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After inspecting several swords, Cloud glanced up and found Vincent inspecting a long barreled revolver seeming completely oblivious to the marketing spiel the woman shop attendant rattled. Vincent spun the barrel around and flicked it back into place. After a few hushed words, the attendant ducked into the backroom only to return with a small box of shells. Vincent gently placed the revolver back on the display mat and picked up one of the bullets.
"This is actually materia imbedded into this?"
The attendant nodded and began to explain the process and the different types materia provided and group sets one could purchase. Suddenly he placed the bullet back and turned away thanking the attendant. Curious, Cloud approached Vincent.
"So?"
Vincent glanced sideways briefly. "So? What do you mean by "so"?"
Cloud glanced over at the woman and wiggled his fingers at the woman as they left the store. "What do you think of her? She's cute."
"The ammo was overpriced." Vincent stepped out into the crowd ignoring Cloud's initial question. Feeling thwarted, the swordsman kept pace with the gunman.
"I guess that was none of my business." Cloud apologized.
Vincent offered no evidence of his thoughts. "If you like her, why don't you talk to her."
Cloud frowned. "But I don't…I mean she was nice looking. There is nothing hotter then seeing a woman who knows her weapons." He fumbled with his words. "But I think she wasn't quite my type. A little too quiet and I think Tifa would club me if she caught me chatting her up."
Vincent smirked briefly at the thought of Tifa smacking Cloud upside the head with newspaper. Apparently it was quite a sight when Aeris gained the group. Tifa did not care much for the competition.
"Cloud!"
The blonde haired man froze in mid-step hearing his name shouted from behind. Turning, he found Tifa running up to meet him. "I've been all over looking for both of you."
Cloud rubbed at his head self-consciously. "Well, we didn't really go all that far."
Tifa crossed her arms, as she looked him over. "Where's your cell phone?"
Cloud blinked seeming confused by her question. He began to pat himself trying to find the telltale bulge of the device. "I had it only a short while ago...it's here somewhere."
Tifa sighed and looked over at Vincent. "Reeve wanted me to let you know that he had to meet with a client."
Vincent nodded. That meant two things: one he would have the apartment to himself for a while and two, he was out a ride back to the Reeve's apartment building.
Tifa looked at her watch and pursed her lips. "Cloud, we're going to be late."
Vincent looked around, suddenly eager to leave the structure. "Perhaps I should leave you two to complete your errands."
Tifa reached out and grabbed his shirtsleeve. "No wait. We should at least give you a ride back to Reeve's place."
Cloud stared at her. "But we rode the motorcycle over here."
Tifa dropped her hand and held it out to Cloud. Blinking, it took him a moment to realize what the gesture meant. Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out a couple pieces of gil.
"There's a train station two blocks from here. It will take right next to Reeve's place. Let Reeve know what Cloud and I will dropping by later this evening." Tifa grabbed Vincent's hand and shoved the Gil into it. Finding he did not want to argue with her, he bowed his head in gratitude and left Tifa and Cloud.
The sky was dark with late afternoon clouds. The air smelled of car soot and the coming rainstorm. Hoping he could beat the storm, Vincent raced to the train and boarded the entrance. He found the money feeder and paused. There were two slots, one for money and the other for ID. 'ID? What on earth do they need my ID for?'
"Sir, we are about to depart. Please deposit your money and scan your ID." The small speaker ordered. Beyond the speaker were a transparent wall and the train operator.
Vincent fumbled with his parcels in confusion. "What if I don't have the ID?"
The operator offered little condolences. " No ID, no ride."
Vincent frowned. "But I can pay the fare."
The operator gestured to the sign just above Vincent's eyelevel. His red eyes scanned the letters allowing his frown to grow deeper. "Have fare and ID ready upon boarding. No exceptions. It is of utmost importance to Midgar's protection from Terrorists that this be abided. Thank you."
"Indeed." Picking his bags up, Vincent stepped off the train to the loading platform and watched it whirl away down the tracks. It never came to his attention the lack of identification would keep him from using many of the public services, primarily the public transit system. 'Damn terrorists.' In the next breath, Vincent realized at one point he had participated with a group of terrorists. Though his mild amusment was short lived realizing if he did not want to be caught in the coming rain, he had to begin walking the 20 blocks back to Reeve's place.
Even if he could regain his ID, he would still trigger attention because his birth date and the current date. One may claim he does not a look a day past 27 and yet he should be gray with a cane. 'Science can do a great deal to prolong youthful appearance.' Vincent could not help but to wonder if he needed a new identity to cover his genetic alterations. 'Why be so gentle, you are a freak and everyone knows it.'
Reeve opened the door that led into the darkness parts of the storage facility. Once the door was opened, he reached in to the wall next to him and felt for the light switching. Flipping up, he waited for the florescent lights to slowly flicker. Instead he only had darkness. Annoyed, he hit his fist on the wall twice. A familiar hum rose to his ears as the lights began to glow. 'Ah, so that does work.' Reeve thought to himself.
Vincent walked in after Reeve and scanned the towering metal shelves that were filled with cardboard file boxes each seemed to have a date and name written on the outside.
"Thankfully, this place was built in one of the older sectors of Midgar and was unharmed by Meteor. Back in those days, they knew how to build things. The past five years I am having to clean up the cheap contracting and even cheaper supplies they used to build with." Reeve paused infront one isle as he looked over several boxes. "No one builds with actual plywood anymore. Now it's this cheap particleboard stuff that when wet you could sneeze on it and it would crumble. Never mind they also cut corners and used recycled scrap metal for plate supports." He pulled one box out and looked at the contents. "And people wonder why half of Midgar was in shambles. If they only listened to me and the that geologist...what was his name." Reeve examined a file briefly before sliding it back into place. "Oh yeah, funny thing, Dale Ore was his name. Heh, get it, a geologist named Ore."
Vincent stood back and crossed his arms casually. Reeve glanced over his shoulder and did not find Vincent laughing. Reeve cleared his throat.
"Boy, you are a serious joke killer aren't you. I will remember that whenever a party comes up." Reeve pushed the box back and dusted his hands off. "Well, I think your records should be here somewhere, it's about the right archaic time, but I think we need to go toward the east side of the building."
Vincent followed silent only taking a casual observation of the dark, dusty shelves and their files and records. After mentioning the train incident to Reeve, the man was convinced that Vincent's records were still lying around and could easily help him reinstate his identity so he can get the ID card that was so often required to access anything public in Midgar.
Back in a far corner were stacks of deteriorating boxes and shelves. Reeve rubbed at his goatee seeing the despairing sight. "Sephiroth must have been here at some point. No one knew better to leave a mess then him. " He picked up an upturned box and explained the remaining contents. "Wonder if he found whatever he was looking for."
Cait Sith jumped down and scrambled over to another opened file box and peered inside. "This looks like it's it!" The doll upturned and fell inside. "Uh oh! Help."
Vincent looked toward the squealing cat doll and where Reeve stood. He could not help but feel a little disturbed by the antics. 'He has far too much time on his hands.' Vinent attempted to reason. 'Though I suppose it is no worse then people talking to themselves while working.'
Walking over, Vincent lowered himself down to a set of boxes and lifted the lid. The first boxes contained a few folders. Picking one up, he opened it. Inside was the fading print of a meeting agenda for a science board meeting followed by a sign-in sheet. He immediately recognized two names, one being Gast and the other being Hojo. Snorting, he closed the half-empty file and dropped it back into the box. Finding nothing else that concerned his initial goal, Vincent went to another box and found it filled with aging manila folders with names on the tabs, surname name first. Vincent plucked up one and looked over the name. 'This is Frank's file. It seems like just yesterday.' Vincent opened the file and read over the contents and frowned. There was a small line that stated the date of which Frank died. 'He's dead?' Almost seeming surprised by the information. 'I wonder what happened to his family, especially his little boy? Hope they are fine.'
Closing the file, Vincent replaced it and removed another and opened it. Sam was known for being one of the most elusive Turks during his service. Frank stated that everyone had seen Sam, but would have never known it.
Opening the file, he found the photo of the man. 'That's Sam? I would have never guessed.' The man was fashioned in a pin-stripe suit and his short dark hair was slicked back from his face. Replacing the file, Vincent continued to look over the old records of the people he had one point in his life worked so closely with. 'Hank the Tank...hit by a train.' Vincent mentally winced at the idea and reverently replaced Hank's file.
Eventually he reached back of the box and found the name Valentine in red ink. Looking around, he opened his file and looked over it. Stamped in red letters across the top, he was last marked M.I.A. His red eyes lingered on his rookie photo while part of him almost mourned. 'I was so young then and did not even have a clue.' Vincent's eyes lingered on the old mug shot. 'I guess Frank's boy had a point. I do look a little constipated.' Vincent stared at his file for a while before realizing that he probably should inform Reeve that he found his records.
Reeve led them from storage to the 67th floor to where the Accounting department was located. Reeve opened the glass front door and approached the front desk. A woman looked up from her flat screen monitor and smiled.
"Oh Mr. Tuesti, what brings you here this morning?" She piped.
Reeve leaned on the counter holding out a folder to her. "I need to have someone reinstated in the payroll system."
Her primed eyebrows knitted together. "Reinstated, sir?" She looked at the file and looked the contents, which only made her look even more confused. "He was never placed into the first data system upgrade, sir. I will have to enter everything new. Do you mind the wait?" She asked.
Reeve smiled. "I have time."
She nodded and began to enter the data and stopped. "Good heavens sir, this man should be retired and receiving pension. I know we are hurting for employable Turks, do you think this is necessary? Why isn't he receiving pension? Turks rarely live long enough to even consider retirement."
Reeve shrugged. "He is good at what he does. Just enter him in, please."
"Of course." She continued typing. Vincent stood a short distance back. He looked over the various photos of the city both past and present. 'So much has changed since then. Plates were not even installed yet when I left for Nibelheim.'
"Was Mr. Valentine paid a special rate for his work at Nibelheim?"
Reeve shook his head. "Special rate? I don't think so."
The woman continued her data entry into the computer system. "Okay Mr. Tuesti, Mr. Valentine is now in the current database. You will need to go over to the HR department to pick up his paychecks." Reeve thanked the woman and taking the file with him.
'Pay checks?' Vincent questioned as they left the office. "You mean they are going still pay me for that? Nothing could ever make up for what happened..." Vincent's voice dropped off as they approached the elevator.
"And why not? Though I doubt they will reimburse for being locked up one of their scientists. Perhaps I can work on some policy."
"You do that, Reeve."
The woman watched the two men leave the department office. Another person looked over her cubical wall. "Who was the man with Mr. Tuesti? He's kinda cute, though I am not too sure about the eyes."
"I don't know. Maybe that was Mr. Tuesti's assistant."
"Quite the assistant." The other woman dropped back down behind the wall.
Reeve pressed the round button printed with a "65" on it. Why Shinra could have not spent a little more thought in where they placed departments, everything would be more streamlined. Though it did not matter, as it would not change his feelings about not wanting to go into the department of Human resources. 'Let's just make this quick.'
"So it seems you will have a little income after all. Do you remember your bank by chance?"
Vincent's eyes shifted from the overhead light up display of the floor numbers.
"I used the bank that was near my apartment."
"And where was your apartment?"
Vincent fell quiet for a moment before answering. "It was in North-East on some street named after a tree. I think it was either Ash or Aspen."
Reeve blinked feeling suddenly confused. 'What was this man talking about? There were no such thing as North-East.' "Don't you mean..." Reeve stopped. He knew the plates were a fairly recent development within the past what, 30 years. "No sectors?"
Vincent shook his head.
Reeve raced through his mind trying to place what sector would be Northeast? The elevator door opened at the 65th floor. "This could be a little more difficult." Reeve mumbled as they exited past the sliding steel doors. Once they were done with Human Resources, Reeve needed to head back to his office and do a little detective work. Hopefully where Vincent use to live was not split between two sectors.
Vincent found it hard to take his eyes away from the pieces of information in his hands. He held two paychecks. The third piece was information on his dormant bank account after several hours of pulling strings Reeve was able to recover. After spending a short while in the HR department, they went back to Reeve's office and began to slowly reconstruct Vincent's past information. Though there was little trouble with what Vincent could recall, it seemed like only yesterday he wore the Turk's uniform or tended to the dying plant that sat on his kitchen counter. It was only yesterday he was assigned without a partner to Nibelheim.
"So how does it feel to be a paid for your work?" Reeve finally asked as he steered his car through the busy, lit streets of Midgar.
Vincent was not sure what to say. It was nice to know he had Gil now, but at the same time it felt it belong to someone else. It was strange and yet it was not. Reeve glanced over at his friend and smiled.
"Oh, I almost forgot. There is something I wanted to show you." Reeve reached into his pocket and removed a folded piece of paper from his pocket. Taking it, Vincent opened it and found it was an ad of color contacts.
"My eyes are fine." Vincent stated simply. Reeve chuckled.
"These are not to correct poor vision. These are what are known as vanity contacts. You can have any color possible from purple and brown."
Vincent blinked. "I can have brown?" 'I can have my original eye color with these contacts?'
"Well, of course. But consider the possibilities of the different shades of blue and green. With that hair color, blue would certainly catch a lady's eyes."
"But I want brown." Vincent stated again, but with more conviction. Reeve turned the car into a narrow driveway that went into a underground parking garage.
"And people say I need to live a little." Reeve muttered.
Vincent looked down at the papers and felt a mild twinge of success. He was now able to get his ID and be on his way. He would be able to go home again, or at least rent a new home. 'Home would be nice, my own bed and not someone futon.' He had all the vital information he needed in order to achieve the ID, including the pay stub. 'They are still willing to pay me what I earned as a Turk.' Then suddenly as thought someone turned on a light in a dark room, it dawned on him. Reeve had placed him back into the payroll system, that only meant now he was working under Shinra again, without even consulting him about it. Reeve had underhandedly snuck Vincent into working for him without Vincent being fully aware of it until now.
'Reeve, you are such a shyster.' As though he could know what Vincent's thoughts, Reeve smiled.
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Author's Note: I know this is not the nearly the same "haha" as the past chapters, but I was not going to force it either. I have also dropped a few easter eggs in there for those who read "When the Sun Sets in Ardea". I will probably bring Frank up again for those who haven't. Within the next couple of chapters, Vincent will brave the crowds once more to go down to Midgar's equivalent to the DMV for his ID card. Stay tuned for more beast antics.