An Ace in the Hole

Author's note's: I don't own FF7 characters. There I said it! urg... I feel bad now...

Thwack

A sharp pain woke the slim figure. Her cheek throbbed in rhythm to her pulse. The brightly lit room slowly come into focus. A dark figure towered over her. It raised it's hand as she braced herself for the backhand. It connected against her other cheek forcing the skin to separate slightly. A warm trickle of blood made it's way down her neck. The room lost it's focus once more. The unfocused figure growled softly and slapped her again. Pain made her lift her head to face her tormentor. As she did she could finally begin to focus. The tormentor wasn't a shadowy figure anymore, he was tall, over six feet. His dark blue suit was immaculate to the smallest detail. Dark sunglasses blocked his eyes and his face was set into a stoic expression. The light reflected form his highly polished, bald head. The man's skin was the color of light coffee.

She tried to move her arms, but found that they were still bound spread eagle across the wall. Her wrists ached from supporting her weight. Now that the pain was subsiding from her face, she could feel the dried blood cracking on her arms from her effort to move them. Her legs dangled beneath her, unable to even reach the floor. Pins and needles rewarded her efforts to move them. Exhausted, she slumped down and hung her head. It was the same room. It was the same, fucking room. The brightly lit room only held her, her captor, the chains, and a built in mirror that stretched over half of the opposite wall. Besides for noting the high quality of the chains, only the polished, tile floor held her interest. She didn't want to see her pitiful frame held up by chains. The mirror frustrated her, so she looked at the polished tiles beneath her.

Her torturer grumbled something in a harsh, low voice. It sounded like gravel to her ears, but it was a welcome sound after hearing nothing but her own screams for so long. A fist connected to her stomach making a small trail of blood leave her young mouth. The blood landed on his shoe, earning her another slap to her face.

"Speak." commanded her tormenter once mare in his gravely voice. Contempt filled her as she lifted her aching head and focused on the mirror before her. Her eyes burned with hate. She answered in a voice strained by harsh screams and prolonged thirst.

"I am Yuffie Kissagari, the last shinobu of the once proud city of Wutai. I saved the world with Avalanche and won't talk to any about my mission." she paused as a childish urge filled her, then continued with a smirk. " AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

'Wrong answer.' thought the Turk as he once again hit the materia thief sending her back into the black depths of sleep.

Behind the mirror, a lean figure in a rumpled blue suit rested against the two- way mirror. His fiery red hair flew out in multiple direction failing to be constrained into a ponytail that trailed down his back. He shoved his hands into his pockets and searched for his pack of cigarettes and lighter. Finding them in separate pockets he drew them out and pulled out an individual stick. Taking a moment to light his cigarette, he turned his electric blue eyes to the shadowed corner, were only an ember was glowing. He blew a puff of smoke out of his mouth.

"That's all we've been able to get out of her for now." He commented to the corner. "Give us a full week and she'll sing like a canary."

A pair of shapely, femine legs shifted into the light of the dimly light room. "What has Elena dug up?" a sultry voice commanded.

Taking another long, unhurried puff, Reno replied. "Besides for the Shinra file we have left over form a year ago, we have dug up some things." A dangerous glint entered the young man's eyes. Repressing a smirk, he continued. "She's been stirring up trouble with most materia shops in the Junon region. Her contact with Avalanche has been limited to say the least. She hasn't even been to Wutai in the last six months. Had an argument with Daddy-dearest, Godo Kissagari. There have been recent materia thefts from several upper-class households in the area. None of which have had any arrests made. It's my opinion that we're looking at the culprit. As far as her being an assassin," the Turk shrugged. "I think that she was just looking to acquire your beautiful materia collection." He took another drag as the woman answered.

"Well… No one steals my materia or weapons from me…." She trailed off and the ember burned brighter. "She's a part of Avalanche, get as much information form her as possible, then turn her over to the proper authorities."

The Turks' leader turned to leave the room. When he reached the door her sultry voice called out to him. He paused and she continued.

"Reno. Break both of her legs. I want that done were I can see it. I refuse to have a repeat of last time."

Turning the handle, the red-head finished his drag on the cigarette and tossed it to the tile floor. "I'm a Turk. I always do my job."

Watching the young man leave, the woman rose from her seat in the corner. Hate filled her as she watched the young woman in the adjoining room. When Reno entered the other room with a sledge hammer over his shoulder a smile graced her malformed lips. Rude stepped away from the ninja, all of his emotions masked behind his glasses. She eagerly watched as Reno tightly gripped the handle with both hands and swung at the last shinobo's bare legs. Hearing the little bitch's screams made her hand stray to the scars that crisscrossed her once beautiful face. Manic laughter burst from her lips mingling with Yuffie's screams of anguished. "Guwahahahahaha" Fate had handed hear an ace and she wasn't going to let it go.