Kidnapping and Phonecalls
Barret Wallace looked out of the window and called for his little daughter Marlene, who was playing outside with her new friend, a girl named Lucy. "Marlene! Get in 'ere!" "Yes daddy" Marlene answered, said goodbye to Lucy and hurried into the house she and her daddy lived in. She was eight years old now, and it was already clear that she would be what Cid called a "guy magnet" when she was grown up. Barret lifted his daughter up in his strong arms and whirled her around. "You're my little girl" he said with a grin. "Daddy, put me down!" Marlene giggled. "I'm getting sick!" Barret put her down on the floor again and smiled at her. "Dinner's ready, darlin'." he informed her. "What do we get?" Marlene asked. "Your daddy's best spaghetti!" Barret exclaimed (In fact, spaghetti are the only thing Barret is able to cook without ruining it). Marlene grinned at her daddy and ran over into the dining room to help Barret with the dinner. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the dark figure standing next to the window. "Hello Marlene." the figure said. "Who are you?" Marlene asked. "That's none of your business. Where's your daddy?" Barret entered the room and was startled when he saw the figure standing there looking at him calmly. "Hey dude, what are ya doin' in my house?" Barret asked angrily. "I don' remember invitin' ya." "Oh, usually I invite myself." the figure answered. "What do you want?" Barret barked at the figure. "Your daughter." The man answered. In the next second, the room was full of smoke. Barret started to cough violently. "Marlene!" he screamed between two coughing fits, "Marlene, come here!" There was no answer. As soon as the smoke cleared, Barret saw that his daughter and the unknown figure had disappeared.
Tifa awoke the next morning when someone roughly shook her. She opened her eyes and sleepy gazed at the man bending over her. "Cid? What are you doin' here in the hospital?" she asked. "Barret just called me. Some dude just kidnapped Marlene!" Cid explained, loud enough to wake Cloud. "Huh...?" Cloud commented and sat upright. "What?" Tifa cried out. "That's horrible! Where is Barret?" "At my house in Rocket Town. He tried to call you at Seventh Heaven, but since you are here in the hospital with Spike, he couldn't reach you." "Don't call me Spike." Cloud growled. "We have to travel to Rocket Town and take care of this sick dude. I bet it's the same guy who shot me and who attacked Tifa." he then continued. "You won't go anywhere." Tifa stated. "You are hurt, Cloud." "I don't mind." Cloud answered stubbornly. "Barret needs help, and we have to help him." "But Cloud" Tifa whined. "This guy shot you in the abdomen! What if your wound opens in a battle or something like that? All the materias aren't working anymore!" "I know." Cloud sighed. "But it's necessary to get this guy. Besides, Tifa, you know that the ones exposed to Mako heal faster then usual people." "Cloud, I'm just worried about you." Tifa said softly. "I don't want to loose you." "You won't." Cloud answered, gently taking Tifas hand into his. "I promise." "Okay." Tifa finally sighed. "I guess there is no way to stop you from doing this, so I might as well support you." Cloud smiled at her and looked at Cid. "I guess you'll also come with us...?" "You can @&%ยง$% bet on it!" Cid grinned. "Okay, than let's get outta here." Cloud ordered, his leader nature breaking through again. "We'll go to Seventh Heaven first, and get our weapons. Cid, do you have your Venus Gospel with you?" "Yeah, it's on the Highwind." Cid answered proudly. "Good. Tifa, I want you to call up all the members of AVALANCHE you can reach." "Okay Cloud." Tifa rummaged through her handbag until she found her cellular phone. She dialled Red's number and waited for him to pick up the phone, while Cloud and Cid prepared themselves for getting Cloud out of the hospital without anyone noticing it.
Red XIII was reading a book of his grandfather, although he had trouble turning the pages around with his paws when suddenly his phone rang. The elder of Cosmo Canyon sighed heavily and pressed the speaker button on the phone. "This is Red XIII speaking." he said. "Hey Red, it's Tifa." a female voice greeted him. "Hello Tifa. How can I help you?" Tifa informed of the latest events and the weird guy who seemed to be very angry at AVALANCHE. "This dude kidnapped Marlene, and we are out to find him." She finished her explanation. "Of course I'll join you." Red said. "Okay." Tifa grinned. "We'll come and pick you up with the Highwind." "Sounds good to me. I'll be waiting for you." Red hung the phone up and stared at a point at the wall. "So he made his promise true." he whispered to himself.