Disclaimer: I do not own any of the named characters from the FF7 game. Basically, if you recognise a character, it isn't mine! However, the narrator/detective is my property. Now that's over with, enjoy…

Chapter 2:

Friday, 11:30, Sector 7: My Apartment

As I pick myself up off the floor, all I can hear is the ceaseless drone of the cars above. I'd slept in again. My head hurting like a bitch. I look down at the floor at the vomit from the night before. Hell, did I dream that whole thing up last night?

I know for sure Barret kicked me outta the bar. I know for sure I got home. But I could have sworn Scarlett of the Shin-Ra was here waiting for me. My confusion was eased as I see the envelope on my desk.

Tearing open the seal, an angelic smell caressed my nostrils. The same aroma I'd smelt the night before. It was all coming back to me. I looked at the notepaper – Shin-Ra Inc. logo in the top right corner – The handwriting of an educated woman…

"Check your bank account"

Nothing else apart from an "S" to signify its writer. Shit, working for the Shin-Ra. I aughtta beat myself up.

Friday, 12:10, Sector 7: Train Station

Walking through the market square I see the usual gossip mongers. Don't know why Scarlett didn't ask them to do the job. They seem to know everything. I overhear their crazy conspiracy theories. One of them was that Tifa was in on the bombing. Heh heh, imagine that.

I wait at the train station for the 12:15 express to Sector 1. I figure somebody must have seen something last night. It's not as if it's a quiet area, I mean its one of the main shopping areas in the slums. And I know Loveless was showing at the Midgar Ritz last night. Somebody must have seen something…

I grab my seat on the train opposite that guy again. He is a departmental manager at the Shin-Ra Tower. Nobody knows his name. Everyone hates him 'cause of who he works for. Kinda feel sorry for him. All the local thugs pick on him.

Speaking of which, I see Barret climb aboard the train along with Tifa and that scrawny blonde guy I saw outside the Seventh Heaven last night. I notice out the corner of my eye the Shin-Ra manager letting out a sigh and mumbling something under his breath.

"Thought I told you last night about disrespecting me!"

Barret must've heard the guy. He stomps up to the manager, pulling on his jacket and roughing up the guy's previously well-groomed hair. The blonde kid pulls Barret away as the guy scuttles into the next carriage.

Barret and Blondie then start sizing each other up. By the look of it, Blondie would have kicked Barret's ass, despite being half his size. I just notice Tifa pulling them apart as I start to doze off.

Friday, 12:45, Midgar Rail: Somewhere near Sector 5

A siren shakes me out of my semi-conscious state. My eyes open to a pulsating red light as the tannoy announces that there are "unidentified suspicious individuals" on board. This ID card scheme has been maybe the only thing that the Shin-Ra has done right. Stops all kinds of creeps moving around the city. Well, up until last night anyway. They announce a carriage lock-down. Shit, I got nothing to worry about, my ID is clean.

I see Barret, Tifa and Blondie rush past me into the next carriage. So does my downstairs neighbour, Wedge along with a guy and a gal I don't know. Don't know why they're running away, the lock-downs only last around five minutes.

…

Hold on a sec, Scarlett said the guy they're looking for is Ex-SOLDIER…

Aint never seen a civilian with eyes like that blonde kid had…

Or stand up to a guy like Barret without knowing how to fight….

And he did look filthy last night when I saw him outside the bar…

Oh shit…

I pick myself up, start to chase after them. My heart pounding. What if I'm right? Three quarters of a million Gil for literally two hours work! I get no more than 2 metres away from the connecting door when I hear a solid "Clunk" and I know the door is locked.

Shit.

I flop down into my seat. Resign to the fact that I now gotta do some proper friggin' detective work.

The homeless bum starts singing in his usual spot at the corner seat of the carriage I'm in and I realise that this'll probably be the only entertainment I'm gonna get out of the day…