Author's note: Wow! Thanks everybody for the reviews! Almost at fifty! . This chapter was supposed to be super short, but I guess things turned out a little different than I thought. There's a 'nice' little surprise in this chapter so I hope you have fun! Once again, keep on reading and keep on reviewing!
Abstract Silver
The fateful stand
There was a numbing sensation as his body shifted ever so slightly from its still position. He hadn't felt any pain at all since the blast of abnormal white light, but he wasn't fully awake. And he knew that when his eyes would move back and forth and the smell and comfort of his surroundings would form into a harsh reality, the pain was going to be there. It wasn't something to look forward to.
But before he knew it, a dim light was already working its way into his sleep ridden eyes, scorching them from the simple intensity that they brought along. Then, as he feared, the first spasms of pain came flooding in, just as powerful as any storm.
Cloud moved his head to the side, feeling the great pain grab onto his whole being while it seemed to drain him of any strength he possessed. He became all too aware of the smell that hung like thick smog in the room, scrunching his nose up in distaste. Then, like a gentle whisper, the slow and rhythm-like sounds of the machine beside his bed drifted into his ears, becoming louder and louder with every passing second as he drifted back awake.
His piercing mako eyes got their first real look at the room he was currently held in and didn't even have to ask to know where he was. This, of course, wasn't that big of a problem, he knew his way around here pretty well, but Cloud could sense the danger he was now in. He didn't like it and wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.
Cloud ignored the pain that swelled up, inside of his chest, pushing himself upwards and off the bed to get a better look around and see of how much use his surroundings would be if he got into a sticky situation. But, as the blond soon discovered, there was nothing but bland white walls and a chair to his right, which was being occupied by the looks of it.
"Hey there sleepy head," a calm and gentle voice drifted over to Cloud, surprising him temporarily.
Tifa closed the old magazine she was reading and set it down lightly onto the chair she had been sitting in only moments ago and stood, brushing her outfit and ridding it of any dust that could have settled, though there was no sign of any. She gave Cloud a light hearted smile and drew closer to his bed, honest eyes boring into his own.
"We found you and that boy just a little bit outside of Midgar. I was worried you wouldn't survive."
Lowering his head, Cloud placed it into an open hand and clenched his eyes shut protectively. He turned, so that Tifa was looking at a mass of broken gold spikes on the back of his head, and let his mind race, but only for an instant, as he frantically tried to remember the events that had occurred nearly a day or two ago. Cloud could not recall any of it.
But Kadaj, the silver haired rebel, would not survive on his own, especially in an extremely weakened state such as the one Cloud was in now. Kadaj would probably be a hand full to look after, hard to restrain and talk to. Smart, yes, but with the many scientists Cloud knew worked here, Kadaj would only find himself imprisoned, maybe even at this moment. He had to rescue Kadaj.
Tifa reached forward and turned Cloud's head so that he was facing her and gave his hand, the one left to hang limply at his side, a reassuring squeeze.
"Don't worry Cloud, we'll get you out of here soon."
Cloud gave a small nod and laid back down, resting his already tiring back into the surprisingly comfortable mattress, finding a suitable spot and closing his eyes briefly. There were so many things running through his mind now. He just wanted to forget about them all, but Kadaj would not be forgotten.
The boy could be anywhere by now. He only hoped that Kadaj had managed to escape or run away before his friend had arrived. But, if what Tifa was saying was true, than Kadaj hadn't left and his whereabouts remained a mystery. However, his childhood friend could dish out some information. She'd know where Kadaj went.
Tifa rested the palm of her hand over his forehead and withdrew it immediately, reaching for something beside the bed. Once she found it she spoke in an urgent voice, "Are you alright C-" But Cloud cut her off.
"Where is he?"
Instead of finishing her search, Tifa let out a small sigh and settled back into the brown leather chair behind her, long, dark locks of hair covering her face. She seemed to think about it for a moment, understanding fully that Cloud wanted an honest answer, whether it be good or bad. But she was still confused about everything. Deeply confused.
"Rufus took him and-"
"Why? Why did you let him do that? Do you know where he is?" Cloud's tone of voice became almost abnormally harsh and demanding, something Tifa has never grown accustomed to, as he sat up again, watching her with his livid eyes. "You do know where he is, don't you?"
"Cloud," Tifa raised her head, matching the blond's gaze with an equally determined one of her own. "He's too dangerous. What if he kidnaps the children again?"
"He won't..."
"But I really don't think that things will get much better with him around. Cloud, he's the one who put that awful spell over Denzel!" Tifa's voice was sharp like a razor, and there was pain as well. Cloud hated it when she sounded so hurt, but things didn't have to be that way. People change, sometimes for the best, that's what he was hoping to do with Kadaj. "Don't you care?"
"Yes, but..." He did care, he really did. Cloud moved his head to the side slowly, averting his eyes from Tifa and looking blandly at the white bedsheets underneath him. Then he looked back, changing the subject. "Where is he?"
"Cloud, I really don't know. What is it with you and this guy anyways?" There. She had it out in the open. Her friend wouldn't be able to move around it. She wanted the truth.
"There's this connection between us, not from our link with Jenova, but something else."
"Don't trust him too much, okay Cloud?" Tifa warned in a gentle tone, trying hard not to provoke any more disagreements between them, but it wasn't working exactly as she hoped it would.
"You don't understand..."
"I do Cloud, but-"
"No," Cloud raised his head, eyes shinning brightly from the iridescent lights above. He furrowed his eyebrows, turning his facial expression cold and distant, just as it had been before everything else. "You don't."
Another room passed, occupied just as the last one or two had been, but his niisan was not in either one. Nor was he in any of them. This was becoming quite tiring and Kadaj was slowly losing his patience, his ability to walk as well. The pain was slowly coming back.
He often checked for any unwanted people, namely Rufus and his goons, as he sauntered around the hallways, now desperate to find Cloud. Yet he hadn't the slightest clue where he was, but one thing was for sure, his niisan was an awfully far distance away from where he was now. And by the looks of it, Cloud wasn't even in this wing.
So, deciding that he better quicken his pace, lest he be caught by any of the workers who should have discovered his absence, Kadaj turned down another dimly lit hallway and trailed after the seemingly never ending mass of doors, all of which were the exact same color as his.
His breathing now forced and ragged, Kadaj pushed himself forwards until he came upon a half opened door, one with a few cheap looking chairs outside of it, and stopped. He rested his continuously paling face against the white frame, peering in for a few seconds.
There was someone sitting in a chair, looking distraught and rather hurt. Upon further notice, Kadaj realized that he recognized that women, who was the exact same one that had been at the bar Cloud had taken him to. Then, as the silver haired rebel opened the door a bit further, he stopped in his tracks as his niisan's voice echoed blissfully in his tired ears.
"There's this connection between us, not from our link with Jenova, but something else."
"Don't trust him too much, okay Cloud?"
"You don't understand..."
Kadaj withdrew, blocking out the last few words of their conversation. Did his niisan actually trust him? He had never learned anything about trust during his training, except that he was never aloud to trust anyone at all. But what would he do now?
As Cloud's voice stopped almost too suddenly, Kadaj caught a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he immediately recognized them to be the two body guards that Rufus constantly had beside him and felt trapped.
And just like a pinned animal on the brink of being dinner for that of bigger size, Kadaj was just as dangerous and felt his muscles bunch up as he prepared to make a run for it. However, Cloud was still inside and they had to get out of here now. So, without thinking things through as he had been taught, Kadaj kicked open the door with a little amount of effort and stumbled upon the pain filled body of Cloud as he rested in a cramped position.
The blond and his friend immediately turned in his direction, both wearing the same mask of surprise. Cloud began struggling to free himself from the major jumble of wires and tubes, always checking back for what seemed every second to reassure himself that Kadaj was not a fake. Tifa, now standing at her full height, watched as the silver hair rebel bounded over to Cloud, looking like he had gone to hell and back.
As Kadaj finished helping Cloud, the last tube, which injected the blond with a liquid Kadaj had never been too familiar with, the door burst open and there stood Rude and Reno, the well built one keeping a stoic face while his red headed partner smirked at the frantic looking teen.
"Hey Cloud," Reno spoke up, pointing towards Kadaj. "'Been looking for your little buddy here for quite some time now."
The blond rose slowly from the white clad bed, flexing his sore wrists and relishing the open feeling he now had. Tifa sat back down with another sigh, hoping that the two newcomers would be able to talk some sense into her friend. But things were definitely not going her way lately, and she realized that when Cloud took a step in front of Kadaj.
"What is it that you want with him?" He asked, suspicious of them now, even after both Rude and Reno had helped out while he fought non stop with the other silver haired men.
"Shachou's orders."
"Well I'm going against his orders." Cloud turned around and motioned to Kadaj. "Come on, we're leaving."
Rude stepped into the middle of the doorway, blocking their escape. Reno only chuckled before nearing Cloud, the shades on top of his head sending a blinding reflection from the lights into Cloud's hurting mako eyes.
"Cloud, he'll end up turning on you." Reno spoke truthfully, talking with his arms as well, moving when each word escaped his lips. "Once he gets what he wants, he'll be gone for good."
From his position in the doorway, Rude brought his brows close together, tightening around the rims of his shaded sunglasses. His partner always managed to say the wrong things, no matter what situation they were stuck in. That man's mouth was going to be the end of him someday.
There was a brief silence. Cloud lowered his head, as if the thought had never come to mind. After all, Kadaj was a merciless fighter who was both smart and cunning, especially when the means of battle came into play. The silver haired rebel himself let his gaze fall to the floor, silvery locks blocking all from seeing what emotions, if there were any, that flashed across his face. He looked back up at Cloud, after coming to a decision, and sat roughly down into the white mattress.
"No..." Kadaj broke the silence, his tone wavering between unsure and with a hint of depression in it as well. "No, I won't."
Everyone inhabiting the room seemed to freeze, as if Kadaj's statement had been the strangest thing in the world. Tifa shifted uneasily in her chair, deep eyes constantly moving back and forth between the two men before her. Reno looked rather disappointed, while Rude's expression remained the same. Cloud on the other hand, was shocked the most.
He really hadn't expected that. Hell, it was the last thing he ever thought would come out of the silver haired rebel's mouth. But it meant something, yet he had no idea what it was. Unfamiliar with such a feeling as that.
"We are still unable to let you go."
All eyes turned to Rude, another surprise in the last minute or two. He stayed calm, hidden eyes keeping focus on Cloud and Kadaj, watching for any movements that would indicate an attempt to escape.
Kadaj kept his head downcast, balling his fists up tightly. Now both leather gloves had been removed, leaving his bare hands for all to see. There was a growing sensation building up, cold as mountain water itself. He knew what it was and he planned on using it to his advantage.
There was still some power left from the materia.
Rude didn't have enough time to spot the blue ball of lightning fast energy come rushing towards him. However, he managed to dodge out of the way, landing in the hallway as pieces of wood and plaster littered the ground around him.
Kadaj pulled on Cloud, pushing past Reno with reborn arrogance. They picked up the pace they were traveling at, both having some difficulties as the pain boiled inside each of their tired and battle worn bodies.
Taking all the right turns and finally seeing the long desired light of the outside world, Kadaj shut his eyes momentarily, dashing headlong towards the door which promised them freedom. Cloud hurried as well, letting out a sigh as if he had been holding his breath when the cool afternoon air swept calmly and gently over their bruised and battered skin.
Suddenly, three shots were fired, all of which had been headed into the direction of the two runaways. Cloud grabbed onto the arm Kadaj was using to hold him and pulled them downwards. Had it not been for his quick reflexes, Kadaj would have taken all of the bullets, each one aimed for vital spots.
A small cloud of dust polluted the air as it danced in the slight breeze. Cloud and Kadaj stood up, breaking the hold they had on one another and they both turned to the direction of the shots, coming upon no other than Rufus Shinra himself; a gun aimed only at Kadaj alone.
"Hand over Kadaj," he demanded in a clam voice, cold eyes never leaving the silver haired rebel. "We aren't through with him yet."
"Never!" Kadaj screamed, jade eyes glowing fiercely.
Cloud watched in muted dread as Rufus slowly applied pressure onto the black trigger, sending panic waves through his mind. As time seemed to stop altogether, Cloud once again grabbed a hold of Kadaj, but this time he made a run for it, hoping that the rebel could keep up with the sudden jerk out of his harsh reality and the speed of which Cloud was now running at.
Rufus was close behind, often firing a few rounds at Kadaj. The silver haired rebel was having a hard time catching up with the older man, heaving violently as his lungs wheezed in pain. His legs were incredibly sore, bruised in several spots as well. But his will to live was stronger than anything and that alone was enough fuel to keep his body moving.
Hoping that they were finally free of Rufus and his deadly aim, Kadaj spared a quick glance at Cloud as he continued to pull on his arm with little applied force, but stopped when the grip went slack and his niisan halted abruptly, sending Kadaj straight into his back.
"Why have we stopped?"
Kadaj peered over Cloud's shoulder, eyes widening ever so slightly as he came upon the only reason why the blond would do such a thing, especially when danger was close by.
Right in front of them the land dropped off and only mere centimeters away from the tips of Cloud's boots was the end of the powder-like dirt. It was a cliff they were standing on and it wouldn't be a very nice fall if they were to jump.
In other words, they were trapped.
Frantic, Kadaj stepped beside Cloud and looked angrily down, trying to see if there were any ledges that they could hide on. Finding none, the silver haired rebel spun around to see if Rufus was anywhere near by.
Splat.
Kadaj grasped his chest as two bullets entered his pale flesh. Blood smeared across his face, stunning him as the smell of copper filled his nostrils. He looked down, then up, watching as Rufus neared, a cold smirk painted delicately onto his face.
Cloud quickly turned around, small droplets of Kadaj's blood speckling his cheek. He watched in frozen horror, unable to move or react, as Kadaj stumbled backwards, his feet losing their grip on the ground and slipping off the edge.
He tried to reach for his fellow runaway, but Kadaj was already out of reach, plummeting towards the ground far, far below.