2
"The damage to the Sector 8 reactor is estimated to be 10 billion gil. Coupled with the maintenance we had already planned, the total monthly expenses for sector 8 come to 30 billion gil, fifteen percent more than any of the other reactors." Heidegger, head of Urban Development droned on. Jessie could already feel herself starting to nod off, and popped a mint into her mouth, hoping that it would keep her up for a few more minutes.
President Shinra waved a hand, cutting him off. "I'm aware of that. Go ahead with the repairs. We'll raise the Mako rates by five percent to compensate."
"Very well, sir." Heidegger nodded shortly, shuffling papers. "What are you planning to do about these rebels? They're destroying Midgar public property."
"AVALANCHE has claimed responsibility for it." Scarlet, head of Turks said sweetly. She had been sending coy looks at the president throughout the entire meeting. Jessie hated to think of how she had managed to get her position on the company, but it was obvious how she intended to advance within it. She had been clambering to be promoted to Head of Security for years. She would probably get it the same way she'd gotten her last promotion...on her back. "Do you have any orders...?"
"A few." The President averted his eyes from her chest, and concentrated on his papers, looking slightly flushed. He managed to hide it well, and continued. "We suspect that they will be headed for more reactors tonight. I'd like some extra SOLDIERS stationed in all of Midgar's upper plate. This may be the chance to try out some of the new weapons that Reeve has been developing."
"You really think they're audacious enough to try for another reactor tonight?" Scarlet laughed, the high pitched sound grating on Jessie's ears. "Sir, you're overestimating them!"
He shrugged, smiling slightly. "We'll just have to wait and see."
"Wouldn't it be more prudent to dedicate the Turks towards finding these rebels, rather than put the reactors at risk? Not that I'm questioning you-" Heidegger added quickly.
"The Turks are out on an important task." Scarlet said firmly. "They are not to be called back until the mission is finished. I assure you that it will be worth the wait."
"That's fine. I already have my suspicions about the location of these...people... but in the meantime, I'm calling back my son from Junon," President Shinra said slowly.
"It's not necessary to summon Rufus," Scarlet said hastily. "Junon is the best place for the boy to be. The rebels don't seem to have any interest in attacking it."
"It's a father's job to look after his child," the president said, in a tone that was far from friendly. "And I want to make sure that my boy is keeping safe."
Jessie managed to conceal her shock. Reno wouldn't be happy with that decision.
"Is there anything else?" Clearly there was, judging by the disgruntled countenance of Heidegger, but Scarlet sent a scathing glance in his direction and he said nothing more. The president nodded, satisfied. "Very well. This meeting is adjourned."
He turned to Jessie as the two executives filed out. "Did you get all that?"
She typed rapidly, and looked up. "Yes, sir. Would you like me to edit it now?"
"No. I'll attend to that myself later. Come on, there's so filing I need you to look up some records for me."
She wiped at her eyes tiredly. "What of, sir?"
"Former employees. Look up anyone who has quit or been fired within the past five years, run some background checks on them, and send them to me."
"Of course, sir. Right away."
*
Reno gazed upon the sky. You couldn't breathe here. Midgar had been smoggy as long as he could remember. He lit a cigarette, and began puffing smoke furtively, realizing the irony, but not caring about it. It felt like he hadn't been alone for a while.
Not since he'd been in Nibelheim, at least.
"You really shouldn't do that."
He jerked his head up, taken out of solitude. "Do you really have to creep up on me like that? It's making me paranoid."
Tseng deftly put out his cigarette with two fingers. "It's not healthy to smoke. Haven't you heard those announcements from the Science Department at Shinra?"
"Hey, you said everything Shinra told us was lies." He tossed the cigarette behind him. "Whatever. Where's Elena and Rude?"
"Inside, clearing a path. They'll page us in a few minutes."
"You sound so certain."
"I've no reason not to be."
"President Shinra's got to be on the lookout for us." Reno said lightly. "The old bastard's got nothing else to do but give us hell for what we did last night."
"I'm aware of that. Jessie's overridden the security for us, for fifteen minutes. So long as we don't attract any unwanted attention, we'll be all right. However, it's hard to do that when you're around," he said dryly, looking sideways at Reno.
He ignored it. "What are you gonna do when this one's over? You think Shinra's just gonna step aside and say it's time he stepped down? Blowing up a few reactors isn't going to stop him, when he can just make more."
"I know. Just trust me, all right? I don't think I've ever done anything to make you think otherwise."
"Yeah..." But what the hell am I supposed to do, he thought angrily. Tseng's been like a father to me, and I can't just screw him by walking off like that. "Hey, this is kinda random, but why'd you take me in like that? It's not something people do a lot. Most people don't go around randomly picking kids off the street unless they've got something else on their mind."
"I've told you this before. I wasn't just going to leave you there when you'd been beaten up so badly. Besides, I'd just quit the Turks. There wasn't much else for me to do."
What exactly was going on back then?
"So why are you asking about all this? Normally you don't talk so much when we're on a mission," he commented, smiling. "Has Rude been telling you things?"
"Nah. It's just-" His pager rattled in his pocket. "Forget it. Come on."
*
"Oooo, spooky." Yuffie feigned a shiver. "I've never been this far into the Temple
before."
"Please be quiet." Biggs said, for about the tenth time. "You'll give away our position, and I really don't want to fire off any guns when we're in such a small area."
"Yeah, yeah." She started skipping steps as she went down. "Let's sing a traveling song, or do the chocobo dance or something! I'm bored with you people!"
Wedge was chucking softly but didn't manage to hide it from Biggs, who glared at him. "I'm sorry sir, she's kind of funny. Reminds me of my sister, you know?"
Cloud pushed some debris aside as they continued downward. No one had cleared out this area yet. This mission might take longer than expected with all that stuff in their way. He really needed to get back to Midgar. He had a ticket to Loveless tonight, but it wouldn't be any good unless they got back by eight. He was really looking forward to seeing Tifa tonight too. To see her.... to hear her sing her song again...
"Could you keep it down up there?"
"Shit!" Biggs drew his gun, and looked downward anxiously. "Freeze! Put your hands behind your head, and don't move!"
"What is it?" Wedge nudged Yuffie aside and moved up, trying to see. "Biggs?"
Someone moved to the foot of the stairs. "Please! I would really like it if you could stay quiet. This is a holy place, you know."
It was a woman's voice. Cloud squinted, trying to see. "Who...who are you?"
"Don't you remember me?" She mounted up the stairs. "Cloud?"
Those eyes... It was the woman from the night before. "It's you! You followed us here?"
"You didn't make it difficult to, giving away your location like that."
"Cloud!" Biggs shouted incredulously. "You told this woman where we were supposed to be?"
"Ummm.... I didn't think she'd end up here..."
"CLOUD!" Biggs looked dangerously close to hitting him, if Yuffie hadn't skirted into his way.
"Excuse me, please. I had no intention of disrupting your task. Who am I to get in the way of Shinra Incorporated?" She laughed lightly. "I assume you're here for the Black Materia?"
"We are." Wedge said firmly. Biggs was too wrapped up in suppressing his rage to notice.
"Ah." She nodded. "I'm not interested in that. I only came here to look things over. All those tourists can be quite destructive on these old monuments."
"A likely excuse!" Biggs spat. "Why would you be interested in maintaining the Temple? They have a historical society that does that. The tourists aren't even allowed in this area."
"I know. I have a personal interest in the Temple of the Ancients." She smiled at Cloud. "Carry on, please. I'm not stopping you."
Wedge and Yuffie started going on ahead, with Cloud sneaked behind them, trying very hard to be invisible. "Wait." Biggs said slowly. "This isn't adding up. Who's paying you to come here?"
"No one. I'm here on my own business."
"You mercenaries never do anything unless there's something in it for you. This kid said earlier that you were insisting that you be the one to get the Black Materia. Have you changed your mind that quickly?" Biggs challenged.
"I never said I was here for that. I just want to get to it to make sure that it's safe."
He eyed her sword and shook his head. "I don't believe you."
"Believe whatever you'd like. I'm not planning on hurting any of you."
Biggs shook his head again stubbornly, and then started after the others. "Come on. I want you to stay where I can see you until we leave."
"That's fine with me. Tell me, why are you all here? There's nothing of any use to Shinra in here."
"That's classified." Biggs grunted, pushing onward.
