A/N: Hey guys! Wow it's been ages since I last updated this fic. But I have some time on my hand now, so things should get moving pretty quick. Sorry about the wait and for those of you who's been commenting, thanks alot! Keep them coming!

Chapter 10: Turks

"So this is the girl?"

"Yep."

"I'll tell the President straight away."

"Wait…don't…not yet."

"Reno…?"

"I'll like to speak to her in person first."

Marlene rubbed her eyes. Her head felt dizzy but most of all, she was hungry. Her eyes revealed a small room, cramped and dusty. She was suddenly stricken with fear, for this was very familiar. Hadn't that group of silver-haired men kidnapped her before?

Were they doing this again?

Before she could think it through, the door in front of her suddenly flung open. A tall man, dressed in deep blue suit, with his white shirt untagged and a few buttons on his shirt unbuttoned, walked in.

Marlene recognized that flaming red hair anywhere. After all, she had lived in the slums her entire life and she knew immediately that she was not in the hands of the silver-haired men, but the Turks.

What did the Turks want with her?

"Hey sweetie, how's your neck feeling?"

"Very sore." Marlene retorted.

The man scratched his head uncertainly. "So Marlene, don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."

"I'm not afraid."

The Turk widened his eyes. Marlene noticed they were a very bright blue. A sneer crept onto his otherwise, handsome face. "Good to know. My name is Reno and I've brought you here because of…certain reasons."

Marlene was no-nonsense. "What do you want from me?"

Reno paused, a small frown creased his forehead. It was going to be a long night.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the night, a hooded figure lurked near the Orphanage. He was waiting for the right moment to strike.

The front yard was empty, save for the few wild flowers growing. He took a step nearer to his target, knowing full well that he would not leave until he got what he had came for.

The object of his mission would be in her bedroom, just like that last time. But this time, he was making sure she wouldn't get any help.

Sensing that the time is right, the hooded figure dashed across the front yard, staying close to the shadows cast by the buildings.

He stopped when he was directly below a window. A window that he remembered it belonged to the little girl.

Effortlessly, he leaped up a good distance and heaved himself through the window, and landed perfectly.

He half-expected to see the little girl sleeping in her bed. But the room was empty.

"What in the world…?" the hooded figure muttered.

The bed did not even looked like it had been slept in, which only meant one thing.

The girl had not returned to her bedroom at all.

But where could she have been?

Kadaj…?

"Huh?" the hooded man spun around. That voice. He would recognized it anywhere. "Aerith…?"

For a split second, he lost his focus, because his mind was filled with images of the flower girl.

So when the bedroom door silently opened, Kadaj didn't even notice that. And when he did, it was already too late.

There was a sudden loud booming blast, and Kadaj felt his body being jolted forcefully forward.

The pain did not come until much later, when he was on his knees.

"You son of a bitch! What did you do to my Marlene!" Someone shouted at him.

But Kadaj's world was already spinning. Weakly, he grasped his chest and felt something damp and sticky soaking through his black cloak. He held up his hand and saw that it was crimson red.

Like the red petals…

That was his last thought before he closed his eyes.

"You're pretty special, you know that?" he said. He was already comfortably sitting beside the girl and they had been conversing for the past hour like they were old friends.

"So everyone tells me that." Marlene said, but her tone was serious. Like she was holding in a heavy secret. A secret she must not tell anyone.

Reno smirked. "So, why don't you tell me more about…you know, the dreams you had."

Marlene paused. "They're nothing special."

"Maybe not as special as you, but you did mention that you were bothered by them."

The little girl looked away. Maybe she shouldn't have divulged so much detail to the Turk. But somehow, he had been persuasive and a good listener.

She hadn't even talk about those dreams she had with her father, or to Tifa. Why was she telling these to somehow that's almost like a complete stranger?

Maybe it was because he wouldn't judge her. Tifa and her father would, she knew that. They would get terribly upset at her, and maybe even stopped her from going out on her own.

"I've…had dreams of…Him."

Reno sat up straighter. The air in the room seemed to have thickened. "Him?"

Marlene nodded. "He is…still alive…"

"Did you tell anyone about your dreams?"

She shook her head quickly. "No! They…they wouldn't believe me anyway…"

"Smart move." The Turk said. Marlene looked up and met his strong blue eyes. "Don't tell anyone about this dream."