Chapter 15:

Power Failure

"And you know I see right through you

When the world gets in your way

What's the point in all the screaming

You're not listening anyway."

~Goo Goo Dolls, Acoustic #3

Reno wiped a hand over his sweating face. He had thrown up again, although this time he wasn't sure if it was because of whatever Darryn had done to him or the aftereffects of the sickening flight. Maybe it was both.

"Are you all right?" Elena sounded concerned.

He nodded, trying to get his breath back. "I'll be fine. I feel a little better now, anyway." It was true. Mostly.

Elena looked around. "Are you sure this is the engine room?" The floor they were standing on was not exactly a floor. It was a steel platform, connected to a deck of metal grating. Bleeping machines surrounded them. The only light source came from dim ceiling bulbs far above, beyond a series of catwalks over their heads. She could barely make out Reno's face.

He rolled his eyes. "No, it's the bedroom."

She ignored his sarcasm and folded her arms. "All right, Mr. Know-It-All. What do we do now?"

He frowned for a moment, thinking. "Well, the first thing we gotta do is find the others. And it's not like we can just waltz up there and ask to see 'em. What we need is a distraction."

"Like what?" She sounded skeptical.

Even in the low light, she could see his grin. "I've got a plan."

She grabbed him by the collar. "If it's anything like your last plan, I'm gonna shove you through that hatch door and laugh as you fall."

His grin grew wider. "If my plan works you won't be able to do that."

"Dammit, what plan, Reno?"

He didn't answer, his smile slowly fading. Growing irritated, Elena started to speak, but he snatched her arm and looked hard into her eyes.

"Someone's coming."

She must have gone white, because he looked sympathetic. "We'll be fine. Follow me." Grabbing her hand, he ducked low and crept along the narrow walkway, the unstable grating quivering under their weight. Elena held tight to his hand, afraid that if she lost him, she'd never find him again in this maze of machines and blackness.

They turned to the left. It was even darker here. Elena was a little nervous. She could not even hear their footsteps over the sound of machinery. She tried to jerk Reno to a stop, but he kept moving. She started to speak. "Reno, what-"

He stopped and yanked her toward him, close enough so that she could feel his breath on her face.

"Shut up, Elena." His voice was like ice. "If you want to live, just do as I say and shut the hell up."

He released her and started walking again. Elena followed closely, hurt and angry, but still afraid of losing him. Suddenly he ducked behind a whirling piece of machinery. Before she could say anything, he pulled her behind it, too.

"Don't say a thing," he growled into her ear. "Don't move a muscle, or we're dead. Do you understand me?"

Elena nodded, as best she could anyway; he had his hand pressed against her mouth. She knew Reno wasn't angry with her, but still wondered what he was so worked up about…

Until she heard the footsteps.

They were quiet, barely audible over the sound of machinery. Two men, by the sound of it. They were coming closer.

"I don't get why we have to search in the engine room," one of them complained. "There's no way they could have gotten all the way down here."

"Darryn said to comb the whole damn ship," the other retorted wearily. "And I, at least, am a bit concerned about keeping my head. Now shaddup." The other fell silent as they moved past Reno and Elena's hiding spot. When the two Hunters were far enough away Reno spoke.

"Let's go." He stood, but Elena pulled him back.

"What are you doing!" she hissed.

His expressionless stare left her stone cold. "I'm going to kill them."

"Are you crazy?!" she fairly shouted. Immediately lowering her voice, she whispered heatedly, "Reno, we don't even have any weapons. They've got guns and knives! We don't stand a chance!"

Reno didn't so much as blink. "They're two of Darryn's men."

"Is that what this is about?!" Elena's voice cracked with fury. "Some twisted idea of revenge? Reno, you're going to risk our lives for something that isn't even worth it! What's the matter with you?"

Reno's gaze dropped to the ground. How could he tell her? Killing was what he was, the only thing that seemed to fill the void within him. Some stubborn part of him seemed to insist that as long as he kept doing it, it was all right, it would be justified.

He recalled the pained mixture of horror and disbelief on Aeris' face when she'd found out how ruthless he really was. You killed a lot of people as a Turk.

Are you surprised?

N-no…I just never thought about it…

He wondered what she had thought of him before that. Some kind of reverent saint, planting flowers in a church? Stopping would mean admitting he was wrong. Stopping would make him vulnerable.

Anger roared to life. He seized Elena's wrist, ignoring her cry of pain. "I'm doing this, with or without your help," he said venomously. "But you just remember we're Turks."

She stared coldly into his eyes, but inside she felt sickening fear. Reno, what happened to you? Aloud she heard herself say, "You're doing it with my help. I'm not going to just watch while you get yourself killed."

He didn't smile; only nodded and let go of her wrist. She rubbed it, trying to relieve a bit of the pain. He saw what he'd done and offered a quiet apology, all the while thinking hard. At last he turned to her.

"Here's what we're doing. These guys are in a strange place by themselves."

"So are we," she pointed out, but he ignored her.

"Therefore, it won't take a lot to get them to panic. A few sudden noises, maybe wreck some havoc behind their backs…"

"Reno, they've got guns," she reminded him.

At last he smiled, that cocky half-smile she knew so well. "Guns are no defense against two Turks."

* * * * * *

Adine stood off to the side while the adults argued. Marlene was being held by her father, leaving other girl by herself. She didn't understand what was going on. She only wanted to sleep. It was past her bedtime.

Ignoring the grown-ups as they shouted at one another, she opened the door and stepped outside. The night air was chilly. She wished she'd brought a jacket. She rubbed her hands over her arms to warm them.

It was dark tonight. There was no moon, and the stars were covered up by the clouds. Adine didn't like it when it was this dark out. It was creepy.

She turned to go back inside, but there was a shape blocking the way to the door. Adine stopped short.

"There, there, child," said a voice, smooth as silk. It sounded like a nice woman's voice, and Adine thought automatically of Tifa. She missed her.

The woman stepped toward her, smiling and extending her hand. "I won't hurt you."

Adine moved back, a little nervous. "Who are you?"

"Oh, of course." A soft, elegant laugh. "You can't see me." A light violet flame flickered above her hand. Adine blinked in surprise as the woman smiled. "There, is that better?"

The woman was pretty, with long dark hair. Tifa had hair like hers, but Tifa's was brown. Tifa was pretty, too.

Strange, but this woman didn't look at all like Tifa. Adine found herself backing away.

The woman smiled again. Her smile didn't fit the rest of her. Her smile wasn't pretty at all. "Would you like me to take you to her?"

Funny. Adine hadn't thought she'd mentioned Tifa. She hesitated.

"She's looking for you, Adine," the woman said softly. "She needs you."

Adine's eyes went wide. "Is Tifa hurt?"

"She needs you," the woman repeated, extending her hand again. "Let me take you to her."

Promptly Adine took the woman's hand. It was like grabbing a live wire. She couldn't pull her hand away. She screamed with the pain of it, and with what was going though her mind.

"Cheryl," Daddy said slowly, looking at the man with the gun squarely. "Take Adine and wait over there, please."

Mommy looked more frightened than Adine had ever seen her. She grabbed Adine's hand and pulled her back to the entrance of the alley. A fat raindrop landed on Adine's nose, followed closely by a tear. She didn't understand what was happening, but she knew it was bad.

Mommy stopped when she saw another man standing in front of them, blocking their way. He was wearing a black suit and had chestnut brown hair. He was holding a girl about Adine's own age; but he was not holding her with love, like when Daddy held her. He looked to be holding her simply because it was the easiest way to transport her.

Mommy screamed and let go of Adine's hand, running back to Daddy. She started yelling at the men, yelling at them to let them go. Daddy started talking quietly, but she couldn't make out the words.

The man holding the girl put her down and walked over to the adults. The girl and Adine looked at each other.

"I'm Adine."

"Marlene."

Marlene wore a pink dress. Her hair was short and dark. Adine stared at her curiously, wishing she could hide her own drab, mud-stained skirt and blouse. "You're not from around here."

"I used to live in Midgar," she replied. "Till me an' my dad moved to Corel."

Adine pointed at the man who'd set her down. "Is that your daddy?"

The strangest look of fear passed over Marlene's face. "No. It's not."

As she said that, the man who wasn't her daddy pulled something from his coat. Shouts…loud gunshots…Mommy and Daddy collapsed, blood flowing, soaking their clothes in red…

Adine screamed now as she did then, only now the pain was physical as well, shooting through her head like sharp knives. She fell to the ground, curling into a ball. She could feel the woman's presence over her; she curled into a tighter ball, sobbing, lest those terrible claw-like hands choose to strike.

Hurt. Everything hurt.

Then everything went black.

* * * * * * *

"Give me your shoe," Reno whispered, holding out his hand. Elena looked at him in shock.

"Reno, do you have any idea how expensive these are!" She lifted one foot to demonstrate. "They're my favorites."

He gave her a Look. "We have to be prepared to make small sacrifices-"

"Why can't we just use one of your shoes?" she demanded.

He rolled his eyes. "My shoes don't have four-inch heels."

Cursing under her breath, she yanked open the straps and shoved the shoe into Reno's hands. "They don't make these anymore, I hope you realize!"

Reno grinned. Without the other heel she looked a good deal shorter than he was used to, yet she still acted like a little spitfire.

"What's so funny?" she snipped. Reno realized she thought he was making fun of her. His grin grew wider.

"I was just thinking about how unusual it is, Elena. You're just as beautiful when you're angry as when you're smiling." He leaned close. "Maybe more so."

At first, she blushed furiously, then she scowled again. "Don't you play your tricks with words on me, Reno."

Maybe his charming smile needed work. Reno turned back to business. "C'mon. Let's get closer." He ducked low and crept along, his free hand out for balance. Elena had a harder time of it; she was wearing only one shoe. At last she removed it, to at least make her steps even.

Reno stopped suddenly and dropped to the metal grating, motioning for Elena to do the same. As she sunk down, she caught sight of the two men up ahead- the Hunters. They were searching the room- not very efficiently, but still searching- for both Reno and Elena. One looked into the darker shadows on the opposite side, while the other searched on their side. Elena looked at Reno; the man was uncomfortably close to their hiding spot. He grinned at her and held up the shoe in his hand.

"Watch this," he murmured, indicating the far man. When neither Hunter was looking, Reno stood quickly and chucked the shoe as hard as he could into the oblivious Hunter's head. As the heel found its mark he ducked down again. Elena pressed her hand against her mouth to keep from laughing when the loud curse flooded the engine room.

The other Hunter moved toward the one that was yelling. "What happened, Alek?"

Alek whirled around. "Paul! What the hell did you do?!"

Paul took a step back, confusion evident on his round face. Reno remembered him as the whinier one. "Nothing, Alek, I just-"

"Well, something happened, dammit! I felt somethin' hit me!"

Paul's eyes darted back and forth. "Alek, you don't mean there's somebody down here."

"Who the hell knows!" Alek shouted. "All I know is something hit me!"

While the two men were arguing, Reno had been waiting for the right moment. When it came, he winked at Elena, crept across the grating to the opposite side, and hurled the other shoe.

Right before it smashed into the back of Paul's head, Alek reached out and snatched the shoe out of the air. His dark eyes were staring straight at Reno's hiding spot. "There."

Reno looked at Elena. She could see the frustrated anger in his eyes that he got whenever he was caught. Run, he mouthed at her. Get out of here!

She glanced about, but there was nowhere to run. "We'll have to fight our way out!" she hissed. Reno didn't look any happier, but she saw him crouch in a fighting stance as the two Hunters made their way over.

Alek and Paul loomed over Reno, with their backs to Elena. "Well, well," Alek smirked. "Won't Darryn be glad to see you."

Reno jumped out and launched a kick at Paul's middle. The Hunter fell back, almost on top of Elena. She thrust him aside and into one of the larger whirling machines. His head hit hard metal with a loud clang. Paul slumped down with a groan.

Alek was harder to take care of. He grabbed the back of Reno's jacket and pulled him down, tripping the Turk's legs out from under him. Reno hit the grating hard. "You won't get away this time," Alek warned.

Elena scowled and jumped on the large man's back, pulling him backward with all her strength. Alek flailed wildly, trying to get her off, but to no avail. Reno took the opportunity to smash the heel of his hand into the Hunter's face, then follow it up with a kick in the groin. As Alek fell to his knees, Elena slipped off his back, then finished the job by slamming her elbow down on his skull. He didn't try to get up again.

Reno gave her a high-five. "We'll make a Turk of you yet, woman!"

She smiled, but it lasted only a moment before she remembered their situation. "What now?"

Reno couldn't seem to stop grinning. "Remember my plan?"

Before Elena could begin to demand an explanation, he'd started up a metal ladder that led up to a series of gangplanks. "The first thing we have to do is find the engine," he called down to her as he climbed.

"Why's that?" She grabbed hold of the ladder and scrambled up after him.

"The distraction I mentioned?"

"Reno, if you're thinking about disabling the engine-"

"That's exactly what I'm thinking."

"Won't it be just as bad?"

He gave her a hand as she clambered onto the first catwalk. "How do you mean?" He started forward, glancing about for signs of machinery. Unlike the level below, there were no strange levers of pulleys around, only free space on either side of the two-foot plank. It made for very treacherous walking. Elena was worried she'd fall off the overpass. There was no room for a wrong step.

"I mean, won't that just let them know where we are? They'll send more guys down here after us, and we'll be trapped."

"It's also our only chance of getting off the Apocalypse with our lives."

She sighed, seeing he wasn't about to change his mind. "I guess you're right."

He stopped suddenly, almost causing her to bowl into him. When she started yelling, he turned and shushed her. "I think this is it."

The engine was a large one. Reno knew Cid would want only the best for his precious airship, but it also presented a problem. His initial plan had been simply to yank a few wires, and if possible, shove the entire thing off the upper level. Now he realized it wasn't going to be so simple.

Elena stood beside him, hopping from one stockinged foot to another. "The grating's cold," she complained. He ignored her.

Reno was having second thoughts about his plan. He was no mechanic; Cid might have known how to merely disable the engine, but he had no idea. He didn't have any weapons to smash the exterior, and he didn't see any wires he could pull without getting electrocuted.

Elena could see the problem and was already looking for a new solution. "Reno, here!" She yanked open the door to a smooth black box on a duct running up the wall, exposing a whole mess of wires and switches.

Reno took a look. "A fusebox," he said thoughtfully. "Even better." With that, he grabbed a handful of colored wires and yanked them out, sending sparks flying everywhere. Elena shrieked when the lights flickered and clutched at his jacket, screaming for him to stop, but Reno didn't pause until all the lights had gone out, plunging them into total blackness.

"I can't believe you." Elena's voice shook. "We'll never find out way out now!"

She couldn't see his shrug, but knew it was there. "Neither will they."

She sighed, resigned. "I probably shouldn't ask, but…what do we do now?"

"We wait."

* * * * * * *

Cid swore and hit the consel. "What the hell!"

The lights had gone out, leaving them in total darkness. Even the tiny lights on the instrument panel were off. Cid couldn't see his own hand in front of his face.

"What happen, pilot?!" one of the Hunter's demanded. Cid heard Shera cry out as one of them hit her in frustration.

There was a crash as Darryn burst in. How in managed to get his hands around Cid's throat in the pitch darkness was a mystery. "Are you behind this, you bastard?!"

Cid pulled away angrily. "I didn't do anything, dammit!"

"It must have been a power failure," Shera said in her soft voice. Cid turned in her direction.

"How the hell could we have a power failure in the middle of a flight?!" It was just plain luck that made him set an auto-course to Gongaga, which was where Darryn insisted they land. Without it, they would've already crashed into a mountain or something.

Shera crept closer to him, resting her cool hands on the back of his neck. She leaned over his shoulder to whisper. "The switchbox in the engine room, Cid."

Darryn grabbed her roughly, spinning her around to face him. "What did you say, bitch?"

Shera remained silent. Darryn shook her in frustrated rage. "Where's this switchbox?"

"In the engine room," she finally relented. "It's impossible to tamper with the power unless you disable it manually from the switchbox. Someone must have done something."

Cid pulled a lighter from his jacket pocket and clicked it on. In the flickering light from the flame he saw Darryn release Shera and face the two Hunters. "He's got to be down there. I'll bet anything he's got that woman Turk with him, too. Grab your best men and get down there. " He turned his glare on Cid. "I want you to go with them. Get the power back on."

Cid folded his arms. "I can't."

Darryn grit his teeth. "The hell you mean, 'you can't'?! You designed the fucking ship!"

Cid shook his head. "I didn't do the wiring and all that. That was Shera. She knows more than I ever will about the finer details of electricity, power and stuff." Even if it hadn't been true, Cid would have told them so anyway. If they realized how valuable Shera was, they wouldn't kill her. He hoped.

Darryn cursed, but there was nothing to be done. He grabbed Shera's arm in a grip that made her gasp.

"Don't even think of trying to run away," he hissed. "My men will be 'escorting' you down there, and if they even suspect you of trying something, they will shoot you down before you can blink."

She stared back stonily, though Cid knew her well enough to know she was afraid. "If I'm so stupid you have to spell it out for me, why are you sending me down there?"

He snarled and shoved her into the grip of one Hunter, jerking his hand to the door. "Get going."

"Shera!" Cid tried to go to her but Darryn shoved him back in his chair. "Shera…don't do anything stupid."

She didn't reply, only gave him a wordless smile before the Hunters shoved her out the door. Cid felt as if half his heart had gone with her. In a sudden rush of violence, he grabbed Darryn by the collar angrily, looking the other in the eye.

"If any of them lay a finger on her, I will personally separate your skin from your body. I'll enjoy it, too."

Darryn smirked. "I don't take stock in idle threats."

Cid raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't a threat."

He went back to his pilot's chair and sat down heavily as Darryn stuck his head out the door, yelling at his men. For the first time he seriously considered a course of action he'd been planning for some time. Of course, it would kill them all, but he had to look at things realistically. The world was at stake. He didn't mind giving himself up for the world, but Shera was another matter.

He lit up a cigarette and inhaled as his mind tried to think of another way out. There wasn't one. He couldn't let his love for Shera put the entire world at risk.

But could he live with himself, knowing he had condemned Shera to death?

He grunted cynically. He wouldn't have to live very long with the knowledge, anyway.

With a trembling hand, he reached out and began to press the buttons.

Hi guys! Sorry about the long wait, I've been spending energy on Casey's Birthday Story. But now that it's done, we can spend more time together. *Grin* Won't that be just great? *dodges flying objects* Oh, and uh…don't hesitate to review!

~Lila