The stranger sat at the bar, looming over her drink, head in her hands. Today had not been a successful day. Not only did a disgruntled local chase her out of Kalm's general store but her job had not come through. Her benefactor was in her opinion "a total ass." He had called her all of the way from the marshes, where she had been trying to exterminate the Midgar Zolom, to Kalm, only to have him change his mind. (Doesn't he know that once you take out a hit that you can't take it back?) She sighed. None of her jobs had been truly satisfying since the break up of Shin-Ra Inc. She was a First class SOLDIER after all. There was very little she had not done already but there had to be something fulfilling out there.

(It's not like I have anywhere else to go.) The stranger sighed again, taking another sip of scotch. Her home in Midgar was gone. Mideel was still being rebuilt along with Corel. Costa del Sol, Junon, Icicle Inn, and Rocket Town were over crowded and could not support anyone else. Since the Sephiroth story had been made public, Nibleheim was at the center of controversy. Bone Village and Fort Condor were simple research facilities and few people were ever let in. After the fall of Shin-Ra, Wutai exiled itself from the rest of the world with the pride and arrogance it had from the years before Shin-Ra became a household name. So here she was in Kalm with little money, nowhere to stay, and no job. The only thing she could think to do was to go back to the marshes and kill the whole nest of Zoloms. At that thought, she laughed.
Vincent Valentine walked through the door of the Kalm Keg, a smoky stale bar in the seediest section of town. Business was slow; stagnant like the air inside but it was still making money due to the large bills the regulars would create. This was the perfect place to find an old, washed up warrior looking to go out in a blaze of glory. Vincent had frequented places such as this in his adventures as a Turk but according to his memories they were usually hubs of information and contained more than five people, including the barkeep. He mentally shrugged. (In a sleepy town like Kalm, people probably got drunk in the comfort of their homes.) He quickly scanned the room for his target. (Someone with a formidable presence, a weapon, and who is not completely wasted.) That narrowed his choice down to two, again, including the bartender. Vincent's deep red eyes narrowed with determination as he began to approach the female sitting at the bar. She was stooped over her drink in thought and upon closer inspection had a Shin-Ra tattoo on the back of her neck. (Not bad) he thought, reaching for his gun. (Shin-Ra instills discipline in its soldiers. She should be easy to get along with.) He pressed the weapon in the small of her back.

"Don't move, Miss," he whispered in her ear.

Catching the ex-Turk off guard, the woman grabbed the gun, pointing it upward and swiveled around in her chair.

As a reflex, Vincent hurled his clenched metal claw at her face.

She caught it barehanded. She smiled and her eyes laughed mockingly. "Don't move, Sir."

"Good," he simply commented as his body relaxed, relinquishing his Death Penalty to her.

She set it behind her, leaning back over her drink. "What in the hell do you want?"

He sat down on a stool beside her. "I would like to know your name first."

"The name's Amé Phoenix." She picked up her glass with her hand, the one used to stop the claw and winced in pain. "And no, you're not my type."

Hidden beneath his collar, a smile spread across Vincent's lips. "My name is Vincent Valentine, ex-Turk and I---" The smile vanished. "Did you say Phoenix? As in the names of Rhea and Greyson Phoenix?"

Amé turned to him and stared, shocked. "They were my parents." Her voice was calm.

When she did not follow up, Vincent took the initiative. "I knew and worked with your mother. She was the best I had ever seen. Your father was a great General as well."

"Yeah." She turned back to the bar. The shock faded.

"I was not with her during the Kalm Massacre." He paused, waiting for a reaction but when there was none, he continued. "I can imagine that she fought valiantly against the terrorists. Being the first female Turk, she---"

"Look, Valentine. I know all about how she fought and died here, and if you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about it. Wasn't there something that you wanted to say anyway?" Her eyes now peered at him lazily from her expressionless face.

He nodded. (It is obviously a touchy subject.) "I have a business proposition for you, Miss Phoenix."

"Call me Amé."

"Yes," he uttered slowly in agreement. "A few of my comrades and I are planning an expedition to Mourir Island, and we are in need of another adventurer."

She took a sip from her uninjured hand. "You know that island's uninhabited and just crawling with vicious creatures."

"Yes."

"Then why in the world go there?"

"I cannot say at this time other than for a search and rescue mission."

"What are you paying?"

"Ten-thousand gil."

"Nope. No can do." She got up to leave.

"Wait! Why not?"

"First," she said, counting off on her fingers. "I don't do search and rescue. Second, even if I did that's some sad-assed money. And third, there's something you're not telling me."

"Typical arrogant SOLDIER. First class, if I'm not mistaken?"

"How'n the hell?"

"The tattoo on the base of your neck. It was a fad at the end of the Wutai War to get a tattoo if you were inducted. You seem to have been a high-ranking official due to the small golden sword underneath. It is quite a work of art."

"Well," she said impressed with the man's excellent eye for detail. "I was a Weapons Master for five years."

"With credentials such as those, I may be able to convince my comrades to an increase in salary if you would agree to speaking with them at 102 Central Square, the second house past the inn."

"Sure. A little talk won't hurt. I've got nothing better to do." She handed him his weapon.

"Thank you," he said, bowing slightly. "I expect to see you there at ten sharp. I will put in a good word for you until then. Goodbye." He walked off, placing his gun in its holster.

"See ya, Valentine."

"Call me Vincent."

Authors note: Amé is pronounced "Ah may." And I found out how to spell it with the accent. A cookie for me!