strap in.

"What for?" He asks, busying himself with turning the aircraft on. His movements are tense and his words clipped. "I'm the one who lost it."

"Yeah, I…wasn't expecting that." My heart is still thrumming in my chest from what I witnessed.

Reno doesn't say anything. Soon, we're back in the air and the silence is heavy. I keep replaying the conversation in my head, feeling dejected and frustrated. "Thanks for taking up for me."

He shrugs.

"What happened with you two?"

"You never read the report?"

"We've been kinda busy Reno."

He shrugs, but the motion is heavy. "You heard her. I killed her brother. Step-brother, whatever."

"Yeah but you had to." My thoughts flashback to Kalm in the villa. I know all too well what it is like to have your back against the wall, but those were strangers.

"It got messy," Reno says after a moment. I don't say anything, not wanting to cut him off because he probably won't start back up again. Getting anything out of him is like pulling teeth. He always just deflects with a joke or just refuses to respond. "I'd figured out he was there at her apartment. Turns out, he'd managed to convince her to let him stay there for a couple days while he figured out his next move. I guess he had no idea she was the one who'd reported him in the first place."

"Well, she didn't know it was him at first."

"I don't know if I believe that."

"I mean, if she knew without a doubt that it was him, why let him stay with her? She's not an idiot. Do you really believe she'd intentionally do that? To family?"

Reno shrugs, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe. Maybe not. She never talked about him. She mentioned her parents, but never him. I don't think he was a family favorite. Who knows how deep that goes?"

I turn it over in my head for a moment. That doesn't seem like Sierra at all. I think Reno's wrong on this one, but I don't see the point in arguing about it. "So...tell me what happened."

"Ack, come on, Laney. Lay off." He pushes his fingers through his hair.

"I bet you told Rude."

"So what if I told Rude?" He looks over at me with narrowed eyes. I don't back down.

"I'm your friend too. You could tell me things." I bite the inside of my cheek. "What else happened? Sierra seemed uncomfortable to be around me before you even showed up."

Reno is quiet for a moment, messing around with some of the instruments on the control panel. He finally lets out a sigh and drops his shoulders. "Fine. But don't interrupt."

"Promise."

"So...here's what happened..."

From his unmarked black car he watched her leave. Her own car, sleek and red, was parked on the other side of the street. She walked briskly, long black hair billowing out behind her. She was still in the clothes she'd worn to work, a smart pencil skirt and blouse. Reno assumed she was on her way to finish up something at the office.

Without a single glance in his direction, she got in her car, turned it on and sped off. Part of him hoped she would've magically seen him through the tinted glass, so that he could've postponed this little visit.

He waited for a few minutes before stepping into the damp night air. He made his way to the apartment building he'd grown accustomed to entering over the past several months, an unexpected mix of dread and regret hitting him as he crossed the lobby and called the elevator.

As he stepped on, he turned to frustration. What the hell was Sierra doing keeping this guy here? He'd hoped it wasn't true, but he knew Jin had been in contact with Sierra for at least a week. Somehow she'd caved and let him crash at her place. Not smart, to be so stupid was unlike her. He'd had the unfortunate pleasure of bugging her phone and apartment to confirm his suspicions.

A quick elevator ride took him to the right floor. A strip of light glowed under the door of apartment 2709. Sierra would never leave her lights on when she was gone. Steeling his grim resolve, he picked the lock with ease and let himself inside.

The mark was sitting at the dining room table between the kitchen and the living room talking on a cellphone. He didn't look up at first, probably assuming it was Sierra returning for something. Reno cleared his throat. They locked eyes.

"Who the hell are you?"

In the breath that it took for Reno to answer, he took in details about Jin. The guy was extremely slender and oddly feminine, but Reno knew that was no real indicator in how a person could carry themselves in a fight. He could tell just by the tension radiating from Jin — like a tightened coil ready to spring — that this idiot might try something dumb.

Behind his back, he tightened his grip on his EMR. He preferred it to a gun or his fists. It was easier to subdue a person neatly when they had several thousand volts of electricity running through them.

"Does it matter who I am?" Reno asked injecting a threat into his voice.

"Shit!" Jin jumped up and took off running across the living room, aiming for the hallway. With an annoyed grunt, Reno tore after him.

He crossed the length of the living room and was on the mark's heels within seconds. He grabbed Jin by his shirt and slammed him into the wall next to the couch. Jin crumpled, leaving a dent in the wall.

With his boot, Reno forced him to roll over onto his back. The EMR crackled to life as Reno swung it around. The blue light danced against Jin's skin and in his wide, crazed eyes.

"Don't!" A new voice.

Instinctively, Reno turned his face to the speaker, even though he knew who it would be.

His heart dropped into his stomach. Sierra was standing at the door, keys in hand, fear written across her face. She opened her mouth to say something more—probably to argue for Jin's sake—but it was too late.

Reno barely registered what happened. His EMR was kicked from his hand. It flew several feet away before disappearing behind a chair.

Reno spun around to see Jin already standing up, with a pistol — ShinRa issue, no less — gleaming in his shaking hands. Triumphant, his gaze wild. A shocked scream from Sierra tore Jin's gaze from Reno to his step-sister, who was hovering somewhere behind Reno.

Reno put up his palms. "Whoa whoa…easy there." Reno gingerly moved back a few steps while calculating every possibility in how to stop this from escalating further.

He could tackle him, but the chance of him firing and hitting Sierra wasn't a chance he was willing to take. There was the option of his own gun holstered to his side, but any sudden movements and…

"We just want to talk to you. That's all," Reno lied.

"Bull," Jin spat. Eh, it was worth a shot.

"Sierra, get out of here," Reno called over his shoulder, all while bending his knees slightly, ready to spring.

He heard her heels shift on the hardwood flooring, but she didn't leave. "Let him go. He's just a kid," she said, pleading.

"Get out of here, Sierra."

"I can't—"

"Get out!"

He heard her heels again—retreating. Jin jerked the gun over Reno's shoulder, understanding glinting in his wild, roving eyes. "Move again, and I'll put a bullet in you. If I'm not getting out of this, neither are you two."

Sierra gasped. "You wouldn't," she choked out.

"You think I wouldn't?" Jin spat, his eyes burning with hate. He looked from Reno to Sierra again. His finger trigger twitched dangerously. Sweat glistened on his brow and upper lip.

Reno lunged, and spun into a kick. At impact, the gun scattered across the floor and out of reach. Jin stumbled. Before he could recover Reno slammed his knee upward into Jin's stomach. Jin grabbed at Reno, but he was too fast. A fist struck Jin's jaw and the other rammed into Jin's stomach again and again. He was in the zone, nothing else mattered but taking Jin down. Every time Jin tried to react, he was too slow for Reno. It was like his opponent was lumbering around in quicksand.

Spent, Jin crashed to his knees. Someone grabbed Reno and jerked him backward.

Pure adrenalin, without thinking, Reno drove his elbow into ribs, then spun on his heel and swung out, slamming into the bone and flesh of a cheek— only to realize his mistake a second too late.

In horror, he watched as she slammed into the glass coffee table. The impact sent glass exploding across the floor.

His feet were suddenly cut from under him. Instinctively, he caught himself before he hit the ground, palms down. He sprung into a backflip, away from his mark who'd somehow whipped out a knife.

Bloodied, Jin rushed at him, screaming at the top of his voice and flailing, the gleam of the knife whipping so fast it was almost invisible.

Reno braced himself and ran for the idiot coming at him with the knife, suddenly irrationally angry. Jin swung. Reno dodged, diving under Jin's arm as he swiped. Jin stumbled from the force of his own swing. Reno grabbed him from behind, one arm around his neck. In spite of Jin's crazed resistance; he got into position—it would be quick and clean. It had to be done.

They struggled, slamming into furniture and walls. In one sharp motion, summoning all of his strength, he jerked the head and skinny neck to one side with explosive force. There was resistance from the spine and then a sickening pop and crack.

Jin's muscles went limp and his dead weight fell against Reno. The knife hit the ground. He released Jin. The body dropped to the ground, face down, neck forced at an odd, unnatural angle.

Reno didn't bother checking for a pulse.

Instead, he spun around and ran over to check on Sierra…

"And that's pretty much what happened. A clean-up team came to collect the body and Sierra was taken to the hospital. Hadn't seen her since. Stupid idea me coming here with you." Reno's gripping the controls tightly, his knuckles white.

"Reno…" I don't know what to say. I reach over and put a hand on his shoulder. He tenses up at my touch, but doesn't immediately slap my hand away or make some mean joke, so I guess this is progress. "You never said anything about it."

Reno frowns and stares ahead out at the expanse of sky around us.

"That explains why you were so weird that week I got back from Icicle before the guys came back. I thought you were just anxious about all the world-destroying crap that was going on."

"Yep." He's determinedly not looking at me. I watch him for a moment. He glances out of the corner of his eye. "Stop looking at me like that."

"You weren't in love with her, were you?"

"What?"

"That passion I just saw in that room wasn't just sex stuff."

"Sex stuff?" His mouth turns up in a mocking grin. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Never change, Laney."

"Are you sure you weren't in love with her? Maybe you're still in love with her right now."

"Keep pulling stuff out your ass."

"I mean, you did care about her though, right?"

Reno lets out an exaggerated groan and slaps his a hand against his forehead. "We are not talking about this anymore."

"Fine."

Silence.

Reno grumbles something. "Fine. Yes, of course I care about her."

"Ah hah!" I look over at him waggling my eyebrows.

"I am not in love with her and never was."

"How do you know that? Have you ever been in love?"

"I have." He says it matter-of-factly and not with an earth-shattering sigh or gaze of regret that I expect.

"Really? With who?" I immediately start trying to connect dots—I've got nothing.

He shrugs. "It was a long time ago. Drop it."

"Fine," I say. The tense energy around Reno hasn't dissipated a bit. I try to focus on flying. We're already halfway back.

When Junon is back in view and we're close to landing, he finally speaks up again. "I just hate how things turned out. Pretty sure she hates me now — I probably just made it worse showing up there."

"Sorry. At least I don't hate you," I say, and reach over again and squeeze his shoulder.

"If you keep touching me, I might start liking it." Reno says, giving me a slight smile. I return it and pat him on the shoulder again before returning both hands to the controls.

"Did you do it for me?" I ask, watching him for any hints.

"What?"

"That was my assignment. Everything related to Sierra's case was supposed to be my thing, but you sent me to Icicle. Were you trying to protect me?"

"I just thought Icicle was more your speed, Laney."

I know it's the past, but the last thing I need or want is anyone's protection in this job. "You sure?"

Reno shrugs, noncommittal. "Does it matter? I did what needed to be done. I hope you're never put in a position like that. If you are, make the right decision."

"Do you think you made the right decision?"

"I made the only decision."

As we direct the chopper to the ShinRa HQ, I let out a long sigh. "Occupational hazard, I guess."

He sighs in agreement.

-oooo-

Reno disappears immediately when we get back to the HQ. I head to Rufus' office. I meet him at the door — he was on his way out. With one look at my face, he just presses his palm against the security device; the door opens and we step inside.

"I take it that it didn't go well?" Rufus walks across the floor to his desk. If he's disappointed that the attempt was a failure, he doesn't let it show. I remain standing.

"Understatement." I cross my arms and try to wrestle my expression into something that I hope is unreadable. I don't want to have another moment in his office. Not today. Heck, I'm still reeling from the last one.

Rufus frowns slightly, watching me intently. He opens his mouth to say something, and I cut him off, launching into an explanation of what happened — just the important highlights, nothing too personal or detailed, for Reno's sake.

When I'm done, Rufus is still watching me, his eyes roving my face like he's trying to read into something. There's a softness in his expression that cuts a hole in my terrible mood. "This must've been difficult for you."

Instinctively, I bite my lip, and my mouth goes dry and tight. "It's just business, right? Sometimes you have do things that are uncomfortable."

"Yes, but—"

"I hope Sierra's refusal doesn't put too much of a damper on your plans."

He sighs slightly and drums his fingers across the table top, glancing away, oddly resigned. "We'll see, won't we?"

"Yup." I make a move for the door but hesitate. "Don't feel bad on my account about sending me to talk to Sierra. I'll get over it." I hear him take a breath to interrupt, but I don't let him. "Besides, I like that you didn't let me get out of this assignment. You trusted and respected me enough to not protect me from a little emotional distress. I wouldn't want you to play favorites."

Rufus looks taken aback. "I…of course."

"Good." I take advantage of his speechlessness to make my way out of his office, chin tilted up in spite of the odd sense of elation and regret battling around in my chest.