Chapter 48

For a split second, the look on Veld's face showed utter shock, but Alex was impressed with how quickly he managed to hide it before he said, "Vincent? Is that you?"

It almost seemed like the ex-Turk hesitated for a moment, but his voice showed no signs of it when he replied, "Yes."

Veld's brow furrowed, but that was the only sign of his discomfort. "I was given a report that you were KIA. Where have you been for the last 20 years?"

That time Alex had no doubt that Vincent looked uncomfortable, but his voice was only slightly harder when he said, "I may as well have been dead. Though the reason I am not is a story better saved for another day. There are things we need to discuss."

Veld's eyes narrowed and then widened again when he caught sight of the other three in the room. He gave Tseng a stern look that carried over when he looked back at Vincent and said, "So it would seem. First, would you care to tell me why you are there with both my subordinate and the escapees we are after at the same time?"

Vincent didn't look rattled in the slightest as he said, "I have agreed to help these people for my own reasons. However, I do not believe they are your enemy."

Tseng made a disbelieving noise, and Veld looked inclined to agree, but that didn't stop Vincent from saying, "I have reason to believe that I am not the only Shinra employee Hojo has tried to kill—with the president's backing. Plus, we have two of the remaining Tsviets sent to retrieve Sephiroth and others. They killed their controllers."

Veld didn't speak right away. As much as he seemed to be trying to hide his thoughts, his confusion was evident. However, Alex didn't give him a chance to recover and find even more reasons to fight them. She squeezed Sephiroth's hand before she let it go and stepped forward.

Tseng looked like he was going to try and intercept her but paused at a heated look from the Silver General. Alex ignored it all as she said, "Director, Vincent is correct. Plus, you have a personal stake in this, even if you don't know it yet."

Her simple statement had all eyes in her. Sephiroth looked worried, but the other three were nothing but calculating. She ignored them too as she continued, "I didn't realize it when I met her the first time, but your daughter lives. Like many others from Kalm, she survived and was used in experiments by Hojo. Although she was one of the very few who survived, she didn't escape unscathed. Her memory is gone, and she now goes by the name Elfe."

If Veld had looked shocked when he saw Vincent, he was flabbergasted at her revelation. Although that look quickly became mixed with rage. However, whatever he was about to say was stopped when Sephiroth grabbed Alex's hand to get her attention. His eyes were wide when she turned to him as he said, "Are you saying the woman that is leading Avalanche is Director Veld's daughter?"

Alex nodded, but she wasn't given a chance to say anything. Veld had jumped to his feet and was leaning over his desk to glare into the camera as he said, "Nonsense!"

Fear and worry about what was to come were still dominant emotions coursing through Alex, but she managed to keep them down as she shook her head and said, "No, sir. I have no desire to reopen old wounds, but like Vincent said, we should not be enemies. I believe I can also arrange a meeting if you would be willing. As a matter of fact, I think it would be wise for you, Director Lazard, and Vice-President Rufus to all meet with us. I can contact Elfe and make sure she is there too."

Sephiroth was still by her side, so he gently pulled her around to face him. Worry was evident in his eyes as he said, "Alex, what are you trying to accomplish? The more Shinra employees we interact with, the more danger you will be in. I can't let you do this any more than you wanted to let me be taken back to Hojo."

Alex looked down to hide the fear in her eyes. Sephiroth wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean they could keep running. Since she had decided to embrace her goddess-given visions, there was no ignoring them and no going back. She kept her eyes toward the floor as she said, "I know it's dangerous, but there are excellent reasons for all those men to want to help instead of hinder us. If we are successful, then there is also the possibility that we can return to a new and improved Shinra. As much as I hate what the current leadership has allowed, the corporation is still the leading world power. We have hit a dead end here. This may be our only option."

Alex's jaw clenched to hold in the rest of her fears as they would do no good to voice. It was not something she had considered previously, but if she really wanted to find a way to mitigate any future mutations, Midgar was their best choice. It hadn't been a possibility before, but now—maybe it could be.

A gentle hand on her chin drew her from her frantic thoughts as Sephiroth brought her eyes up so he could look in them. There was still worry in his expression as he said, "I have nearly lost you once. I do not want to face that chance again."

Alex didn't think twice as she slipped her arms around the man's waist and allowed the heat from his body to comfort her as she buried her face in his shoulder. His return embrace was tighter than usual, but she didn't complain. It helped to hold her together.

However, before anything else could be said between them, Veld's voice broke the silence. "It would seem that you have made yourself some powerful allies, Miss Hewley. Will facing them be the alternative if I choose not to believe you?"

Alex pulled away from Sephiroth to frown over at the screen, but she wasn't given a chance to reply. Sephiroth did so for her. "Yes. I have already given my word that Alex will never be subjected to Hojo and his atrocities while I still live."

Alex let out a frustrated noise, but she didn't bother arguing. Instead, she looked at Veld and said, "Would meeting us be such a burden? If I am telling the truth, would it not be worth it for a few days out of your schedule? More to your point, if I'm lying, wouldn't it give you a better opportunity to bring us in? Don't you see that we have everything to lose and nothing to gain by being untruthful right now?"

Veld's raptor gaze never left her eyes, not even after she finished speaking. It was several seconds before he said, "I understand why you have asked me, but why ask for the others? Director Lazard has been assisting with the manhunt, and the vice-president is out of the country."

Alex's eyes narrowed as she said, "The vice-president is under house arrest at the Turk's remote facility for his attempt on the president's life. As for Director Lazard, have you really taken a good look at his face? Pay attention to the structure, and I'm sure you'll recognize an excellent reason why he might be interested in talking to us."

Veld barely betrayed his shock at her knowledge of where Rufus was, but his expression turned contemplative when she talked about Lazard. However, it didn't take long for him to figure out what she meant. His eyes widened briefly before they narrowed as he asked, "Why do you call Rufus the vice-president? That announcement was not made public until recently. I didn't think it would have had time to travel to such a remote location."

Alex sighed and shrugged. She had already decided not to hide her knowledge anymore, but that didn't mean she was keen on sharing her sources with people that would only see it as another reason to bring her in. Instead, she said, "Let's just say I see it as inevitable. Will you at least consider my request? I'm sure you could set up a return call with Vincent."

Veld's jaw clenched several times before he focused on Tseng and said, "I will contact you again this time tomorrow using this line. For now, gather all the information you can and observe Miss Hewley and the others. I expect a full report on what you find."

His gaze then turned to Alex, and she almost flinched at the hardened glare, but he didn't address her. Instead, he turned to Vincent as he said, "It's been too many years. Too much has changed since you died."

Vincent almost looked like he wanted to smirk at that last quip, but his gaze was direct as he said, "Yet some things never do. You may not trust her, but I at least believe her enough to validate the need for a meeting."

If Veld was swayed, he didn't show it. Instead, he gave a curt nod to Tseng before the line went dead. Silence reigned for several seconds until Tseng raised a brow and said, "I believe it would be prudent to get all the details, Miss Hewley. Perhaps we could find a better place to sit and have a chat."

Alex sighed as she tried to ignore the tension and pointed to the stairs as she said, "This way, gentlemen."

As soon as the group was up the stairs, they headed to what seemed to now be the unofficial meeting room. Bugenhagen, Nanaki, Angeal, and Zack were already there waiting. Alex was glad to see that the younger Soldier was smiling at her brother, and the tenseness between them seemed to have evaporated. That was one small win.

However, silence fell abruptly when Tseng and Vincent followed Alex and Sephiroth into the drawing-room. Alex tried her best to keep her temper in check when Tseng immediately started with, "I have agreed to hold my judgment for twenty-four hours, but I expect a thorough explanation as to why we should even consider a meeting."

All of the Soldiers tensed, but Alex ignored them as she tried to focus the group. "Most of what needs to be discussed should wait until we meet with the others. However, I would be happy to get you up to date on what we have been through so far. Maybe the rest of the infantrymen should be privy to this talk too, so they can see just how inhumane the current iteration of Shinra truly is. Murder, mutilation…rape—none of that is beyond the Shinra science department. Something the president is very well aware of."

Alex had barely managed to choke everything out, so she was more than thankful when Sephiroth put a calming hand on her arm. He was frowning, but he wasn't the only one. Zack looked even more horrified than he had earlier, and Tseng just looked pissed off.

Angeal gave her a concerned look that she tried to ignore. Not because she didn't appreciate it, but because she couldn't afford to break down with Tseng standing right there. She was almost thankful when the Turk said, "None of that has anything to do with my mission."

If Alex had been more prone to violence, she probably would have punched the man. However, she took a deep breath and clenched her fists as she said, "Nearly everyone in this room has lost something to the Shinra science department with the full backing of the president. I don't give a damn what your mission is, but I can tell you I would rather die than let Hojo get his hands on any one of us again. If that means I have to fight, then so be it."

She relaxed as Sephiroth's arm went around her shoulders, and even more when her brother stepped forward with both hands raised. "Okay, maybe we should all calm down for a minute." He then turned to look at Tseng as he continued, "You said we have twenty-four hours, right? Why don't we all sit down and be civil? There is no point in a fight if we don't have to."

Tseng was still giving them all a stern look, but he nodded as he said, "According to Director Veld's instructions, I need to know what happened when you left Shinra and everything since then."

Alex shared a look with her brother and the others that had escaped with her and saw none of them looked any calmer about the choice than she was. At least her brother's nod and Sephiroth's arm around her shoulder were enough to keep her grounded as she said, "Fine. You might want to take a seat because this isn't a pleasant story."

Tseng's only response was to lift one brow. The expression had Alex rolling her eyes in frustration, but she otherwise ignored it as she sat with Sephiroth on a nearby couch before she launched into a bare-bones version of the events since her kidnapping. She also included a tiny bit of information about the Jenova projects since they were core to the whole thing—just enough to answer most of his questions without getting too personal.

Once she was finished, she noted Zack looked rather green around the gills, but Tseng's mask was firmly back in place. Even though he showed no expression, that in and of itself was telling. His anger and frustration with the situation were long gone. Several moments passed before he said, "None of you will leave this building. We will wait to hear back from Director Veld tomorrow. Until then, stay out of sight."

Alex did her best to hide her frustration with the whole situation. She had to remind herself that so far, things were going better than they had expected them to when Shinra showed up. That also triggered a reminder that she had a promise to keep.

Somehow, she doubted Tseng would let her out of the building, and she wasn't keen on trying to ruffle his feathers. Instead, she turned to Bugenhagen with a sigh as she asked, "I have two requests for you, please."

The older man chuckled wryly and shook his head as he said, "I am sure you have more than two. We haven't even had a chance to look into anything, and yet it seems my assistance won't be needed for much longer."

Alex felt a mix of fear, worry, and sadness wash through her. If things went in the direction she was trying to point them, she doubted the Cosmo Canyon Elder would be working with her for much longer. But that was a worry for another day. For the moment, she had other things on her mind.

Somehow she managed a smile to try and ease his unspoken worry as she said, "Well, that is something we'll find out later. For now, I was hoping you could talk to Brian and let him know that one way or another, we will be leaving tomorrow and taking the Shinra troops with us. I gave my word that his village wouldn't be affected, and I plan on keeping it."

Bugenhagen's typical smile fell into something more somber as he nodded. "Yes, I will talk to the Mayor. You said you had another favor as well?"

Alex fidgeted for a moment. This one was likely not to go over as well. Still, it had to be done. She lowered her voice so that it wouldn't carry past the room as she said, "Could you please contact the elders at Cosmo Canyon and see if the Avalanche members are still there? If so, could you ask to have them on standby until after we meet with Veld tomorrow?"

Sephiroth was the only one that didn't give her a confused look. Bugenhagen was slow to answer, and the response was not unexpected. "While I understand the situation you are in, I did not take you for a person that would buy your freedom at the expense of another."

Alex sighed and shook her head. "I'm not. I give you my word. However, there is a connection between Veld and Elfe that may be the lynchpin in our negotiations. If we can at least keep an open line of communication with her, then we could end up saving more than just our lives here. I have no plans to let Shinra do anything to the members of Avalanche. If it comes down to it, I would be willing to help them escape—even Fuhito and Shears. However, I don't believe it will come to that."

Bugenhagen took a deep breath and seemed to contemplate for a few moments before he nodded. "I will contact the elders. If Avalanche has gone, they may still be able to reach them." He paused and placed a hand on her arm with a fatherly smile. "For now, you should rest as much as possible if we are to be traveling soon."

Alex managed a smile as she nodded. She watched in silence while the elder left with Nanaki following close behind. Once they were gone, she turned back to the others and sighed. Sephiroth took her hand in gentle fingers and squeezed lightly. She smiled at the action but turned to face Angeal.

She opened her mouth to speak, but it snapped shut as she looked around with a frown. Her eyes scanned the room before she said, "Where did Genesis go this time?"

Angeal smirked at the tone in her voice, but he gestured toward the door as he said, "He volunteered to check on the two Tsviets while you were talking to Veld. They have been semi-comatose since the incident at the reactor, but we all agree that it is unlikely they will stay that way. The cages they are in were built to withstand their enhanced strength, or at least that is what Vincent said, but it would be best not to take anything for granted."

Alex made a frustrated noise as she ran a hand down her face. She was speaking more to herself when she said, "How are we supposed to transport them while we try and meet with Veld and the others. If they wake up, things could get hairy."

Sephiroth gently squeezed her fingers again, but his voice was steel when he said, "I will not allow either of them to bring any more harm to you or anyone else. Whether we meet with Veld or not, we will be traveling by helicopter from here. If that is the case, the cages can be stored safely inside to keep either of them from making trouble if they do wake."

Alex wasn't sure if relief was precisely what she felt, but she nodded anyway. Even if they were murderous super-soldiers, keeping them caged seemed wrong—at least until she remembered all her interactions with Weiss when she had still been a captive. She tried to hide her shiver as she said, "Well, that's one less problem to deal with."

She then paused and looked out the window. It had been just past dawn when Tseng had shown up, so it was still early in the day, but exhaustion was already pulling at her mind and bones. She shook her head at the feeling. There was still too much to do, but she was in no shape to try and tackle it by herself. Instead, she tried to hide her grimace as she turned to her brother and said, "I think I may take Bugenhagen's advice. Would you mind waking me up around dinner?"

Angeal sighed as he pulled her into a hug. His voice was soft as he said, "Don't worry about anything but getting your strength back. Nothing will happen before tomorrow morning."

Alex could still see the haunted quality of her brother's eyes when he pulled back and smiled. The sight of it made guilt wash through her again, but she didn't say anything. There was nothing words could do—only time would help. Even then, she doubted any of them would be able to look at life the same again.

Somehow, she managed a smile as she nodded and turned to Sephiroth. His eyes held a tinge of pain as well, but his expression was no different than usual as he said, "Rest. One of us will check on you later."

Alex almost smiled. She had hoped Sephiroth would join her for a nap, but that was asking too much. She doubted any of the Solders would be able to rest at all while there were Turks and infantry nearby. She gave him a nod as well but paused before she walked out. She then turned and addressed Zack. "Thank you for being willing to listen with an open mind. Your companionship means more to my brother than he will likely ever admit to—so that means a lot to me too. I'm glad you're here."

Her smile widened when Angeal rolled his eyes, but he didn't refute her. The way Zack's smile grew into a grin did more to lift her spirits than anything other than Sephiroth's confession had as he saluted her and said, "It's no problem. I'm just glad I got the chance to prove that Geal is as honorable as I knew he was all along. You don't have to worry anymore. I promise to be here to help with anything he needs."

His exuberance drew a chuckle from Alex, but she could feel the exhaustion pulling harder. She did her best to salute back before she turned and headed toward the room she had been sharing with Sephiroth.

A/N: Hey! I'm back! Lol, I know it has been a minute since I have updated this one, but I have managed to set up a writing schedule that I am working on keeping. I', still in the making the habit stages, but I have acquired tools to help. For now, I have five stories that I am updating on a daily basis. With work, that means that I may not get much done each day, but I plan to have this one finished in the next few months. I know the slow down can get aggravating, but I', doing all I can. As for this chapter, it is a transition chapter. The next one will be partially as well but there will be action coming again before long. I hope you are looking forward to more interactions between Alex and Seph as well. For now, thanks for reading, and cheers!