Tseng strode briskly into the president's office, taking a seat in a chair as he did so. "You wanted to me, sir?"
"Yes, Tseng, what is this I hear of that boy…what was his name…Reno, I believe?" Tseng nodded unsteadily. "Well," the young president continued. "What is this I hear of him running off and joining Avalanche? Please tell me they're just water-cooler-rumors."
"Actually…no, they're not. They're true. Reno has turned his back on the Turks, and we believe it was he that helped the prisoners escape."
Rufus made a disdainful clicking noise with his tongue. "Tseng, Tseng, Tseng…what am I going to do with you? You just keep with holding information."
"Well, sir, we've already made up for it! We've replaced Reno with someone who far exceeds Reno's abilities, and we've even gotten them in as a spy!"
"Hmm…very well then. But next time something of this nature happens I want to be notified as soon as possible. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Very well, dismissed."
***
Zoë smiled from the security of her bed. Avalanche was quite possibly the stupidest group of people she had ever met.
I can't believe they don't even suspect anything. And now that that Lockheart girl's gone and gotten herself captured, my job'll be a piece of cake. Tseng will be so proud of me…
Rolling over, she yawned slightly, and few more thoughts fluttered around her head, but she was soon fast asleep.
***
James couldn't sleep. And it wasn't his fault. It was the person that was tossing and turning in the bed next to him that was keeping him awake.
"Reno?"
Grumble.
"Reno!"
Sigh. "What?"
"Relax. No one blames you."
"That's not true."
"Oh? Who blames you then?"
"I do."
James let out a heavy sigh. "Reno…I know I can't change your mind about this, but please, trust me. No one else blames you. And don't worry about Tifa. She seems strong. I'm sure she can take care of herself."
"Yeah, I hope she can."
"You really like her, don't you?"
"Huh? No! Well, I mean, yeah she's my friend and all, but I don't like her, like her."
"Sure."
"Hey, you're one to talk!"
"Shh…lower your voice, I don't wanna wake Reeve. What do you mean I'm one to talk?"
"Oh please, we all know you and that little ninja girl are head over heels for each other."
"What?! Me and…and Yuffie? Whatever!"
"Hey, let's just say we're even, and try and get some sleep, alright?"
"Alright. Goodnight Reno."
"'Night James."
***
While the rest of her team was safely tucked away in their beds at the hotel, Tifa Lockheart shivered in her cell. She couldn't shake the eerie feeling that had first crept up on her when Cloud had entered her cell.
At least they're not going to kill me…yet. Oh guys, hurry up and get down here! I don't know how long I can keep my sanity in a place like this…
The young woman shivered once more, then curled back up into a ball, hoping to get some sleep.
Outside her cell's door stood two soldiers. One of them stood, leaning on the wall to right of the door, and one of sat with their back on the door.
"I hate night watch! It's so…boring!" The one standing spit on the floor, as if to prove his disdain.
"Ah, shut your mouth, Reice. At least this got us out of battle."
"Hatcher, what is wrong with you? We could have finally been seeing some serious combat, and you're glad we're not? Man, you are such a wuss."
"I am not a wuss, I'm just smart enough to realize that this means we won't be dying quite as quickly! So just…shut up."
Reice let out a small chuckle, then slid down so that he, too, was sitting. "So what's this I hear about you having the hots for Briggs secretary?"
Caleb's head whipped around faster that thought possible. "Where'd you hear that?"
This only fueled Reice's laughter. "It's everywhere, man."
Hatcher grumbled under his breath. "Yeah, so I think the girl's cute, is there something wrong with that?"
"You think she's cute? Is that it?"
"Yes! And even if it was more than that, what would it matter?"
Reice suppressed any farther laughter. "No, no I suppose it wouldn't."
"Good. Then let it drop."
"Very well."
***
Far away in the distant city of Wutai, Jessie sighed thankfully as she lowered herself on to her soft bed.
Oh goodness, sometimes I hate my job. Why couldn't Tifa have been put on the undercover assignment? Thinking about that for a second, she answered her own question. Probably because she runs the bar…yeah I'll bet that's it. Oh great, now you're talking to yourself in your mind. Go to sleep!!
It was rather weird, trying to sleep when it was still light outside, but General Briggs had insisted that they get some sleep, most likely because he himself looked thoroughly beat.
I'm never going to get to sleep…I wonder how the team's doing? Maybe I should call them…wait, no that might a little risky here. She sighed once more. I wonder how Caleb is…no! Don't think about Caleb! He's dirty! He's the enemy! Just don't think about him…don't…think… With this unfinished thought in mind, she fell asleep.
It was a sound sleep, for she didn't wake up when Briggs slowly opened her door to check on her.
Looking things over for a moment, he decided he was satisfied and went back to his room. On the way back he tried to think of what had possessed him to check on his secretary, but honestly didn't know. Habit, he supposed. He used to do the same thing with his younger sisters when he had still lived at home.
As he entered the room, the general yawned and sat down on the bed. It was going to take awhile before he would get used to Wutain time. Hopefully, though, he wouldn't have to.
Let's keep this short and to the point, I don't want Godo thinking Shinra and Junon have gone soft.
Then, he too was overtaken by weariness, and fell back onto his bed. Ok, just a few minutes…of…sleep…
***
Alli Shinra stepped gingerly out of the hot shower she had just taken. It was about eight in the morning and she wanted to get an early start on the day. She had spent all of the previous day in bed, either sleeping or watching television, but she didn't want to do that again. Besides, she wanted to try and catch Biggs again. She hadn't seen him in almost a week.
"Ack," She looked at her reflection in the fogged over mirror. "I'm a mess!" After working furiously on her hair and makeup for a good forty-five minutes, she finally left the hotel room bathroom and went to her bag to pick out an outfit.
"Why don't I have anything to wear? Oh yeah, probably because I'm poor!" She looked up from the pile of clothes she had spread across the bed. "Why am I talking to myself?"
After awhile, she found an outfit that suited her tastes, then finally left the hotel, and made her way back to Tifa's Seventh Heaven.
Or at least, what was left of it. Upon reaching the street that it resided on, the smell of smoke filled her nostrils and she immediately noticed the burnt lot where the bar had once been. Several people were milling about the ruins and she hurried up to one of them.
"What happened?!"
The man looked at her like she had grown a third eye. "You don't know?"
"No, tell me!"
He looked around for a moment before replying, "It got burnt down."
"Well I know that! Was anyone inside? Was anyone hurt? How did it happen?"
"No one was inside, it's been closed for several days. Therefore no one was hurt. As for who did it…that should be easy."
"Why do you say that?"
His stare grew even more incredulous. "Who else would burn down the hideout of Avalanche? Them damn Shinra, that's who!"
"Av…oh man!" She mentally slapped herself. You just had to get the hots for a guy from Avalanche! Way to go!
"Wait, so did…Avalanche…get out alright?"
"Yeah, they're fine. They got out a day or two before this happened. They must have known Shinra was coming."
"Right…ok, thanks!" Without a word more she took off in the direction she came. She had work to do.
***
Yuffie yawned and sank deeper into the chair she currently occupied in James, Reno, and Reeve's room. She looked wearily at the others. Everyone was tense, but no one so much as Reno.
The Turk was pacing back and forth in the room, dodging people left and right. He dressed very sloppily, even for him. His pants were wrinkled, looking like he had slept in them, and he hadn't bothered to button up his shirt. Not that Yuffie was complaining about that.
"Ok…ok…ok…" He kept repeating that over and over and over.
"Reno," Wedge began, "Calm done. Having a stressed out Turk never did anyone any good."
"Alright," with a heavy sigh, he threw himself on to his bed, landing next to Zoë.
"So, what do we do?" Wedge asked everyone.
"Try and get Tifa out, duh!"
"Yuffie, try and act serious about this, please?"
"Sorry, James."
"C'mon guys, what're we gonna do?"
"We're thinking Wedge!"
"Biggs, you think?"
"Shut up!"
"Will you two quit arguing!"
"Ah, make us, Reeve."
"Why doesn't everyone just shut up!" They all turned to see Aeris glaring at them. "We're never going to get anywhere if we keep bickering!" A hush fell over the small room, and no one's eyes would meet each other. "Now then, does anyone have an idea about what we could do?"
***
Elena sighed as she and Rude waited for Strife to speak. She had to admit that, although she didn't like this man, he had a certain way about him that demanded respect. He was very quiet, and a bit spacey at times, but he seemed to know what he was doing.
"We shall be heading to Wutai to join the peace talks," the general informed the two Turks. "You're commanding officer will be meeting you there, and we will be transporting the victim with us as well."
"How soon will we be leaving?" The blonde woman couldn't wait to get out of the barracks.
"This afternoon, I'd like to wait for Avalanche, but they need us as soon as possible."
"Alright then."
***
The president of Shinra Incorporated took a deep breath before entering the conference room, which he could hear from behind the large oak door, was buzzing with the latest water-cooler gossip.
Exhaling, he swung the door open and entered the room. All conversation was brought to a halt.
"Good morning, everyone," He mumbled, almost shyly, taking his seat at the head of the long table.
"Good morning, sir," As usual, the first to respond was Scarlet. She just loved to make a good impression on a man with power. Rufus hated her.
Glancing around, Rufus noticed an empty seat. "Where's Reeve?"
No one answered. He had been gone several days, maybe a week. Hadn't Rufus noticed this by now?
"Umm…" Scarlet, noticing that no one else was going to speak, decided to answer. "He's…uh…gone."
"And no one bothered to tell me this?"
"I guess…not."
Rufus sighed. It was going to be a long day.
"Well, I hope you're all ready for the Wutain peace talks, because you're all going. I want you all to examine everything they have down there. Don't anything get by unnoticed. Now then, we leave in about two hours. Everyone should be at the heli-pad on top of the building then."
***
"Ok, so Reeve," Biggs started, going over the plan they had conceived. "You don't think that Shinra will have alerted the Junonian forces about you or Reno, right?"
"Right. They don't want bruise their image."
"So, we'll have you two take me and Yuffie in as 'prisoners' that you caught, and hopefully they'll lead us to Tifa. Wedge, you and Barret will be waiting outside along with James. Aeris, you and Zoë will wait back here and if you don't hear anything from any of us in three hours, I want you to get in contact with Jessie. Her cell phone number on the table by the window. Everyone got it?"
The others all nodded.
"Ok, so everyone go and get some sleep," Biggs concluded, "and we'll meet here at midnight. It should approximately twenty-five minutes to walk there, and another ten or so for briefing. By then they will be on guard switch, and we'll have a small window or opportunity. Remember, they will most likely be expecting us, so above all, don't make stupid mistakes. Be on your best guard and don't let yourself become another victim."
Sensing that he was done, everyone slowly got up, and left to go to their own rooms.
"Good night guys, see you in a few hours."
***
Yuffie sat uncomfortably on Aeris' bed, looking at the older woman.
"I'm really nervous about this, Aeris. What if I mess up?"
"Yuffie," The Cetra's voice, as usual, was calm and soothing. "You told me yourself that you are a trained fighter. And you're a very rational person. I'm sure you'll do just fine."
The young ninja sighed. "Easy for you to say, you get to stay back here with Zoë. I have to go into the mouth of hell with all the guys!"
Aeris laughed at the younger girl. "Yuffie! You're blowing things way out of proportion. I doubt that the people in the base even notice anything before we're long gone on the ship. Reeve and Reno both agreed that Shinra was too proud to have told anyone that two of their highest ranking officials joined the resistance to their cause. You'll be fine."
"Yeah…I hope. Hey, where's Zoë?"
***
"-and they'll be heading your direction at about the time of the nightly guard switch. It will be everyone except me and the half-Ancient chick, Aeris. We're staying behind in case anything happens to them." Zoë laughed into the receiver of the payphone. "I swear, I don't know what the big deal about them is. They're all a bunch of whiny, lovesick losers that decided that they didn't like this big company. I really don't see any harm in them."
"Now, now, don't get to confident. Reno was a Turk after all," The voice on the other line chuckled. "And a damn good one at that. Plus they've got that little guy that used to be in SOLDIER…what's his name?"
"Biggs, sir?"
"Yeah, Biggs. Plus they got that gun toting maniac, and that annoying ninja girl. Just don't forget to be careful. I don't need to lose another Turk this soon."
"Yes sir. I think I better go, I don't want them getting suspicious."
"Good idea, I'll talk to you later."
"Yes sir, good bye." Just as she was hanging the lobby's pay phone up, she noticed Reno walking towards her.
"Who were you talking to?" He asked casually, leaning up against the booth.
"No one."
"No one? You were just talking into the phone for the hell of it?" With a raised eyebrow he gave her a 'What? You think I'm an idiot that's just gonna go away?' look.
"It was just…my boyfriend alright?"
"Ooooh, Zoë has a boyfriend, huh?" His look quickly turned from pissed off to amused. "How come you never told us before?"
"What, I have to tell you every detail of my life? Why do you care anyway?" Her cat-like eyes slanted to an even more extreme angle.
"Hey," the man threw his hands up in defense. "Who said I cared? I was just curious."
"Well, stop being curious. Its annoying. Good night, I'm going to bed, not that you need to know." With one final glare, she stormed up the staircase.
"Ouch."
"I don't think she likes you, Reno." From the small adjoining bar to the right of the lobby, James came into view.
The redhead chuckled. "I guess not."
"You seem a lot calmer," the Cetra noted.
"Yeah, I guess I'm being optimistic."
"Nothing wrong with that, I think we all are. Probably thinking about how Tifa would handle this."
"Yeah…" He sighed. "She is always pretty hopeful." Not to mention just plain pretty…ah! Stop thinking like that!
"Reno, don't worry. Everything is going to work out, go get some sleep."
"Yeah, good idea. You should too," he added, beginning to head towards the stairs.
"Don't worry about me."
"I won't, bye James."
"Bye Reno."
***
Back in Wutai, Jessie watched the stars of the Wutain night sky from the safety of her room's balcony. It was about four-thirty AM in their time, but only about eleven-thirty PM in Junon.
I might as well start checking this place out. Someone in Avalanche should be familiar with what's going on around here.
Stretching as she stood, the young woman stepped lightly down the wrought iron, spiral staircase that connect her room with the courtyard. In the middle was a large fountain, at the moment it was turned off, but she could just make out two-figures conversing by it.
"So you think Avalanche has an inside source other than those two Shinra employees that work with them now?" That was General Briggs, so who was the other?
"EX-Shinra employees, you mean, and yes, I do. Someone who's close to the war. Neither the technical worker, nor the Turk would have access to the kind of information that Avalanche has about the war and what goes on back in Junon." Jessie didn't quite recognize the voice, but it sounded extremely familiar.
"Well…there aren't that many people who could be helping them…you and me are out. Who else could it be?"
"Well, I was considering maybe another high up agent, but even they don't have the kind of information that Avalanche has. It has to be someone close to one of us that knows everything going on." Who was that? Jessie knew she knew who it was…
"That could only be…a secretary?" Uh oh…
***
Reno tightened his grasp on Biggs' wrist slightly as they were approached by a guard.
"Are these the prisoners?" She asked, adjusting her helmet.
"Yes," Reno answered, glancing quickly at Reeve, who was guiding Yuffie.
"Right this way," she began to lead them past several halls of cells, only stopping when they reached the entrance to a different room.
She took out her key ring and quickly unlocked the door.
"In here," the guard gestured into the dark room and the group stepped lightly into it. Coming up behind them, the guard flipped the light switch revealing a circular, cement room…
With about a dozen guards inside.
"What the…" Reeve began.
The guard behind them chuckled. "What? You think we're stupid?" By now the four, Biggs and Yuffie both free from the grips of the others, were tensed and getting into fighting stances. "Ha! Maybe you do! Even you can't beat this many of us!"
"No…" Yuffie, concluded slowly. "But we can run like hell!" Turning quickly, she shot her foot out and delivered a swift kick to the woman's head, causing her to fall to the ground, stunned. "Let's go!"
The others didn't need her to say anything, they were already on their way out. As the passed the rows of cells, they could hear the guards tailing them, and even more joining the chase.
"Hurry up!" Biggs called from his place in the lead, several feet in front of the others. Reno was bringing up the rear, though he could go quite a faster.
They were rapidly approaching the door they had entered through when a shot rang out.
"Whoa!" Yuffie yelled.
"Don't stop!" Biggs hollered back to them. "We're almost there!" Within a few moments, they had safely exited the building…but they were a person short.
"Where's Reno?" Reeve, was the first one to panic.
"Oh my god he's dead! They shot him and now he's gone!" Yuffie was the next. They were still running, now on their way to the rendezvous point to meet the others.
"…damn it!" Biggs swore lightly under his breath as they reached the group gathered just beyond the makeshift fence.
"What's wrong?" Wedge asked. Before anyone could answer, he spoke back up. "Where's Reno?"
***
The object of their curiosity was at the moment, sprawled on the floor in incredible pain. The bullet had struck him in the lower abdomen, and he was barely clinging to conciseness.
"Alright everyone, back to your post. Hatcher! You and Reice come here and help me move this idiot to the infirmary, I don't think Strife wants them dead yet. You guys will be on the first flight available out to Wutai tomorrow morning." It was the female guard's voice, Reno thought, but couldn't be sure. Everything was blurry, and everything sounded like it a ways off and it was echoing slightly.
"Yes, ma'am," another rang out, and before he knew it, Reno was being picked up and drug off.
"Jeez…he bleeding everywhere…" was the last thing he heard before blackness took over.
***
Aeris waited by the window for the others to return. It was almost one. She was on her last nerve, but Zoë, who was sitting on a bed flipping through a magazine, seemed fine.
"I can't believe you're this calm," the half-Cetra commented. "I'm practically pulling my hair out."
"Practically?" Zoë smiled. "I guess I'm just not worried, I mean they all seem like pretty capable fighters. I'm sure they're fine. Besides, If they weren't, wouldn't they have called by now?"
"I suppose…but that doesn't make me feel any better." The brunette sighed and turned her head back to the window. After a few minutes of silence, Zoë spoke back up.
"You know, maybe-"
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
The two girls looked at each other, the Aeris ran to the door, throwing open.
"Oh my god! Are you guys ok?" The group piled back into the room, looking quite beat up.
"We ran into a bit of trouble," Biggs was the first to answer. "They knew we were coming."
"Where's that one guy…Reno, and Tifa? You didn't find her?" Zoë spoke up from her seat on the bed.
"Not," Wedge answered, "exactly. Didn't get close to finding Tifa, and as far as we know, Reno got shot and captured.:
"As far as you know?"
"Hey!" Yuffie interjected. "We were running! Trying not to get knocked off. We didn't notice Reno was gone until a few seconds after the shot, by then we were outside."
"Yeah," Biggs continued for her. "After that we met up with the others and began to head out, but ran into a small group of SOLDIERS that happened to be on the base at the time. Weren't too many of them but they put up a damn good fight." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"So now we're missing Reno and Tifa," Aeris concluded.
"Yeah…"
"Umm…" Reeve spoke up. "We still have our boat to catch tomorrow. I don't know about you guys, but I feel it would be best if we got out of here as soon as possible. It's obvious that we can't break the base by ourselves, but maybe with Wutai's help we could."
Everyone thought about this for a few moments. What to do…what to do. Leave their friends behind in hopes of getting more help…or stay and possibly get captured themselves.
In the end, everyone agreed to go ahead and catch the boat.
"Alright then," Biggs, concluded, jumping into the role of leader. "Everyone get some sleep, and we'll meet in the morning. Get everything you could possibly have here packed, cause we check out in the morning. Good night."
***
The sun beat down on the city of Wutai, even in the months of winter. The temperature, however was comfortable enough to walk outside in without frying.
Elena and Rude stood in the courtyard next to their boss, Tseng. They were listening to General Strife.
"Another member of Avalanche was captured last night. Your run away Turk, I believe. He's being flown here as we speak. I thought you might be interested in that."
"Thank you," Tseng answered for them.
"Well, I have to go to a meeting now, so, I'll see you guys around," He waved to them before turning and heading towards the main building of the Wutain fortress.
God I hate these meetings. It's bad enough I have to act like I want the war to stop, but the damn Shinra executives will be up there… He shuddered as he rounded a corner in the building, on his way to he conference room. Before long, he saw Zack turn a corner a few feet ahead.
"Hey! Wait up," jogging for a moment, he was soon in step with the other general. "Are you as excited about this as I am?"
Briggs rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, we have to face a bunch of idiots…and Hojo's going to be there." The dark haired man's eyes slanted, as did Strife's.
"Just try and stop me if I begin violently stabbing him through the chest, ok?"
Zack chuckled. "You got it."
***
Everyone else was already in the conference room when the two general's entered the room. They could feel everyone's eyes on them, but one pair stuck out. Hojo.
Indeed, Hojo was watching the two younger men closely, enjoying seeing two of his original projects again. He remembered working on them as if it were yesterday…
~~~ Five Years Ago ~~~
"Sir, the two subjects are ready for infusion," a young lab worker told Hojo, who grinned in reply.
"Good." Ah, it would e a day to go down in history! The men to ever be infused pure liquid Mako. It was momentous!
Five Hours Later
"He's losing vital signs…" the lab worker warned Hojo, "I don't think he's strong enough."
"Nonsense! Strife was supposed to be the strongest of all the test subjects," Hojo dismissed her warnings. "And the other boy survived just fine. Just keep him alive for a few more minutes, I'm almost done."
"Sir…he's stopped breathing…we've got him on a respirator, but I'm afraid if you keep up there could be brain damage."
"I thought I told you to pipe down. Just a few more…there! Done!"
~~~~~~~
Hojo chuckled at the memory. It had turned out to be a success. Cloud Strife was now the finest of Shinra generals. Oh, sure there had been a little brain damage. Nothing to extreme, though. A little memory loss. And he had a little…well, psychotic. But, hey, that never killed anyone. Had it?
Author's Notes: Another chapter, another kidnap, another little flashback. These are the days of their lives. Sorry, I'm home sick from school at the moment, and I'm pretty doped up on cold medicine. I've reached my happy place. ^_^ Ok, so next chapter Avalanche will be reaching Costa Del Sol, and Shinra will…well, you just have to wait and find out. But it will be big. I promise. And maybe even some more romance since it's so close to Valentine's Day! That is, if I finish the next chapter of FF6 fic before then, and there's ALWAYS romance in that. *laughs* Oh well, now I'm off! I hope you enjoyed this section. Oh! One more thing, the layouts of places are gonna be pulled purely from my mind. Every city will basically be a fortress because of…well, the war. Duh. So that's why places are so screwy. Ok, now I'm to go cough up a lung and sleep. ^_^
