Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of the FF7 characters. That would be nice.
Authors Note: People keep asking me how old Vincent is supposed to be in this story. He's sixteen right now, and I know I said something in the first chapter to oppose that, but it's true.
Please everyone! Review!
Chapter two: The Turks
Vincent let himself into the house quietly. It was late, and his parents went to bed with the sun, rising with it as well. He knew he should too; he had work tomorrow as well, but the call of his friends waiting for him was too strong. He would take a shower and then meet them at the pub.
He took off his muddy boots at the door. They were beginning to fall apart, like pretty much everything else he owned. As it was summer, it didn't bother him much. He peeled of his wet shirt and dumped it onto the boots, resolving to do something with it later.
He was just about to climb the stairs towards the family's bathroom, when something caught his ear. It was a low rumbling sound, like some sort of high powered machine. It wasn't something you heard everyday in Kalm.
Vincent trotted back down the stairs and pulled the door open. All along the street, other doors were opening, as their occupants stared out into the night. Coming down the rough, unpaved road was a long black limo. That was definitely something you didn't see everyday in the Kalm.
Wondering what in the hell could be going on, Vincent slowly let himself out of the house. His hand had closed over his gun. Even loaded as it was with fake bullets, it could still serve in making an impression. Something about this didn't feel right, and he didn't want to be without a weapon.
The limo stopped in the middle of the road, its tires splashing up muddy water. It looked out of place, with its gleaming black paint and rims, against the backdrop of Kalm village. The driver's door opened and a man wearing a black suit jumped smartly out. He ignored the villagers staring at him and circled around the vehicle, skirting a particularly large puddle in the road. He opened the back passenger door and stood back.
A woman much taller than the driver emerged from the darkness inside. She was slender, graceful, and long legged. Her hair was a powder blue and cut to frame her face. What caught Vincent's attention however, were her eyes. They were a strange, icy green, and very cruel. She was dressed in a pearl black suit much finer than the driver's.
Following closely were two boys around Vincent's age. One of them was well-built and brown-haired, the other skinny and red-headed. They both wore similar trousers and vests that looked almost military issue. All three of the strangers wore guns and holsters.
"I am Erika of the Turks," the woman called out to no one in particular, "I am here on behalf of Shinra Inc. My I ask that one of you good people direct me to a headman, or a chief, or whoever else is in charge here…" Her words ended in an amused chuckle, that was shared by the two boys behind her.
Vincent was sure that he didn't like this woman. She was talking to the villagers like they were idiots. He had seen that before; people assumed that because his people were farmers and woodsman, they weren't as bright as the city dwellers. He did not appreciate (what had the woman said?) Turks coming into his town and insulting him and his family.
"We have a mayor, ma'am," he said, striding down the wooden steps to the soggy ground, "I can show you were he lives, though he may be busy at the moment."
The woman turned her amused smile on Vincent. Her eyes traveled over his entire body; she didn't even try to be discreet. Vincent suddenly wished that he had thought to put his shirt back on.
"Only if you'll come with me, farm boy," the woman said. The two boys laughed derisively at her shoulder. "Maybe I wouldn't hate backwater towns so much if more guys like you walked around half naked."
All the way up the street, villagers were glancing at each other, eyebrows raised. Who was this strange woman come to bother them in their quiet evening?
Vincent felt himself turning red, but the woman had already moved on. She and her two companies had gotten back into the limo. The long black car moved slowly on up the street, a darker shadow cast on the dark night.
Vincent turned and went back into his house. If he knew his…well, if he knew anything at all, he knew who the Turks were. They were another of Shinra Inc's agencies. While Soldier was its brute strength, the Turks were its spies and agents. They were not people that you wanted to be on the wrong side of. And if what Vincent had just witnessed was any indication, the whole of Kalm village was on that side.
He snatched his shirt and boots back up, pulled them on, then stepped outside again. All thoughts of getting cleaned up forgotten, he joined the small stream of villagers heading towards the mayor's residence. As he walked past a small wooden house set back from the side of the road, he was joined by Gon and Scarlet.
"What's going on?" Scarlet asked, falling into step beside Vincent.
He shook his head and kept on walking, not really in the mood for conversation. The rain had slackened off and the night sky had become to clear, permitting the light of the moon to illuminate the village streets. It was a rather eerie scene; dozens of people walking quietly along, alone or in groups.
"Who in the hell was that woman?" Gon questioned at one point. He at least looked like he had taken the time to change his clothes, even though mud still caked his hair and face. Scarlet looked like she had washed her hair.
"I didn't see her," she said, "My dad said she looked like someone with Shinra. Do you think she could be from Soldier? That would be so awesome! Maybe I could talk to her, I've always planned on joining soldier…" Scarlet trailed off, imagining all the wonderful things that could come from a Soldier's, visit.
"I hate to ruin your dreams, but she's a Turk, not a Soldier," Vincent answered.
"A what?"
"Turk. I saw a few of them when I was in Midgar last fall. They're part of Shinra, but there like special agents, or something like that."
"Cool," Gon breathed.
Vincent didn't exactly agree. Sure, spies were interesting to read about, but he didn't want one prowling around his hometown.
"Well, maybe it'll shake things up around here," Scarlet shrugged, "Oh, and we're not supposed to play that game anymore."
Her comment was enough to jar Vincent out of his thoughts of spies and soldiers.
"What game?"
Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Come on Vincent, get with it. The game we play almost every week. The one where we all pretend to kill each other in the woods?"
"Oh, that game. What do you mean you're not supposed to play it?"
Scarlet shrugged again. "My old man says it'll turn us all into sadistic maniacs."
"That's the point," Gon laughed sarcastically.
"That argument won't win with him, and mine didn't work too well either."
"What did you say?" Vincent asked.
"Screw you', and 'you can't stop me', or something like that."
Vincent shook his head. He didn't have a doubt that Scarlet was telling the truth. She was the most headstrong person he had ever met in his life. She was also extremely handy with a gun. In all the years of playing their game, she had never been on the losing side once. Except today.
The village square was lit up with very weak lamps. The closest Mako reactor was still too far away to give much power to Kalm; the only house that could make use of it was the mayor's, and that was just for cooking and heating.
Quite a crowd had assembled. The Turks' limo was parked outside the mayor's house. The driver leaned up against it, seemingly unaware that he was surrounded by people.
Suddenly, the doors to the Mayor's house burst open. The three Turks marched out, Erika in the lead. Her eyes flashed in anger, dignified frustration dripping from her figure.
"Attention, people of Kalm," she addressed the crowd, "As your Mayor is an uncooperative dolt, no one leaves or enters this village until we find what we're looking for!" Erika paused for a moment, breathing heavily. When she had regained her self composure, she went on, "As long as you stay within the boundaries of the southern hills and those old woods down that way, you will not be harmed. But just remember, step one foot out and you're dead. Reno and Tseng here will make sure of that." She put a hand on the shoulders of the two boys beside her, who both tried to appear imposing. They didn't need to try; the guns on their belts were enough to keep the villagers silent.
Erika shook her hair out of her face in an impatient way and swept off to her limo. Just as she was about to slide into her seat (the door held open by the dutiful driver) the mayor burst out of the door of his house.
He was a portly, balding, respectable man, who had served as mayor of Kalm for over 20 years. He looked rather unimpressive beside Erika who stood at least half a foot taller than him.
"Miss, uh, Turk!" he squeaked, stumbling his way down the mansion's steps. He paused to catch his breath at the bottom. Erika was watching him with what appeared to be mingled amusement and disdain. Vincent was beginning to hate this woman.
"Please," the mayor said angrily, "This is an outrage! You can't just come in here and start ordering us around. We have no love for the Shinra!"
Reno let out a harsh laugh. "No ties to the Shinra, old man? Well, what about those?" He pointed to the week streetlamps illuminating the square. "And those?" He jerked his head toward the mayor's home.
The mayor gasped. Indignation was flowing out of every pore. "Of all the,"
Erika stepped between the little mayor and the still grinning boy. "My apologies for Reno, Mayor. His diplomacy skills…well, they're a work in progress." She turned and glared at Reno and Tseng, who had both begun chuckling at her words. "We have orders. If you do not comply with those orders, we reserve the right to cut off your supply of Mako energy, and leave your little village, pardon the pun, in the dark."
Vincent clenched his fists. How could someone speak so cavalierly about a whole town's future? He made to take a step in the direction that stank of Turks, but felt a hand pull him back.
"Scarlet, let go," he growled.
"No," she whispered back, digging her nails into his wrist, "I'm not gonna let that short temper and big mouth of yours get you into trouble."
Gon seemed to agree. "She's right, man. It's not worth it."
Vincent shrugged and shook his hand free of Scarlet's death-grip. Five marks ran the length of his wrist. One had even drawn blood.
The Mayor seemed to be rethinking his approach. "Miss Turk," he said in a reasonable tone, "What is it that you and your people are looking for?"
"None of your business, Pops," Reno answered. Erika cuffed him on the head and Tseng kicked him in the shins.
"Once again, ignore him," Erika said, "We're looking for an escapee from a facility up north. If anyone has any idea where it could be, please contact me and mine. Now could one of you good people please direct me to an inn…"
Vincent and his friends watched as Erika and the two boys were turned in the right direction. He could not believe what he'd just witnessed. The Mayor of Kalm had allowed some bitch to walk all over him. They had played right into her hands, acting like defenseless farmers.
This was not beginning to look like a pleasant night.
"What do you guys think?" Gon asked when the crowd had begun to disperse, "Is the person they're looking for really here?"
Vincent shrugged. "I don't know. It would help if we knew who they were looking for. All they said was that no one leaves until they find him, or her, or it. What did that woman say? It escaped from a facility up north? That's rather foreboding. What about you, Scar?"
Scarlet didn't respond to the question. She was too busy watching Erika's retreating limo.
"They're strong, I wish I was that strong," she whispered.
"Are you crazy?" Vincent asked, "They're bullies with guns, that's it."
His words didn't seem to make much of an impression. Scarlet was still staring after the Turk leader with something dangerously close to admiration in her eyes. Gon gave her a playful shove.
"Come on Scar, forget about it. You'd make a shitty Shinra agent."
Scarlet cut her eyes at him. "Why?" she demanded, "You guys have seen me. I'm a damn good shot, and no one can beat me at hand to hand. Don't say a word, Vincent."
Vincent closed his mouth, grinning to himself. Scarlet didn't have it exactly
accurate. None of the girls could beat her at hand to hand. She had yet to best him. He had no doubt that she would one day, but he didn't like to talk about that.
"You couldn't be an agent because you don't shoot people," Gon said matter-of-factly, "Sure, we all play games, but you would never actually kill anyone, we know you."
Scarlet seemed to have reached the same conclusion. She kicked moodily at a lone pebble in the street and strode of toward her house without so much as muttering a goodbye.
"Teenagers." Gon said this in such a serious voice that Vincent burst out laughing. He watched Scarlet skirt her home, heading for the woodshed in the backyard that housed her gun when she wasn't using it. He and Gon had just reached the limits of the property, when a scream from back the way they'd come tore at the night.