A/N: Ok, this "book" is coming to an end. Good for me, the stuff I have in mind for the sequel/partII should be a lot more fun to read (and write).

Chapter 14: Head First

Cloud took his time getting out of bed. He was never a good spy, so last night took a lot out of him. Peaking in doors and listening in on conversations didn't seem like they'd be that hard. Unfortunately, he forgot how difficult the whole not getting caught part would be. And after all that work, he still had no idea who the spy was.

As he slowly descended the stairs of the Tranquillity he was caught a bit off guard finding Cid of all people awake before he was. The fully roused forms of Tifa and Vincent were routine sights for the AVALANCHE leader, but this was something new.

The old pilot gingerly sipped the coffee Tifa had presented him just moments before Cloud's arrival. Vincent was getting a late start on tending to his weapons off in the corner. And Tifa was no where to be found.

Cloud had experienced some of Cid's coffee before, so when he saw a lack of thick, black tar in the man's cup, he assumed Tifa had made it. The pilot quickly picked up on the confusion across Cloud's face.

"Tif's lookin' afta the brat. Finally talked the ol' geezer inta lettin' 'is sights offa 'er."

A slight nod was the only response the still half-asleep Cloud could think to give. So, that explained to him where Tifa was. Nothing out of the ordinary there. But what the hell was Cid doing awake so early. Something definitely out of the ordinary there.

"So, Spike, siddown. Lemme talk ta ya for a minute."

Here it came. Cid had something up his sleeve, and Cloud was too tired to refuse whatever scheme he planned. Tiredly and obediently, Cloud's legs took him to a barstool next to the man and swiftly deposited the rest of his body down.

"So here's wha' I think. We got ourselves tha' chocobo rider wit us now, right? Why don we jus' fly our asses in ta Junon and use tha punk as bait?"

Cloud thought the suggestion over. It seemed logical enough. But despite how logical as it was, it was even stupider and deadlier. They didn't know who they were up against. They couldn't just waltz right in. "But, Cid, there's-"

"Wait up now. I know I'm old an' shit, but I ain't senile yet. We ain't got a year ta spend on this shit like last time. I got Shera's ass and a unborn fuckin' baby to go home to. Gun-arm boy's tha mayor of a fuckin' town. Tif's got this bar o' hers to be runnin'. Red's tha leader o' tha Canyon. We gotta get this shit over with."

Cid was right. How could he still be so blind to everyone else? He was bored and had all the time in the world. The rest of AVALANCHE didn't. Things weren't the same as they were a year ago.

"Cid. You're right. I'll go get ready. Tell Tifa to wake the others." And silently, he mentally added: And let's go finish this all once and for all.

After Cloud had returned to his room, Cid's head solemnly lowered until it met the polished bar top. Forgetting Vincent was still in the room, he thought aloud in a low mumble. "I'm gettin' too old for this shit…"

It was only 10:00 am and Tifa was already sweating with worries about the day's events. Just about everyone was in their rooms getting ready for this day of uncertainty. No one really knew what they would find. They all were so used to taking their time and making sure they knew what they were up against, but rushing in like this had everyone preparing for the worst.

Well, almost everyone. Yuffie still laid incapacitated in her bed. Vincent insisted on venturing out into the plains on foot, despite the rain. Apparently (or, at least, what Tifa assumed), thirty years ago, Turks were required to pass a medicinal chemistry course: he was gathering natural supplies to make some sort of concoction for Yuffie.

Cid was holed up in the Highwind. The original Highwind (unfortunately destroyed in the aftermath of Meteor) had been a batter ready fighter. This new airship was not quite ready for the task that lied ahead. He had to make preparations. And she was left to herself. An empty room filled with nothing but her worries.

The silence had been weighing down on her a bit too much. Occasionally she would alleviate the pressure by speaking her thoughts out loud. "Cloud, do you really know what you're doing?"

"I wouldn't bet on it, babe." A blue suit caught Tifa's attention. She usually loathed even the sound of Reno's voice, but for some reason when no one else was around, he spoke much more smoothly.

"I thought you were giving up on being rude?" I thought I saw something better inside you.

"What, you can question the Spikey-headed nerd's judgment and I can't?" Reno folded his arms and dumped himself into the nearest chair. He still felt odd around Tifa. Odd and vulnerable. Why the hell did he have to have that god-forsaken dream.

But he chose not to dwell. When trying to forget something, the next best thing to a shot of something hard was to change the subject. "So, what's your problem with the geek's decision?"

Tifa stood silently behind her bar before answering. Did Reno actually care what she thought? "It's just that we're rushing in so quickly. We still don't know anything and – "

"And he thinks we'll actually be able to stop whatever the hell is waiting for us? Yeah, I feel the same way." Reno took the words that Tifa was too afraid to utter right out of her mouth. She didn't feel fit to doubt Cloud's judgment, but Reno felt right at home doing.

"So, what do you plan on doing?" The question was one Reno had been pondering about since he awoke. What they hell were he and the Turks going to do?

I can't risk the lives of Rude and Laney. I can't risk the life of Reeve. I can't follow the poor judgment of a jackass in a soldier uniform. I can't pass up the only opportunity we might have.

The decision wasn't an easy one, but Reno had made up his mind at that very minute. "I'm telling Rude and Elena to go home." He said it, and he would make sure it would be done.

But the look in Tifa's eyes told him he wasn't off the hook yet. "I didn't ask what the Turks were doing, I asked what you were."

This answer was even more difficult than the last. Could he really follow the orders of Cloud Strife, International Man of Terrorism? Would he honestly be able to swallow that much of his pride? And what the hell was he doing talking this over with Tifa Lockheart, International Woman of Terrorism?

So, in smooth move taken from Valentine's book, Reno left the bar in cryptic silence. This was a decision he'd come to with his fellow Turks.

Vincent Valentine tore through the rain like it wasn't there. He didn't let a single drop slow him down or force him to take his attention off his goal. He was making great time – he was almost to the Chocobo Ranch already.

But what the hell is he doing heading towards the Chocobo Ranch, anyway? In his early Turk days, Vincent had learned the recipe for an odd antidote for Mako poisoning that consists mostly of various greens.

"Lucrecia, we've got another case of Mako poisoning." Professor Gahst's scrambled voice came over the loudspeaker in one of Shinra's testing labs. No matter how much time Vincent spent around these labs, he still never saw Gahst's face – he only heard his voice over that loudspeaker.

Lucrecia put the few test tubes that she was messing with away and walked over to the Turk leaning on the counter. She gently pushed down the book Vincent Valentine was reading to catch his attention. "Sorry, Vincent. Duty calls and I'm not allowed to leave anyone in the lab while I'm gone."

Vincent had quite a tough time keeping the disappointment from showing on his face. He and Lucrecia had been growing closer together, but they were still in the dreaded 'friend zone.' A quiet, secluded, dimly lit science lab was the kind of romantic situation a scientist and a Turk could only dream about. But now they had to abandon it.

"But you can tag along if you want."

Sweet redemption. Her offer, her voice, herself – his saving grace. Of course he wants to tag along, lovely Lucrecia. Who in their right mind wouldn't? "If you wouldn't mind."

Soon, both were in the Shinra Science Department's infirmary. This was Vincent's first time in the room – most of the people he dealt with were sent straight to the morgue.

Vincent's eyes took in every movement Lucrecia made. He was hypnotized by the way her lab coat flowed behind her like a cape as she seemed to float to a cabinet on a far wall. He watched her slender fingers wrap around a silver handle just before she quickly opened the door. He watched her beautiful brown eyes search through the contents of the cabinet for what she had come for. What was wrong with him? Turks weren't supposed to fall in love.

Soon, this particular Turk's love was underlines with confusion as Vincent recognized what she had removed from storage. "Isn't that Chocobo food?"

Yes, Lucrecia taught Vincent many things during their stay together - even how to make effective medicines out of simple, easy to find products. Once Vincent had a greater grasp for the sciences of their world, it seemed only obvious. Mako is the planet's life stream. Mako poisoning is an overdose of life stream. A dead plant, like the dried out greens often given to Chocobos, once in a human digestive track, would absorb the Mako.

If the ex-Turk would've cared enough, he would've shaken his head at the though. How dependant humans have become on technology over the last 31 years that a natural medicine seemed to foreign to them. It was a shame, really.

"What the hell are you talking about, Reno?! We are not going home!" Elena's temper was flaring and she didn't move to hide it. Rude stood in the background, arms folded tightly over his chest, sunglasses covering his eyes from the prying world.

On the outside, he was the perfect picture of calm acceptance, but Reno knew much better than to trust such a facade. When they were alone, with no witnesses, Rude wouldn't hesitate to express his distress for Reno's decision - he would never be insubordinate to his leader in front of anyone, including Elena.

"Laney, calm down and shut up. I've made my decision. You two take Biggs and Jessie back to Midgar. Reeve's missing and it's our job to find him - "

"EXACTLY! It's our job to find him, not yours! We are Turks. We act as a group. You are no more fit for this than we are!"

Now, Reno was getting angry. Him and Elena never got along too well, plus he hated being interrupted. "Look, Elena, would you just shut up for a minute? If you would let me finish, you'd have all your goddamn answers!" After taking a moment to collect himself, Reno let out a quiet sigh and continued. "Reeve is missing, but that is not our top priority. Officially, we are not Reeve's bodyguards, thought that is a big part of our job. Technically, the Turks, as a whole, are Reeve's second in command. That means not only protecting him, but making sure his will gets done. So, right now, the top thing on our list is Midgar. So, you two, take Jessie and Biggs back to Midgar and keep the reconstruction projects moving. Reeve's made a shit-load of progress in the past year, and we aren't going to sit back and let that go to waste. Now, go or I'll shoot you."

"Alright, here's the plan..." Cloud looked out over the room full of people. Tifa and Barret sat next to each other on barstools. Marlene played next to her adoptive father on the bar. Cid sat a few stools down (per Barret's request) with a lit cigarette dangling out of his mouth. Cait Sith hopped around in its usual fashion about various parts of the room. Reno stood against a wall near the bar twirling his Electro Mag rod, giving Cait a good whack whenever he would venture too far into Reno's territory.

Reno had sent the rest of the Turks, along with Biggs and Jessie, on their way about fifteen minutes prior. There were a few tearful good byes (mostly between Tifa, Barret, Jessie and Biggs - the original AVALANCHE). Yuffie was still bed ridden in her room. Last time Tifa checked on her, she was still unconscious. Cloud had no idea were Vincent was. No one ever really knew where the mysterious man was unless he wanted them to know.

And, last but certainly not least, Chocobo Joe, their not-so-friendly prisoner, sat on the hard wood floor next to Cloud. "We're gonna take Joe here to Juno with us. If they want to use one of ours to lure us in, then we'll use one of theirs to lure them out."

No one really knew why Cloud insisted on these little gatherings every time they left to do something. Cloud wasn't exactly sure himself. Maybe he missed the excitement of the adventure. Maybe it made him feel like he belonged again. Maybe it made him feel important again. Well, whatever the reason, he kept today's speech short.

"So, everyone'll be getting into the Highwind once Vincent gets back and - "

"I won't be coming." A low, quiet voice cut across the room.

Cid was quick to jump up with shock (and because his cigarette had fallen out of his mouth and into his lap). "Damnit, Valentine! What tha hell ya gotta come creepin' in all secretive 'n' shit for?!"

Vincent ignored Cid and looked to Cloud questioning gaze. "What do you mean you won't be coming?"

Vincent began walking off towards the stair case silently. As his foot reach the first stair, he called back over his shoulder. "Someone has to stay and take care of Yuffie."

A/N: Well, there's number 14. Yeah, not a whole lot happened here, but I felt like I was ignoring Reno a bit too much, so I gave him a bit of play. Plus, I desperately needed to update this thing. A very lengthy set-up for the action of the next chapter. Please Review. Pretty please.