Jade, Wine, and Turk training
By Kimetara
Multi-part
Disclaimer: *searches around room for big video game designing studio* ...nope. As you can see, I did not create or own FFVII. However, all original characters are mine.
AN: Sorry for the title change; I hope it didn't cause any undue confusion. ^^;;
Chapter 4: Anonymous Sources
Reno moved quickly, or as quickly as he could carrying Tifa.
*Man, it figures I end up having to walk on the one day during the whole week when it's freakin' hot,* he grumbled to himself. He glanced down at the figure he was carrying, thought for a second, then shifted his arms and Tifa's body until her head was supported by his chest. *There. Now at least she won't have a stiff neck when she wakes up...* Reno shook his head. He had no reason to be guilty, after all, she ought to know better then to trust an ex-enemy so easily. Especially a Turk.
Suddenly, a small chuckle escaped him as the irony of the situation hit him. Here he was, the person who'd killed thousands, dropped a sector plate on her home, tried to kill her multiple times, killed off some of her friends, and he was worrying about a stiff neck.
*Don't go getting soft now, especially towards her.* The 26 year-old let out a sigh. Just when had he gone and developed a conscience?
Reno couldn't help but feel bad though. Even with all she's seen and gone through, she still had the heart to take him in...
*Yeah, and look where it got her. Don't get sidetracked; you've got a job to finish.* With that in mind, Reno set himself firmly to the task ahead of him. *Hojo, here I come...*
~~~~~
Reeve Hamasaki sighed, shuffling through the seemingly endless piles of paper on his desk.
"Excuse me? Mr. Hamasaki?" his secretary buzzed him through the intercom.
"Yes?"
"Ms. Ayumi is here to see you."
Reeve smiled fondly. "Send her in."
A moment later, a petite blond entered the room. "Hi Reeve!" Elena raised an eyebrow at the mountains of files on Reeve's desk. "Busy day?"
"Hey Elena," Reeve answered, placing his current file aside. "Yeah, you could say that. I think old man Shinra left all this extra work on purpose, some sort of hunch I'd take over," he answered dryly, gaining an amused smile from Elena. "How've you been?"
Elena waltzed over and sat on the edge of his desk. Drawing a nail file out of pocket, she pursed her lips. "...I think I've got some bad news," she admitted.
"Oh?" Reeve stood up, moved around the desk, and sat next to her, placing his arm around her waist. Elena leaned against him contentedly, still filing her nails.
"Yeah. You see Reeve, we've gotten word from a reliable source that Hojo may still be alive."
Reeve's brows furrowed, remembering the...monstrosity that had once almost led to the Planet's demise. "I see," he spoke thoughtfully. *As much as I hate to admit it, that is very likely. The Jenova within him wouldn't allow Hojo to die easily, especially if it was enough to force Hojo to change form...too bad Cait didn't fight him, I could've taken note of how well he was destroyed.* "May I ask what this 'reliable source' is?"
Elena blinked. "You're not worried?"
"Of course I am," Reeve answered, shifting his weight. "But you have to remember, I was a spy for Shinra, then a traitor for joining AVALANCHE, and now I'm the president of probably the largest corporation in the world. I'm not the sort to suddenly go paranoid under pressure," he finished matter-of-factly. "And who is this source?"
The blond bit her lip. *Darn me and my big mouth...* "He'd prefer to remain anonymous, Reeve."
Reeve stared at her for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to press the issue. Finally he shrugged, much to Elena's relief. "Fine then. Make sure this information doesn't get out to anybody; we don't want people going into hysterics." Reeve spoke abruptly, his tone turned professional. "I'm too busy at the moment to look into an anonymous clue, however drastic it may be. Elena, you're in charge. Research as much as possible. I don't want to raise alarm unless it's absolutely necessary." The Shinra president stood up. "I'll need to make a few phone calls."
Elena nodded, stood up, and bowed before walking out the door, her stride now brisk. Reeve watched her go for a moment, then quickly buzzed his secretary. "Marisa? Yes, could you please get a hold of the ex-members of AVALANCHE... No, no, it's nothing serious, I was just thinking we could all have a get together. We haven't seen each other in almost three years, you know, since Cid and Shera's wedding...mm-hmm...just find out how to contact them, I'll talk to them myself, okay?"
Reeve hung up the intercom. *A male anonymous source that only speaks to Elena...hmm...I'll bet it's Rude.*
Reeve didn't believe for a second that the stoic ex-Turk had thrown himself overboard a ship to drown himself. In the three years where Rude had worked as his bodyguard, Reeve knew Rude wasn't the type to do such things, no matter what the authorities of Costa del Sol told him.
He didn't doubt that Rude went overboard, just the drowning part. *It would be just like him to disappear so he could look into suspicious things.* Reeve rolled his eyes. *Turks. Never sticking to anybody but themselves. Who knows, maybe he's even found and asked Reno to help him.* Reeve frowned at the thought of the redheaded ex-Turk. When he'd offered the remaining elite three a place in the reconstructed Shinra four years ago, Elena had ended up becoming his vice president, and Rude his personal bodyguard. Reno, however, had simply smirked and walked off, saying something about how he didn't need Shinra's pity. He hadn't been heard from since.
*Oh well. Back to the coal mines...* The president of Shinra looked over at the piles of files on his desk, and groaned. "Maybe I'll play with Cait first..."
~~~~~
*There it is.* Reno walked hurriedly over to the large cargo truck. "Open up."
A lanky Caucasian, with hair so blond it was almost white, flicked Reno a glance, then settled his gaze on the 24 year-old he was holding. "Who's the new slut?" he asked, familiar with Reno's ways. Not that the Turk spoke to him unless it was absolutely necessary.
Reno rolled his eyes in exasperation. *Idiots, the lot of them.* "She's not a slut, Josh, this is Tifa Lockheart. The one that saved the world."
Josh didn't even blink. He'd grown up in the slums, and in his opinion, he wasn't sure saving the world was a thing worth praising. "Yeah. So?"
"She's the one Hojo wanted." Reno didn't called Hojo 'the boss.' That crazy maniac would never be his leader.
"Ah." Josh threw Reno a ring of keys that landed gently on Tifa's bare stomach. "Saved the world, huh? How'd you get her so easily? I don't see any scratches on ya."
Reno just grinned smugly. "I'm a Turk. I have my ways," he answered.
Josh just raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Just don't go thinking you're hot stuff. Don't forget, Turk, you may have had power once, but now you're just like the rest of us." Josh shrugged. "Worse, maybe."
The redhead raised an eyebrow. "You talk too much." Quickly, he turned around and headed to the back of the truck.
When Reno came to the back, he laid Tifa on the ground and undid the large locks. Once they were open, he contemplated just tossing the girl inside, but ended up lifting Tifa and laying her down fairly gently before relocking the door.
Reno walked back around to Josh. "Alright, I did my job. Now where's my pay?"
Josh looked amused. "Thought you said I talked too much."
Reno's eyes narrowed.
Josh backed off. "You'll get it later. Hojo said for you to come along, he'll give it to you when he gets the girl."
*Oh look. I'm actually wanted. And by a psycho, at that.* Reno suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. *Eh, who cares? Not like I got anything else to do.* "I see." Reno grinned, all traces of animosity gone. "So, where're we going?" Reno leaned on the windowsill.
"We're heading to the Junon basin. That's as much as I know."
*No kidding.* "Alright then, let's go."
AN: Sorry this was chapter so boring (I almost gave up here because I got writer's block), but I needed to include this information somewhere. ^_^;; R&R, please!
BTW, by Junon basin, that's the big crater created by the Weapon. And by "cargo truck," I mean like the ones you see on the highway for Vons. You know, the ones where the huge back trailer can come off, leaving only this little driver's seat and metal planks... (does anybody know what I'm talking about...?)
Long author's note this time, I know, but I just wanted to say, about the Reno abduction thing...sweetheart or no, Reno is a Turk, and, well, a Turk is a Turk. And I realize it may have turned some people off (for which I am extremely sorry for), but it seemed to be the most realistic way to go.
And for all of you that stayed despite my sudden plot twist (or, indeed, because of it), thank you all very much! I might have given up on this story if it weren't for all the encouraging reviews, and I hope you all enjoy the rest of my tale!