Chapter 4-
The Hunter and the Hunted
"panic rises
grabs me by the throat
tightens its grip
won't let
me go
till I scream."
~After Midnight, Stop Pretending, Sonya Sones
Dispite the ominous thunder rumbling outside that night, Reno arrived back at his apartment in a good mood. He tossed his coat onto the back of a chair, grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and was making his way into the living room when he stopped dead.
He felt a presence.
The beer slipped from his fingers, landing on the carpet with a small thud, spilling frothy liquid everywhere. He ignored it and pressed up against the wall. He yanked his gun from its holster and listened. Nothing.
Slowly he inched forward, scanning the room. It didn't look like it had been disturbed- newspapers and magazines still strewn across the floor, the little structure he'd made of empty beer cans one boring evening was untouched, a sock was in its usual place thrown over a lampshade. Everything looked just the way he had left it.
Maybe he had just imagined it. He was slowly lowering his gun when he heard something behind him. With a yell, he whirled around before seeing who it was. Annoyance replaced surprised anger.
"Oh. It's you again."
"Your skills aren't as sharp as they used to be, Turk." The man was tall, as tall as Reno, but much stockier. He had shoulder-length, stringy dirt-brown hair that fell into his shrewd hazel eyes. The whiskery face was split in an amiable smile, showing crooked yellow teeth.
Reno lowered his gun a little more, but didn't put it away. "Whaddya want now, Darryn?"
Darryn's smile widened, and he strolled over to the armchair and sat. "You know what I want."
"I already told you I don't know a damn thing about it!" Reno snarled. "Do I need to jackhammer that into your thick skull?"
Darryn didn't lose his smooth composure. "It only makes sense you would have some idea. Scarlet and Heidegger are dead, and yes, I've heard about what happened at the junkyard with Hojo. Palmer disappeared after Shinra fell; no one's heard a thing about him, or cared. That makes you and your fellow Turks the highest living entities of Shinra." Darryn leaned forward, losing some of his slick smile. An intense madness was visible swimming in his hazel eyes. If Reno was easily intimidated, he would have pulled back, but as it was he made sure his gun was easily accessible.
"Now," Darryn continued. "You know something, I know you do. And I want to hear it."
Reno jumped to his feet, fuming. "Rufus Shinra is dead! Dead! I was there after that explosion; not a damn thing could've survived. Every living, breathing thing in that building was incinerated. I will say this one more time: Shinra was killed by that blast. I don't care what you think, or want to think, but I know for a fact he is dead."
Darryn's face twisted into an ugly scowl. He reached out a meaty fist and grabbed Reno by the collar, bringing his face close to his.
"I know for a fact he's still alive," he whispered. "Unlike you, if you keep playing this game."
His breath stank. "Let. Go. Of. Me," Reno growled. Darryn obeyed, shoving him back. Reno stumbled and caught himself. Seemingly bored, Darryn turned and sat back in the armchair.
Not about to let this guy think he had all the power, Reno leaned back against the wall, folding his arms. Cockily he shoved his gun back in its holster. "What makes you so sure he survived?"
Darryn gave him a crooked grin, as though he had been waiting for this. "Sightings. Reports. I know my business, Reno, just like you know yours. He's been seen, and it's not easy to mistake him for someone else; his picture's everywhere. Trust me, he's out there."
Reno trusted Darryn about as far as he could throw a truck, but nonetheless had to humor hum. This guy was dangerous. "What the most recent 'sighting'?"
"Okay, so it was about a month ago," Darryn admitted. "In Junon. We suspect he may have changed his appearance since then."
Thunder rumbled, sounding closer, as Reno sighed. "I still don't see why you're bringing me into this. I mean, if you want to hunt down some dead guy, well, that's fine with me, but don't waste my time. It's your obsession, not mine."
Darryn's eyes flashed fire. "Obsession?!" he screamed, the veins in his neck bulging out. "That goddamned bastard ruined my life! He took everything away from me! Everything! And all you can say is 'obsession'?!" He calmed suddenly, going cold. "I would do anything to have him in my possession." He seemed to be looking at nothing. "To hear his gurgling attempts to scream as I slit his throat."
"That's nice," Reno yawned, "but the fact remains, he's already dead."
Darryn's eyes narrowed. "Quit playing games with me, Turk. You will not enjoy it if I lose my patience."
Rain pelted the glass of his window. "Look." Tired and bored, Reno ran a hand through his hair. "I've already explained this once. If I knew a damn thing, I would've told you earlier just so you'd get the hell out of my apartment. But I don't. So you can just get the hell out anyway."
Again Darryn lost his temper. In one quick movement he had slammed Reno against the wall, pinning his arms to his sides. The Turk struggled fiercely, but the bigger man was too powerful. He felt cold metal pressing against his forehead- a gun.
"You lying son of a bitch," Darryn whispered. "I could blow your head off right now. You have no reason to hide what I want to know. You know something. Tell me."
Reno honestly did not know a thing, but he knew Darryn was too insane to believe that. He also knew was perfectly capable of killing him, and would, unless he heard what he wanted to hear. The guy was a cunning bastard, but he was also crazy. That made for a major weakness.
"All right," he made himself say. "Shinra's alive. Just let me go, and I'll tell you everything."
There was a clicking sound as Darryn made sure the safety catch was off, then let him go. "Okay. But no funny stuff. I'm watching you, Turk." Dispite his tough exterior, Darryn was clearly excited. His voice almost trembled.
Reno smiled inwardly. The guy's own obsession was his fatal flaw.
"Okay."' He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'll talk. Just don't shoot."
"So, talk." Darryn's hazel eyes watched his every move. "Where is he now?"
"Right here in Midgar. Here, I'll write down his address." Reno prided himself on his ability to lie smoothly; it was one trait he had full control over.
He went to the counter and laboriously wrote the name Rufus Shinra over the first sector that came to mind (Sector 3), then wrote a random street address. Darryn came over to lean on the counter beside him.
"'Dipshit Avenue'?" he read aloud. "There's no 'Dipshit Avenue' in Sector-"
Pivoting suddenly on his heel, Reno brought up the pen and slammed it into Darryn's hand, right through the tender webbing between his index finger and thumb. Darryn let out a yell and stumbled backward, clutching his bleeding hand.
That was all the time Reno needed. Quickly he kicked Darryn in the side, spilling the already unbalanced man to the floor. He darted to the window. Rain drummed against the glass, making it hard to see anything, let alone the pavement ten feet below.
"Dammit!" bellowed Darryn as he struggled to his feet. "Don't try to run this time, Turk!"
It was then there was a clash of thunder, and promptly the lights went out. The room went pitch black.
Reno didn't wait to see what Darryn would do. Grabbing a small footstool he knew to be close by, he hefted it and slammed it into the window, sending glass shattering everywhere. Over the noise, he could heard Darryn stumbling toward him.
Quickly Reno brushed away the extra pieces of glass, then leaped out of the window, his shoes making a wet thwack! as they hit the pavement.
Loud gunshots sounded from the apartment above, followed by a loud oath. Darryn stuck his head out the window, searching for some sign of Reno, but it was too dark to see a thing.
"I'll find you, Reno!" he yelled to the blackness. "You can't hide from me!"
Reno turned and walked away, hands shoved deep in his pockets, head bowed in the pouring rain.
Darryn was the leader of a street gang that called themselves The Hunters. It was an underground organization determined to find the former president of Shinra. And it wasn't because they wanted to thank him for all he'd done. Reno didn't know why, but the Hunters simply refused to accept the fact that he was dead. He guessed it was because they had been lied to so many times already by the Shinra, and now wouldn't know the truth when they heard it.
Sensible? No. Sane? Oh, no. Dangerous? Yes. His first few encounters with Darryn had resulted in more than one skirmish. Darryn was not one to be toyed with.
But neither was Reno.
He scowled to himself. He wouldn't be able to go back to his apartment now. But at least he wouldn't have to deal with that crazed nut anymore.
But where would the Hunters' leader turn next for information?
That makes you and your fellow Turks the highest living entities of Shinra.
Rude. Elena.
He quickened his pace. He needed to contact them. Now.
* * * * * *
He had been jogging at a quick trot for some time before realizing he had reached Sector 5. He cheered up on recalling this was the sector Aeris lived in and sped up. With any luck, she'd let him use her PHS to contact Rude and Elena.
The pitch blackness prevented him from seeing a single thing, and he was sure he crushed more than one flower as he stumbled up the path to her front door. Thunder crashed again as he pounded with his fist on the rain-slicked door.
There was no answer. He knocked again, more urgently.
Maybe she wasn't home. But that didn't make sense. Unless…
He smacked himself in the face with a moan of frustration. Of course. Aeris wouldn't come back to her home, not after the incident with Jenova. She was probably spending the night at the Premium Heart.
He slammed the door again, this time in frustration. He was in no mood to run all the way to Sector 8 through the storm. Which was what he was going to have to do.
He was muttering a vicious curse when the door suddenly opened a crack. Aeris' green eyes peered out.
"Reno? Is that you?" The door opened a little wider. "Do you know what time it is?"
"No idea," he muttered glumly. She stepped out and took his arm.
:What are you doing her this late? And it's pouring out!" She started when she felt him tremble with cold. "You 're shivering! Hurry up, get inside."
She led him in. Apparently the power was still out, because the only light came from a flickering lantern in Aeris' hand.
"What happened, Reno? You're not even wearing a coat!"
"No time," he got out, fully aware his teeth were chattering. She set the lantern on the table and sat him down in a chair. She told him to take off his wet boots and left the room a moment.
He knelt to undo the laces, but his fingers were too shaky to do the job. When Aeris returned with a wool blanket, she shook her head and knelt to do the task for him.
"Are you going to explain why you showed up on my doorstep at 2:30 AM?" she asked without looking up.
"A…a run-in with some thugs," he said offhandedly. "Came to my apartment." He didn't see any reason why she needed to know more than that.
She peered up at him as she tugged off the boot, green eyes scrutinizing, as though she knew he wasn't telling her the whole truth. He forced himself to hold her gaze until she pursed her lips and went to work on the other boot.
"Hmph. You always did have a knack for getting into trouble." She gave his boot a hard yank, pulling it off. "There." She straightened and handed him the blanket. "I'll get some hot tea."
"No, thanks," he said, drawing the blanket around his shoulders. "But I could use a PHS. I need to make a call."
She looked confused, but went and got it for him. Since PHS didn't depend on electricity, but rather on its own power, it would work despite the storm. Quickly he punched in Rude's number and listened to the rings. After a few moments he switched it off in disgust.
"No answer?"
He nodded. "I'll try Elena." He dialed her number, waited, then spoke.
"Elena, it's Reno. If you can hear me, get out of there. I don't have time to explain, but if anyone shows up, don't answer the door. I know you'll think this is stupid, but-"
There was a beep, then an electronic voice. "Thank you for your message. For more options, please press-"
Reno hung up. "Damn!" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
Aeris smoothed her dress before sitting at the table, across from him. "What's so important, anyway?"
Instead of answering, he raised an eyebrow. The way she smoothed her dress had caught his attention. "You're still dressed."
She looked confused. "What do you mean?"
He waved a hand impatiently. "Were you planning on sleeping in your clothes?"
"Oh." It was hard to tell in the flickering light, but he thought she looked embarrassed. "I, I guess I wasn't very sleepy…"
He folded his arms and looked at her appraisingly. "You're afraid. Of Jenova."
She nodded, not meeting his eyes. "I told myself I wasn't, so I came back here. But…I didn't want to sleep. Not with that…thing…out there."
"That wants you dead," he observed casually.
Aeris didn't reply right away. She stood and went to the window, watching the storm rage through the night. When she spoke, it was in such a low voice he could scarcely hear.
"I've been hunted all my life. The day Mother and I escaped the lab was the day I became a fugitive. My heritage has haunted me for as long as I can remember." She still did not turn.
"I always wanted to be like other people, not to have to watch shadows for fear of a man in a blue uniform waiting for me." Her eyes flickered to him for a moment, then back out the window. "But it's different, now. I always knew I could handle a Turk. Shinra employee or not, he was just a man. I can fight a man."
She sighed. "I can't fight a threat like this. It's…the waiting. The vulnerability that scares me."
"The fact that you're helpless."
She started when she heard him so close. She hadn't even heard him come to stand beside her at the window.
"Yes," she whispered. "You understand."
Reno placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her away from the window. She allowed him to lead her away before collapsing in one of the chairs. A little concerned, he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. She accepted the comforting warmth without comment.
"Well," he said thoughtfully, "you did mention earlier that you thought we had a chance of hunting her down."
Aeris pulled the blanket tighter around herself, as though trying to shroud herself from the evil she knew to be out there. "Chance? What chance? We're the ones who are going to be hunted down, Reno. This creature destroyed my entire race, and they were more powerful than I can ever hope to be. It's hopeless."
He startled her by slamming his clenched fist on the table so hard the vase of flowers rattled. The light from the lantern flickered wildly, throwing dancing shadows on the walls. Aeris reached out with both hands to steady it.
"Don't ever say that." Reno's voice was strained and angry, as well as…pained? Was that pain in his voice. "Thinking like that is what gets you killed. It's one thing to be helpless. Another to be hopeless."
"I don't see any difference." Though she feared making his angry, she was less than calm, herself, now.
She felt his eyes on her, even though she couldn't see them. When he spoke, he didn't sound angry. More perplexed.
"Aeris, how can you say that? You're the one who showed me how important hope is in the first place."
Quite suddenly, she felt like crying.
Instead she buried her head in her arms on the table. "I apologize," she whispered. "I'm just tired, that's all. Of course we'll find a way."
Reno said nothing, just watched her. He rested the chin in his fist as he thought, safe from the Hunters searching the streets, like black phantoms of the night.
I have a flair for the dramatic, don't I? Hey! 2 chapters in less than 24 hours?! What's WRONG with me? Weird.
This, I think, is my fave chapter so far. *Wow, something happens!* Casey, I know you're reading this, and YES, you are an obbssessive compulsive Rufus fan, but also, you may be right about something…
Ah, who am I kidding. Everyone's already guessed.
~Lila
PS- Reviews, pleze?