Ava had barely made the next building when the shattering of glass drew her attention. She whirled around, peering back at the bar where she saw two bystanders ducking low to the ground. The calculations were none too difficult. The barely audible slice of the bullet as it traveled through the air, the shattering of glass and the people huddled in terror told her of the gunshot. Wasting no time, she darted back for the bar, not quite considering her own vulnerability as she ran through the shattered doors. Stopping just shy of the counter beyond the line of fire, she found her heart skipping several beats as she saw the unruly mess of blazing hair. Reno was standing several stools down from where he had been sitting when she left, peering aimlessly down at the shattered glass of vodka and tracing the line to where the bullet had sunk down into the wall behind the bar. The expression that overtook his features yelled anger and fear all in the swirl of a blank stare and emotionless lips. For once, he wore no smirk.

Ava quickly ushered Reno away from the bar and into a nook where they would be safe from another attempt. The patrons in the bar had all disappeared beneath the tables, and were just beginning to resurface with fear struck in their eyes. Reno glanced at the brunette as she shook his shoulders, begging his attention. The ringing in his ears slowly faded into the feminine questioning, "How did this go down, Reno? I need to know what happened."

He shook off the wave of emotion, hiding the turmoil beneath his insatiable smirk. "Cat-like reflexes," he confessed.

"The truth, Reno. You've already confessed to being human," Ava insisted.

"Good catch, McCall. Really," he paused, considering the events that had placed him in this position, "I got up to piss. I turned for the bathroom and heard the door shattering, and then my glass. Eventually the damn thing went into the wall. If I'd been sitting there, I'd have a bullet in my head." His composure had fully returned, not a lick of the discomfort previously felt. In fact, he wasn't sure why he'd been so stirred. He'd faced death before, but perhaps the mystery in this all was really getting to him.

"I suppose you ought to be glad you've the bladder of a two year old." Ava displayed her own smirk, the sly little dig taking brief moments to settle over the redhead.

"Hey! I've been drinking; it doesn't mean a damn thing," he countered.

"Oh, that's right. And you're likely drunk ninety percent of your waking hours. Forgive me," she said, displaying an open hand in a gesture that begged no forgiveness.

"Not two seconds after an attempt on my life and here you are cracking jokes and teasing me," Reno said. The serious face he wore almost had her convinced, but as the minutes droned on, he eventually smirked and let on to the fact that he really didn't care what was said about him.

"Think this is connected with the men from the alley? Or just the attempt on Rude? I mean, it's an awful lot like the way he was shot. A little more public, though. Perhaps they're slipping up in desperate attempts." Ava leaned against one of the stools, tucking strands of hair behind her ear.

"They sure are trigger happy. I'll update Tseng on the situation. But… how the hell do we get out of here?" Reno glanced around the bar, as if looking for some way to sneak out. Ava was already on the solution, and found the trembling bartender beneath the counter where she gave him a polite smile and gradually lifted him from his huddled position.

"Might there be a back entrance or even a cellar that happens to lead to the alley out back?" She asked.

"Sure. Follow me…" the bartender replied and hesitantly began the trek through the kitchen. Reno caught up momentarily, careful not to stray within the general line of fire. Once beyond the stainless steel kitchen, the bartender held a plain steel door open. The door led straight into the back alley, and both Ava and Reno nodded thanks as they strode into the dark atmosphere.

"Keep low," he reminded her, as they snuck through the passages.

Somehow the two made it safely back to the hotel room, where they found no sign of Reeve or Rufus. Despite a bit of wear, the room appeared to be in perfect shape and held no sign of trouble. Reno opted to leave his superior to whatever it was he did behind closed doors, instead putting in a call to Tseng where he told the story of the supposed sniper and near miss. The escape sounded quite exaggerated to Ava, but this only brought a small giggle as she watched the lanky man describe the scenery in all his antics. Come to think of it, he could be quite animated at times, never boring in the least.

"All right… I hope we can figure this shit out soon. I don't want to end up in hiding again, waiting it out," Reno spoke into the phone late in the conversation, once all the happenings had been explained.

"I'll do my best. Call if anything comes up. Hopefully the boy will regain consciousness before you leave," Tseng answered.

"I'll call in the morning and see what the deal is," Reno said, listening as Tseng agreed and ended the call.

"The boy?" Ava questioned, running her hand over the cushion of the couch where she sat.

"Yeah, little shit had better wake up…" Reno was worried, though not outwardly. The kid could be crucial to their case, and he was lying in a bed doped up on pain killers.

"We can only hope. You look like you're about to explode," she said, in an observational tone.

"I narrowly missed being shot and my partner was shot. I can just feel the fuckin' knots forming in my shoulders…" he paused, displaying a devious smile. He pivoted, sharing his back while she gazed on with her hands upon her hips, "Would you?" he asked, gesturing precisely what she thought he might.

"Reno!" she scolded, glaring daggers through his skull.

"I'm serious, yo. Knots aren't good for my job performance," he said as he peered over his shoulder with feigned innocence. Her glare faded and was traded in for a more pleasant look. It was as if she had the cheapest brakes, waning away to nothing whenever he begged or teased her.

"Sit down," she instructed, suggesting he sit on couch. When he took a seat, she perched on the arm rest behind him, the bony points of her knees lightly brushing against his sides as she moved in close. The touch sent a shrill shake through his spine, but he shoved it away with a snide remark.

"Watch those skeleton knees of yours," he smirked, and she could hear it in his voice.

"I can go to bed, if you're going to whine." She wore a smirk of her own, this time, as he shook his head in protest.

"No, I'll behave," he replied, crossing his fingers invisibly. When did he ever behave? He really could use a quick work over on those knots. They were played up to gain an advantage, but they really were there. He needed a little relief.

Ava didn't reply, opting to ignore the tone he used on the last sentence. Instead, she brought her fingers against the fabric of his shirt and began to massage his shoulders in circular motion. Her hands felt rather strong, he thought, as he relaxed into her kneading fingers. With caution, she ran deeply pointed fingers down his back on either side of his spine until she found the first of countless knots wrenched in the muscle tissue. When she began to work out the knot, he gasped and shifted beneath her finger tips.

"That one hurts like hell," he groaned, arching further away.

"It won't come out unless I work at it, and I can't do that without inflicting a little pain," she explained, wrenching deeply at the knot while he squirmed.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He exclaimed, finally finding a way to keep his back still while she loosened the tissue.

"Maybe just a little," she gave a slight laugh while using the points of her fingers to relax the muscles beneath his skin.

Just as the knot began to fade, her phone vibrated against the coffee table and much to Reno's dismay, she darted over and flicked it open.

"McCall," she barked, but at once bit her lip for the nasty tone.

Nosey as ever, Reno moved closer to her to gain a glimpse of the caller identification which read out 'Slater' in small lettering. "Thanks for the massage, doll," he called, drifting off into the bathroom with hasty steps to avoid whatever she might throw at him.

Reno clicked the door shut just as an unidentified object slammed against the door with a distinct clunk. With a hand placed on either side of the sink, he leaned over and observed himself in the mirror. His usual brilliant turquoise had faded an odd green due to the redness that surrounded his irises. Lack of sleep, he guessed, since he tossed all night and was rudely awakened by Rufus. Not to mention the stress that had accumulated with the given circumstances. He snorted and turned the faucet on, watching the cool water flood into the basin of the sink. His hands cupped beneath the flow of the water, catching a fair amount before splashing his face with cold refreshment.

With his face washed, he turned the water off and reached for a towel. His fingers froze mid-reach when he heard rather discreet yelling, but it was yelling none the less. The towel made haste for his face and he dried his skin, tossing the towel onto the counter when he finished. Not wanting to burst forth from the doors as if his legs were on fire, he pushed his ear against the wooden door and listened intently.

"You can be such a pompous ass. I'm so tired of this, Slater. I really am. I cannot believe you," he heard Ava snap at her fiancé, smirking at the thought that he'd caused the little spat.

"Oh, come on. I heard that sly voice he used. You didn't bother calling all day, nor have you even called twice since leaving for Edge," came the voice of a man, clearly within the room. This wasn't a telephone call; this Slater was actually in the room.

Reno instantly swiped at the knob and threw the door wide, slipping through the opening and grinning at the man he knew as Slater. Slater was near Rufus' height, with black slicked back hair and blue leering eyes. The tailored business suit he wore screamed wealth and pedigree, and it made Reno's stomach churn. Slater was standing in a cocky stance just inches from Ava, and the look on his face was pure evil. Ava, however, displayed no emotion.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Reno growled. This was violation, to say the least. Bringing a stranger into a hotel room occupied by Rufus and Reeve during this late crisis was simply stupid. It didn't matter who it was, or why he or she was there, it simply was not done.

"I came because Miss Avery thinks it okay to mistreat me." Slater stated, his voice was regal and yet sheepish all in the same.

Ava grimaced at the use of her full name, but Reno paid no attention. "Are you kidding me? She's on an assignment. Don't you fucking get that? Or are you so loaded that you don't understand the concept of work?" Reno snapped, relishing in the feeling of belittling another man. Just the thing you need after a long day. "Ava, you know better. Take it outside… I don't care. Just get the fuck out of here, Rufus will shit himself."

Ava nodded, and discreetly made her exit with reddened cheeks. She was clearly quite embarrassed by the entire ordeal. Slater, however, took a full minute to glare at Reno before disappearing into the darkness. With an indignant shake of his head, Reno crashed down into the couch with a sigh. At least Elena hadn't ever done something this ridiculous. This Slater shouldn't have even known their location, let alone come to their hotel room.

When Ava drifted through the door a half hour later, Reno shot her a cold stare. "He's not even supposed to know your location during times like these," he stated in a matter of fact tone. "Why did you tell him?"

"That's the thing. I didn't tell him, he called as he got to the hall and was at the door right after you went into the bathroom," Ava stated.

"He must have some connections. Ava, do you realize how dangerous that is? You and Elena squawk about my professionalism all the time, and here you are with your fiancé. Not to mention Elena's constant habit of leaking information. Ya' never catch me doing that shit." Me, lecturing someone? What a thought.

"I apologize. I really didn't think he'd be able to track everything. He probably used my phone…" she sighed, and seated herself opposite Reno.

"He's really somethin'. Whining about you 'mistreating' him…" he chuckled, leaning against the arm rest.

"He can't deal with my occupation… his family used to be involved with Shin-Ra, but it went sour. He hates that I work with Rufus and he hates that I don't bend to his every whim now that I've been away," she confessed.

"He'll just have to suck it up, won't he?" Reno grinned widely, but mulled over her statement in his mind. Sour? Just how sour had that business gone? He made a mental note to have Tseng check Slater out via the database. They could access files of citizens depending on the security measures, but he doubted they'd even have to go that far. If the Cross family had run-ins with Shin-Ra, their information was likely to be on file at headquarters.

"I swear we've done nothing but argue since I decided to take up this job…" Ava continued speaking about her and Slater's arguments, but Reno drowned the trivial information in thoughts of more important things. Every once in a while, he'd nod and agree to something he really hadn't fully heard. Some might call it typical human behaviour, but those who knew him knew it to be typical Reno behaviour. The way he nodded and carried along could convince many he was listening intently. Elena would have called him on it, but to his advantage, Ava was none the wiser. Eventually, she began to tire of spilling these details, and slowed her story.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. Of course, what he was sorry to hear was an utter mystery to him. It sounded good, and that's what counted. "Listen, I need to go down to the clinic. I want to see if that damn kid came to," he announced, rising from the couch and throwing his blazer over his casual clothing.

"I'll come along," she replied, coming to her feet.

Reno swore into the silence of his mind, finding that this would hinder his plans. However, he had no good excuse for telling her to stay behi—wait a minute. "You can't. Who'll watch the door?"

"Who watches the door when we're sleeping?" she countered.

Ah, good point, "Tonight's worse. One of us needs to be alert at all times, especially after the hit," he argued.

"All the more reason you need someone with you, they didn't put a hit on Rufus or Reeve," she took a staunch position, hips tilted and her hands perched atop the bones bound beneath the fabric of black pants. It was clear she had every intention of going with, which caused him to wonder. Why was she insisting on coming along?

"Okay, why do you want to go so bad?" he asked, taking his own firm stance.

"I need to get my hands… wet, so to speak. I can't just sit back while everyone else does the work. It's my first case, Reno. If I don't help out, I risk being set back," she seemed to plead with her eyes, using a bona fide pout.

"You can be really annoying, McCall," he heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes defiantly.

"That mean I can come?" she smirked, sharpening to that snippy tone that would be sure to annoy his ears.

"Whatever," not no, not yes… whatever. The hell is wrong with me? "Get your damn coat," he began to head for the door, regretting his decision as soon as she smiled that crazy grin.

The brisk walk to the clinic proved silent but that was a blessing, considering they hadn't encountered anymore attacks. Having gotten her way, Ava seemed relatively content to civil. Reno was caught in the catacombs of his mind, scheming a plan to hold her up while he took care of the urgent matters that pressed him. When they arrived at the clinic desk, he noticed Ava's scrunched nose and glanced toward her to find quite the disgusted look upon her face.

"What's the matter, McCall?" he said in a teasing accent, half smirking while tending to the clip board of papers that needed to be signed to visit.

"Nothing I can't handle," she nearly shivered beneath the scrutiny, obviously hiding whatever she was feeling beneath the awkward smile she held.

"You look like you're about to pass the fuck out," he stated, scribbling a signature on the papers while the nurse behind the desk admitted them to the second door.

"I just… hate these places. The smell, the sickness… the," this time she did shudder as they passed through the white swinging doors, "the germs."

Reno simply snorted a slight laugh, shaking his head while they followed the nurse down the long corridor to the boy's room. The nurse left upon arrival, leaving Reno and Ava standing on either side of the teenager's bed. Ava appeared soft as she peered down at this enemy; almost unbelieving that someone so young could be so involved in this thickening danger.

"He's so young," she mentioned.

"Yep, they're starting them young these days," he swayed, watching her nose scrunch again.

"That's ridiculous. They should have childhoods and enjoy that while they can, rather than being forced into adulthood before they're able to even comprehend their actions." Ava turned her head away from the boy, biting her lip in quite pronounced disgust.

"Not the kind of world we live in, McCall…" he glanced at the monitors with their blinking green glow, realizing the boy was no where near consciousness, "I need to update Tseng. I don't want a nurse or someone to overhear, so I'm going out. Stay with him," Reno ordered, reading the nod Ava replied with and leaving the room promptly.

The original plan was to head out and find a spot to question Tseng about Slater, but with Ava's persistence, they ended up at the hospital anyhow. With silent footfalls, he found an unoccupied room and slipped in unnoticed. Placing the call to Tseng, Reno explained the happenings with Slater.

"What in Holy was she thinking?" Tseng sounded angry beneath the cool pitch of his voice.

"Well, she claims he tracked her down. Showed up out of nowhere," Reno replied, finding that the explanation sounded weak. "Have we got a mole?" It never occurred to him before, but that would be a logical explanation.

"Reno, you know the sort of background checks they run. Ava McCall is not a mole, think about the consequences. If she was, she would not flaunt it so readily, less she craves to wind up in a cell awaiting her ill fate," Tseng shot back.

"Right, right… well, I gave her hell about it. She seemed pretty damn embarrassed. That leads to my next question. This Slater must have connections if he can track us so quickly. Run a report on him, and I bet we'll find some insight to the attacks," Reno paused, awaiting Tseng's input.

"The fact that someone has money and connections does not incriminate them, is there something else?" Tseng queried.

Reno had to think for a moment, but it all dawned on him at once, "Fuck. Well, not only did Reeve notice something strange about the Cross family on the way here, but Ava herself told me that they had some sour blood with Shin-Ra." Reno tapped his foot against the linoleum impatiently; trying to recall what else it was he wanted to say. It was on the tip of his tongue, but the concept simply eluded him.

"I knew of the Cross family. We quieted them down quite convincingly. Although, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to run a profile on Slater. It was his father and the prior generation that we kept close watch over, perhaps he's managed to slip below the radar. Maybe Ava gave him the fuel he needed to begin acting against us," Tseng sounded almost inquisitive. Their leader usually got excited—as much as the serious demeanor would permit—about investigations and new leads.

"That makes a hell of a lot of sense," Reno agreed.

"I'll call you back with the intel," Tseng remarked before the electronic click sounded.

Reno replaced the phone in his pocket, before noticing a loud crash sounding outside in the hall. Several nurses flew by the small peep window in the door, leaving a fluttering in his stomach. Creeping toward the door, he slowly propped the door open and peered around the corner to see the nurses round the corner into the room where the boy slept beneath Ava's watch. Anger burned through him and he slammed a fist against the metal door jamb, flinging himself into the hall and running for the door. What now?

As he drew near the door, a distinct sound caught his ears. The shrill blare of the equipment signaled a flat line and when he rounded the corner, he saw the nurses desperately working on the boy while the green line ran flat across the monitor. Ava had ended up sunken back in the corner with a frown, watching the staff attempt to resuscitate the kid.

"Move!" the voice behind him shouted, and he stumbled away as a male nurse carted through a creepy machine. What the fuck is that for?


Well, this chapter was a little less adventurous, but there has been a lot of progress in the case :) As you can tell, this is somewhat of a suspense/action story. I have a lot in mind, and it will only get more intense from here. I had to add the piece about Ava's germ problem... I couldn't resist. Hosptials just creep me out, beyond that... Ew. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful reviews for the last chapter.. and I hope I have not disappointed with this chapter. In the future chapters, some of the focus might swing to Tseng and Elena... and just to warn, there will be a little Tselena :) Please review if you have any comments about the story, whether good or bad.