LOL... this chapter has 2005 words... pure irony isn't it?

Chapter 3

Hungry and Thirsty Travelers

"… where the hell do you think we'll get the funds for this, man? We're not just going to go around pulling money out of our a—es!" the man with dark shades yelled.

A toy cat, hanging from right outside the window on a stuffed mog, shifted uneasily. He looked up. He was hanging down from a hook attached to the top of the building's roof. A rope connected to his suit kept him hanging. He had been straining to hear the conversation for the last half-hour.

He had been assigned this mission by Reeve. He had heard rumors about a secret group that had been planning to establish an empire, one almost exactly like ShinRa.

There were two men who sat at a table. One who was probably very powerful and rich… and the other was a man who was well connected. Next to them were their bodyguards.

Reeve furrowed his brows in frustration. They had been discussing something that cost a lot of money, but they never mentioned what. Probably a precaution just in case there were eavesdroppers like him.

Damn… just one hint. Please… just drop one little hint. Reeve prayed to the Cetra as he watched and listened to the conversation from a camera that were embedded in Cait Sith's ears.

"Calm down. Don't you worry about the money… I'll handle that part of the job. You just keep me supplied with all the information. And while you're at it… fetch me a useful team of people that are well connected."

"How about the Turks?"

"Ahh… they sound good… but one problem… how are you going to find them? They've gone in hiding ever since he downfall of ShinRa."

"No worries, I'll track them down in less than a month."

"Good… contact me when you've got them… and have them willing to work for me."

One of the bodyguards whispered something into the rich man's ear. The man looked up, smiling. "I know already. I was waiting for you to tell me. I knew since the meeting started."

"What's going on?" the other man inquired.

"Well… there's an eavesdropper hangin' right out our window. I'm not sure what the hell it is… but it's got to be pretty damn stealthy."

"SHIT!" Reeve yelled back in his office, on Cait Sith's remote, he hurriedly punched the self-destruct button.

The toy cat hanging outside the window, suddenly blew up into smithereens, leaving no trace of it behind.

Reeve watched as his computer's monitor, which had been connected to Cait Sith's camera, fizzle up into a screen of gray. He watched it for a while, and then sighed, smoothing his hand through his hair. He needed to find the Turks before he did… and find out what the hell those two men were up to. They had somehow been connected with ShinRa in the past… but he wasn't sure how.

Maybe he could get AVALANCHE to help him out. Damn… and they all just got over Meteor… sorry guys… He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

-----

Reno didn't even have a chance to look up before Tifa let off a kick at his face and sent him flying. Then she dove forward and shudo-chopped Rude in the face and sent him to the ground, groaning. Elena looked at both of her fallen friends and looked back at Tifa.

"What are you staring at, Elena! Kick her ass already!" Reno called, getting up and rubbing at his throbbing jaw. "Ooh… this is going to swell…"

'You don't stand a chance, Turk," Tifa said, her voice cold. "So kindly drop your weapon, relax, and raise your arms… and no harm will be done to you."

Elena unloaded the gun and dropped it to the ground. She couldn't relax but she did raise her arms slowly over her head.

"Very good." Tifa turned back to Reno and Rude. "Tell your companions to do so."

"Aww… Tifa… we're all old friends aren't we? Can't you just let us off? We're just a bunch of hungry and thirsty travelers!" Reno got up, and dropped his electrified nightstick to the ground. "Happy?"

She stared back at the red haired man. What the hell did he mean by hungry and thirsty travelers? She knew that the Turks had been out on the run ever since ShinRa's downfall. Reno was right… they did look hungry and thirsty. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Reno raised his head to make a point, but Tifa tensed up. "Uhh… we're not Turks anymore… just to let you know. We quit. No joke."

The corner of Tifa's mouth twitched ever so slightly. "And what would a trio of ex-Turks be doing, walking out in broad daylight toward Nibelheim… knowing that they would be in danger?"

Rude looked sideways at Reno. The red-haired man was giving one of his angel looks. He sighed, no matter how innocent he looked, there would be no halo over his head. "We're just innocent travelers, looking for some food." Reno said in the lightest voice possible.

Tifa's mouth twitched again, this time faster. "Uh huh… sure," she looked cynical. "'Remind me that if I ever want to hear bulls--- I can just come to you."

"I'm guessing that you still haven't forgiven us for bombing Sector 7's Tower?" Reno asked. "Tifa… you know that only a few died in that…"

The chestnut haired woman's eyes flashed. No, she had not forgiven them for bombing Sector 7. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie had all died during that one incident. No matter how small the casualty count that was… they were good friends of hers. Her fists clenched and her gloves squeaked.

"A few died in that? You killed my friends!" she spat, her eyes beginning to burn. "You destroyed my bar! And you destroyed people's homes! YOU BLAMED IT ALL ON AVALANCHE!"

Reno sighed. Ok… maybe that wasn't a good tactic to use to persuade Tifa to not kick the crap outta them. Uhh… try another tactic… he thought wildly to himself. But what? The pity thing didn't work… the thing about Sector 7 didn't work… maybe my past? "Tifa… just… calm down… we're not here to do anything to harm anyone. Anything that we did in the past… it was to… make a living.

"I wasn't raised the right way… my mom died when she gave birth to me… and my dad was an alcoholic and he beat me… so I ran away when I was twelve. I joined a bunch of thugs and they were my family… sort of.

"Ok… so maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to do… but what could I do? I wanted love… and I thought I had it when I joined them. I mean… does a child that was beaten most of his life know any better? I know I didn't get any better as I got older… and I couldn't get a decent job anyways. I mean… here I was… a guy who was barely sixteen… convicted plenty of times for theft and many other things that I don't want to mention… and looking for a job. Who in the right mind would hire a delinquent like me?

"Anyways most of the thugs I had hung out with were either killed or in jail… so I was pretty much alone again. I was lookin' for a job, but no one would accept me because of my past. What happened was that Tseng, who was looking for new recruits that had experience in the streets, heard about me. Hired a few guys to knock me out and take me over to ShinRa and give me a job offer. He didn't give me much of a choice… it was either that I join the Turks or get the crap kicked out of me and go back to the streets. They gave me ten minutes to think about it.

"So I thought, ok… this job pays pretty damn good and most of the jobs I can handle. Anyways… they'll welcome me… most of them have a criminal record too. It sounded like a pretty good deal. I would be embraced into another family. I didn't have to think it over too much. I took the job almost immediately."

Tifa searched Reno's face for any sign of a lie, but his eyes showed nothing and his eyes did not wander as a liar's would. But she would not be relenting. "I don't want an autobiography Reno. You still did the things you did. Your actions are still on your head… those people's blood and stained on your hands. You had a choice… you could have betrayed the Turks and allow the people to go. And don't tell me that the damn job was a good paying because money is not worth a person's life!"

Elena sagged with relief. She saw Tifa's eyes soften a bit as Reno gave his little speech. She thanked the Cetra above, whether or not they were listening, that Reno was a fast talker. Sometimes I think you're just an annoying little bastard Reno… but it's a good thing that you can get people's pity.

Reno stayed silent. Elena decided to speak up. "I know what we did was wrong, Tifa, but look… we've changed. We're not here to hurt anyone. We're here to change. We want to live a productive life rather than the one that we… used to live."

Just keep talkin' to stay alive. Rude thought and smiled slightly. He finally decided to speak. "Tifa, you can choose to believe us or not."

She looked from Elena to Reno and then to Rude. All of them actually sounded like they were telling the truth. She didn't know what to do. Her mind raced. She still held a grudge for them for Sector 7… but they had not been the cause of the death of Aeris or her father and the burning of her town… "… I'm not allowed to let in any people who are dangerous. I'll have to turn you over to the jailhouse for the guards to inspect you. Oh… and you may not enter with your weapons. You're going to have to hand them to me. If the entrance guards see you with them, they're not going to let you in."

"Tightened up security a bit, I see." Reno said. "I don't ever recall Nibelheim having entrance guards and jailhouses!"

Tifa set her jaw. "Don't think I'm letting you off. And yes… we did tighten up security because there has been a lot of monsters around lately… and… because of people like you."

"So uh… what happened to err… Cloud and that big guy? Barret? Oh… and the guy who cusses a lot… Cid? What about that stuffed animal and that red thing? Or that guy with the red eyes and the girl who is crazy with that Conformer?" Reno asked.

Rude nearly slapped himself. Reno's gift of speech might be a blessing at times… and a curse… especially since he was having an idle chat with their former enemies.

Tifa's mood darkened when Reno mentioned her old friends. Especially Cloud. He had been working with Tifa to make her new bar… and was also a monster hunter. They had been living together for a while, but Cloud was different almost everyday. Sometimes, he would be extremely close… closer than friends would normally be… and sometimes… he would be very distant, usually found glancing off in the distance. Tifa had a slight suspicion that during these periods, he was thinking about Aeris.

She began to walk away, setting a fast pace that was hard to catch up to. Reno stumbled forward, then began running towards her. "Hey wait!" he yelled, then muttered, "Crazy b----."

"I have food at my place… and water!" she said, walking faster than ever.

At the mention of food and water, Reno almost drooled, and was running behind her faster than ever, all thoughts of being tired and thirsty fled from his mind.

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks to all my reviewers! I don't think I can say names, but they know who they are! Please keep the reviews coming!