THIRTY-SEVEN

Madam M's hand massage parlor hadn't changed much, either. Still the same hand-painted illustrations decorating the walls, the matching pots sitting nearby, her dark, polished wooden desk with its lamp, pole, and little white masks, and the short hallway to the right leading to the room where she gave her massages.

"Ah, Jessie," Madam M said. "So good to see you again."

I smiled. "You too, M."

The folds of her kimono rustled around her as she approached me. "I must admit, when the plate fell last week, I worried about you. But I didn't know for certain that you were still in Sector 7 until Andrea told me the other day. And that you were hurt."

"Still am, a bit," I admitted. "That's why I'm here."

She nodded. "Of course. I see it in the way you're carrying yourself. But don't worry, Jessie. I'll help you get back up to snuff. Don't expect it to be easy, though. Because it won't be."

I hadn't expected anything different. "I'm ready."

"Good," Madam M went on. "I know many therapeutic techniques for soothing and rebuilding muscles. Mostly for hands, of course, but I can adapt them in order to assist you. It'll take several sessions to fully restore your strength and mobility, and they won't be short, I'm afraid. I'd say three to five hours each. But if you're willing to put in the work, Jessie, you'll soon reap the rewards."

"Then we'd better get started," I smirked.

She laughed. "That's the spirit. And don't worry about the price. It's already been taken care of. I don't think I need to remind you where to go, either. I'm sure you remember the way."

Biggs looked at me. "So do we just wait out here, then? Sounds like you're gonna be busy for a while."

"Yep!" I agreed. "So you boys just run along."

"You sure?" Wedge asked.

Madam M shooed them away with her closed fan. "You heard her. Now get going. And if either of you two even try to peek, I'll have your eyes on a stick. Do I make myself clear?"

He gulped and backed up. "Uh, y-yeah! Yes, ma'am!"

"Sure do," Biggs added, hurrying toward the door. "C'mon, Wedge. let's split. Jessie'll be fine. We'll come back later."

"Have fun!" I grinned.

Once they'd left, Madam M and I went into the other room, where she had me lay down on the cushioned table. Then we got to work. She used a combination of massage, creams, and other treatments I'd never heard of before to help soothe the hurt muscles in my arm and legs and get some of the tension out. She also tended to my bruised ribs as well. They'd been healing up well enough for the most part thanks to Aerith, but they were still a bit sore here and there.

There wasn't anything that Madam M could do about the scars on my arm and shoulder from where I'd been shot besides gently rubbing in more of her lotions and creams to ease the pain. They'd never really go away, though. And though Aerith had healed most of the burns that I'd suffered, my skin was still red in a few places—my elbow, part of my stomach, both my legs, a bit on the side of my face—so Madam M took care of them, too, soothing the stinging pain.

When she was finished, I sat up and put my shirt back on. Then we started on the exercises. These were a little different and more involved than the ones that I'd done with Tifa. It wasn't easy, and I was worn out by the time we finally got done about three and a half hours later, but I also felt looser and more relaxed, and the pain wasn't as bad as before. I also didn't have to limp as much when I walked. I still had a ways to go, but I felt a lot better than I had earlier.

"How's that?" Madam M asked.

I smiled. "Awesome! Starting to feel a little more like myself again. Thanks for helping me out today, M."

"You're welcome," she said as we headed back into the main room. "I'm glad to be here for you, Jessie. But remember, this won't be a quick fix. Come back tomorrow morning and we'll continue. I'll get you back into shape for your little heist, but you'll need to be at your best to win the tournament. So we'll keep at it until then."

"I'll be here," I promised.

Madam M laughed. "I never doubted it. And so it seems the legend of Firebrand will soon grow. Not only has she returned to Wall Market, she also plans to pull off a theft much more daring and dangerous than the first. And on top of that, secure victory in the coliseum before all of Midgar. You've certainly got a flair for the dramatic."

I grinned. "You'd better believe it!"

"Until tomorrow, then," she said, bowing slightly.

"See ya then!" I waved, heading outside.

There was one other thing Kunsel and Marissa had given me when they'd come down from the plate yesterday, and that was a new phone, a burner to replace my old one. Like so much else, I'd lost it in the plate collapse when I'd fallen from the pillar. The memories of that night still haunted me—the fire, pain, and death, the sense of responsibility that I still felt about the whole damn thing.

Not that it was my fault—Cloud and the others had helped me see that it wasn't—but because it had been my father who'd been behind it and flipped the switch. So many people were dead because of him, and too many others were hurt and homeless. There had to be justice. And I had to be the one to bring it. As his daughter and only child, I knew it couldn't be any other way. Sooner or later, I was gonna take him down and make him answer for what he'd done.

Although I'd been trying to keep up my typical cheerful front ever since I'd first woken up from my coma at Aerith's house, I couldn't help feeling a steady undercurrent of rage burning inside me like flames just beneath my skin. It scared me sometimes with how strong it was, and I wondered how long I'd be able to contain it.

I'd known deep down that Sector 7 was gone before Cloud had told me. I hadn't been able to save my home or even myself, and the pain of that failure and loss had been keeping me up at night. Cloud, so sweet, hadn't said anything to me about it, but I was pretty sure he knew. And that he was worried, though he'd never admit it.

I'd lay awake in bed for what seemed like hours, my eyes closed as I tried to sleep. But in my mind, I'd keep reliving the terrible battle in the pillar, wincing in the remembered pain of being shot, stabbed, bruised, burnt, shocked, and crushed, hearing the roar of huge explosions going off around me, and feeling the weight of the debris piled on top of me. I remembered it all with almost sickening clarity—I'd hovered near the edge of consciousness for a moment or two after I'd landed, enough to hear and feel Sector 7 coming down around me.

In the midst of all that, I hadn't been able to move or even open my eyes. Everything was broken. I was broken. And I was still trying to put myself back together again. Fixing my body was one thing, but… how was I supposed to deal with the pain and the memories? The only way I knew was to go after my father, but I wasn't really sure if it would give me the peace I needed and wanted. When I'd made love with Cloud the other night and fallen asleep in his arms, it had been the first time that I'd rested well since Aerith had saved me.

Anyway, as I stood on the path outside Madam M's massage parlor, I sent Biggs a message to let him know I was done, then leaned against the nearby wall to wait. He, Wedge, and Lena showed up a few minutes later, waving when they saw me. I smiled and went over to meet them, pushing the hard thoughts I'd been having aside for now. Didn't wanna worry my friends, although it was probably too late for that. Especially with Biggs and Wedge. They knew me too well.

"Hi, guys!" I said.

Lena grinned. "You're looking a lot better, Jessie! Guess your friend in there really knows her stuff, huh?"

I chuckled. "Sure does. The others still at the shop?"

"Went over there after we left," Biggs explained. "Kunsel'll have the battle simulator for you tomorrow—you know how rare it is to see tech that fancy down here. And Marissa's working on the ID's. Oughta have the ones for the train later tonight."

"Sounds good. What about the employee ID's?" I asked.

He went on as we walked down the street. "A few more days. Those are a bit trickier to get, but we'll manage."

I nodded. "No surprise there. We'll go in five days, then."

"Got it," Biggs said. Then he led us around a corner away from the crowds of people milling about. "So, what we're looking for at Shinra… you do know where it's at, don't you?"

"Of course," I told him. "A vault on the 60th floor. Kunsel filled me in about it yesterday. Weapons storage. Although a lot of the gear made in the division is kept there, it's all actually developed downstairs in the basement. The 60th floor's just the showroom."

Wedge scratched his head. "The basement? I don't get it."

"That's where Advanced Weapons Research is," I explained. "Never actually been down there myself, but as Scarlet's assistant, I knew about it. She doesn't let very many people from upstairs enter that place. Lots of rumors and strange stories about it, though."

"Like what?" Lena wondered.

I shuddered. "Human experimentation, genetic manipulation, that sort of thing. Turning people into living weapons."

Biggs grimaced. "Shit…"

"They do develop weapons and materia in there," I said. "I've seen and worked on projects that came up from the basement labs. But that might not be all of it. There've been whispers about a secret division of SOLDIER, different from the rest. Don't know much about it or even if it's true or not. But they're supposedly kept locked up somewhere deep underneath the Shinra Building. And I've also heard people say there's even another reactor down there."

"An underground reactor?" Wedge blinked.

"Supposedly," I shrugged. "Who knows if it's true, though. At least we won't have to go down to the basement. What we're after is safely on the 60th floor. So don't sweat it, guys."

Biggs nodded. "Glad to hear that. Anyway, once we get our Shinra employee ID's from Marissa, we'll able to go just about anywhere in the building, so getting there won't be a problem."

"Getting out again'll be the real trick," Lena reminded us.

"Just leave it to me!" I winked.

She smirked. "Sounds like you've got a plan, Jessie. Good to know! Anyway, when Biggs said he and Wedge were gonna come back to pick you up, I decided to tag along while Kunsel and Marissa finished up at the shop. They oughta be at the inn by now."

"So where are we off to now?" Biggs asked me.

"The gym," I told him. "Gotta go see Jules to start my training. You guys can stick around and watch this time if you want. And when that's done, I need to visit Lydia and Gant at their shop. I wanna thank them and talk about our disguises for the mission."

Wedge looked hopefully at me. "And then refuel?"

"Sure," I laughed as we got underway again. "We'll meet the others and all grab a bite together somewhere."

"We won't let ya run on empty," Lena giggled.

The gym wasn't all that far away, only a few streets over, and we got there only a few minutes later. Jules was there, overseeing the rest of his workout buddies as they exercised. There were weights, a tall punching bag set up in one corner, floor mats, metal bars for pull ups, and even a sparring ring off to one side. And I knew I'd eventually make use of all of it. I went to see Jules, still hobbling a little as I did but not needing to hold onto any of the others as much anymore.

"Hi," I said, offering my hand. "Name's Jessie. Your brother sent me over here and said you could help me."

He shook it and smiled. "Of course. I'm Jules, head trainer. Andrea sent word that you'd be coming. It's good to see you on your feet again, Jessie. My boys and I'll be glad to help you out."

I grinned. "Thanks. And for helping to save me, too. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you and your friends."

"It was our pleasure," Jules answered. "Just happy to be able to lend you and others a hand and put our strength to use. It's why we do what we do here. So, then, ready to get started?"

"Lead the way!" I nodded.

He gestured toward the floor mats. "That's what I like to hear. Have a seat and we'll start out with some stretches. I'll break you in slow and easy at first, but as you grow stronger, it'll get tougher and I'll push you harder. I think you're up to the challenge, though."

I pumped my fist. "You know it!"

"Good!" Jules said. "And as for your friends, they're all welcome to work out too, if they want. Whatever they feel up to doing, either alone or with one of my boys helping them."

"Oh, I'm definitely taking you up on that!" Lena agreed.

Biggs chuckled. "Ah, what the hell? Won't hurt to lift a few weights here for a while. So count me in, too."

I slapped him on the back. "That's the spirit!"

"You guys have fun," Wedge chuckled. "I'm just gonna sit here and watch. I'm not too good at this stuff."

Lena winked. "That's okay. I'll give you a workout later."

Wedge blushed furiously. "Oh, um… yeah…"

"Damn, sis…" Biggs groaned, shaking his head. "You do know I'm standing right here, don'tcha?"

"Making your ears burn, am I?" she teased.

He smirked at me. "This is all your fault, you know."

I laughed. "My fault? How's that?"

"Lena really looks up to you, Jessie. Always has," he said. "And you weren't exactly subtle when you went after Cloud. So I guess she took it to heart and learned from your example."

"Well, good for her!" I grinned.

That said, I headed over to the mat with Jules and got started while Lena hopped onto one of the treadmills lining the back wall of the gym and Biggs helped himself to the weights. Wedge settled into a chair and watched, no doubt glad to take a load off for while. I knew Lena would definitely wear him out tonight, though.

It'd be good for her, too. Seemed like she was finally starting to put the pain of what those Vice brutes had done behind her, and I was just so happy to see it. Lena deserved every bit of joy she could find after all she'd been through. It must've been about three months since a pack of thugs from Vice had caught her in the collapsed expressway. She'd been beaten, raped, robbed, and left for dead. Biggs, Wedge, and I had found her hours later, bruised and bleeding as she lay amidst the mako fumes that had made her terribly sick as well.

The guys didn't know about her rape—I'd made sure of that so they wouldn't go charging off for revenge and get themselves killed doing it. Only me, Lena, Dr. Morris at the Sector 5 clinic, and Elmyra, who was his head nurse and had looked after her, knew the truth. In the wake of the attack, I'd gone after Vice myself and stolen the chip back that they had taken from her. Took out two of their leaders, about half their loot, and really pissed off their boss, Braddock. That's why he'd sent his men after me, which was how I'd first met Cloud.

I still felt butterflies in my stomach whenever I thought about that night, how he'd just come flying to my rescue from out of nowhere. As I finished my stretches with Jules and moved from there to some basic exercises, I found myself missing Cloud and wishing I was with him. It hadn't taken very long after we'd first met for me to realize I was falling for him. He was cute, brave, strong, heroic, and more caring than he let on. Incredibly adorable and so damn hot.

My heart was beating fast, and from more than the exercise. Cloud just had that effect on me, even when he wasn't there. With an effort, I shifted my thoughts back to Lena again. She'd gone through a long and hard recovery, but she'd also had us to help her through it all. Biggs had stayed with her for a month or so until just before we'd torched Reactor 1. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

I'd visited her myself as much as I could, though my work had kept me busy. So had Wedge, and he just doted on her and absolutely loved her with every part of that huge heart of his. Lena was crazy about him too. She'd always liked him, but after how much he'd been there for her when she was hurt and how good he was to her, she'd really fallen hard for him. She loved him more than anything, and it was good to see her so happy after everything she'd endured.

After a while, Jules had me spend some time on another treadmill to really get my legs moving for a while, so I took the one next to Lena. I couldn't do much more than a fast walk for now, but I didn't mind. It felt great to be active and work up a sweat, and I knew I'd be back up to speed before long. So I just enjoyed the workout, chatting with Lena as we did our exercise together side by side.

We spent the next few hours at the gym, and when we were done, I gave Jules a parting wave and a promise to come back tomorrow. Then my friends and I left, making our way to our next stop. Aerith had told me where Lydia and Gant's shop was, so we found it easily enough, just up the street from the gym. I was moving around better after spending all that time working with Jules and Madam M, though I still wasn't all the way back yet. But I'd taken a big step today.

A girl of about sixteen or so was working behind the counter when we walked in, and I knew it had to be Lydia. She was humming quietly to herself as she carefully folded some clothes and hung others on a set of hangers to go back out on the racks later.

"Hi, how can I help—" she started, then froze when she looked up and saw me, her eyes going so wide they nearly filled her whole face as her jaw dropped to the floor. "Firebrand!?"

I smirked. "So I've been told. But you can call me Jessie."

She ran a hand nervously through her short brown hair. "Oh, wow! You're really real, aren't you? I-I mean, I saw you back in Sector 7 when you friends found you, but… actually getting to meet you… well, um, I never thought you'd just, you know, walk into my shop. Sorry if all this bothers you, by the way. I just, um, really admire you. Because of what you did to Corneo. It was really amazing!"

"You're fine," I smiled, liking her already. "And I was happy to kick his ass that night. I'll tell ya about it sometime if you want. But anyway, I was wondering if you could help me out."

"Me? Help you?" Lydia gaped.

I nodded. "You bet! I'm looking for a good seamstress for a job I'm planning on doing, and I hear you're the best."

She grinned. "Of course I'll help! Anything I can do. Oh, I'm Lydia, by the way. Sorry, just so nervous I forgot to tell ya. So what's the job, if you don't mind me asking? Another heist?"

"You could say that," I said. "I'll need disguises, though."

Lydia leaned in and lowered her voice so we wouldn't be overheard by any of the customers still in the store. "Ah, I get it! You wanna blend in and not attract any attention when you sneak into… where is it you were planning on going, anyway?"

"The Shinra Building," I answered. "Better keep it quiet, though. It wouldn't be good if they knew I was coming."

"Right! This is gonna be great!" she squealed eagerly.

Lena giggled. "I think she's excited."

"Hell yeah!" Lydia agreed. "So, Jessie, are these your friends?"

"Some of my best," I told her. After I'd introduced them, I went on. "We'll need to look like Shinra employees, especially me. I can't go into it, but let's just say I might be recognized if I don't look a lot different. I still could be, even with a disguise, but it's a lot less likely that way. And I know you and your dad don't usually work with men's clothes, but it's important that the guys look the part."

She chuckled. "Guess they're not up for doing what Cloud did, eh? Can't say as I blame them, though."

I laughed. "They're… not too keen on it, no."

"That's okay, I'll see what I can do," Lydia promised. Then she gave me an impish grin. "And speaking of Cloud, wanna see what he looked like in that dress? I've got some juicy footage from the security camera. I'm telling you, Jessie, he really sold it!"

"Oh, you bet I do!" I smirked. Then I grew serious again. "Thanks for all your help, Lydia. Not just with this, but for what you did back in Sector 7 after the plate fell, how you went over there and helped all the survivors for so long, including me."

She nodded. "Glad to help, Jessie. Especially for you. I didn't know it was your home, though. I'm so sorry about what happened. Seeing it from here was scary enough, but…"

I went around the counter and hugged her. "I know. It was terrible. But it's over now. Just gotta pick up the pieces and move on. That's part of why I came back to Wall Market."

"Well, anything I can do to help, I will," Lydia said.

"Knew I could count on ya!" I smiled.

She returned it as we let go of each other. "Thanks. Oh, and I know you've already got a lot going on with this job you're gonna do, but… I was hoping that, since you're here in Wall Market, you could look into something for me. If you don't mind, that is."

"What is it?" I asked.

Lydia sighed. "Well, you know how the sewers run under Corneo's place? There've been rumors that he didn't feed all his former brides to his pet, that he kept some of them imprisoned down there somewhere instead so he could have some more fun with them later. But nobody's ever been able to check to see if it's true."

Biggs rubbed his chin. "He's gone now, right?"

"Yeah," she answered. "He disappeared after the plate fell when the Shinra soldiers stormed his mansion."

"Anybody else still there?" I wondered.

Lydia thought for a moment. "Leslie, I think. Not sure why he's still poking around there, though. I've heard he works for the Trio now. So maybe they're trying to make sure Corneo's really gone. His thugs have left, too. The place is pretty empty these days."

Biggs looked at me. "Think we've got time, Jessie?"

"If there's even a chance that those women are still alive, they need to be saved," Lydia said. "My mom… she could be one of them, Jessie. I haven't seen her in six years, not since Corneo's men took her away. So could you look for her? And the others?"

I put a hand on her shoulder. "If your mom's down there, Lydia, I'll find her and bring her back. That's a promise."

"Really!?" she exclaimed.

"I gotta get this job done first, but yeah," I told her. "I lost my mom when I was younger, too, so I know what you're feeling and what you're going through. I'll do all I can to save yours."

Lydia threw her arms around me. "I knew it! Thank you so much! Ever since Corneo left, I've been hoping to find someone who could go down there and rescue her and the rest."

I gave her a thumbs up. "Don't you worry, Lydia. Firebrand's on the case! And she's got a couple other friends in town that you haven't met yet. One's a SOLDIER, and I know he'll be glad to help. There's nothing in the sewers those two can't handle."

"Oh, you're the best, you know that?" she gushed.

"Not so bad yourself," I winked.

Lydia and I laughed together for a moment, then she motioned for me to follow her. "Well, I'd better go on and get your sizes so I can start on those outfits for you guys. You first, Jessie."

"Ready when you are," I said.

She guided me over to one corner of the shop and had me stand in front of a tall mirror while she walked around me and used a length of tailor's tape to take my measurements. When she was finished, she did Lena next, then Wedge, and finally Biggs. While she worked, we talked and got to know each other a little.

"So how long are you gonna be in Wall Market?" she asked.

"About two weeks or so," I answered. "Until the tournament. Then I'll be leaving Midgar for a while."

Lydia chuckled. "Off on more adventures?"

"Something like that," I nodded.

"I'd love to go with you and see the world, Jessie, but my life's here," she said. "You'll come back, though, won't you?"

I smirked. "Oh, yeah. Count on it."

Lydia smiled. "Great! And when you do, I wanna hear all about the things you've seen and done out there. I've lived in the slums my whole life and always wondered what the rest of the world's like. Even just the open sky. I've never actually seen it before."

"Deal!" I promised.

"Mind if I come watch you at the tournament?" she asked. "I don't usually get into that stuff, but I'd love to see you fight. I just know you'll kick serious ass and take home the trophy!"

Biggs laughed. "Looks like you've got a fan, Jessie."

"The first of many, I'm sure!" Lena added.

"Sounds good to me!" I grinned. "And I'd love to have you up there in the stands, Lydia. We'll get you in."

She beamed. "Thanks! Can't wait to see you clean house!"

"Oh, it'll be a show, alright," I winked.

When we were done, we said goodbye to Lydia and went outside. It was almost nighttime by then, and after sending Tifa a text to see how she, Cloud, and the others were doing, I made my way down the street with Biggs, Wedge, and Lena. We were gonna meet Kunsel and Marissa over at The Don's Delight for dinner.

We were halfway there when I suddenly stopped short and quickly backed around a corner out of sight, urging my friends to follow me as fast as they could. And not a moment too soon. Just as we ducked into a nearby alley, a familiar figure wearing a dark blue suit strode through the intersection, his long black hair flowing behind him. Other people gave him a wide berth, and for good reason.

"Tseng…" I murmured.

Why was he here? What did the Turks want in Wall Market? Tseng didn't have any soldiers with him, so whatever it was he had come here for must've been something he wanted to keep quiet. Before the others could argue or I could think better of it, I decided to follow him, more than curious to know what had brought him to this town. I slipped out into the street, staying a safe distance behind Tseng and keeping him in sight as my friends went with me, confused but knowing better than to argue with me about what I was doing.

He made his way through the twisting streets until we finally came to a bar on the other side of town—Drunkard's. It was a bit smaller and a lot seedier than The Don's Delight, and I remembered it well enough. I'd been here only a few months ago about a week before I'd snuck into the Vice gang's lair and first met Cloud. A lot of thugs and brutes hung out in this place, and it had been a favorite spot for Corneo's lackeys as well. As I watched, Tseng went inside.

"The hell's a Turk doing here?" Biggs wondered.

"I don't know," I whispered. "But I'm gonna find out. You guys wait here. I'll sneak around the back and see if I can eavesdrop. I've been to this place before and know my way around."

He blinked. "You have? When?"

I grimaced. "Just before I stole the chip back from the Vice gang. I came here to do a little undercover research. Dressed to impress, if you know what I mean. And it worked."

"So what happened?" Wedge asked.

"I hit paydirt that night. One of their leaders was there, and I lured him over to sit with me, pretending to be interested in buying the chip. And in warming his bed for the night."

Biggs folded his arms in front of him. "Bet it worked."

"Like a charm," I agreed. "Once he'd dropped his guard, I roughed him up a bit until I got the information out of him that I needed. Then I ran. He and a few of his buddies chased me into that alley around the corner there, but the bartender helped me out. She and I totally kicked their asses, and then… I blew them up."

"You did?" Wedge said.

I nodded, not regretting what I'd known I'd had to do. "With one of my raspberries. They'd made the mistake of admitting that they'd been part of the group that had attacked Lena. I took out the rest later when I snuck into their hideout to steal the chip."

"Bastards got what they deserved," Biggs muttered.

"And then some," Lena agreed.

Just then, the door to the bar opened and a cluster of guys, a lot of them drunk, stumbled woozily into the street, complaining loudly. No doubt Tseng was the reason for it, but why did he need the bar cleared out? Just what was going on in there?

Once the last of the customers had gone, I turned to Biggs and the others. "I won't be long, guys. See ya soon."

"Good luck!" Wedge said, giving me a thumbs up.

"Thanks!" I smiled. "Later!"

Then I darted into the alley, finding the back door to the bar easily enough. It was unlocked, so I opened it and slipped inside, staying low to keep from being spotted. I knelt in a small kitchen, and the common room was right around the corner. I heard voices coming from it, and I easily recognized them both. One was Tseng, and the other was Elena, the bartender who'd helped me fight those Vice thugs. What did Tseng want with her? Was she in any danger?

I peeked out around the corner and saw them standing there in the middle of the common room, Tseng in his crisp blue business suit and black tie and Elena with her short yellow hair, long bangs swept to one side, light brown eyes, a long-sleeved red shirt with a gray tassel, and a pleated black skirt and matching shoes.

She stood tall and straight. "Sir! The bar's empty, as you requested. Is something wrong? What's going on?"

"You're being promoted," Tseng told her.

"Pro… promoted?" Elena stared at him in disbelief.

He nodded. "Yes. Due to injury and insubordination during recent events, Reno's been taken off duty for the time being. As a result, we're shorthanded and in need of help. So, effective immediately, you're one of us now, Elena. You're officially a Turk."

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. This was her other job? She'd told me the bar was only part-time but had been vague about the other work she did. Now I knew, and I also understood why she'd kept quiet about it. Just like I hadn't told her about being in Avalanche. This was really gonna complicate our friendship.

Elena could barely contain her excitement as she stood so straight she might as well have had a pole up her back. "Yes, sir! Thank you! I'll do my best and won't let you down!"

"Good," Tseng told her. "Report to my office in the Shinra Building first thing tomorrow morning. The president has some assignments for us, and I'd like to go over them with you."

"Understood," she said.

He went on. "You'll also be getting fitted for your suit. It'll be ready in a few days. We'll be leaving Midgar soon, and for two purposes. One is to track down Avalanche. The other is to assist in the assault on Fort Condor. I'll have the details for you later."

"Yes, sir," Elena replied. Then she shivered. "Tseng, are the rumors true? Has Sephiroth really come back?"

"Confidentially, yes," he told her. "But you're to speak of this to no one outside of the Turks and the executive directors. We've been given a third directive as well, and that's to investigate any leads pertaining to Sephiroth, his whereabouts, and what he wants. He mustn't be allowed to interfere with the president's agenda."

She nodded. "Of course, sir. We'll stop him!"

"Undoubtedly," Tseng agreed. "In any event, that'll be all. Get some sleep. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

"Will do," Elena agreed.

He started to walk away, then stopped and looked at her again, his gaze lingering over her. "And Elena?"

She blinked. "Yes, sir?"

"Congratulations," he said, giving her a faint smile.

"Thank you!" Elena gushed.

She watched him go as he left, her cheeks turning a little pink, and didn't look away for a long time even after he'd gone. As I slipped back out through the kitchen, I thought about all I'd seen. So, Elena was one of the Turks, and that meant she was our enemy. I hated it—she hadn't hesitated to help me when that Vice punk Tremmel and his goons had gone after me that night—and I hoped I'd never have to fight her. But I also knew that I would if it came down to it.

Elena had also helped me come to grips with what I'd had to do to them—until then, I'd never killed anyone before. But it had been them or us, and she'd helped me see that and accept the tough reality of it. So while I'd never like it, I could do it if I had to.

When I got back to my friends, I quickly hushed their questioning gazes and led them away from the bar. I didn't wanna say what I'd seen here until we'd met Kunsel and Marissa at The Don's Delight. So we left and made our way through the narrow, bustling streets of Wall Market as gaudy signs and all the strings of colorful lights suspended overhead came on and night fell over the slums.