Fish Hook

Chapter 2

The music was loud; the beat so heavy Reno felt like it would make his heart match its thumping just from sheer power. He kissed the girl on the cheek—words would have been lost in the noise anyway—and she gave him a little wave, then disappeared into the crowd.

Like most underground clubs, this place had a large, open floor several steps down from the entrance. Bars lined the mirrored walls on the left and right, doing brisk holiday business while people swarmed the dance floor. The DJ's booth was up ahead, like an altar surrounded by ten-foot speakers that bristled in every direction. Along the balcony that circled the place, Reno could see faces he recognized and colors he knew by heart. They were the only people in the room who wore any color but black, white, or silver, and they all carried weapons. The concentration of Pirates grew heavier over the DJ's booth, and Reno saw why.

An enormous pair of wings had been created out of metal bars, catwalk rigging, grates, wires, speakers...they spread out on both sides of the room as if to protect all who sheltered underneath them, as if their owner was some kind of god. And there he was, sitting at ease and simply watching the room with his eerie, green glowing eyes.

Sephiroth.

Holy, Reno thought, This is the real thing. Not some impostor.

Shit.

It was time. Reno pushed through the crowd and began to move forward.

As he rose, he could see two opposite booths on the balcony level, both occupied. On one side, a rowdy, red-faced man partied hard with a selection of choice women and other men in suits. Opposite him, across the cavern of the dance floor, another man sat surrounded by frowning bodyguards wearing sunglasses. Reno didn't know the first man, but the second he definitely recognized.

But he had bigger things to think about than Gao of Wutai. He only hoped Gao didn't hold a grudge from the old days, too, or this would be the shortest mission in the history of the Turks.

He hadn't given much thought to how he was going to get Sephiroth's attention. Odds were that he wouldn't get past the ranks of gang members who stood at attention unless… Reno smiled grimly. There were exactly three Pirates left alive after the explosion at their headquarters in Midgar, three people who should recognize him on sight. One was the DJ, lost in his spinning, but the other two were standing guard at the top of the stairs. They were at the innermost rank, one on either side of Sephiroth and just in front of his throne.

He walked past the first rank. One man yelled at him, only to receive a glare from Reno. Again, the key to doing anything was to pretend you were supposed to be doing it. The second rank let him pass. As he started up the stairs, he pretended to be interested in the complicated work on the wing that held the railing. His hand ran along it slowly, fully aware that everyone at the top of the stairs was staring at him as though he was dangerous or crazy.

Or both. Maybe more crazy than dangerous at the moment. He took a hard look around the club again, now that he was higher up. There was no other way to this area beyond the way he'd just come. The level boasted its own bar and was lined to the ceiling with windows. Though the rest of the club was underground, this part must at least be above street level. So this was how Tseng and Reeve would get a shot inside.

But he was wasting time. He made himself move forward, put a saunter in his step and a lazy smile on his face. One of the men guarding Sephiroth—the guy's name had always amused Reno—looked like he would be happy to rip Reno to shreds right there. Reno didn't feel like obliging him. "Heya, Piper! What's up, man?"

Varying degrees of confusion swept Piper's face, finally coalescing into a widemouthed gape that gave Reno a strange view of gold teeth and a silver tongue ring. Piper stumbled back, not even bothering to grab at his gun while it dropped to the floor.

Reno couldn't suppress a sneer. He'd known Piper for a coward, but from the way the man was acting, one would think Reno was more deadly than Sephiroth. It wasn't like Reno had even killed Piper's "brothers" with his bare hands. Honestly.

Piper backed into a table, causing one of the scantily clad women near Sephiroth to spill her drink all over herself. Ignoring her squeal of indignation, Piper finally found his voice. "Red Wolf!"

The words were like magic, heard above everything, even the pulse-changing music. Everything in the club came to a silent standstill. Both ranks of Pirates spun, mouths agape, while the DJ—Spinner, if Reno remembered correctly—blinked owlishly up at the group at the table. Only the man on the other side of Sephiroth kept his head and awaited orders. Reno remembered the face, but couldn't think of the name. It would probably come to him later.

Everyone seemed to hold their breaths as Reno crouched down and picked up Piper's gun. He enjoyed the collective flinch the others made when he dumped the clip, spinning the butt of the weapon toward Piper once more. No one noticed the tiny wireless bug he'd stuck to the bottom of the barrel; now, Tseng and Reeve would be able to hear what was going on. Piper gingerly accepted his gun, careful not to touch Reno's hand, then scuttled back to the railing.

Reno turned to face Sephiroth, who had been watching the exchange with undisguised interest. Had he seen the bug? For a moment, Reno worried that the former general's senses really were as keen as the legends said. But if Sephiroth had seen, wouldn't he have said something? Reno could only hope.

The confident smirk Reno plastered on his face hid the quick pace of his heart. While it might be fun to cause a stir like this from time to time, he'd much rather do it when his life wasn't at stake. "So I'm guessin' yer Masamune, right? Like the sign says?"

"That would be correct." Sephiroth's bright eyes narrowed at Reno, then he waved at the DJ. "Continue. I do not pay you to gawk."

Spinner made a stammering sound, but when both Reno and Sephiroth slowly turned their heads to gaze at him, he immediately resumed his job.

It was surprisingly quiet here, though Reno supposed it was designed this way so the gang could do business. He waited while Sephiroth studied him. It was eerily reminiscent of the way Hojo looked someone over. Best not to think about THAT.

Sephiroth seemed to notice the other men watching them as well. "Turn about and mind your own businesses!" he snapped. The ranks shifted their feet like a pack of dogs begging to be let on a fox.

The second officer was the first one brave enough to speak. "Ah, sir? Shouldn't we kill him?"

"I haven't decided that yet, Jack. Take these two—" he motioned to the women who had leapt up behind him— "away. I will send for them later if I feel like it. Piper, pull up a chair for our visitor. He obviously wishes to speak with me."

Neither gang member looked pleased, but they carried out their orders. Piper stood behind Sephiroth after getting Reno a chair, though he looked like he wanted to bolt. While it was uncomfortable to have his back to twelve armed men that wanted to kill him, Reno sat casually, leaning on the table and lighting a cigarette. He offered one to Sephiroth, who waved it away and took out his own pack. "I don't trust you," he smiled dangerously. "No offense."

Reno laughed, earning an eyebrow raise from the silver-haired leader. "No offense to you, but if I wanted ta go out inna blaze of glory, I'd'a capped ya from the stairs." It shocked him, how quickly he reverted back to his old way of speaking. Sometimes it felt like Fallen had been a lifetime away, and yet, here he was, as if he'd never met a man named Reeve just over a year ago.

"Is it difficult to walk?" Sephiroth asked, puffing out smoke from a cigarette three times the cost of the one in Reno's mouth. At Reno's questioning look, he elaborated. "I'm just curious, considering the brass balls you must have to even have considered coming here like this."

Reno forced another laugh. He motioned for the ashtray that was just out of his reach and felt smug when Piper actually fetched it for him. "Well, I get by." While he flicked ash into the glass dish, he finally came up with a good reason to be here. About time. "I actually have a business proposition for you, one that could be very profitable, seeing as you have no Midgar chapter."

"You bastard!" Jack cried, hearing the last words just as he returned from his task. He lunged forward, only to be snagged by Sephiroth's gloved hand and flung into the wall. The general's even expression never changed, as though he was merely waving away a fly. Jack slumped to the ground, out cold.

Reno mentally calculated the speed and the heavy force of that blow, then prayed to whatever Wutaian god would aid accuracy. If Tseng missed, Reno would be in a lot of trouble, and Sephiroth would be his biggest worry.

---

Tseng was ready; he just needed the perfect opportunity. Reno and Sephiroth were talking...at least the former Pirates hadn't shot Reno on sight. Thank the gods for small miracles.

He adjusted his fingers on the trigger of the weapon, fanning them and keeping them from growing stiff. He didn't envy Reno's job on this mission. It wasn't often the Turks used one of their own as bait in such an obvious way. He only needed one good shot, one perfect moment when Sephiroth was clearly visible and Tseng could exert the little bit of pressure needed to end the former general's life for good. He just needed…yes, Reno could move a little to the left…

Wait...why was Reno sitting down? "Reeve," he whispered into the toothpick-sized mic that branched from his earpiece, "What the hell is Reno doing?"

"Steady, Se," came Reeve's calm reply. "We'll just have to give them more time than expected."

"We don't have all night. I don't like it."

"Tseng..."

"I know, Reeve. But I don't like it."

A dark chuckle echoed in the earpiece. "Let's see what Reno does. Maybe he has a plan."

"A plan, right," Tseng snorted, but waited nonetheless.

---

Reno sat across from Sephiroth, wishing he had a plan. Tseng should have taken the shot by now; the only thing that Reno could think of was that HE needed to move somehow. He knew that the ONLY chance he had of getting out of this club, short of an act from some deity, would be the immediate confusion after Sephiroth's death.

First, however, he had to MOVE. "Eh, ya mind?" He motioned his head to the tense lines of Pirates who were just waiting for the word to open up on him. They had turned around as ordered, but still cast glances up the stairwell, ready to shoot. "It's a bit, ah, uncomfortable, having yer back to people that wanna shoot'cha."

Sephiroth drummed his fingers on the table—another trait he shared with Doctor Hojo—and scanned the club with his eyes. "You came totally alone?"

Reno nodded. "Look, I'm not wearing colors, in fact, I stepped down from leadership a while ago. But, what else is a gang banger gonna do? I've got no education, never held a real job, ya know?" He lit another cigarette and hoped he wasn't sweating. "I just want to make a business arrangement. What happened in Midgar has nothing to do with you."

Piper cast a look at Jack, still slumped on the floor. He seemed ready to interject, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Spinner, too, kept glancing up at Reno and Sephiroth. They knew that Reno was responsible for their old gang's downfall.

So was Sephiroth, apparently. "You singlehandedly walked into their hideout, closed them in the barracks and burned them alive. It sounded sort of personal." Sephiroth smirked at the look on Reno's face. "I do my homework."

"Well, yeah, I suppose it was personal." Reno started to tap his foot nervously, but stopped himself. He leveled a glare at Piper. He didn't think that his voice would have the emotion it did, even after all this time, but it did. Saying the words felt like opening a wound. "They killed someone close to me, someone helpless."

Sephiroth waved a dismissive hand and looked bored. "They did a lot of things, you know. This is the way it is with gangs." He sat back and took a drink. "But this conversation isn't going anywhere. It's all old news. Tell me, Red Wolf, what brings you to my club tonight of all nights?"

Reno felt his hand clench into a fist and made himself relax. Sephiroth knew full well how important Beth had been to him; it wasn't exactly a secret. Reno was being baited, and he didn't plan to take it like some fish hook. Instead, he focused on the last thing Sephiroth had said. "Why, is something happening tonight? I figured it was just business as usual, unless you mean the New Year's party."

Reno was glad the two other bosses were too far away for them to hear what he was saying; Gao's eyes burned across the empty space and into Reno's. Gao was a Wutaian gang leader who had considered Reno an upstart. It was too bad he'd underestimated how determined and fierce a Midgar slum kid could become. Reno nodded to Gao, then turned away as if dismissing him. "And just why aren't you all killing each other?"

"Why, because I have called them here specifically, invited them if you will. This place is neutral territory tonight. I thought perhaps you had come because you felt safe tonight. If not that, then what?"

Reno ignored the question. "They're not going to make it out alive, are they? You're planning a coup."

A sinister grin spread across the other man's face. "You always were smarter than anyone gave you credit for."

"Yeah, well, smarter doesn't always keep a guy alive. Does that mean you're going to kill me, too, since I know?"

"My dear boy, I think you know already that I've been planning to kill you since you walked in." A series of clicks sounded behind Reno as the rank of former Pirates readied their weapons. He fought to remain relaxed. He wasn't in this alone; Reeve and Tseng were backing him up. All he had to do was stay alive a few minutes more. He began to calculate where people were in relation to him, sensed where the closest Pirates were positioned. All it would take was a single word from Sephiroth, and every hell would break loose.

So much for an in and out mission. This was going to be a bloodbath. Reno's hands tensed, ready to draw.

The tension suddenly disappeared. Sephiroth leaned back again with a smile and took a sip of his drink. "But first, it has been so long since I had a civilized conversation with anyone. Surely you understand the perils of being an intellectual man in charge of a herd of uneducated swine. Why don't we talk for a while?" He grinned again, a superior being offering something valuable to a lesser one. "Perhaps I'll keep you alive after all."

Reno smiled back. "Gee, Mister Masamune, that would be swell." Why hadn't Tseng shot yet? Every cell in his body wanted to be out of there.

Sephiroth laughed, delighted. "That's exactly what I mean. Now, let us discuss what you've been doing these last few years, shall we?"