"I don't want to calm down. That freak took my daughter, I know he did!"
"I live in Nibelheim too, Barret. Does that make me a suspect?"
"He didn't live in Nibelheim," said Barret, "He was in a friggin' coffin! Anyhow, you're still here. Who else would have done something like this."
"Anyone," said Red thoughtfully. "You forget, Barret, not all of our enemies died when Sephiroth did."
Barret fell down on the couch and sunk his face into his hands. "I don't want my little girl to be hurt s'all. She been through too much as it is. I thought she was safe now."
Yuffie sat down next to him and put her arm around his wide shoulders. "She'll be okay."
"How do you know?"
"I just do. It says in the letter that she won't be hurt if we go and find her. I say, we go and find her. Cid's already at the Highwind getting ready for take--"
Cid came crashing into the living room, his eyes full of rage. "The airship. She's gone. Fucking bastards must've taken her too. GodDAMMIT!" He slammed his fist into the wall, cracking it.
"How the hell are we going to get to Nibelheim now?" Barret said frantically.
"Calm down, big fella," said Yuffie, squeezing his shoulders a bit.
"You have other means of transportation, don't you, Cid?"
"I've got the Big Bronco, but that's in Rocketown."
"We can take a boat from Junon to Nibelheim. That's the quickest way," said Cloud with a nod. "Let's get our things together. It's time for one last adventure."
As soon as the Highwind left the ground, the big man put Marlene down. The three that had abducted and another who was piloting the ship, the young woman who Cid had called Dana, were on the bridge. They took off their ski masks. The one that had first come into her room had skin the color of mud, bald and menacing. The second, smaller man, who had written the note had messy red hair tied into a haphazard knot behind his head and scars under each eye. The third had long black hair and a tattooed dot between and above his narrow eyes.
She sat on the floor where the third man had set her and hugged her knees into her chest. She stayed that way the entire night, refusing to allow herself sleep.
When the sun rose, the black haired man kneeled in front of her. "I'm Tseng." He nodded towards the red haired man, "That's Reno, the other guy's Rude and the lady over there is Elena. We aren't going to hurt you."
"You're a very special girl, you know Marlene? The boss has been looking for someone for a very long time, and you're that someone."
"My daddy will come and get you," she said with all of the resolve she could muster.
Reno chuckled. "I'm sure he will eventually. He just doesn't know where to look for you."
"But he thinks he does," said Elena laughing.
"Quiet," said Tseng, standing, "We don't want to upset her more than she already is."
"Why not?" said Reno with a smirk. He bent over to look at her. "She's not so tough. We could take her on." He playfully punched her in the side.
She looked up at him through her bangs. "Take me home."
"Sorry, toots," said Reno, "No can do. The boss needs you."
"Who's that?"
"I think I can introduce myself," said a new, but familiar voice. The blue eyed man, his goggles gone, strutted onto the bridge. His white coat rustled in the wind.
She gasped and struggled to push herself further away from him, but Reno took hold of her shoulder and kept her in place.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
He smiled strangely, a smile that didn't seem accustomed his face. "I am many people. This person that you see." He made a gesture to his body, "This is Rufus. He's not coherent at the moment, so I'm in charge until he feels a little better."
"I-I know you," Marlene looked around frantically, "I know all of you. You were the Turks. Rufus was in charge of Shinra. D-daddy told me."
"Bing bing bing! Tell her what she's won!" Reno laughed. Tseng gave him a harsh look but said nothing.
"Yes," Rufus said, slowly walking towards her. He bent over and took hold of her chin, forcing her to stand, "You know us. You'll know us even better soon enough." He let go over her and she stumbled back. Tseng steadied her. "Elena, how far to Midgar?"
"Only a few minutes. Wow, this thing is fast. We should have stolen it a long time ago."
"Marlene, my dear," Rufus said slowly, "You're going to take part in a little experiment I started a few years ago, before I was in this body. Soon, you will never be alone again. You don't like being alone do you?"
Marlene looked at him, unsure of how to answer, afraid of what he meant. She backed away from him, against Tseng.
"Why, Tseng, I think you have a new little friend. Soon, she's going to be a very powerful friend to have." He stepped forward and ran his hand through her hair, "Soon, this little brain of yours is going to be expanded beyond anything you could ever imagine." He smiled, then turned towards Reno, "Go check on the other."
"Yes sir."
"Your father has found the note we left him by now. They are on their way to Nibelheim to save you." He rubbed his the palms of his hands together and chuckled to himself, "By the time they realize that it's only a distraction, it will be too late."
She felt tears of fear stinging her eyes, but Tseng but a comforting hand on her shoulder. Somehow, she trusted him, but she doubted that he would or could stop what was going to happen. Whatever that was.
