Veld left the SOLDIERs to hopefully do as he'd suggested and take the day, and Rayleigh to continue her research, more than happy to leave medical behind and get back to the safety of his own territory. Vincent, as always these days, was at his back.
"I don't suppose you intend to take time off," Vincent mused.
Veld snorted, smiling at Vincent's little chuckle. "Too much to do to keep this from going sideways and you know it. You were groomed for this job; you know better."
"I find myself less concerned with the duties of the Director and more concerned with the mental health of the man," Vincent murmured, deep voice pitched low enough that it wouldn't carry - the only reason he wasn't given a look for the implications.
"I'm fine," Veld said. He could feel the weight of Vincent's eyes on him, could practically see the arched brow without bothering to look. "Don't you give me that look."
"It's a lot of stress," Vincent said mildly.
"I've been operating under stress so long I wouldn't recognize myself without it," he drawled, swiping his keycard for access to the Turk offices.
The bullpen was fairly full, and they all looked up when he entered, some more obviously than others. They knew what he'd gone to do, but not how it had gone, and he couldn't blame them for the low key tension. Out of the corner of his eye, as he continued in, he saw Reno knock his knuckles on the door to Tseng's office, doubtlessly relaying that they'd returned.
He inclined his head towards his office, meeting Reno's eyes, and got a nod. He pitched his voice to carry, still walking. "Maur, Rude, this way. Reno, grab Tseng if you would."
"You got it, Chief," Reno said, this time more obviously sticking his head into Tseng's office.
Veld vanished into his own, Vincent behind him, leaving the door open for the other Turks to trail in.
Reno was the last, closing the door behind himself and leaning against the wall beside it. Reflexively, Rude flanked the other side and Veld smiled a bit. The best team since him and Valentine, Anya had called them. She wasn't wrong.
He looked at the four of them a moment, then addressed Maur. "I'm going to have to ask you to dig up anything you can on connections between the Restrictors and Jenova."
Maur nodded thoughtfully. "Consider it done."
"Things nearly got ugly down there, and could again if we don't know what we're dealing with," Veld said. "As it stands, the Firsts may not be able to deal with the Restrictors, possibly not with Deepground in general."
There was a long moment of grim silence as the group processed this, and the implications.
"More Jenova bullshit?" Reno guessed.
Veld's lips twitched faintly, but he nodded.
"Do you think that's related to the 'Reunion Theory' things Hojo was working on with Zack and Cloud?" Maur asked.
Veld paused, considering it. In the midst of all this mess he'd almost forgotten that aspect of the little project they'd interrupted. "…that is a very good point. I'll run it by Rayleigh and see what she can find."
"Just like Professor Batshit to haunt us from beyond the grave," Reno said darkly. "What d'you need the rest of us do, Chief?"
"I'd like someone to speak with Aerith," Veld decided. "See if she picked up on anything, if she knows anything in general, if there's anything she can pick up with Zack - anything we can run with. And we will ideally sit someone on Zack as well."
"Balto, Cissnei, or one of us?" Tseng asked.
"I could do it, yo," Reno said. "We get on well enough. Save them for when he needs warm fuzzies; we can talk some business, too. See where SOLDIER's plans are, if they're out of the Deepground business. Can't see him willin' to let go entirely, y'know?"
"No, that doesn't fit his profile," Veld agreed; Zack Fair had never been one to drop a mission. Reinterpret, sure. But he didn't give up on things. Especially things he felt strongly about. "We'll have to find him a way to be involved, without being physically present."
"Barring Aerith or Rayleigh finding a way around the connection, I think," Vincent said.
"Do you think that's possible?" Tseng asked.
Vincent was silent, thoughtful, for a long moment. "I think there's a good chance something can be done. How completely… I don't know."
"Anything would be an improvement on that," Veld said.
"What happened, exactly?" Tseng asked.
"Apparently the Restrictor was able to influence his mental state," Veld said. "Zack specifically stated he was 'in his head' and there were signs of unusual behavior, more aggression for one."
"Zack's not usually what I'd call aggressive," Reno said slowly.
"No, and he's smarter than being aggressive and impulsive," Veld said. "And yet."
"Not a good sign. But why would the Restrictor try to make him more aggressive?" Tseng frowned.
"We don't know yet. I don't see any point in picking a fight with one of SOLDIER's best, myself, even if he somehow knew - or thought he knew - that he'd win it," Veld said. It made no logical sense, no matter how he looked at it. There was nothing to gain, and everything to lose.
"Another loose end, then," Tseng murmured.
"For now," Veld said. "It's like starting any puzzle. Gather up the pieces and get them turned around so you can get a good look at them before you start looking for the bigger picture."
"Yeah, still wish we had the box," Reno muttered.
Veld smiled faintly, amused. "No such luck. Take Rude with you, when you go to see Zack."
"Yeah, can do. See if we can't chat up Kunsel, while we're at it," Reno said.
"May I assume I'm to speak with Aerith, then?" Tseng ventured.
"You'd assume correctly," Veld said. "Hopefully, for the SOLDIERs' sake if nothing else, she'll be inclined to help where she can."
"I would think so," he agreed. "She's been quite helpful."
"Depending on what she has to say, she may need to talk to Valentine as well, but we'll see," Veld said. Vincent didn't ask him why, but he was sure he would later, assuming he hadn't figured it out by then. "And of course Maur, you'll continue your digging."
Maur nodded. "Of course."
"Alright. You all have your assignments. Dismissed." Veld watched them file out with a breath of a sigh as the door closed. "What a mess."
"It could have been," Vincent agreed. "I'd say we escaped the worst of it, for now."
Veld huffed, resting his head on clasped hands. "Maybe. We can hope."
"…you didn't need Aerith to talk to me, did you?" He asked. "Or am I to be the mediator between her and Chaos?"
"I did literally mean you, thank you," Veld said. "You're still my Mystic Shit Expert. But talking to Chaos wouldn't hurt, if he's got something to say."
Vincent tilted his head as if listening to something far away, gaze unfocusing. "He's in a bit of a mood."
"Tell him I didn't let you get away with that excuse, and I'm certainly not letting him. This could be a matter of life and death," Veld said. Vincent's lips curled in unmistakable amusement and he raised a brow. "What?"
Vincent shook his head, not answering directly. "He's still disgruntled over the Restrictor and wouldn't have minded letting Zack tear into him."
Veld hummed thoughtfully. "Does he think Zack would have won that fight?"
Vincent was silent, eyes flickering faintly with a golden tint as he and Chaos communicated. "Literally, he believes Zack has the power and general strength to do it. However, he isn't quite sure he's capable of the kind of combat that would require."
Veld considered this a long moment. "What, fighting dirty?"
Vincent shifted his stance, and his tone dropped slightly. Eyes flared gold, Chaos took over the explanation. "Mortal bodies are capable of such strength that they would tear themselves apart, were they to use them. The brain blocks that sort of strength, due to simple self-preservation. This would likely be much the same; while he has the strength and powers, he would be subconsciously unwilling to pay the cost. And he has not been trained to push past that, unlike some of his predecessors."
"You mean Sephiroth," Veld said, certain of it. Genesis had been plenty brutal, too, but there was less reason and opportunity for Chaos to take notice of him.
"Merely one example, but yes." Chaos shook his head slightly. "He is capable, but you cannot depend on that. If it comes down to a fight… it is unlikely the SOLDIERs will be able to spearhead the battle the way you've become accustomed."
"So… what do you suggest?" Veld asked. "Taking them out has to be an option on the table."
"All of them?" Chaos asked curiously.
"All the ones that are that big of a risk to general safety," Veld said. "The Restrictors. Probably the Tsviets, at least the colored ones…"
"Then you need someone stronger than both SOLDIER and Deepground," Chaos said. "How lucky you are to have such a thing."
Veld didn't like or trust that smile. That smile was eerily close to the one Vincent would give him before doing something he knew Veld wasn't going to like. And he already knew, deep down, what he was suggesting. "You can't mean Vincent."
"Of course I don't mean Vincent." Omega's Squire sniffed disdainfully, and offered a smile that seemed just a little too sharp. "I meant me."