Undercover threat
- Commander!?! Commander! SIR! THERE'S A SNIPER UP THERE!!!
Tseng immediately aimed at the roof that Gary was pointing and fired. The sniper was hit, but they all saw him escape. Sephiroth yelled to the troopers to assist Tseng and to bring back the man preferably alive before going straight to Zack. The dark-haired man had collapsed on the ground, blood already forming a large puddle around him. Three shots had been heard, and they had all hit the target. The General applied pressure on the stomach wound, trying to stop the bleeding there, but it wasn't really of any help. Even a cure spell couldn't compensate for the loss of so much blood. Sephiroth covered Zack frightened eyes with his hand, himself was so calm, as if he was trying to be relaxed for them both. An other team of troopers had been called in as reinforcement, and they were now securing the perimeter, escorting back the President and his son inside the Tower. And soon after the emergency team of the Science Department was there too, and they brushed the General away.
- L3 chest wound, L2 mid section wound… Someone notify doctor Hojo we have a First-class SOLDIER coming up needing an emergency surgery and prepare two packs of O negative for transfusion! Commander, try to stay with me…
Sephiroth looked distantly the men run away with Zack. He turned to get back home, but the truck driver, Gary, Cloud's former roommate, tapped him gently on the arm.
- Sir, should I go tell Cloud that you're alright?
- No. Tell him he's got new orders. He is to go to the science dept. and look over the Commander. Tell him to notify me immediately when he's awake.
Gary frowned, though no one had told him, he was sure there was something going on between them, but he just didn't know how far this was going. He took his chance and followed the General until they were alone in one of the main hall. Sephiroth turned rather angrily and was about to reprimand the trooper, but the brunette shook his head.
- Sir, this is not the good decision to take right now., he murmured, If Cloud's your friend like Zack is… He's going to worry about you, sir. If I may ask, I would like to go to the Commander's side, and I'll send you Cloud.
The silver-haired man looked at Gary with wide eyes for a moment before he added:
- If anyone ask me, I don't know anything. Cloud's also my friend, sir, I don't want him to be judged by people who don't know what they're talking about. Your secret's safe with me.
Sephiroth was hammered, the trooper just smiled, saluted and left him standing like a poor fool in the hall. How did he…? How could he know? Finally, after assimilating that Gary had discovered that information on his own, and that he was Cloud's only friend beside Zack and him, he returned into his office, waiting for Cloud. He arrived minutes later and threw himself on Sephiroth, and the man soon noticed that the blond had a bandage around his head and was shaking like a leaf.
- He's been like that since we found him, a calm voice stated.
- Tseng… What happened to him?
Tseng sat down next to Sephiroth on the small leather couch. Cloud was terrified, curled against the General, trembling and whimpering softly.
- From what we had seen, he'd been knocked out by Allan Parkson, which seems to have helped the sniper. They tied and gagged him, and when we found him, Parkson was dead and the gun was pointed at his head. It's when I arrived, and shot the guy. He didn't say a word, wouldn't move… Hojo examined him, and diagnosed a regression. I took him out of there before that freak could get his hands on him.
Sephiroth sighed, wondering what Cloud could possibly see…
- You two… are together, right?
- Yes… Tseng, does it… bother you?
- You don't have to ask, Sephiroth… Take care of him.
The Wutaian walked back out, but the General stopped him, suddenly feeling very worried.
- Wait! What should I do? And how is Zack?
- He will snap out of it, eventually, but Zack… I heard Hojo saying that he was very lucky. The bullets missed his vital organs by inches, almost as if the sniper was aiming at a taller target… Be careful, Sephiroth. Both you and I know who was the target today.
********
Two days later.
Sephiroth was woken up by a heavy weight over him. He immediately reached for the lamp on the nightstand and looked straight into blue ocean orbs shining with tears. Finally. Cloud had snapped out of his constant nightmare. He was racked by tremors and the terror was still present in his gaze as he snuggled himself closer and started crying.
- You're alive… you're alive! It was… looked so real… just a dream…, he sobbed.
The silver-haired man rocked his frightened lover, nuzzling his spiky golden hair and murmuring softly that he was there, that everything was over. Cloud held onto him tighter, and after several minutes he calmed down under the gentle touches of Sephiroth.
- Cloud, do you want to share all this with me?
- I-I was on guard duty, and, and Parkson let in a weird guy. I looked by the window and he climbed on the roof right in front of the Tower. He shot and I saw you fell on the ground, and then… and then Parkson said that you were dead… Next the weird guy was back, I was tied up and gagged, and I saw him blast his head off, the tip of the gun between my eyes, my father… dead in front of me again, his blood all over me and, and…
- Stop… please stop, it's enough…, pleaded Sephiroth, I'm so sorry Cloud, but it wasn't a dream. Someone had really been shot two days ago, I was the target, but it's Zack who were hurt.
Sephiroth brought Cloud back into his arms and squeezed the boy.
- I'm reassuring you, it's very serious, but he's doing fine for now. The Professor keep him under anaesthetic to ensure that he won't contract any complications. You were found in hangar 5 tied up as the sniper was about to shoot you, but Tseng killed him before he could do so. You were so chocked, you passed two days without answering me… I was afraid you were going to stay like this forever… You looked so much like a child…
Cloud murmured that he'd already done something like this, once, when he was a kid, the day his father died. Romin Strife was a master swordsman, the first hero of Cloud, and worked for the Shinra, using his knowledge of the mountains to guide the troopers up to the reactor. One day he took his five-years-old son with him. They were attacked on their way up by an anti-Shinra group, and only Cloud survived. They found him the next day, asleep against his father's cold body, and Rose raised him alone from that time.
- Mom said I stayed silent for days before I just burst out crying for dad one night. Father… hated guns, said that they were for the cowards, and used to train me with a wooden sword…
- Is that why you can't use…
- 'm too afraid…
- Shhh… I'm so sorry… Cloud…
Sephiroth passed a smooth hand into his lover's blond hair, lulling him back to sleep. He kissed gently his forehead before pulling up the sheet over them both. He didn't slept much that night. And the next morning he was surprised to see Cloud up, smiling as he brought him a light breakfast. They ate together, enjoying a quiet morning, until a soft knock at the door interrupted their meal. Sephiroth slipped into his silk robe and answered through the intercom. After few minutes, he returned to his bed, a large smile on his face.
- Who was that?, asked curiously Cloud.
- Callaway.
- Gary?!?
Sephiroth nodded.
- Dress up, we're going to visit a friend.
*********
Everything was hurting. Whenever he tried to move or turn over, he was stopped by the pain. His senses started to awake, and he could feel tubes in his nose and mouth, the soft breeze of the breathing machine coming through the respirator. Something moved to his left, and someone carefully lifted the bed. Zack opened slowly his eyes and gazed sleepily to the two figures watching him. A third man removed the breathing mask.
- Please, General, sir, I need place to work, just step back the time I remove everything. Professor Hojo will come down in a minute to brief you about him.
Sephiroth and Cloud nodded, and both went outside the intensive care unit to wait. Dr Cooper and the Professor Hojo soon got out with the medical clipboard.
- So, when will he be able to come back to work? Asked the General.
The silver-haired man had explained to Cloud he'll have to act a little colder around Hojo, or else he could rise up unwanted suspicions. Hojo smirked at him, and then looked at Cloud.
- When you'll judge he can, stated the scientist, and don't try to argue, he'll be moved in your quarters as soon as possible, as well as your work. You're officially nursing him for the time it'll take to put him back to health. Until then, use your student to second you, if he's as good as you say, it will be no problem…
- Why me!?!
- Because I don't want you outside until this affair is solved, General. Now stop it… He he he… aren't you the regression case I had few days ago? Interesting specimen… Let me see those scars…
He suddenly reached for Cloud and grabbed his injured arm. He poked between the bones, making the blond yelp in pain, and Sephiroth found it was very hard to keep himself from killing the mad professor right there.
- Mmmph… Not recovered yet? Well, I may have a special treatment for that…
- No!, protested Sephiroth, He's not a SOLDIER, he can't have those treatments!
- But he will be, that's why you're training him, right? Don't tell me you took him in just for fun, Sephiroth. That would be very unlike you… So if he's going to be a SOLDIER, a Mako treatment should not be unfair… Not at all…
Sephiroth watched helplessly as Cloud was dragged in the lab by Hojo…
- But wait! I don't even know what to do!, he yelled.
Dr. Cooper handed him the medical data sheet, and they both sighed. A blond nurse came out with a very confused Zack, who was trying to make out his surroundings. The girl motioned to the General to move out, and he reluctantly started to make his way to his quarters, hoping that Cloud would be strong enough to pass through whatever Hojo had on his mind.
*********
- Put him in tank 9.
The professor shoved Cloud toward a lab assistant. The brown-haired man adjusted his glasses nervously.
- B-but, started Aranson, professor, tank 9 is…
- Exclusively reserved for the General, I know!!! Don't make me repeat myself!
Cloud was already scared out of his wits, and he let the man undress him completely before he was pushed inside a large glass tube, electrodes plugged all over his body. The door was closed behind him and a green gas started to replace the air… Cloud choked, it was burning, his body was becoming numb, the Mako slowly filling the empty space.
- Now, now, now… Let's see if this specimen is as strong as it seems. Raise the Mako to 17%.
- But, but professor, the Mako rate is already at 25%…
- WHAT?!? Hmmm… the specimen is still resisting… Keep it there, Aranson.
- All… Professor!!! The Mako rate is going up and I can't stop it!
Hojo turned abruptly toward the control panel, the reading were showing 47% and were going up rather quickly. Inside the tank, Cloud was writhing in pain, squirming and trying to get out. As the Mako reached 60%, he passed out, the green liquid reacting with his body as a poison. In the lab, all the assistants were running around, trying to stop the process before the equipment could break and release the Mako in the tower. Hojo was barking orders to shut down the power system, refusing any suggestions that involved the destruction of the tank. Finally, the electricity was cut and the emergency drain system was automatically activated, the grid under Cloud's feet opened. The last reading was at 73%.
- What happened!!!, shouted angrily Hojo, What the hell happened?!?
- Professor! Someone derived the Mako pipe! The tank had been sabotaged!
The mad scientist growled with anger and grabbed Aranson by the collar.
- Find who did this!!! Call the Turks! Whoever is messing with my experiments deserves to become part of it! I want him ALIVE!
- A-and what about him?, the brunette asked, pointing Cloud unconscious on the ground.
- Out of my sight! Useless failure, screwed experiment!!! And where are those damned Turks!!!
- No need to yell, old man, a redhead answered nonchalantly, we've been here since few minutes…
If a look could have killed, Reno would be dead, but Tseng slipped between the two before they could jump at each other's throat. The scientist grunted and left in a hurry, leaving the rest up to the Turks. A bald man entered soon after and pointed Aranson. Tseng nodded. Rude poked the half-dressed form on the ground and looked at his boss.
- Take Aranson to the interrogation room, and take the blond to the General's quarters.
Reno nudged him in the ribs playfully. Tseng growled and shoved him away.
- Not now, Reno… And don't spend the rumour. Sephiroth needs some caring, too.
- All right, all right, I'm sorry, my ebony beauty. But still, I thought the General would choose someone less effeminate…, he murmured in a soft voice.
- RENO! You can't judge them, you don't even have the right to! Now stop babbling and do your job! I want Aranson and Kruger interrogated asap. And I gave you an order, Turk; take that blond to the General's quarters. Now. And if I heard your big mouth screwed anything, I'll personally get you for it, Reno, remember that.
Reno looked at his superior with wide eyes, it was the first time ever that Tseng had lost his self-control. And his Turk instinct was telling him that maybe he knew more than he was willing to let slip. He put back the kid's jacket on his shoulders and picked him up. A last glance at his boss confirmed what he was already thinking: Tseng was shaking, barely, but sill, Reno could tell a whirlwind of thoughts were assaulting him. About what, that he didn't know.
End
Author's notes
More characters, the plot is thickening… What will happen to poor Cloud? Danger lurks around the Shinra Tower… Who will be the next victim? Next chapter: Insomnia.