Reno tapped his foot in agitation, waiting for the intel that would release him from his torment. The incessant sound was the only outward sign of his nerves, and for once Rude hadn't passed comment on it. He stood next to him, arms folded across his chest, barely saying two words since Rufus had dismissed them both.
A business meeting. The President could be a fucking idiot sometimes. HQ was compromised, an attack likely imminent, and Rufus was more worried about his three fifteen p.m., not that the Turks hadn't taken precautions. Security teams were carrying out a sweep of the building and they'd evacuated the higher floors of all personnel, apart from more guards and the President's secretary. When three members of Avalanche turned up with the kids in tow, they'd set them up in Rufus' panic room and settled on babysitting duty until he decided he was ready to leave.
It wasn't like Rufus ever had a use for the space, and Reno doubted he ever would. He was a skilled marksman and lacked his father's willingness to sit back and let somebody else deal with things. It'd often been a point of contention with Tseng, the two of them butting heads over his insistence on involving himself in any drama, Tseng rightly arguing that there was no point in having the Turks if he wasn't going to utilise them. There was no point to the panic room either if you followed that logic.
"The Director's gonna be pissed," said Reno, keeping his voice low so their guests didn't hear him.
Less than an hour had passed since he'd left his apartment, Tseng's words still echoing in his head. Seventh Heaven was under attack and there was still no contact from Elena.
Rude didn't respond.
"You think…" Reno changed tack, the question that was burning on his tongue inviting an answer he didn't want to hear. "Elena can look after herself, right?"
"She can."
Silence resumed between them, broken by the sound of Reno's fidgeting and the quiet conversation of their guests. It wasn't only Elena he was worried about. He'd tried Tifa's PHS multiple times, unable to reach her. He didn't know if she'd made it back to the bar. If she had, she'd be caught up in the action. If she hadn't…
The gunshot he'd heard haunted him, the sound he'd uneasily explained away. He realised Marlene was watching him and tried to smile, his lips curling into a grimace instead as the reassuring gesture crawled across his face and died.
"She could have left her PHS somewhere," said Rude.
Reno noticed a lack of conviction in his tone. Rude jumped to the same conclusion he had; Elena was in trouble.
"I can't reach Tifa," he said, scuffing his boot against the carpet. "Something's wrong."
"We'll find them."
At a loss for further conversation, Reno leaned against the wall, his mag-rod swinging aimlessly in his hand. The air snapped with tension, although the kids settled far quicker than Reno imagined they would. Denzel lay on the black leather sofa with his arms folded behind his head and Marlene was cross-legged on the floor next to him. Red XIII was lounging beside her, calmly relaying tales of the Western Continent with the occasional overly toothy yawn. The only thing betraying his agitation was the constant flicker of his furry tail.
In contrast, the ninja was pacing frantically, her theatrical whispers to Vincent no doubt an attempt at keeping the kids in the dark over the danger back at home. She barely stood still for five minutes out of the half an hour they'd already been there. Cloud instructed her to bring the kids to Shinra, and neither Reno nor Rude felt like arguing.
Vincent leaned against the far wall, his red-eyed stare fixed on Reno. His skin crawled under the scrutiny and he fiddled with his earpiece, willing it to give him the nod he was waiting for. He had far bigger things to worry about than keeping on the right side of Vincent Valentine.
He turned, intending to head outside and check in with the security team, and walked straight into Yuffie. She backpedalled before she caught her footing, eyes wide.
She poked him in the chest. "Hold up a second, Mister. We gotta talk. You better tell me what's going on or I'll-"
"You'll what?"
"I'll kick your goddamn ass!"
She placed her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently, mirroring Reno's earlier jitters. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, and she stared up at him with mutiny in her expression. How much did she know already? He didn't want to admit his failure; he'd let Tifa walk straight out of his arms and into a trap. He fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"You know as much as we know," he said, certain that was a lie. Their suspicions weren't baseless, but he wasn't about to share them with Yuffie. "The bar's under attack. Tseng's on his way there."
"Yeah, and what about Tifa?"
"What about her?"
The answer was flippant. His patience was thin enough already without the third degree.
"She's not at the bar. Cloud never mentioned her," she said. "And I know she was with you. So where is she now?"
"You don't know shit."
Yuffie tilted her head to one side, her face twisted into a scowl. "You do."
"I don't know where she is," he snapped. "She should be at the bar and she isn't."
"So where is she then?"
"I don't fucking know!"
"Tseng's dealing with it," said Rude, stepping in before the argument escalated. "We'll know more soon."
Reno didn't want to have this conversation. Compartmentalising was a skill that'd been bludgeoned into him during training, and he wasn't a stranger to taking his feelings and crushing them down, allowing the Turk in him to take over. It was a survival strategy as much as a work ethic.
Logically, it made sense. The President's safety was their current priority. Tseng could handle things at the bar. Reno might not have been wearing his suit, but he'd still got his Turk head screwed on.
That's what he was desperately telling himself, at least. Inside, his blood was boiling, the urge to head to Seventh Heaven and tear the fuckers limb from limb seething through him. Tseng was remarkably calm on the call, but Reno knew him better than that. It was only a matter of time before the Director snapped, and when he did, Reno wanted to be there.
The sooner they got things wrapped up at HQ, the better. Until then, Yuffie was presenting herself as a willing target for his frustration.
"Why don't you know?"
An expression of panic settled over the girl's face and his resolve was weakening with each passing second. Tifa was in his bed only hours ago, when they chose unhurried kisses and sleepy conversation over the threat that hung over them like a storm cloud. He should have listened to his gut instinct and taken her home. Better yet, he shouldn't have let her leave at all.
"She came to see me," he replied, keeping his tone carefully neutral despite the chaos in his head. "She left. I don't know what happened after that."
"You know what that means, right? Erin could have her."
"We don't know that for sure."
He knew. Yuffie's assessment was the only logical explanation, he just didn't want to say it out loud.
"You must know," she pressed, refusing to drop it. "If she didn't make it back to Sev-"
"Look, I said I don't know, all right?" The words were sharp, angry, and her eyes widened in surprise. "What else you want me to say? Leave it the fuck alone!"
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vincent shift his stance, his frown confirming he heard Reno's outburst. The last thing he needed was to start a fight with any of these idiots. There were bigger things at stake.
"Reno," Rude warned.
Her eyes were glistening, her bottom lip trembling. Fuck, was she crying? The Turk in him slipped slightly, his temper cooling a fraction.
"I'll find her," he promised. "Just let me do my job."
"How?" Her voice was shaky. "Where do we even start looking?"
Yuffie was only pushing him because she was scared, he realised, feeling guilty. He understood. The fear that twisted in his gut wasn't alien to him, the same venom that had coursed through him when Elena and Tseng had been captured by the remnants and tortured half to death. Elena had proven then that she could handle herself. He could only hope she'd be able to do it again.
A fresh fear pooled alongside it, acidic in his stomach. He couldn't lose Tifa, not now.
"We don't know that Tifa is in danger," said Vincent, placing a hand on Yuffie's shoulder. "Until we know more, there's no sense in worrying. She can look after herself."
She swallowed hard. "What if Erin does have her? What if she's hurt?"
Reno couldn't allow thoughts like that to sink in.
"Even if that was the case, she's more valuable alive," said Vincent. "She wouldn't want you to worry. She'd want you to keep the children safe."
"I know but-"
"Marlene is frightened." His voice was firmer now, leaving little room for argument. "Focus on what you can do."
Yuffie didn't look convinced. She scratched at the back of her arm, her nails leaving red welts on her skin. Reno stared at the marks, trying to force himself away from the edge of the precipice he was balancing on.
A memory crashed headlong into the forefront of his mind. A knife in his shoulder and a slim hand digging it in, twisting the blade… The icy lurch in his subconscious as the manipulate materia took hold, dragging him back through a life-time he'd rather forget. Erin had only been playing then…
"I guess I'll check on Marlene," she said.
The look she gave him as she walked away suggested he better find Tifa or there would be hell to pay. He glared back at her.
Vincent cut in before either Turk could comment. "If you know anything, I suggest you tell me."
Reno knew it wasn't worth lying. Vincent had been a Turk for several years; he knew exactly how they operated. The order irritated him, even so.
"She left my apartment an hour ago. She should've gone straight back to the bar."
"You've lost contact with Elena?"
"Yeah," said Reno. "She's not answering her PHS. She was headed for Seventh Heaven."
"So we're assuming that Erin has them both?"
He didn't answer. He didn't need to.
"We need information," said Vincent. "The men at the bar could well be our only source."
"I know that," he snapped. "Tseng will handle it. He knows what he's doing."
"Elena's in trouble. Tseng is compromised."
"The fuck does that mean?"
"You believe he won't allow his anger to cloud his judgement?"
The response he wanted wasn't there, its place taken by a memory. Tseng's bitter expression after the fire, when he callously terminated their prisoner. It wasn't often that he allowed his temper to influence him, but when he did it burned, white-hot and deadly.
"He won't," said Rude. "He's a Turk."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
"Time is against us," he warned, the reminder wholly unnecessary. "What's your plan?"
"We secure HQ and evacuate the President. Rude will go with him and I'll head to the bar," said Reno.
The earpiece in his ear crackled. "Sir… Squad Five... We've found something… You need to see this."
Rude frowned behind his shades, hearing the same message.
"We're up," said Reno.
A flicker of worry passed over Vincent's pale features as he surveyed the room. Yuffie sat on the floor with Marlene in her lap, her arms around the little girl's waist and her cheek resting on the top of her head. Her expression was a kick to Reno's gut, her eyes still shining as she half-listened to the unfolding story, staring blankly at the floor.
He should have been more sympathetic, he realised, feeling like a dick. Losing his temper at Yuffie wouldn't change their situation.
"This room is secure?" Vincent asked.
"Safest place in Edge," said Reno. "Stay here. The kids are your priority. We'll deal with the President."
Vincent nodded curtly in response. "Should you require assistance…"
"We won't."
"We'll let you know," said Rude, heading for the door.
Reno let him take point, following him from the room, glad to put some distance between him and Vincent. The man's superior tone irritated him, the implication in his words hitting a little too close to home. Personal ties raised the stakes far too high. The guard in the hallway saluted as they walked towards him. If it surprised him to see Reno out of his suit, he didn't show it, but his eyes landed on the mag-rod as it swung in his hand.
"Nobody in or out. Understand?" he said. "First sign of trouble, you call us."
"Yes, sir." The guard nodded, fingers tightening around his rifle.
Reno pressed his index finger to his earpiece. "Squad Five, what's your location?"
"Presidential suite… maintenance corridor."
"Received." He looked to Rude, adrenaline kicking in. "What do you reckon, partner?"
"President won't like it."
"Too fucking right he won't."
They headed for the lift. Reno swiped his keycard. It was the only way to gain access to the top floors of the building, and the carriage swiftly ascended. The silence between them didn't come as a surprise. Rude stood in the opposite corner, arms folded, stoic as a fucking statue. The void only allowed Reno's mind to focus on the things he was desperately trying to avoid.
They'd be okay. They had to be. He'd find them.
The lift coasted to a stop, and he caught Rude's eye. His mouth quirked slightly, a smile with little humour in it. His fingers tightened on his weapon.
"She shouldn't be able to get up here," said Rude, as they exited the carriage.
Keycards to the top floor were difficult to come by and only possessed by a select few individuals, the Turks included. Reno pictured Rufus' grey-eyed fury and the knots in his stomach tightened. A security breach this serious would take some explaining.
"Somebody's head's gonna roll."
Up here the corridors were still sleek and modern but there was a more luxurious feel. The carpet below their feet was dark and plush, unlike the cheaper, hard floors they'd installed downstairs, and there was artwork on the walls depicting sprawling landscapes of the various footholds Shinra once possessed. The tall window at the end of the corridor allowed the watery afternoon sunlight in, the rain of previous days holding off for now at least.
A concealed door accessed the maintenance corridor. Reno swiped his keycard against a hidden sensor near a moody painting of the sun setting over Wutai. A chime signified his card checked out, and the door unlocked.
"You won't like this, sir," said the squad leader as they entered the corridor.
Cables ran the entire length of the building, creating a private Shinra network for employees to use. They stored everything in there, and it was only accessible through designated terminals. Network Security carefully monitored external links to the system, all outgoing and incoming communications ripped to shreds before they reached their intended recipient. Passwords changed bi-weekly, something that often caught Reno out. Nobody outside Shinra should have had access.
Now they did.
A panel was missing in the wall. It should have been there to allow engineers to fix any electrical issues for the top floors, giving access to both the power and network cables. He clipped his mag-rod onto his belt. He was forced to crouch to see anything, and the squad leader handed him a torch.
Reno shone the light on the sleek black box. It wasn't supposed to be there, sitting awkwardly amongst the nest of cables. Red and green lights flickered on the sides, suggesting it was doing whatever it was meant to. He handed Rude the torch, freeing up both hands to get a better look.
Rude hovered over his shoulder as Reno tried to manoeuvre the thing into the light of the corridor. He could only move it so far, the wires holding fast.
"Some kind of bug?" Rude asked.
"Looks like it." Reno ran his fingers over the edges of the box, looking for any kind of switch. "This thing's wired in like a bitch. You know what this means, right?"
"They've had access to our network since Healen."
"Yeah."
Reno grasped the box in his hands and gave it a sharp tug. None of the wires came loose, the connections looking way too professional for his liking. Shinra had never been short of enemies, but they weren't usually this adept, even less so since the demise of Midgar took out some of their biggest rivals. Erin's resources appeared to be limitless, and he didn't like that at all.
"What the hell are you doing?" asked Rude, the alarm clear in his voice.
"It was worth a try. Guess we know how Erin's been getting her intel now," said Reno, ducking back out of the panel. "Who the fuck is this bitch?"
"A fantasist."
The memory pulled at his subconscious, an evening in Tseng's office and a dressing down from Rufus. He'd called her that—a fantasist—when he'd recognised her in the photos but brushed it off without elaborating.
"What does that even mean, anyway?"
It was easy to overlook the passing comment when lives hadn't actively been on the line. Whatever game Erin was playing, she'd tried to challenge the President before and failed. Reno wished Tseng was there. He was so much better at dealing with Rufus than he was.
"The President knows something," said Rude.
"We need to speak to him." Reno didn't relish the thought. "Find out what."
"You'd think he'd have told us."
"Would he?"
Rufus had a penchant for the dramatic occasionally. Reno could easily picture him keeping his cards close, waiting for the perfect moment to drop a bombshell they weren't yet privy to.
"He'd have told Tseng," Rude said, correcting himself.
Reno stared at the box. Rufusshould have told Tseng, and if it was important, Tseng would have told them. Whether he had remained to be seen.
Reno turned to the squad leader. "Get a team up here. We need this removed ASAP. Tell them to run whatever diagnostics they need to. We need to know everything about this thing."
"Yes, sir."
"And speak to Network Security. I want a system-wide blackout."
"But sir-"
"Assume you have authorisation from the President."
The man looked uncertain. "Yes, sir."
"He won't be happy," said Rude.
"Probably not, but we can't risk it," Reno replied, heading back along the corridor. "Shutting down is the only thing that makes sense right now. We don't know what that thing does. It'll take time to arrange, anyway."
He hoped it would be enough time to explain his decision to Rufus. It probably wouldn't, but at least it gave him a chance to state his case. The equipment was far too professional to dismiss, too much of a liability. Tseng would agree.
Reno snapped his PHS to his ear, seeking the Director's approval and an update on the situation. It rang out, and the lead weight in his stomach grew. He checked his messages, willing her name to be there.
It wasn't.
"Tseng isn't answering," he said.
"Anything from Elena?"
Reno shook his head and slipped his PHS back into his pocket.
"The President requests your presence," said the voice in his earpiece. "Boardroom."
Reno shrugged in response to Rude's questioning expression. He'd given up trying to keep ahead of Rufus a long time ago.
When they reached the boardroom, the President's secretary politely waved them through. She was new, Reno realised, a nervous girl with mousy hair and alarm in her eyes. Inside the room, the vast table was empty, save for two seats. Rufus sat in one, skimming through a sheaf of papers, and a suited man with a trim goatee sat in the other.
"Director Tuesti," said Reno, barely hiding his surprise. "Fancy seeing you here."
"I'm not a Director. Not anymore," Reeve corrected him. "Think of me as an advisor."
"Whatever."
Rufus didn't look happy.
"Sit down," he snapped.
Reno slid into a chair two seats down from Reeve, and Rude followed suit. They barely settled in when Rufus carried on speaking. The shortness of his words and the colour in his cheeks betrayed his poor mood.
"Reeve's here because I invited him. I wanted his insight."
"I worked with Erin," Reeve explained. "Just before she took the job at Healen Lodge."
Rufus dropped the papers on the table. "I didn't think she had it in her."
"Sir?"
"To be so direct." His eyes narrowed. "Abducting a Turk? She really wants to get our attention."
Reno wholeheartedly disagreed with the President's assessment; most of her actions so far had been direct, so this escalation was hardly a surprise. He could still feel the heat from the flames when the helicopter exploded. The knife to the shoulder wasn't exactly a walk in the park either.
"Erin has Elena?" asked Reeve, putting the pieces together.
"Tseng believes so."
Reno never trusted Tuesti, it being far too tricky to work out which side he was loyal to. He suspected the man was only faithful to himself and the world vision he tried to put in motion.
"They're attacking Seventh Heaven right now," Reno said. "Diversion tactics. Forcing us to split up, thin out our resources."
The colour drained from Reeve's face. "I didn't know. Is anybody hurt?"
"We don't know." The cynic in Reno wondered how genuine the man's concern was. "We've got two kids and half of Avalanche downstairs. The bar isn't secure. Any ideas?"
"WRO still has access to a safe house near Kalm. I can take them there," Reeve offered.
"Great... Sir, you need to go too," said Reno, the direction aimed at Rufus. He watched for his reaction. "Rude will assist."
Rufus' mouth twisted. "Absolutely not."
"Edge isn't safe. She got into your penthouse. And I don't know if you've noticed, but there's only three of us now."
"There were only three of you before."
The throwaway comment riled Reno and he bit into his cheek before he dared speak, rehashing his response in his head. The bait wasn't worth taking. He could taste blood by the time he put the words back together.
"Yes, sir... but we also need to find Elena."
Rufus drummed his fingers on the table. "I'm not being forced into hiding."
Tseng would have already relayed the plan; Rufus was just being stubborn. Reno picked at a chip in the lacquered tabletop, wishing again that the Director was there. Rufus' ego wasn't something he was equipped to deal with, not in his current frame of mind.
"I agree with Reno," said Reeve. "You'll be safer in Kalm. Let the Turks do their job."
A shadow crossed Rufus' face. "You're wrong if you think I'm not worried about Elena. Erin's threatened my people. I won't sit by and let somebody else deal with it."
Rude moved, his chair creaking under his weight. "That's what we're here for, sir."
"I won't be driven out by a petty grudge either."
"It's a bit more fucking serious than that."
His temper simmered below the surface. Didn't the man understand? Lives were at risk. They couldn't afford to hang around.
"After all this time, it's more than just a petty grudge," said Reeve, voicing the counter-argument far more eloquently than Reno could. "Erin and Garrison both worked for WRO. They were both outspoken in their hatred of Shinra. It drew them together… kindred spirits. Don't underestimate them."
Reno turned to Rufus. "Before… you said she was a fantasist?"
The silence dragged on a moment longer than was comfortable before Rufus stopped tapping the table. His jaw visibly tensed before his face relaxed, his expression resigned.
"It hardly matters," he said, tone dismissive. "When Erin was my nurse, we became close… I overlooked the threat she posed."
"Close?" Reno echoed. "What the fuck does that mean?"
"She's my sister."
Reno stared at the President, flexing his fingers below the table. The man already knew how much of a danger she posed, her reasons for targeting them. He fucking knew...
Rude cleared his throat. "Another one?"
"Half-sister," said Rufus, correcting himself. "As you know, my father was… easily distracted."
It was common knowledge amongst the seniors in the company that President Shinra hadn't been able to keep his dick in his pants. Reno met a few of the bastard offspring over the years and knew that any novelty Rufus may have felt surrounding his extended family had quickly worn thin. It was common practice to ship President Shinra's latest victim out with a generous wad of cash and the ink still wet on the non-disclosure agreement. The process carried on for years until Sephiroth and his Masamune put a swift stop to his antics.
"What did you do?" Reno demanded. "She fucking hates you."
Rufus stared at him, eyes cold. "She'd conned her way into the position at Healen to get close to me. I admired her spirit. I saw more of myself in her than I did in the others. She intrigued me."
A memory filtered through. An order she'd given, just before dragging him through hell.
"She said something…" He hesitated, unwilling to put the torture he endured into words. "She wants everything Shinra owes her."
"She thinks she has a claim to my inheritance. She's not interested in family, she just wants my money." Rufus' expression briefly slipped, a shadow of genuine remorse crossing his features. It left before Reno had the chance to process it. "Ultimately, she disappointed me."
"She showed great potential," said Reeve. "It was a tremendous loss to the organisation when she left. Bright… not cut out to be a leader, but she was invaluable behind the scenes."
"She's a fucking psychopath," said Reno.
Rude glanced at him, eyebrows raised. "Why did she leave?"
"She found out I was bankrolling the WRO," said Rufus, his mouth forming a nasty smirk.
Reno knew all about that minor scandal. Shinra's contribution to the funding of the WRO was the organisation's downfall. Rufus donated a vast portion of their funds, his guilty conscience swaying his hand, and when the identity of their gracious benefactor had been officially revealed, factions broke away. The WRO wasn't able to cope with the mass exodus, and their other backers also got cold feet.
Rufus quickly manipulated the situation to his advantage, ruthlessly seizing power. Nobody could deny he owned the resources needed to continue rebuilding the city, and many accepted he turned over a new leaf. There would always be those that didn't believe his spiel, but the people of Edge needed the Shinra Electric Power Company, whether or not they liked it.
Reeve shrugged. "She didn't want to be in Shinra's pocket."
"Her and half the WRO," said Rude.
"Yes... I sometimes wonder if that was your intention all along." Reeve's attention was on Rufus. "When you suggested we make the deal public."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Rufus replied. "I'm more concerned that she gained employment for Shinra after I specifically had her removed from Healen."
Rude removed his shades, polishing them on his tie. Reno knew the tell, a sign that the conversation was rattling him. Reno felt the same, like a boat at sea in the eye of a storm. The pieces were slotting into place, the ocean strangely calm. He couldn't shake the feeling all hell was about to break loose.
"What does Avalanche have to do with this?" asked Rude, slipping his glasses back on.
"That's a little more complicated," said Reeve. "I don't know the full story. The family was forced to move after Shinra let her mother go. They ended up in the Sector Four slums. Her sister was unwell. She spent the last few months of her life on a ventilator."
Reno's boat lurched. He knew where this was headed.
"How did she die?" he asked.
"The hospital lost power during the blackout," said Reeve. "She was too weak to survive."
Reno could picture the scene. A sick child hooked up to a life-support machine in a slum hospital, the sub-standard equipment likely faulty and unable to function without power. Dead batteries. The lights going out…
"She blamed Avalanche," he said, as the realisation solidified. "That's why she targeted the kids."
"Her mother died a few months later. Couldn't cope with her grief."
"What about Garrison?" asked Rude.
"I don't know. I didn't work with him directly." Reeve frowned. "By all accounts, he was quite the charmer. We had to let him go. He was mixed up with a faction that was angling to take control of the city. They didn't believe in the democracy we were trying to create."
"How did that work out for you?" asked Rufus, resting his chin on his knuckles.
Reeve ignored the snide remark. "As you're aware, some of our funds came from your former competitors. When we removed the troublemakers, we lost a significant percentage of our money. Turned out they were funding Garrison and the others directly. In hindsight, I realise that the vast majority of our bankroll came from companies who wanted to be the next Shinra."
It went some way to explaining Erin's seemingly endless resources. A Sector Four orphan didn't have that kind of firepower, but there were shady competitors in Shinra's past that did.
"Erin's pretty well kitted out for slum trash," said Reno. "This is bigger than her. Somebody's fucking with us."
"I don't doubt that," Rufus replied. "Once we've neutralised her, you can look into it."
"Garrison's beef isn't with Shinra," said Rude. "It's with the Turks."
"You'd have to ask him." Reeve looked apologetic. "All I know is the man has a nasty streak. You want to be careful."
Reno's PHS vibrated in his pocket. He fumbled for it, hands shaking. Tseng.
He left the room to take the call, giving Tseng a brief rundown of what they'd found. Over at Seventh Heaven, the scene had turned into a bloodbath, Elena's location still unknown. Four bodies and a prisoner detained. Adrenaline kicked in.
"Is Tifa with you?" he asked, afraid of the answer.
"No. She isn't here. I think it's safe to assume they've both been compromised. Secure the President and meet me here. Arrange an ambulance… Highwind has been shot."
"Yes, sir."
He ended the call and slipped his PHS back into his pocket. His pulse was screaming in his ears, his eyes refusing to focus. The walls he'd constructed crumbled around him.
His hand drifted to his earpiece. "I need medical transport from Seventh Heaven."
"Received."
Reno headed back into the boardroom.
"Elena and Tifa aren't at the bar." His voice was far too calm, too controlled. "Highwind's been shot. They've apprehended a suspect."
"Tell Tseng to bring him here," said Rufus.
Reno ignored the order. "Rude, take the President to Kalm. And the kids. Use Vincent-"
"I'm not leaving Edge."
"Sir, I'm not giving you a choice."
"I don't recall putting you in charge."
Reno slammed his hands down on the table. Reeve visibly flinched. "Technically, sir, I'm suspended so I don't have to give a shit what you recall. You're not my priority. You either go to Kalm with Rude, or you're on your own."
"You'd choose a member of Avalanche over your President?"
Reno stared him down, ignoring the fury in Rufus' eyes.
Reeve folded his hands neatly in front of him. "Rufus… He's right. There's no sense putting yourself at risk. Let the Turks-"
"Why is she so important to you?" Rufus asked.
"We stood by you," Reno reminded him. "You betrayed the company, and we stood by you. You owe us this. You owe Tseng."
A knock on the door distracted them. Reno turned to see the President's secretary hovering in the doorway, a slim packet held in her hand.
"Sir… this is for Director Tseng."
"He's not here."
"It's urgent." The girl looked uncertain, almost fearful. "They told me to give it to you if he wasn't here."
Reno felt the prickle on the back of his neck. "Who told you?"
"The courier," she stammered, holding out the packet. "Please. They just dropped it off… they said they'd hurt him if I didn't…"
She burst into tears. Reno ripped the package out of her unresisting hands as the television screen at the head of the long table blinked on. Rufus' surprised expression must have mirrored his own. He stood perfectly still and watched as the grainy footage rolled.
The camera was on its side, the angles all wrong as she crouched in front of it. Erin's dark hair was lank and greasy, pulled away from her face. Her eyes were hollow, her cheeks gaunt, and there was a smear of blood across her chin. It was difficult to gauge her location. The room looked like some kind of storage basement, lit by flickering electric lights overhead.
"Hello, Rufus." Her words had the same sing-song quality from Healen, and it made Reno's skin crawl. "How're things? I hope you're having fun… Give my love to Reeve."
Rufus' voice was angry. "How the hell is she doing this?"
Reno stared at the screen, unable to provide an answer.
"You could've stopped all of this," she continued, picking up the camera. The image skewed violently as she turned it around in her hands. "Their lives are on your head."
The camera steadied. Reno's blood ran cold. Tifa lay on the floor, curled in on herself, bloodstains visible on her shirt. There was something badly wrong, her colouring was off and her skin was clammy, her body visibly trembling.
"She's running out of time," Erin said, dropping to her heels in front of Tifa. "Reno? Are you there? She keeps asking for you. Doesn't look too good, does she?"
"Looks like poison," said Rude, tone flat.
How much time did they have? There was no timestamp on the footage, but it was only hours since he'd seen her last. Slow-acting poisons wouldn't have done too much damage in such a brief space of time. If it was fast-acting, she could already be dead. His fingers clenched, digging into the envelope he held.
Erin prodded Tifa's shoulder. "Don't you want to say goodbye?"
Tifa's head lolled, her eyes snapping open. They were bloodshot and glassy. Her lips ambled, but Reno couldn't make out the words. Rage spiralled through him.
"This happens when you don't play the game, Rufus. I had to be innovative… make you pay attention."
The camera jerked again. Elena, tied to a chair, with her face bruised and streaks of blood around her mouth. Her lips were swollen and split, and she fixed her eyes on the camera with an expression of pure fury. A man stood behind her, his handsome face bearing a smirk, hands clasped behind his back.
"Rufus, this is your last warning. Give me what I'm owed, or pay the consequences."
"Like hell I will," Rufus muttered.
The man's smirk split into a grin. His teeth were slightly yellow, his gleeful expression a stark contrast to Elena's anger.
"Hello, Tseng… Reno… Can't tell you how long I've waited for this."
"Who the fuck is that?" said Reno, appalled by the familiarity in his tone.
"Garrison," said Reeve. "I don't think-"
Garrison moved before Reno could prepare himself, stepping out from behind the chair. He held a set of bolt-cutters in his hands, his knuckles white on the handles. They were rusty; the blades glinted dully under the yellow lights. Elena's eyes widened.
"Turn it off," said Rufus.
The order came too late. Elena struggled violently in her chair, the cords around her wrists cutting into her skin. The fury in her face had slipped headfirst into terror, her lips moving soundlessly, her eyes shining under the lights. Garrison hovered in front of her, snapped the blades shut. Her primal howl turned Reno's stomach.
"Turn it off!"
Wordlessly, Reno prised open the envelope in his hands and upended it onto the table.
"Fuck!"
A severed finger rolled across the surface; stark white skin, congealed blood, bone... He could smell the gore in the empty envelope and cast it aside as though it burned him. Time stopped, his heart trying to climb up through his throat. He stared at the finger, his head spinning, and the last shred of restraint he'd been clinging to snapped completely.
Rufus could go to hell. Erin would pay for what she'd done.
"Call Tseng," he said to Rude. "This ends now."