ShinRa

By: Quistis & Xu

Disclaimer: We don't own anything but our minds and our own sanities.

Authors' Notes: This is the Sequel to "Diary of the First Lady" by General Quistis.

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Chapter 4: Disputes in the Office

Reno approached Rufford. "Okay, enough already. Let's go and I'll let Scarlet deal with you." He snapped as he grabbed Rufford's arm and led the way to the door.

Tiffany was not able to react. She just stood there and stared at Rufford until he and Reno finally got out of the office.

"Okay, Rufford. You think you could deceive me now by acting like you don't know anything about ShinRa? What do you have to say for yourself?" Reno demanded.

"That I am the dumbest Turk of this office and you could just dispose of me if you find me annoying for the President." Rufford answered coldly.

Reno looked into his eyes, seeing some of Mako reflecting from them. "When were you exposed to Mako?" he asked.

Rufford smiled slyly at him. "Ever since before I was born." He replied before he twisted away from Reno's grasp. He straightened his blazer before he proceeded by himself, leaving Reno feeling very stunned and confused.

Reno scratched his head. "What's wrong with that guy?" he thought before he went the other way, proceeding back to the President's office.

The moment he got inside, Tiffany was already making a phone call to someone. He listened by the doorway, knowing that Tiffany must have already seen him enter.

"Yes, I would like you to search this person for me. No, not a man, a woman. I think she'd be around 40 by now… name? Tifa Lockheart. I don't know if she is a resident but please search everywhere. Yes, even in Costa del Sol… everywhere. I'll pay you 7,000,000 gil if you can find her. This is very personal. Yes, sir. Thank you very much." And she hung up.

She turned to Reno with a stiff look on her face. "Well, is there something that you would like to tell me?" she asked.

He just stared at her. "I can't believe you are going to search for your dead mother." He snapped.

She frowned at him. "Watch you words, Reno. I haven't used torture before with my servants, would you like to be the first one to experience my wrath?" she asked.

Reno shrugged. "Well… you only torture criminals and those who go against your wishes…" he began.

"You've mentioned that she is dead, but how come in Rufford's eyes, I can still see her alive?" she cut in, trying to change the subject because she was not in the mood to argue with Reno; she could just grab her rifle and shoot him, but she knew better: Reno could be the key to something bad or good… she wasn't sure, but to find out the answer, she just decided to keep him alive as long as there are unanswered questions about her parents.

"You are just imagining things. You've grown up in a world of science and technology so cut it out with the psychic crap." He told her.

"Technology is applied science and science cannot answer every single question that humankind has for everything happening around him and I am not talking about science and technology but I am talking about my mother whom you are claiming to be dead." She snapped impatiently before she headed for the door. "I don't want to talk to you anymore and don't you ever show your face to me for the rest of the day unless you want to die." She said before she got out.

Reno went after her. "But ma'am, who is going to accompany you?" he asked, trying to keep his patience with the brat.

"Rufford can do the job." She told him stiffly.