After the brief meeting with Rufus and the others, Cheryl spent most of the day Sunday worrying about how things would play out. She wasn't sure if she was happy or not that she hadn't gotten a call from Tseng to give her an update. The last she heard from him was a quick text that afternoon to let her know he would meet her after work the following day.
The way he made a point of it did have her worried, though. She had assumed they would meet before he had to go talk to the others, but the text combined with his general lack of communication had her hackles raised. At least they had left off the evening before on a better note after he had walked her home. She did her best not to let the upcoming meeting worry her as she went to sleep that night and prepared for work the next day.
Cheryl was even more distracted that day than she had been for the previous weeks, and it showed. For the first time since she had started working as the Soldier secretary, she was unable to focus and get all her planned work completed. It was obvious enough that even Commander Hewley stopped in to ask if she was feeling well. The visit made her feel guilty on top of worried, but she was able to assuage his concern and actually managed to get a lot done in the little left of the day.
Thankfully, her guilt and subsequent busy streak served to get her through to the end of her shift. Once 17:00 rolled around, she put everything away and then hesitated. Tseng had said they would be meeting, but she wasn't sure if he was coming to get her or not. She only waited five minutes after the hour before she decided that sitting and waiting would drive her nuts. Instead, she decided to head to his office. The worst that could happen was for them to miss each other, but she knew he would reach out if that was the case.
She was almost grateful when she reached the elevator just in time to see Tseng step off. He raised one brow at her presence but didn't comment. Instead, he held out a hand as he said, "I assume you are ready to go?"
Cheryl ignored the dirty looks Tseng received from the two Soldiers that had been on the elevator with them as she tried to force a smile and took the offered hand. "As ready as ever." Hopefully, the act worked well enough for any watchers to believe they were just going out for a date.
Cheryl was not at all shocked when he led her down to Sector 6, but she was surprised when he didn't turn down the street toward the Honeybee. Instead, he took her down an even more familiar path that led to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. She gave him a skeptical look when he stopped in front of Mr. Takeda's place.
She paused a few steps from the door, but Tseng did not seem perturbed. Instead, he pulled her closer and whispered, "While this place does not have the anonymity of a large crowd, I can be assured that it has no place for spies or their tools. It is not wise to attend the same venue twice. Besides, there are no places a person could hide from me in this area. We have not been followed."
Cheryl let out a long breath before she gave him the best smile she could muster. Even with his explanation, she was still worried about what was to come. Though, she didn't bother saying that aloud.
When her silence continued, Tseng pulled her to the door but paused again once his hand was on the knob. The look he gave her was still professional, but there was a storm in his eyes that he could not conceal as he said, "I have not heard from any of these men what their opinions are, but trust that I will allow no harm to come to you. I have already made arrangements with Mr. Takeda if the need arises."
Cheryl wasn't sure how she felt about his announcement. Part of it was warmth that he cared enough to do so, but it also increased her worry about what they might be facing. That didn't include her concern for Mr. Takeda. He had no part in any of this, and it pained her that he might get involved. Not that she was given time to stress about any of it. Tseng already had the door open and pulled her in behind him.
When they entered, the first thing Cheryl noticed was that both tables had been pushed together, but there were only two people seated at them. Veld was not there. His absence made Cheryl tense, and she felt it from Tseng as well, even if his face didn't show it. Thankfully, the other two did not seem to be bothered.
Rufus stood as they approached and gave Cheryl a professional smile that instantly had her on edge. It wasn't his typical smirk, but that didn't make it better. Neither did the way he dipped his chin and said, "It is a pleasure to see you here tonight, Miss Valliere. After the last meeting, I feared Tseng would not allow you to attend."
Cheryl had no idea what his sudden politeness was about, but she tried not to let it show as she said, "Well, I do have pertinent information, as we already discussed, but it is my choice to be here or not."
Rufus shot a smirk at Tseng, but the man didn't rise to the bait. Thankfully, they were not given a chance to continue the conversation. Mr. Takeda came from the back bearing a tray with five cups and a pot of tea. However, all eyes had turned toward the door when it opened, and a frowning Veld walked in.
Cheryl had to swallow to keep her nerves from showing when his gaze passed over her. At least he didn't seem as livid as he had the last time she had seen him. Although she was shocked to see him give Mr. Takeda a polite nod and greeting before the man left them alone once more.
Since everyone was there, Rufus gestured toward the table and said, "Why don't we have a seat. I believe we have much to discuss."
Tseng took the seat right next to Cheryl and covered her hand under the table in a comforting gesture as he said, "Now that you have all had a chance to see the information, we can decide what needs to happen."
Lazard looked troubled as he said, "You sound as though you believe we will all be on the same page."
Much to Cheryl's surprise, Rufus was the one to look over with a sharp-eyed gaze and say, "After reading all of that, I see no reason why we should not be. You and I already had a common goal."
Lazard still looked troubled as he took a deep breath and said, "I suppose you are correct, but given everything on that disc, every one of us would be eliminated if we do not move carefully."
Veld finally turned to Cheryl and said, "I agree that the information provided is all valid and needs to be addressed, but it does not cover anything that you hinted at for our future. I still cannot say that I believe unequivocally that you are a cetra, but I also can no longer rule it out as a possibility. With that in mind, tell us what we might be facing." He paused, and his eyes narrowed for a moment before he said, "Tell me where Vincent and Felicia are."
Cheryl had been expecting Veld's animosity, so his last words were no surprise. However, when she looked around the table, she saw that the other two men seemed to agree with his question, as they were all looking at her with interest. Tseng was the only one to wear a frown, but he gave her a nearly imperceptible nod when their eyes caught.
She had not been sure if they would want to know the rest or not, but she was still nervous under their intense gazes. There was a slight doubt that she could not shake that somehow they would all find out she wasn't a cetra and she would have hell to pay, but for now, she only had one direction to go—forward. With that thought in mind, she took a deep breath to steady herself and then launched into a high-level overview of what might happen if nothing was done.
By the time she was finished, all four men looked disturbed at the very least—even Tseng, and he had heard it before. It took Cheryl every ounce of willpower she could muster to keep her hands still in her lap while they tried to digest the information she had given them.
Several minutes passed before Veld looked over, and Cheryl could tell he was trying not to glare at her as he asked, "So you are saying that Vincent is in Nibelheim, and so are the remains of that thing that was dug up? What of Felicia?"
Cheryl somehow managed not to flinch at his poorly concealed rage as she said, "Yes, that is correct. As for Felicia, I can't say exactly where she is, but—" She cut off and then turned to Rufus. "I believe someone here might be able to point us in the right direction."
Rufus cocked his head slightly and gave her a curious look. She ignored the warning she could read in his eyes as she said, "Felicia is currently the leader of Avalanche and going by the name Elfé. With that being the case, you should be able to point us in the right direction, yes?"
There was a brief moment of silence as both Veld and Lazard shifted, and Tseng gave her an unreadable look. Rufus flicked a wary gaze to Turk second-in-command before he turned back to face Cheryl, leaned forward with narrowed eyes, and said, "That is a dangerous accusation."
Cheryl had to fight not to roll her eyes as she responded. "It isn't any more dangerous than this meeting. Every single one of us could be considered treasonous if the wrong person were to find out before we could take action. I am not bringing it up to prosecute you for your plans to enact what we are all here for."
Rufus shot another look over at Tseng, but before he could speak, Cheryl continued, "Don't blame him. You and I both know that he respects you enough to not mention your plans to me. I didn't learn it from him."
Tseng was still giving her an unreadable look, and she couldn't help but wonder if he thought she really had been spying, but now wasn't the time to ask. She hoped he trusted her enough to believe her when she tried to explain—later.
By that time, Rufus seemed to have gathered himself once more, and she did not like the look in his eyes as he turned a cold smirk in her direction and said, "If he is so loyal, what do you think would be the outcome if I ordered him to eliminate you as a threat?"
Cheryl's heart suddenly felt like it was trying to race from her chest, and she leaned away from him. Her attention was snagged when she saw Tseng's mask crack, and he glared at the young vice-president for a moment before he could reel it back in. She was almost grateful when he answered for her this time. "Sir, that is one command that I would not follow. If I may, it is not even a command worth giving. Miss Valliere is an asset, not a liability."
Rufus sat back and gave Tseng an evaluating look. However, before he could say anything, Veld interrupted. "That is quite enough. This situation is precarious enough without rocking the boat. Instead, we should focus on what our next steps should be. If you have the means to help me find Felicia, then there is little I would not do to make it happen."
Several tense seconds passed before Rufus finally nodded and said, "Agreed. Given all we have heard, it would be prudent to advise the three Firsts of what was done in the past before long. Though I believe it would be wise to have certain things taken care of first and a mitigation plan in place if things go wrong."
After that, the discussion fell into plans to take care of the current president and ways to keep the rest of the regime from tipping the balance of power again once Rufus was in charge. Most of it had Cheryl on edge, but she watched in silence. Now that the tale was out, her part was over—mostly. All she could do was hope that these three men had enough conscience between them not to make the coming weeks a bloody page in Gaia's history.
At least Tseng was by her side. He did not show any outward emotion, but his fingers were entwined with hers under the table as he offered her reassurance. She was sure he would have questions once they were alone, but she hoped his silent support meant he didn't doubt her.
By the time the meeting was over, the group had concluded that they would start with the top and work their way down. The outcome for some would depend on their response. However, Veld assured the others that he had ample operatives to conduct a simultaneous strike to keep the executives from escaping or requesting backup. It would take perfect timing but would not be impossible—not for the Turks.
Once that was all concluded, Veld surprised Cheryl when he thanked Mr. Takeda for the use of his shop for the evening and compensated him generously. She hadn't expected the director to know the man personally or be that genial after his near-constant frown for the previous hours. Not that she planned to say anything. She made sure to keep her mouth shut to stay out of their notice as much as possible. She was already too exposed, and she didn't want to make it worse.
Tseng and Cheryl stayed even after the other three trickled out. Once they were all gone, he loosened his tie and sat at the bar. A minute later, Mr. Takeda had a bottle of sake and a small cup sitting next to him. Tseng thanked him before he poured himself a drink. Mr. Takeda then turned to Cheryl with a small smile as he asked, "Would you like one as well?"
She managed to return his smile but shook her head. "No, thank you. But if you have any more tea, I would love some."
His smile widened, and he nodded before he said, "I'll be right back."
After he ducked into the back, neither of the others spoke right away. Finally, Tseng broke the silence. "I will not lie and say my first thought was that you might be a better spy than any of my Turks, but for some reason, I simply can't bring myself to believe that. I know I should be wary now more than ever, yet it seems I fail when it comes to you."
Cheryl felt her insides twist. She expected his doubt, and it still hurt. Although that feeling was tempered by his inability to believe the worst of her. It was bittersweet at best. Still, she didn't let that show in her voice as she put a gentle hand on his arm and said, "I wouldn't see that as a failure. I know you have been watching me closely for some time, but I would hope that my actions tell you the same thing my words do. I love you, and all I want is to stand with you through thick and thin."
Tseng downed another cup before he let out a long breath and turned to her. He didn't say anything, but his hand covered hers on his arm. That simple gesture spoke volumes for Cheryl, and she relaxed.
Although, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Mr. Takeda right next to her. "I hate to see you dragged into this mess, but it warms my heart to hear that you love the boy. It isn't just anyone that can stand next to someone like him and not get left behind."
Cheryl felt her ears burning; she was suddenly so embarrassed. She had all but forgotten they were still in public. Although, the look he gave her helped sober her so that she could provide a coherent answer. "I knew what his job was before I fell in love with him. I can't claim to know every little thing, and I'll be the first to say I probably don't want to, but that doesn't mean I will turn away if I found out. Those three words are meaningless unless I plan to back them with actions, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that message is clear."
Her cheeks were still burning, but warmth welled up when Mr. Takeda grinned and poured her a cup of tea and another for himself. He held it up and wink at her. "Well said."
Cheryl almost chuckled when she heard Tseng make a nearly inaudible disgusted noise before he said, "If we are quite done discussing my private affairs, then I believe it is time I took you home. It's late, and this will be a long week for everyone." His reminder chilled the last of the heat from Cheryl's cheeks, but she still managed to thank their host once again before Tseng took her arm and led her back toward the train station.
The trip was quiet between them and more than a little awkward for the first time in some time. Cheryl couldn't speak for Tseng, but she knew there was a lot she wanted to tell him and not nearly enough time now that things had been set in motion. She almost felt overwhelmed when she thought about what her life would be like in less than a week. It certainly wouldn't be the same. Although, all she could do was hold onto the hope that it had to be better than what could have been.
Cheryl was a little shocked that Tseng gestured for them both to enter her apartment instead of wishing her a quick goodnight. At least she didn't have to wonder for long. As soon as the door was shut, he said, "As illogical as it may be, I want to ask you to stay home this week. Don't go to the Shinra building."
His words caused instant confusion and several conflicting emotions. She was glad he cared enough to be that worried, but it really was an illogical request. Instead of answering right away, she stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his chest while she tried to figure out how to respond. Her voice was quiet and muffled when she said, "Honestly, I wish I could stay away. But then I remember there are so many people I care about who are about to go through major upheavals. Now is not the time for me to disappear. Not only that, but I doubt the general would appreciate me taking off right after a two-week vacation. Plus, we both know it would be suspicious once the dust settles. I don't need any more scrutiny than I already have."
Tseng sighed as his embrace tightened. His voice was barely more than a whisper near her ear as he said, "I know all of that. Yet, I cannot shake the gut feeling that tonight will not be the last time you are called upon."
Cheryl felt another weight added to the knot in her stomach, but that didn't keep her from pushing back enough to look up at him. "Even if that is the case, I can't run away. Too much is at stake."
Tseng's eyes narrowed, but after a moment, his gaze softened, and he placed a soft kiss on her brow as he said, "Keep your head down and act as though it is all news to you. I will do everything in my power to ensure you have an escape route if necessary. Be wary."
Somehow, she managed a smile as she nodded. Though her worry had a knot in her throat, she couldn't speak past. Tseng seemed to understand. He briefly brushed his lips across hers before he stepped from the circle of her arms. The chill left behind had Cheryl wrapping her arms around herself as Tseng made his way out. He only paused long enough to give her one last haunted look before his mask was back in place and he was out the door.
A/N: Hello! I live! I know it has been weeks since I updated anything at all, but I am back. At least somewhat. Life and my brain have both gone crazy, so I do apologize for the wait, but don't worry that anything has been abandoned. As for the chapter, we can really start to see the tensions building again, and we are getting close to the conclusion. I hope you are all looking forward to it. Let me know what you think of the subtle shift in the relationship between Tseng and Cheryl. Thanks for reading and cheers!