Vincent was growing restless. He had spent too long searching for a means to contact the boy. He knew some people noticed him and took silent interest. Tailed him even.
Then it just stopped.
He reached out to Veld. He seemed confused. His old friend also seemed worried.
"There's been rumors. Very quiet rumors. No one wants to speak about them because of an outright threat."
"By who?" Vincent had a guess.
"Commander Rhapsodos."
"That flashy one? I would have expected Sephiroth." He commented.
"That 'flashy one' has a temper. Soldiers fear him for good reason. I've messaged Tseng, he's more anxious to get his hands on the information I have. But as of yet I'm unsure how to bring them to him without alerting the whole company."
"Why is that?" Turks always have back doors.
"Tseng is under fire for accepting a man from Wutai into the ranks of the Turks. Story is, the young man risked his life to help Cloud and a number of POWs escape."
"And Tseng recruited him so he doesn't get killed after handing over all the information he knows." Vincent saw it for what it was.
"It's put into question of allowing him to remain as the head of the Turks. Which means his every movement will be watched." Veld sighed.
"Is there a way to transfer the photos onto a flash drive?"
"What are you planning?" Veld raised an eyebrow.
"I might have a means to solve both of our problems." Vincent had something forming.
"...Don't go getting yourself killed." Veld advised as he picked up an empty flash drive.
Once it was given to him, Vincent made himself scarce. He was already given a fake ID to make his way topside. He had some Gil after taking on some odd jobs all around the Slums. Although Veld did hand him a large sum anyway, but Vincent needed to kill time as he waited.
And now he's done with waiting.
Vincent was sure he frightened a few people when he entered a shop topside. He explained he needed a suit for an interview with Shinra. He gave the excuse he was a hunter who caught their eye.
So he was fitted. And he grudgingly paid the expensive price. Vincent even bought a suitcase to hold his more comfortable clothes. He placed the flash drive in a suit pocket.
When he walked out he made sure that Cerberus was hidden away underneath the suit. He felt naked without his cape and leathers, but without his weapon he felt like a newborn.
Now, how to get inside?
Vincent knew about the keycards. Veld told him of the security upgrades. He can't use the elevators without one. And after a certain floor the access will be even more restricted.
He considered the building where the Soldiers stayed. But he wasn't sure how often the Turks used that building. So if they saw a suit they might get suspicious. Even more so when they realize they never seen him before.
That evening his answer came. Vincent was wandering Loveless Lane when he came across an odd sight. Cloud Strife in the flesh.
And in pajamas?
"...Strife?" He approached warily.
The boy ignored him and continued walking. Something was off. Vincent studied him. He realized that the boy was bare foot. He gripped his shoulder to force him to turn around.
Green eyes stared blankly back.
"Strife, snap out of it." He urged.
Was the boy sleep walking?
"You...hold Chaos...?" The boy seemed to be echoing something.
The damned wench has a hold on him. Chaos snarled.
"Who?" Vincent asked both of them.
"Hey, isn't that Cloud Strife?" Someone asked.
Shit. Vincent turned to the person.
"Is there someone we can contact? I think he's sleep walking."
Soon a crowd surrounded them. Cameras flashing. Cloud awoke then and immediately began to panic. Vincent pulled him close and began directing them towards the building.
The crowd made it near impossible.
Someone must have tipped the company because suddenly Public Security rushed out of nowhere. Vincent paused, and his instincts told him to run. Cloud studied them, equally as confused.
"You there! Hand him over!" One of the men ordered.
"He's a friend, stand down." Cloud frowned as he pulled rank. Usually they have to listen to Soldiers.
"We don't take orders from you."
Vincent calmly assessed the situation at hand. His dominant arm was still wrapped around the boy. His left held the suitcase. Ideally he would rather use his dominant arm to reach for Cerberus. But if need be he could try with his other one.
Suddenly a helicopter swooped low. A ladder extended down. An with it a redhead in a black suit. His wasn't done up professionally. Instead showing off his chest without revealing his nipples. If just shy of showing them.
"Calm down boys! We got this handled." He sauntered his way over to the pair. He twirled around to face the helmets. "Unless you want trouble?"
"...No, Sir."
They dispersed.
"You're lucky your boyfriend called my boss, goldilocks." The redhead commented with a chuckle.
"Whose orders were they following?" Cloud asked.
"No idea." The Turk turned around.
"Then why didn't you ask?" The blond glared.
"Usually orders leave a trail. Even boss can track them if they're erased. It's his specialty. Now come along, before your boyfriend tears the damn company apart." He gestured to the helicopter.
Vincent let go of the blond. Cloud finally looked up at him and stared.
"You're - "
"Hand this to your boss." Vincent tossed the flash drive to the redhead. His quick reflexes caught it.
"Whatever for? And who the hell are you?"
"Call me Valentine."
The redhead tilted his head. It rang a bell. A distant memory. Some whispers of that name from his earlier days as a baby Turk.
"I should get going." Vincent turned to make his leave.
"But - " Cloud wanted to talk.
"You've got someone waiting. He's more important." Vincent knew now wasn't the time.
It began to rain. And in a flash Vincent disappeared. Neither Cloud or Reno could get a grasp of where he went.
"Come on, you'll get soaked." Reno placed the flash drive inside a plastic evidence bag. Seconds later it poured. Cloud didn't have a choice but to climb into the helicopter.
Once they landed Sephiroth rushed towards them. He pulled Cloud into his arms to carry him back inside the building where Soldiers and occasionally Turks were housed. Reno called in Tseng as Rude shut the engine.
"Know anyone by the name of Valentine?" The redhead asked.
"Is he with you?" Tseng was almost excited.
"Nah. Gave me a flash drive then disappeared. Dude looked like a straight up vampire in a suit. He carried a suitcase. I'm pretty sure he was armed, too. Looked like he was ready to take on the Public Security that were after goldilocks."
"Bring me the flash drive. And tell no one about this."
"You got it." Reno was confused, but he understood that in due time Tseng usually spilled the beans.
Soon Reno handed over the little bag. For whatever reason he wondered why it carried a lot of weight for such a tiny thing. He didn't question it further as it passed along into Tseng's hand.
He connected it to his personal laptop. This way the main system wouldn't be notified or make copies of all files in case of a cyber attack. Tseng blinked at how organized the files were. This was definitely Veld's work.
He opened the first one as Reno laid down on the couch. Rude made coffee for all of them. Who knows if Cloud managed to escape again in his sleep. He had gotten far this time.
Tseng scanned the information quickly. He grew pale the more he read. And he skipped to the next file to discover it only got worse.
"Is this the secrets from Nibelheim?" Rude noticed the horror taking over his boss as he handed him a fresh cup.
"...Sephiroth will never know of this." Tseng knew this would drive the man insane.
Insane enough to kill everyone.
Now he was beginning to understand the concept of the dream journal entries. Sephiroth learns of his origins. And went berserk. Somehow Cloud was there when it happened. Then he was chosen to forever dance with the strongest man that ever lived.
And yet Sephiroth needed answers.
He was close to a breaking point. Tseng sensed it when Cloud was a prisoner. It was why he was personally sent into the front lines even though Turks were never needed. Angeal made a report of Sephiroth's behavior. Lazard wanted to take precautions as well as see if Tseng would have a better chance of locating the boy.
And Tseng saw it again during the fight against Cloud. A simple test that went horribly wrong. And barely Cloud and Genesis calmed him enough.
"But he needs to know something, right?" Reno had the same thought process.
"Who authorized to hunt him down?" Rude asked.
Tseng pulled away from the laptop to his main computer. It didn't take him long. And his stomach dropped.
"Professor Hojo." He didn't like this.
Hojo was beginning to show interest. Heavy interest. And if these files that Veld managed to find had any indication, Hojo will use Cloud until he dies or is done being useful.
Tseng pulled out a phone that wasn't connected to Shinra. He sent a message to Cloud's PHS. One simple message. And should he try to message back for answers, it wouldn't be sent back.
And against his better judgment Tseng also made a call to Veld. The man answered. Instead of a greeting he groaned, as if just waking up.
"I assume Vincent made contact."
"Not directly. You could have warned me that he was actually, you know, alive?" Tseng didn't hide his snarl.
"I thought it would be a nice surprise." Veld laughed.
"What's the best way to contact him?"
"He didn't stay?"
"He handed over the flash drive to one of my men then disappeared."
"Good luck finding him. He doesn't carry a phone. And once he's gone, he's gone. There's a reason he's the best."
"I'm running out of time, Veld. Hojo is itching for the boy. He tried to make a move tonight. If it weren't for Valentine the boy would be lost to us." Tseng was holding himself together for the most part.
"Send him off to the front lines until we get a better grasp to handle Hojo."
"Lazard might be hesitant considering how well that ended last time. But I'll see if I can pull it off without raising suspicion." Tseng hung up.
On his screen the trail that lead the authorization to capture Cloud Strife disappeared. Hojo was covering his tracks very, very well. Looks like Tseng will be playing cat and mouse.
"Who authorized those men?" The president asked in a meeting the next morning.
"By the time I became aware of the situation, it was too late. The trail disappeared before I could trace the orders to someone specific. Whoever this is, covered their tracks well." Tseng for his part held the best poker face as he held full attention.
"We have a mole, perhaps?" The president hummed.
"From within one of our own? Quite possibly. It will take some time to discover who was behind it once we crack the code that erased everything initially."
"So what do we do in the meantime to keep the boy out of their reach?"
"Might I suggest we send him back to the front lines? For at least the duration of the investigation. It shouldn't take us more than a month." Tseng hated deadlines.
But that was the best option he had.
"Very well. Director Lazard, you can handle the scheduling. Make sure General Sephiroth is sent with him as well. I'm sure he wouldn't allow anyone to kidnap him this time around."
"Yes, Sir." Lazard sent a side glance at Tseng.
Apparently he had cleared Sephiroth's schedule from not returning to the front lines for another two weeks. Now he has to rearrange not just the general's schedule, but the commanders as well.
Tseng made a note to make up for it later by bringing the man coffee.