Author's Notes: Um. Yes, I was looking at the date while updating stuff. And I noticed that I haven't exactly been kind to this story. Like, trust me, it's just getting to the good part, and here I am all ignoring it for four and a half months. Can you believe that? Guess ficlets easily deter me from what is supposed to be done. But I'm here aren't I? I'm working on it, aren't I? So to those of you who read this and I've left at a near cliffhanger for all this time, I'm sorry. Forgive me? I've been distracted with two new anime… Did you know the guy that voiced Zack in Japanese has a great singing voice? I didn't think so. Oh well, consider that apology while enjoying the latest chapter of The Dreamer.

Chapter 10: The Plot

When he wakes up it's in a bed that is cold and empty. After nearly two years of always having that warmth Reeve offered beside him, waking up alone was a little surreal. It made no sense. How the other Turk could choose the simplistic and foolish little executive over him? Tseng knew what Reeve wanted, what Reeve needed, didn't he? Why did he have to lose to some spoiled snob? Especially one that Reeve had already made an orphan of?

Still, it was four am and time to get up. There were things that had to be prepared today. The world would not wait for him to get over his problems, not just yet. Sure, it would be subject to his plans, but it would not, no matter what, be allowed to pass him by. So the Wutain slowly pulled himself from the bed and stretched. It was awfully empty in here without Reeve around. The bed was too big for just one person…

His thoughts, however, were cut short by the synthetic ringing of a PHS. His PHS. Sure, maybe he was impatient to be rid of Reno, but there was another who was more impatient to acquire him. Not that Tseng could understand why the Professor wanted his fat paws on the red-head, but Tseng was more than willing to use any resources he could find. And truth be told, there were few as effective as Palmer was once he had his mind set on something. Hadn't they lost another Turk to that man? Reeve's own sponsor, a man of legend in the Turks, one Vincent Valentine. Goes to show what a little cunning from Palmer could accomplish. Hopefully their plans would make Reno disappear just as effectively.

With a groan he reached for the phone and flipped it open, though grogginess could not be kept from his voice. It had been a very long night watching that red-haired twit at the President's home. Did none of them have lives beyond staying up late talking about work? Hadn't Scarlet told the two men off once or twice for it? He hadn't much cared about the state of the slums, so why should Rufus? If they didn't act fast then the boy might change things around Shin-Ra, and not for the better.

"Yes?" he demanded, though he was half tempted to crush the phone. Who, other than Rude and Reeve, got up at such an ungodly hour?

"Ah, Tseng, I hope I didn't wake you," came Palmer's voice, sounding very far from sincere. The fat ass was hoping he had awoken the Wutain, and Tseng had suspected that he'd try such a thing. Why else get up so early?

"Only a fool would call at four in the morning on this line you know," Tseng pointed out, slowly hauling himself to the closet to gather some clothes before his shower.

"Fool or genius?" Palmer asked, his voice as creepily cheerful as ever. One could never trust someone who was wide awake at four in the morning… or who was named Palmer. Both were points against the scientist.

"Fool," the Turk gladly supplied. "You know that even Turk phones can have their records pulled, correct?"

"You seem to assume there will be a reason to suspect us, and forget that even if there is I more than have the skills to remove this call from the records. It will be as if we never have spoken."

"Sure. What do you want?"

"You know exactly what I want Turk. And today you are supposed to help me get it, remember?"

The evil laughter that followed caused Tseng to pause and hold the phone away from his ear. Sometimes he was sure that Hojo and Heidegger put together were more bearable than this man. Thought the world of himself and nothing of the world. Probably thought that he was the best thing since mako actually. Truth was that Palmer was no Gast and never would be. But saying as much to the face of the scientist was voicing a dead wish.

"How could I forget? Did you find out what you needed to?"

"Of course. Things will go smoothly as long as you hold up your end of the bargain Turk."

Tseng couldn't help but smirk. Yes, he had his own way of keeping up his end of the bargain. "Don't worry Palmer. I'll keep Reeve out of your hair if you remove Reno from mine."

With that he hung up. He knew everything he needed to do today and would carry it out as well as he carried out his missions as a Turk. A lot hung in the balance after all.