A/N: Next chapter I post, I will remove the "(fka: A Dance for the Lonely)" from the title. I apologize for changing the title a few months ago, but the newer one really does work better for the overall story. I promise to never do that again on any other fics I may post. Forgive me! :)
Chapter 10
Under the ShinRa Surface
The teams assembled atop the parking garage between the WRO headquarters and hospital buildings. One half of the topmost floor served as a helipad, on which a ShinRa helicopter conspicuously awaited their departure. All were in attendance except Pete, who had taken advantage of the delay to treat Molly to breakfast.
The Turks lounged against their helicopter as they waited for the rest of the group. Reno snickered as he observed Cloud, muttering a remark to his partner before laughing aloud at himself. Cloud balled his hands into fists but otherwise dismissed the redhead. He irritably greeted Shelke and nodded at the SOLDIER beside her. Luxiere reluctantly returned the gesture but quickly tossed his head in superiority. Tifa gritted her teeth in exasperation and reminded herself this operation would take a day, two at the most, to complete.
She locked her truck and crossed the lot to join the others, her eyes finding her frequent dinner guest. Vincent leaned against a pillar, watching her approach. Her cheeks warmed under his regard, and she concentrated on remaining steadily sure-footed in her combat boots. She handed Reeve her keys and hooked her thumbs into the belt at her hips. "Well, the tank is full, and we have a new tire, so you should have fun if we don't return."
"It'll be safe here in the garage." Reeve accepted the keys and put an arm around her as she smiled at him, leaning into the hug. He was one of the few men of their old group that was quick with the brotherly affection. Even Yuffie mentioned that she had to warn him to adhere to protocol when they were in Wutai. Tifa didn't care and preferred the reminder that they were, all of them, part of a family now.
Vincent continued to observe her as he adjusted his gauntlet and stretched his fingers. Conscious of his interest, she likewise straightened her armguard and peered down at her cargo pants, hoping she wasn't trying too hard to fit in. Although she was a fully qualified martial artist and seasoned fighter, she occasionally felt out of place on WRO jobs. Everyone else had military experience and education. And as an ex-Turk, Vincent had received the highest training.
Tifa shook her head to banish the string of thoughts before it threatened her confidence. She needed to be on her top game today. The labs beneath the old ShinRa building concealed too many unknowns to lose faith over the shallow notion of never wearing a uniform. Or for suddenly questioning why Vincent watched her. That's what he did. Vincent watched. And she was sure he had as much trust in her abilities as she did. If there was anything she knew well, it was how to defend herself and those she loved.
Tifa felt arms squeeze around her midsection, and a round belly pressed into her backside. "My gods, girl! I haven't seen you in at least a week! Did you break up with me and not say nothin?!" Tifa chuckled at her friend and hugged her back. Molly knew how to say hello to improve a mood.
"You should come with us. We need this kind of energy when we're battling nasty demons," Tifa quipped as she pulled away from the embrace and patted Molly's belly. "Don't be mad," she crooned at Molly, teasing her by rubbing her stomach in little circles. "This is for luck." They laughed at each other and hugged again, disregarding the amused looks they received at their affectionate friendship.
"Hey," Reno yelled out as he reclined in the helicopter. "This little make-out session is hot and all—but shouldn't we leave?" Tifa rolled her eyes at his lecherous grin. The Turk would never grow up.
"What kinda dog does he—" Molly angrily began but was quickly hushed when her husband encircled her growing belly in his arms.
"Ignore him, sweet. Gimme some love. I gotta go," Pete whispered to his wife. Tifa shuffled away to give them a little privacy, overhearing their exchange of devotion before Molly said she was going and that he "better not let anything happen to my girlfriend!"
When Pete rejoined the group, Reeve clapped his hands together and addressed them. "We'll have an ambulance stationed outside the entrance—a security measure just in case. And there will also be two security teams on guard since we're not sure what may follow you out—or if you need assistance at some point. Oh, before I forget—here are the latest earpieces for short communications—although I know Vincent hates them," Reeve continued as he smiled toward Vincent. "Captain, would you mind passing these out?"
At Reeve's prompting, Luxiere set about passing out the devices. Tifa cringed when he placed a set into her hand and let a creeping finger swipe across her palm as he pulled his hand away. She yanked her hand back in revulsion as the same cocky grin he showed at the hotel in Wutai spread across his arrogant face. He didn't seem interested in Tifa, only sought entertainment from her repulsed reaction. What did Liza see in this guy?
Vincent shifted closer to her and held out his hand toward Luxiere. She didn't miss the menacing glare Vincent directed at him, and neither did the SOLDIER. Luxiere scoffed and sauntered away to dole out the remaining devices, ignoring the dangerous response his lewd behavior elicited.
"Good luck, folks. I'll be here when you return." Reeve nodded at Vincent and walked into the WRO building.
The group moved toward the helipad where the Turks waited with their helicopter. "We're taking a ShinRa helicopter?"
"Rufus insisted." Vincent didn't sound thrilled about it, but ShinRa cooperation had benefitted the WRO thus far. This mission would likely be no different. They may as well accept cooperation when they can get it, even from their former adversary.
Reno mockingly bowed, holding out his hand toward the cabin. He and Rude climbed into the cockpit and started the engine as the others found their seats. She recoiled when Luxiere sat beside her and caught a look of displeasure on Vincent's face. She bit back a grin at his overprotective reactions. He claimed a seat across from her next to Cloud. Both men watched her for a moment and glanced toward Luxiere at her side. The former SOLDIER didn't care about the negative attention, exuding arrogance with his animalistic glances at her and condescending tilt to his chin.
Once they lifted off, Vincent reviewed the mission objectives through their headsets and asked for any questions. It seemed simple enough. They would reach the facility through the old Reactor 0 that lay beneath the original ShinRa headquarters. The most accessible entrance was down a maintenance ramp leading to a freight door. Teams would consist of Vincent, Tifa, Luxiere, and Rude, and the other formed with Cloud, Shelke, Pete, and Reno. They should avoid all fiend encounters if reasonable and only enter those rooms needed to obtain the hard drives, as most of the structure was in ruins and unstable.
Nothing sounded too complicated, but Tifa knew it unlikely they would find the subterranean facility monster-free. She examined her equipment once again, ensuring she had her materia slotted and laces tied. She found Cloud staring at her and wondered if he objected to the team assignment. He would say nothing in opposition, although she surmised that he had likely assumed the two of them would remain together. She didn't mind the change and would rather not accompany him while Reno was present to drive Cloud into anger. Not that being with Luxiere was any better—he may be the worse of the two.
They landed in front of the building, the old courtyard allowing ample space for the aircraft to descend safely amongst the destruction. The surrounding buildings sat in partial collapse, and the streets were mostly impassable. Tifa hoped the ambulance and backup teams Reeve mentioned could navigate the safest route to get here. Otherwise, they could need their own rescue if unable to pass through or turn around amongst the debris. The area had to be periodically rid of wandering fiends that would take advantage of any opportunity to gobble up lost humans in their midst.
Hopping out of the helicopter, Tifa walked a short distance and waited for her team. "Let's get these earpieces synced." Vincent stood behind her, holding his new earpiece.
"Oh right," she said as she freed the device from her pocket. "I'm not sure how—is this the button to turn it on?" Tifa had never used this bit of technology. She glanced at Vincent, mildly embarrassed when he gently took the device from her hand and flipped a small flat switch.
"It works by push-to-talk—here." She tried to follow his instruction but struggled with the distraction of his proximity. "Here's the volume. The mic is this small part, and the arm is adjustable."
She tuned out the specifics, concentrating on the deep timbre of his voice and the tiny tug on his nose when his lips uttered certain words. He continued, unaware of her lack of attention, "Just hook it onto your ear, and the mic will rest against your cheek, here." His finger grazed her skin, and she shivered at his touch. "Here—"
"What?" She had become flustered as he returned her stare and held out a hand to her.
Vincent must have thought her confused, and after a short pause, his fingers traced along her hairline as he tucked her hair behind her ear. He gently secured the device, letting his fingers bend the mic in the right direction. Goosebumps scattered down her neck. He seemed oblivious to her reaction and moved through the rest of the group, linking everyone to the voice chat, while Tifa drew in a deep, steadying breath.
"Tifa Lockhart." She jumped as a young voice called her name.
"Yes, Shelke," she replied, a little breathless. "It's just Tifa."
"Today will be the first in almost two years that I have been able to use my weapons in a sanctioned operation." Shelke pulled her EM sabers from their sheaths, holding them up for inspection. "I have modified the electro-magnetic core in the handle of each saber, which no longer requires a linked cable. I have also enhanced the blades with purer ferromagnetic materials. They now absorb metal alloys from the target when it is struck, and the charge is released, thus inflicting greater damage."
"Oh—that sounds fascinating, Shelke."
"In short, my weapons no longer require the use of Mako energy. Would you and Vincent Valentine like a demonstration?" Vincent smirked at the diminutive SOLDIER as he synchronized their earpieces.
"We already know what a weapon looks like that doesn't require Mako," Vincent teased her, unholstering his gun for comparison.
"Yes, but the current century requires efficient weaponry, Vincent Valentine. Where do you store your ammunition?" Shelke asked in her characteristic monotone.
Tifa snorted, immediately covering her mouth as she looked up at Vincent, who couldn't help the lopsided smile spreading across his face. "Oh, Shelke!" Tifa laid an arm around her shoulder. "That was an impressive joke!"
"Yes, I've been practicing my sarcasm. Yuffie Kisaragi has been obligingly instructive in the art and encourages me to invent witticisms when I detect banter during a social conversation."
"Great, Yuffie as your communications tutor. Nothing could go wrong." Vincent chuckled at the confused expression knitting her brow.
"I do not understand. She is a princess of Wutai. Certainly, her education is of the highest standard." The perplexed angle of her head had them laughing louder.
"Shouldn't we get moving?" Cloud strode past them toward the ramp, visibly bristling at the increased delay to begin.
Tifa stuck out her tongue at Pete, who regarded her with mock reproach and a shake of his head as he trailed after his friend. The rest of the group followed suit. Vincent reviewed the map Tseng provided as they descended into the darkness.
Most of the old building was destroyed, but the Deepground facility extended throughout the former city center's underground and sewage system. They would have to tread carefully not to disturb the precarious remains stretching above and around them. Each turned on small flashlights at the bottom of the ramp and entered a shadowed hallway beyond the cargo door leading into the no longer secret facility.
Light spilled in from a few sections of the walls and ceiling through cave-ins and holes in the floor above, but not enough to turn off their flashlights. Tifa shuddered at the haunted feeling, reminding her of the train graveyard between the Sector 6 and 7 slums of old Midgar.
A short distance in, a fallen section forced them to double-back and take a longer route in a winding maze. The teams walked past many locked and boarded up doors imprisoning only gods knew what. Shelke confirmed the doors led to maintenance rooms for the reactor's electrical framework, so they could remain shuttered.
Fiends noisily snarled, trapped behind the barricaded doors. Luxiere wanted to kill them, but Vincent insisted they continue. Clearing the facility was not a priority. He advised them to estimate the remaining monsters and send teams later to remove the nests. Pete agreed, confident he could convince Reeve to allow the SOLDIERs to clear the facility as part of their training regimen. Luxiere derided the suggestion and doubted it would be approved, as the WRO preferred to use simulations and had too many safety protocols to compare with the old SOLDIER program. He laughed at Pete and joked about her friend's lack of useful expertise.
Tifa didn't miss the distress on Pete's face. She suspected her friend looked up to Vincent and hoped to impress him. Always addressing him as 'Sir' and focusing on every word he spoke, as though Vincent was the commissioner. Tifa glowered at Luxiere. What made this guy so disagreeable? Appearing as though he tried to be problematic.
Eventually, the group made it to a set of doors Shelke assured them were an entrance to Deepground. The corridor beyond immediately split into two directions. Vincent suggested the teams do the same, again checking his map to ensure they would take the appropriate route.
"We'll see you at the labs." Vincent nodded toward Cloud and Pete before heading the opposite way.
"Be safe." Cloud tapped his earpiece, watching Tifa as she marched backward and waved to him.
"Ok, Coach. You, too." She gave him a thumbs-up sign before facing the same direction as her squad, surprised that Vincent had stopped to wait for her.
Tifa found herself sandwiched between Vincent and Rude in their reconnaissance formation. The two seemed to form a protective guard around her as the four of them progressed through the shadows. Vincent peered at her occasionally when he checked to make sure nothing followed. What's he so skittish about?
Luxiere walked on ahead as though the others weren't there. He peeked through the slender windows of some of the closed doors, shining his flashlight to check for fiends. He hesitated at one as he peered inside, slowly turning the doorknob.
Vincent rushed forward and spoke to Luxiere with a hushed tone. "Leave it. We're not here for whatever is in there," he said with a commanding tone. "Mark it on the map. We'll return to clear later."
"What's the matter?" Luxiere asked with a smirk. "Afraid your little girlfriend might get a scratch?" He glanced down at Tifa with that same nerve-grinding grin planted on his face.
"We have orders for this operation. We're sticking to them. Leave the door. We're moving on." Vincent continued forward, not giving him the chance to argue. Tifa witnessed the glare Luxiere bore into his back as Vincent stepped away. The man would likely get himself into trouble if he didn't learn to be a team player.
As she followed Vincent, she heard the latch slide and the door swing ajar with a loud creak. Rude yanked her aside as a large animal shot through the opening and slammed against the opposite wall. The creature had massive horns, elongated fangs, and clawed paws—an unnatural monstrosity lingering beneath the city's ruins for all this time.
It bucked its head, using its horns to knock Luxiere to the ground several yards away. The fiend swiped a claw at Rude, sending him airborne toward Vincent, who had run toward them with his weapon drawn. As Rude tumbled to the floor, Vincent aimed and fired at its head. The creature roared as part of its horn splintered and shattered into hundreds of pieces. It sprinted across the hall to evade the smatter of bullets Vincent sprayed its direction, then propelled itself up the wall, darting from one side of the hallway to the other in its effort to dodge.
Tifa cautiously observed the creature, gazing over her shoulder as she helped Rude stand, and the two of them prepared for the fight. Jumping to his feet, Luxiere finally rejoined the fray and dashed, running up the wall to thrust himself at the frenzied beast. As he brandished his sword at the head, the creature hurled itself across the hallway and landed behind Tifa. Vincent cursed behind her as he no longer had a clear kill shot.
The monster growled at them when Tifa turned to face it. As soon as it lunged at her, she struck the fiend with a high, side kick across its jowl, the momentum smashing it into the wall as she flipped backward when Rude moved in. The Turk delivered a low roundhouse kick at the creature from behind, knocking it off its feet as it attempted to recover from Tifa's aggressive maneuver.
The beast struggled to stand, slipping and falling from its clawed feet on the tiled floor. Not one to miss an opportunity, Luxiere took advantage of the creature's hampered mobility and impaled his sword into its backbone below the neck, severing the head as his weapon sliced straight through its flesh and speared the floor beneath.
Vincent flung himself forward in a panic, glancing at Tifa quickly as he passed, and knelt beside the beast to ensure it was dead. He appeared satisfied and stood, turning deliberately to level his anger at Luxiere, who leaned against the wall with his arms akimbo.
"You disobeyed my orders." His voice dripped acid in its low growl as Vincent brought his face close to Luxiere and forced the man to look him in the eyes. "You will not do so again."
Luxiere huffed at him, returning his glare as he brushed bits of dirt from his uniform. "Am I understood?" Vincent demanded.
"Yeah, man. Whatever." Luxiere smirked at Vincent and held his hands up in front of him in a small placating gesture. As Luxiere shoved off the wall, he winked at Tifa and strutted off ahead of them, yanking his sword from the carcass as he passed.
"Let's go," Vincent said with an impatient tone, striding ahead with his shoulders hunched in barely contained rage.
Tifa looked at Rude and shrugged her shoulders as she turned to walk with him behind Vincent. "Are you ok?" She reached out and picked at the rips in his blazer.
"The uniform took most of the damage. No bleeding," Rude assured her, and she thought she saw a grateful smile pass his lips. He straightened his jacket and tie, rolling his shoulders back with a 'tough guy' puckering of his mouth. They walked for a few minutes in silence; the noise from their footsteps softened as each moved with a purposeful light tread.
"We should be coming up on the administrative offices in the next hallway. Be sharp for any trouble." Vincent still seemed annoyed.
They turned down the next corridor, finding it bathed in sunlight. The floors above had crushed a portion of the wall, leaving it open to the elements. Debris spread across the hallway and obstructed part of the passage into the distant rooms. They entered a room closer to their position, but a wall of wreckage stopped them from reaching the opposite side. The floor above dangled through the ceiling, nearly grazing the mound of debris blocking their path.
"The other side should be the location of the server room." Vincent examined the rubble, guiding his flashlight from the highest point to the floor, scanning for a way through that wouldn't cause the debris to shift and possibly bury them alive.
"Maybe I can look over." Tifa hopped on a large piece of concrete, meaning to climb atop the wreckage and search for a safe passage through, but Vincent grabbed her arm and held her in place.
"It's too risky," he said gently when she glanced at him in confusion. "This section appears to be holding up the large wall on the other side. If any of it shifts, could come crashing down." She looked back at the section he referred to and noticed large chunks of concrete fit together like broken puzzle pieces. The ceiling appeared to be bowing downward. He was right; it was too risky to chance.
Luxiere stalked forward, mumbling under his breath about pussy civilians and shit assignments commanded by the intel wing. He mounted the piece of concrete Tifa intended to climb and jumped onto another further to his right. A rock slipped, and numerous smaller pieces of debris fell from under Luxiere as he leaped to the precarious ledge the hanging floor provided.
The loosened pieces freed another chunk of concrete, beginning a domino effect of debris tumbling down in a small avalanche.
"Get back!" Vincent pulled Tifa with him as he retreated from the falling wreckage until they fell against the opposite wall that appeared to be leaning back slightly. Rude jumped through the doorway leading back into the corridor and skidded across the floor, crashing into the far wall with his shoulder.
As the dust settled, Tifa glanced around her, sighing in relief as Vincent rose from his knees and Rude stooped in the doorway.
The building creaked and groaned under its own weight, echoing through the ruins. Tifa held her breath, anticipating their imminent death. Not a moment later, the floor Luxiere perched atop suddenly buckled underneath him, bouncing at a precarious angle before the steel support beams abruptly halted its descent. The SOLDIER balanced himself with arms held wide.
"Get down from there, you idiot!" Vincent snarled, standing up to his full height. Luxiere flashed a smug grin and dove to the opposite side of the rubble as the floor finally snapped free from the reinforced steel that had held it in place. "Move!" Vincent threw Tifa into Rude, forcing the Turk to fall back into the corridor. Vincent crash-landed on top of them as he launched himself out of the collapsing floor's pathway.
The ground and walls reverberated in a quivering cacophony as wreckage toppled down into the room. Dust and grit rushed through the open doorway, covering them where they laid. Coughing up dirt and tiny bits of concrete, Tifa propped up on her elbows and rubbed the filth out of her eyes. She felt a firm hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Vincent staring at her in concern.
"Are you hurt?" Vincent asked with panic in his voice. Rude stood at their side, dusting himself off as he waited for them to rise.
"I don't think so," she answered as he helped her to her feet.
Tifa felt more than heard the little earpiece buzz before a frantic voice called out to them. "Team A—status check. Was that a cave in?" It was Pete. Of course, the other team would have heard and may have felt the vibrations when this portion of the facility collapse.
Vincent continued to hold her arm, staring at her intently as he pressed his fingers against his earpiece. The look in his eyes startled her. Shades of yellow flashed between the crimson flecks. His nostrils flared slightly, and he inhaled before he answered.
"Confirmed, Team B. A portion of the ceiling came down on us." His voice barely contained the anger she could feel shaking through his grip on her arm. Vincent turned as a shuffling sound carried through the rubble behind him. Over Vincent's shoulder, Tifa saw Luxiere climbing over the debris a short distance from them. "Everyone is fine. What's your position?"
"We've made it to the labs, already taken out a few monsters. You guys find your drives?" Tifa could hear the annoyance in Cloud's voice.
"They're gone. Crushed beneath the ruins. We're heading your way." He finally let go of her and took a deep breath. Vincent suddenly launched at Luxiere and pinned the startled man to the remaining wall. Rude followed quickly and stopped behind Vincent, as though providing backup as an assisting partner.
"What the fuck, man! Back off!" Luxiere attempted to throw Vincent off him, but the surprised look on his face showed that even his SOLDIER strength was not enough to compete with the enhancements running through the former Turk's veins.
Vincent's shoulders shuddered violently as he held the struggling man against the wall. He suddenly appeared larger under his cape, and Tifa worried that his rage had triggered a transformation. His back was to her, so she couldn't see which demon fought for control but guessed it was the Gigas given the size of his form. Vincent hovered menacingly over Luxiere with hunched shoulders, his body hidden from her full view.
Luxiere found it impossible to push his attacker away, and Vincent barely moved as he slammed Luxiere back at each renewed attempt. "Fuck!" Luxiere yelled at his captor but ceased his struggle when he noticed Vincent's face. Tifa didn't need a clear line of vision to know what he saw. She had witnessed the transformation many times and understood the terror at seeing it for the first time.
"What the fuck?!" Panicked, the SOLDIER tried to break free, but Vincent's hold continued to brace Luxiere against the wall, preventing him from going anywhere. He could only stare at the form in front of him in shock.
A few moments passed in which no one moved. Tifa glanced at Rude as he backed away slowly, not wanting to interfere with the conflict that had quickly escalated into the Turk seeing firsthand what he probably already knew from ShinRa files. Tifa slowly approached Vincent with apprehension but a willingness to intervene before anything worse happened. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and felt him shaking under the cape. "Vincent?" She kept her voice soft and comforting.
Vincent roughly pushed Luxiere to the side and hastily turned away from the other two before facing Tifa. She sighed in relief that his face had eased back into his own, but his frame had yet to return to normal. She thought she caught a look of shame briefly cover his face. The glint of yellow passed over his eyes again, and he shut them quickly, slowly exhaling and taking a deep breath. His body seemed to respond to the technique, and he trembled violently as he reverted and shrunk into his proper form.
Tifa knew to be cautious and waited wordlessly for the moment to pass. She reached up with both hands and cradled his face, staring into his eyes as he concentrated his efforts on breathing.
"You're in control, Vincent," she whispered to him, hoping that Rude and Luxiere did not hear his struggle. She kept her voice even and soothing, hoping to calm him with a reassuring presence. "Everything is fine. There's no danger."
He finally opened his eyes to look down at her, and she was relieved to see the usual shade of crimson. She heard a snigger behind her and gave an indignant look to Luxiere, who regarded them with open derision.
"What the fuck was that? Huh?" No one answered him as Luxiere looked at them in horror. "Looks like those rumors about you are true." He let out a disgusted snicker when his taunt received no response.
"You get tired of your poser boyfriend for this freak show?" He asked her with a sneer and loudly let out a derisive laugh when her head inadvertently plunged in a downward, almost shamed movement. His mockery was too outrageous, and she held tightly to Vincent, almost willing him not to hear the jeering directed at them.
"All of you are pathetic. I'm outta here."
"Where are you going?" She snapped at him as he walked down the now open corridor.
"To find some monsters to kill. You guys can catch up to me if you like. But it looks like you've got your own monsters to handle," he called out before disappearing behind the rubble his arrogance created.
Once the SOLDIER was out of sight, Rude put words to her thoughts. "We're better off without him."
"Agreed," Vincent said with a strained tone. He pulled an elixir from his pocket and swallowed the contents. A few moments passed as Vincent let the medicine run its course, and Tifa and Rude waited patiently. Although he had no visible injury, Tifa knew that the transformations could leave him drained of energy. Once recovered, he stood to his full height and addressed them in a natural tone. "We can report him as AWOL when we get back. I won't be babysitting again. Let's go."
If witnesses to his affliction bothered him, Vincent didn't let it show. He quickly recovered from the humiliation she knew he could suffer at the display. Thankfully, Rude remained a steadfast professional and kept his thoughts to himself.
They went back the way they came, turning toward the living quarters that the others would have ignored on their way to the laboratories. The corridor was darker through this passage. This portion of the underground facility had not suffered as much damage, and no light streamed through holes in the walls or ceilings. Their flashlights chased the shadows, and every scurrying echo had Tifa jumping in her boots.
They stopped at each door and listened carefully for sounds of movement or growls. They opened each room, checking for any useful drives but came up empty. Rude picked the locks of the secured doors, although the effort proved fruitless. They uncovered nothing but shadows, and Tifa felt the darkness creep around her like a cold blanket and wanted to complete their objective as soon as they could.
"Why are we searching the dorms?" Tifa whispered her question, and her tremulous voice betrayed her efforts to appear courageous. Vincent slowed his pace to walk nearer to her, glancing over his shoulder and giving her a concerned look.
"We're checking for any personal computers. You never know what people stored on them." He continued within closer proximity to her, and she felt some of the fright of the haunted corridor alleviated with his presence. Rude followed at a close distance, and if she peered over her shoulder, she could see him keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.
It almost seemed that none of the former residents were allowed personal devices. Unusual, even for ShinRa. Every room was devoid of anything electronic, other than the lights and a couple of TVs. Otherwise, the dormitories only housed the barest of essentials for living comfortably.
As they turned a corner, they noticed a small light emitting from beneath a doorway. Vincent approached the door with curiosity and turned to them with a hand signal to keep their silence. He stood still next to it, listening for any sound coming from within. Vincent slowly tested the doorknob and found it readily turned to allow entry. He opened it a crack, moving with muted caution as he peered into the room.
He crouched behind the door with his gun drawn and flung it open as Rude stood behind, both pointing their guns into the room in opposite directions. Vincent carefully walked through, followed closely by his newfound partner. Tifa kept her distance but followed the two into the room.
It contained a single bed in one corner and all manner of furniture you would expect to find in a dormitory. Footlocker, desk, nightstand, and a small bathroom adjoining with the room next door—the perfect barracks. It was the bathroom light that had been left on and streamed light into the corridor.
"Anything?" Vincent asked, and Rude combed the room with a skillful and meticulous inspection. Tifa was awed at how well the two of them worked together. Their similar training was evident in their stealthy movements and professional approach to each discovery, serving as a reminder that Vincent had once been a Turk, too. Sometimes she forgot that little truth.
"I don't hear a generator, must be in the labs. There's a cable leading under the door and down the hall. Forgot the light on, but this room hasn't been slept in for days, maybe weeks. Check next-door?" Rude answered and waited for Vincent to agree with a nod before proceeding to the adjoining door to examine the lock. The door gave in, and Rude squatted in the same manner Vincent had when they entered the room. Vincent appeared over his shoulder, and they swung the door open.
The room was as devoid of life as the other, although the bed was unmade, and laundry piled up near a dresser against the opposite wall. Vincent peered at the contents on the desk, finding nothing of value. He moved to the bathroom and ran a finger along the bristles of a toothbrush sitting upright in a cup. Rude returned to the previous room, looking through its contents, and found nothing to reveal the lurker's identity in the otherwise abandoned residence.
"Whoever it is may be hiding close by," Vincent said in a hushed tone as he moved back through the room and toward the corridor. "Move quietly." He crossed the hallway and tested the other doors in the same way, each time Rude offering him cover as they swept the spare rooms. Tifa couldn't imagine anyone surviving down here alone, but none of the other rooms appeared occupied. There was no evidence of a group of people calling the haunted facility home, only those two rooms.
The cables led to a communal recreation room. It looked as expected with couches, a TV, bookshelves, a pool table, and other games the residents must have once enjoyed. They continued walking to the opposite side, following the cables that extended through an open doorway leading into another corridor. A sign on the wall indicated the next area to be "Infirmary—Research—Development" or, as they understood—the laboratories. Doors that had once been secure from uncleared entry now propped open. They walked through and turned toward a fully lit corridor that led to various labs. The source of the electricity remained a mystery as no sound from a generator could be detected.
Tifa suddenly heard sounds of a battle in progress with Cloud shouting orders. "Don't be sloppy!"
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Relax, Mr. First Class." Reno's sarcasm echoed through the hallway back to them.
"Let's hurry," Vincent looked over his shoulder at Tifa and waited for her and Rude to run past him before he sprinted behind them to follow.