Chapter 23-

The Bitter Taste of Vengeance

"Sombre the night is.

And though we have our lives, we know

What sinister threat lurks there."

~Returning, We Hear the Larks, Issac Rosenburg

Now!

Tifa whirled around suddenly and leaped from the ledge. For a moment she fell through space, then landed in a crouch. The mountain scree bit into her hands, tearing the skin, but she ignored the pain and was up again. She quickly dashed to a small outcropping of rocks and hid in their shadow, breathing hard.

From roughly six or seven feet above she heard Sufur cursing, and the crunch of gravel as he jumped off after her. He stood for a moment, brushing himself off, then slowly turned, searching for her.

"Tifa, I'm not in the mood for foolish games," he called in a loud voice. He started walking in a lazy circle, blue eyes darting about. "Come out now. You know you can't win."

She could too. Tifa tensed, lowering into a fighting stance as he passed her. The moment he had his back to her, she ran and launched a kick at his head. At the last second, Sufur spun around and intercepted it, grabbing her booted foot in both hands. He took a moment to give a gloating smile, sure that he had her.

Enraged by his arrogance, Tifa hopped forward on her other leg and delivered a flurry of blows to his face. He fell back, dropping her leg. Tifa recovered quickly and waited for his next move.

Sufur looked up at her with hatred. One hand was held over his unidentifiable face. Blood streamed through his fingers. "That's it," he growled, cocking the shotgun with the other hand. "I was going to let you live, but you're turning out to be more trouble than you're worth." He pulled the trigger.

Tifa dropped to the ground. The gun retort was deafening, but she didn't cover her ears. She imagined she could feel the shotgun pellets ruffle through her hair. She grit her teeth.

Sufur fired again, but once more Tifa was too quick. She feinted to the side and rushed him. Her shoulder caught him square in the gut. Sufur fell back on the gravel. His shotgun flew out of his hands and skittered out of reach. As he struggled to overpower her, Tifa's bare left hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. Her eyes bore into his with cold resolve.

"You said you had no qualms about killing me," she whispered. "Did you think I wouldn't feel the same about you?"

One of his hands was pinned down by hers, but the other he brought up in a feeble attempt to sway her grip. "If you kill me, you're right back where you started," he growled, struggling against her grasp. "Alone. Confused. Vulnerable."

Tifa tightened her hold. "What's this?" she mocked. "You presume to judge me? Trust me, by kidnapping and hiding me in the mountains, you aren't doing any favors for anybody. Least of all me."

"This isn't about you!" He managed to free one foot just enough to kick her in the side. Tifa's grasp slackened enough for him to shove her off and climb to his feet.

Tifa rolled and shot up, too. "And who, may I ask, is this all about?" she retorted. "You?"

He made a move for his gun, lying abandoned some ten yards away. Tifa stepped deliberately in front of his path. Sufur stopped. "Everyone," he said at last. "It's about all of us. You, me, Reno, Cloud. Everyone."

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Riiiiight," she said, drawing the word out. "So you really have everyone's best interests at heart, don't you."

"I never said that." He stood his ground and looked at her calmly. "But you would do well to remember you play a part in this little act, too."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she challenged.

"Exactly what I said." Sufur glanced up at the sky. The sun was nearing the horizon, bathing the ugly mountain peaks in a blanket of liquid gold. The sight was lovely, but he wasn't appreciating the view. It was getting late.

"What?" Tifa demanded, not liking the way he'd suddenly lost interest in her.

He turned to her with a regretful shrug. "I'm sorry." He glided closer, walking with smooth, unnerving grace.

"For what?" Tifa didn't step away. She didn't fear him.

"But," he continued as though she hadn't spoken, "there is no other way." Before she could move, he grabbed her roughly by the throat and slammed her head into one of the rock ledges. Tifa struggled; made a sluggish swing at his middle. He moved aside and slammed her into the rock again. She groaned and fell limp, blood oozing down the side of her face.

"A rather crude and inefficient method, I admit," he told her as he laid her down on the ground. "But, you see, my Seal materia was kept in the shotgun." He stepped over her body and retrieved the weapon. Using materia- the same materia they'd dared to use on him- was the desired method of shutting the girl up when he needed to, but things had worked out quite nicely. At least she'd think twice again before giving him more trouble.

He paused suddenly and glanced behind him. There, perhaps a mile or so behind, blazing in the gathering darkness, was the glow of a small campfire. It was them…Reno, Cloud, and the others.

He frowned. He didn't like how close they were. The last thing he needed was for them to catch up before it was time. Perhaps he should ask Jenova to help slow them down…

* * * * * * It was night again. Cid sank down by the small campfire they'd made with a dusky sigh. A whole day of searching, and they still hadn't caught up with Sufur and Tifa.

They were in the mountains, lost. Not that it mattered; it was clear to Cid they had no idea where they were going anyway. In spite of this, Cloud had pushed them on even after the sun had gone down…at least until lack of visibility and Zack's obvious exhaustion forced them to a halt. They could go no further tonight.

Many of the party had already retired (two to a tent) but Cid stayed up. He needed to smoke, and to think. A few others had the same idea (thinking, not smoking) and were gathered around the fire as well. Cloud, Shera and Zack each looked lost in their own thoughts. Reno was the only exception- he alternately smoked and took a swig from a flask in his hand.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Cid questioned, lighting up. Shera noticed his presence and offered a weak smile. He returned it, but only for a moment. The others were watching.

"What else?" Cloud said wearily. "Trudge around hoping to find something."

Zack looked up. "It might help to split up," he said. "We could cover more ground that way."

Cloud nodded slowly. "That's true. We could try it."

"Why does he want her, anyway?" Cid mused aloud. "Why Tifa? Just to piss us off?"

Reno stopped drinking for a moment. "Maybe one of us in particular," he began. "Maybe-"

Zack grabbed the flask out of his hand. "I think you've had enough for one night," he said in a low tone, eyes darting to Cloud to see if he'd heard. "You can keep your brilliant comments to yourself."

Reno shrugged, then grinned when Zack looked away.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Finally Shera said, "If we find him? What then?"

Zack took a swig of Reno's flask. "Hold him still until I get there with my sword," he suggested.

"No," Cloud said suddenly. "We need him alive."

Zack screwed the cap on the flask and tossed it back to Reno. "Dammit, Cloud," he snarled angrily. "Why are you so convinced letting him live is a good idea?"

"I'm not," Cloud snapped back. "But what he said…about Jenova. Did it ever occur to you that maybe she is controlling him, in a sense?"

"Control-" Zack started to yell, but Reno interrupted.

"What are you talking about, Strife?" he asked carefully.

"I'm talking about collaboration." Cloud rubbed a hand over his face. "Let's think about this. We know Jenova's in this world, right? Did you ever wonder how she got here in the first place? Now, at this time?"

"Waittaminute," Reno interrupted. "I thought Darryn was the one. He was in the lab, remember?"

Cid laughed, blowing cigarette smoke into the air. "Please. Do ya think that dumbass had the brains?"

"Not only that, but it's a given fact he didn't know anything of the Sresla, let alone Jenova. Sufur knew her, he even admitted it," Cloud said.

"That's right!" Zack said, thinking back. "Not many people even knew about Jenova unless they were directly involved with her, right? How did Sufur even know the name?"

"Shinra didn't advertise its top-secret projects," Reno pointed out. "Us Turks only found out about Jenova when Sephiroth started cutting shit up. Hojo had to tell us then."

"So you think Sufur's involved with Jenova?" Shera asked. "Collaborating with her?"

Cloud leaned back, shaking his head. "We don't know. It's just a guess."

Reno stood, tossing away his cigarette. "Well, if everyone's done with our guessing games, I'm going to get some sleep." He nodded to Zack. "And unless you want to trip and take out your other leg, you should, too."

"Maybe later," Zack said listlessly, his eyes dim and distant. He was thinking of Tifa again.

Reno rolled his eyes, but supposed it couldn't be helped, considering the way Zack felt about her. Pocketing his trusty flask, he stepped over the rock he'd been sitting on and made his way across the gravel to the tent he shared with Rude. He flung open the flap and crashed in, thinking it might be fun to wake his partner from a sound sleep. But Rude wasn't there. He was probably out drinking by himself. Reno knew Rude had been more affected than he let on by Tifa's absence. Although he would never admit it, Rude apparently still had feelings for the young woman. Rude should come out in the open; he and Zack and Cloud could start a Tifa Lockheart fanclub.

Reno smiled at this thought, but it didn't last for long. Tifa was gone. If they didn't find her soon, she might be killed. Zack would go crazy, and Cloud would probably lay down and die. And the rest of them? He had no idea. Death wasn't a new thing to him, but it had been a while since he had actually cared for people like this, cared whether they lived or died.

Reno sat down and closed his eyes. Things were spinning out of control. The chances of everyone coming out of this alive were slim. Hell, the chances of anyone coming out of this alive were slim. Adine was already gone, Yuffie's father had died. Tifa could be dead too, for all they knew.

He remembered what he'd said to Aeris: We have to have hope. She claimed she could always tell when he lied. Had she known, then, that he hadn't even believed in his own words?

Of course, that was nothing new, he realized now. When he'd been a Turk of Shinra, he'd said a lot of things. Mostly bullshit, though. When you were a Turk, you recited the script Shinra wrote out for you. You never said what you were thinking, voiced what you believed.

But that had all changed. Now he could say whatever he wanted, feel whatever he wanted, and it would all be okay. Some people might act pissed off at him, but it would still end up okay. He was doing something right, something commendable. It should make up for everything.

Yet, somehow it didn't. It didn't seem as though anything could wipe the dark stains smeared over his soul, stains brought on by the reckless abandon he'd given himself up to in the blackest period of his life. Still, Aeris believed in him. She had hope for him. She was probably the only one.

As he sat, brooding, the flap to his tent slowly opened, and Aeris crept in. "Are you awake?" she whispered, tucking some of her brown hair behind one ear. It was unbound and surrounded her like an unearthly cloak.

Reno stumbled to his feet. "Aeris," he said in surprise. How strange. He'd just been thinking about her. "What are you doing here?" He suddenly grinned. "Look, baby, I know you want me, but can't this wait until morning?"

She didn't respond, her green eyes darting back and forth as though she was afraid of something. She stepped closer to him. "Help me," she said breathlessly. "I need you to help me."

She seemed to be freaking out, but in a quiet, almost controlled way that was not at all typical of Aeris. He put his hands on her shoulders. He thought he felt her tremble under his touch. She was wearing only her thin lavender nightgown; maybe she was cold. "Aeris, tell me what's wrong," he said carefully.

She seemed different, somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely wrong with her. "I need…you," she breathed, before closing in to place her lips over his.

Oddly enough, Reno's first instinct was to shove away, although every sensible part of his mind was urging him to enjoy himself. He responded automatically, reacting with thoughts and senses he hadn't used for so long, losing himself in her beautiful emerald eyes….

Suddenly, something changed. Her eyes flashed purple, and she bit down hard enough to draw blood. Reno realized what was happening too late to pull away. Aeris laughed and threw him to the ground. As he started up, she turned and ducked through the flap. She was gone.

It took Reno a moment to get to his feet; his mind was in total chaos. The bitch. The bitch had taken Aeris- someone he trusted, someone he…that bitch had taken Aeris' form to trick him. And he had fallen for it like a moron. She had dared tarnish Aeris, who was so pure and virtuous!

"Jenova," he murmured through grit teeth. Time for her to die.

He crashed through the tent opening and looked around wildly. There was no sign of her. She had disappeared.

He licked his lips and tasted coppery blood. He'd fallen right into a very simple trap. Elena had said Jenova could take on human forms; why hadn't he been on his guard?

Did that mean this was all an illusion?

He didn't know. The blood on his lip was real enough. The chill night air was real enough. What was happening?

He suddenly heard a sound behind him. Reno whirled around and saw her. Without thinking he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her to the ground.

"What are you playing at?" he growled, careful to keep her down. "You want to tell me whether this is real or not?"

She reached up weakly to try to pry his hand off. "Reno," she managed to get out urgently. "What are you doing?"

What was he doing? A shred of doubt entered his mind. Could it possibly be… "Aeris?" he said cautiously, not removing his hand from her throat. If she made a wrong move, he could still snap her neck in an instant. "Is that you?"

"Who else would it be?" she said, placing both her hands on his. "Reno…are you all right?"

He tightened his grip just a bit. "I'm sorry, but I need to know. Is this an illusion?"

"Illusion?" Now she looked frightened. "Reno, what are you-" She suddenly stopped, her eyes on the hand at her throat.

Reno didn't want to look, but he knew he had to. He was hardly surprised, to see the blood-red emblem, the Sresla. Maybe he was mildly annoyed, but mostly he felt numb, like he'd known it was there all along.

Aeris' hands suddenly tightened on his, but she wasn't trying to pull away anymore. Now it was more like a reflex, as though she was in pain. Her green eyes looked into his with an intensity that told him she didn't want it to be real either, she desperately hoped it wasn't real.

He slowly sat up and moved away a little. He couldn't look into those pain-filled eyes of hers, eyes that bled as though he had intentionally wounded her. Aeris didn't let go of his hand; instead gripping it more tightly. In the end, he pulled her to him and held her against his chest as she cried.