Chapter 5

The... errr... Pregnant-looking Man

Tifa walked towards the building near her house and stopped. Right in the front of the building flashed words that read "Seventh Heaven". That sign was so familiar… too much like the bar she had owned back in Midgar. The thought of her old bar brought tears to her eyes.

The old Seventh Heaven had been in a small dingy building with no flashy lights. It had reeked of alcohol and the corners of the building were filled with cobwebs and sometimes, old urine.

She realized that she was staring at the door, and shook herself. The past was the past and there was no changing it. She grabbed the doorknob and turned it, wondering why it felt so damp. She pushed at the door and it opened without a creak. At least Reno can't lecture me about the bar. She thought, giving a small smile.

She looked around her bar. It looked just right. Small lights hung from the roof, giving the place a source of light, and to her own opinion, made the place look more dark and mysterious. Instead of the three tables back in the old bar, there were at least twenty round tables, fit to sit at least six people.

People were already sitting around at the tables, and some were sitting at the front counter. Many waiters and waitresses were walking around, waiting tables. A bartender stood at the front counter. When Tifa walked in, all of her employees gave her nod or a signal that told her they were good.

"How was your patrol?" the bartender asked, wiping away at a mug with a wet cloth. He was a stout man, with a potbelly from drinking too much. He had graying brown hair and he was balding. A small mustache was planted right under his nose. His name was Lysander, and to Tifa's opinion, it didn't suit him well. She always thought of a weedy little man when she heard that name.

Tifa gave a shrug. "I met a few people I never I expected I would ever see again."

"Friends?" he asked.

"No… people whose necks I would gladly wring," Tifa replied, taking up a dirty mug and a clean rag. She soaked it with water and put a dish detergent on it, and began wiping at the glass mug.

Lysander made a small noise in his throat. He got a clean mug and filled it up with ale. Then he guzzled half of the drink away without hesitation and let out a pleased sigh. "Ahh… I ought to try for something stronger… of course…" he chuckled. "I'll be too drunk to work. That won't be good… would it?" he was more talking to himself than anyone else.

The girl smiled to herself. Lysander was known to talk to himself. She tuned out his ramblings and instead was reciting a song on the piano to herself in her mind.

She sighed and wiped at the mug. It was going to be a long day.

-----

"Cloud?"

Cloud licked his dry lips and the moisture returned his mouth. "Yeah. I'm still here. Errr… I don't…"

"Now you're the one that needs to cut the crap," Reeve said cynically over the phone. "Tell me who's there with you."

"Tifa…" Cloud lied through his teeth.

Reeve gave a chuckle over the phone and Cloud knew that he had lied horribly. "You're the worst liar that I've ever met, Cloud. I know that Tifa's not there. This is her work shift. Who's there?"

Cloud paused. "Alright… remember Reno, Elena, and Rude?"

Reeve whistled. "And can you tell me why they're there?"

Reno grabbed the phone out of Cloud's hands. "Yo, Reeve. It's me Reno. Yeah… we're here alright. Ok… since Cloud doesn't have the nerves to tell you. I will. The three of us quit the Turks 'cause they're running down to s---. They never do jobs no more. We decided: Hell, this ain't for me and so we quit. Simple as that."

"You three must be careful. There are people looking to hire you. They want to reestablish a ShinRa type of deal."

"Well, give them a word to f--- off because I ain't doin' it. I'm not into the dirty jobs no more." The red haired man said before Cloud wrestled the phone back.

"Reeve… you still there?" Cloud didn't even wait for a response. "Ok good. I'm taking them down to the Nibel jailhouse… you're going to have call back later. I need to get them over there or people will think that I'm keeping a haven for criminals." As he said this, Reno made a noise of protest.

"Alright."

There was a beep and the call ended. Cloud returned the PHS to his pocket and looked at the three Turks. "Alright… let's go."

-----

Reno found himself looking at the ShinRa Mansion, remodeled so that It didn't look so dark and gloomy anymore. He couldn't remember when he last saw if… but of course… he probably was drunk.

A man stood at the front door, guarding it. He was a man of about six feet or so and he didn't look too big. Doesn't look like those idiots guarding the front door. I guess you need people of higher intelligence to guard prisoners. Reno thought.

The man looked from Cloud to Reno then to Elena and Rude. "What do you want?"

"Tifa found these back in the woods," Cloud said.

What do they think we are? Twigs you can just pick up in the yard or something? Reno thought infuriated that he referred to them as "these".

"Take in for questioning?"

Cloud nodded. The guard looked over at the three, squinting as if he were trying to see the very dirt on them. After scanning them a few times, he waved them in, not even bothering to take their weapons.

Reno expected the place to be dark and full of cobwebs, but as soon as the door opened, he saw a tidy and well-lighted place. There were three ways out each on the left and right sides of the room.

The place had definitely been remodeled. When they had entered, the three noticed Cloud's nostrils flare and his jaws clench as if he had just smelled the most unpleasant odor.

A man sat in the front desk, which was the only messy thing in the room. He sat down in the chair, feet up on the desk.

The man had a large middle. If he had been a woman, he could have passed for being pregnant. Although he had a large waist, strangely, the rest of him was completely normal. It appeared as though the rest of his body was not susceptible to getting fat.

On his desk, Rude saw that there were stacks of paper, strewn all over the place. Lying amidst the mess were a stapler, a roll of tape, some old crumbs, a box of donuts, and a large take-out drink you would get at a fast food restaurant.

The man took a long drink from the plastic straw that led up to the container and gave a loud, wet belch. Rude couldn't help but wrinkle up his face in disgust. "Whaddya want, Strife?"

From the man's manner, Rude could only guess that he was a rude man who believed that he had all the power. He was probably the type that didn't give a damn about those lower than him. He must have been enjoying the power that he bathed in.

'They're here for questioning," Cloud said, his tone becoming low and his voice filled with revulsion.

The man looked at the three. "Alright, alright. Sit yer a—es down on the chairs. Get outta here, Strife. You ain't here for questioning."

Cloud made a very rude spitting noise and walked out. The man looked up at the three ex-Turks, who were still standing. "I said sit yer a—es down. Why you still standin'? Wut… you wanna stand for the entire time? When I offer ya somethin', ya take it, got it? This is how I'm gon be for the entire time."

The three immediately sat. Yeah I'll sit, you fat bastard, as long as you don't eat me. Or sit on me with your pregnant a--. Reno thought angrily.

They were silent. The only noise was the man chewing on the donuts with his mouth open, which was very disgusting. Reno couldn't help but watch as the bits of the chocolate donut got mashed to a pulp. Then they became soaked with saliva and it became soft pieces of…

"So…" the man looked at each of them, his mouth closing with a snap. Reno jerked back into attention. "From wut yer wearin'… I'm guessin' that ya'll are Turks or were Turks."

All of them didn't say anything. They weren't sure whether to say yes or no, for fear of being thrown in jail. If they said "yes", then they gave the man an excuse to arrest them. If they said "no", he'd figure that they were lying and they would meet the same fate.

Reno decided to change the subject. "Let's introduce ourselves. I'd hate to tell about my job to a stranger."

It was a wrong move. Reno almost smacked himself. If they said their names, he'd know they were Turks and if they lied…

He had gotten them caught in the same trap again. Nice, Reno. He thought to himself. Real smart.

The man probably realized this too, for he smiled sweetly and said. "My name is Edic. You may call me Constable Edic. Now what are your names?"

Reno faltered. He was out of ideas. Rude quickly stepped in. "Our names are Rue, Reno, and Elena. We're ex-Turks," He grinned innocently.

Elena stared at Rude. In her whole career as a Turk, she had never seen him make such a stupid move and smile so big.

"Ahh… the infamous Reno, Rude, and Elena! Huh… Turks," the man clearly showed his disdain.

"Why of course it's us! We're just ex-Turks," Elena said lightly.

"And how do I know you're ex-Turks? You're still dressed like a Turk. You still have your weapons that you used as a Turk. You still reek of Turk. How do I know you are not… spies?" the last few words came out with pieces of donut and spit.

Reno wiped his face and shot back with, "And how do we know that you're a constable? Why, when I first entered, I mistook you for a pregnant woman!" the man turned dark red with fury. "So of course… first glances are like first impressions… they don't mean a thing… although… I might be wrong about it this time…"

"Turk, I take that as a personal affront!" the constable turned into a shade of purple as he got up and spat pieces of donut in their faces. He slammed his hands onto the table.

"Constable, we also take what you said as a personal affront. We are no longer Turks and we have severed all ties with them. Calling us Turks… is very offensive," Rude said like a businessman and calmly wiped away the spit like his friends.

The made an angry noise in his throat. He looked horrible and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. Suddenly, there was a chirping noise. The man leaned back, breathing hard. He took out his PHS and flicked it open.

"Hello, sir," he muttered.

Reno strained his ears to hear the conversation, but he could only catch snitches of it.

"… I want them now, Edic…"

Did the man want Edic to bring someone? It was pretty weird.

"Yes, sir."

Reno wondered, who in the nine hells was powerful enough to make the constable respect him?

"… they are necessary… you know that my partner needs them…"

Now it was getting suspicious. What did this man's partner need? What can a mere constable of a small town get a man who sounded so important?

"Of course, sir."

"… I cannot find them through the…"

Through the? Through the what?

"But that's not possible sir!"

The man must be looking for certain people through some sort of special system. This system must be very advanced and it was almost impossible for it not to find everyone.

"…told you can't find them… need them for special…"

"I… I will try, sir."

"…when you find them tell me… and make sure they're suited for the jobs ahead…"

Jobs… now those jobs sounded quite like the ones that he used to do when he was a Turk…

"I will do my best, sir."

"…jobs not like ShinRa's…"

His eyes opened wide and he sat up stiffly. Who did the ShinRa hire? It was too much like the Turks…

He strained his ears to hear more, but the constable hung up the phone. He watched him intently, filled with suspicion.

"You may go. I've had enough," Edic said, rubbing his temples.

The three stayed still, looking at each other, not believing their luck. "Are you serious?" Elena asked.

The constable breathed hard. "I told you I don't ask things twice. And I already asked you once… I SAID GET OUT!"

The three were out the door in a matter of seconds. Cloud was waiting patiently for them on the front steps.

"How'd it go?" Cloud asked.

"We've got let off… I think," Rude replied.

Reno stayed silent, thinking hard. First that call from Reeve… and then the man with the constable. When Reeve told them that two mysterious men were planning to start another empire like ShinRa and they were looking for the Turks.

Now the man didn't directly say Turks… but he did mention that the jobs would be very unlike the ones in ShinRa. The ShinRa hired nobody but the Turks for their "jobs"… and they only hired others when it something different… like front out murder.

The Turks did their jobs quietly, through assassination, through others… but it was never front out murder.

It did fit. He sighed. What the hell did he think he was doing? Playing detective? That was sure idiotic. Anyways… what was the point. It was just a coincidence that the constable knew a man who was looking for people like the Turks and Reeve… found out about men who were hiring… Turks.

"Wow… you sure are quiet right now, Reno!" Cloud commented. "Aren't you supposed to be glad that you got off? Or do you have some morbid wish to stay in jail and rot there?"

Reno shook his head, shaken out of his thoughts. "No… no… it's nothing… want a drink… that's all…"

"Yeah… come on… off to Tifa's bar."

Wow... seems that I've run dry of new ideas for the story. I haven't been able to write for a long time. Writer's block is really really evil. Thanks to Ryu the Youkai and xCR1MS0N-T3ARS for reviewing for the last chapter!