ONE

"Jessica! Hurry up! You don't want to be late!"

That was my mom, always reminding me about whatever I needed to do. Always worried. I was sixteen, and it was my first day at my new job. My first job ever, actually. A systems engineer and network tech in Shinra's Systems Operation Division. That was the group that managed and maintained all the computers, data, and software used by Shinra as well as their network infrastructure. Things like the central mainframe for all the ID scans from the trains.

I looked up to see Mom standing in the doorway of my room. She looked a lot like me. The same long, auburn hair and brown eyes. And like me, she was slim and short, so seeing her was like seeing myself in about twenty years or so. We had the same nose, too. I don't think I got very much from my father as far as how I look, though. I'm kinda glad for that, to be honest. Mom had aged pretty well, and you could hardly tell she was thirty-nine. She looked more like she was thirty. It gave me hope for how good I'd look at that age.

"I'll be right there!" I said, shutting down my computer. "I was just checking some files before we left."

Mom shook her head. "Always on your screens, aren't you?"

"I like it," I shrugged as I got up.

"Oh, I know you do, Jessica. But it wouldn't hurt for you to get out a bit more and make some friends."

I had to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. We'd had this discussion before. Lots of times. I followed her through the house with its soaring ceilings, spotless floors—Mom had always fussed about keeping things clean and neat all the time, which was probably why she always sighed whenever she saw the scattered mess that was my room—and then into the main hall leading into the foyer.

She and I had butted heads for years over the state of my room, but so far it had stubbornly resisted most attempts to keep it clean. As long as I could get to my bed, my desk, and the door, I was content, even if I had to step over a virtual disaster zone of wires, cables, computer parts, circuit boards, discarded clothes, adapters, and other bits and pieces of electronic equipment to get anywhere. My desk wasn't much better off, and it was a wonder that I could ever find anything in it. But somehow I always did, as much to my own surprise as Mom's.

Anyway, when Mom and I finally reached the front door—I swear, it must have taken us five minutes just to walk from my room to there, the house was so big—we found the housekeeper there waiting for us. Celeste was an older woman, in her late sixties, and had kept the estate clean and orderly for as long as I could remember. She was the head of the household staff and had been like a grandmother to me ever since I was little, and I loved her dearly.

"I just thought I'd see you off before you go, Jessica," she said. "This is a rather big day for you, after all."

I smiled. "Thanks, Nan."

I had called her that from the time I was five, but she never seemed to mind. And she had taken care of me a lot back then whenever Mom wasn't home. She was gone a lot not just because of her job—Mom was in charge of the Shinra Company's Public Relations Division—but also because of who she was married to. If my father wanted her present for some executive dinner or whatever, she had to go. You didn't say no to him, because if you did, you wouldn't like what he'd do to you. Nan and I had both seen the bruises that he'd left on Mom more than once over the years. My father wanted his way or else.

"Celeste," Mom said, "Richard has another meeting tonight, so he'll be at the office late again."

Nan nodded. "Of course. And you?"

"Jessica and I will be home around six, I should think. Please have Theresa make certain dinner is ready by then."

"Certaintly, ma'am. Anything else?"

My mind wandered as Mom gave Celeste a few last instructions as she usually did whenever she left the house. Nan didn't need to be told, of course—she knew her job much too well and had done it for far too long—but it was an old habit of Mom's that she'd never really broken. It didn't hurt anything, though, so Nan usually just let her go ahead with it. As they talked for a moment, I let my eyes drift across the foyer with its polished hardwood floor. A wide patterned rug stretched out along the middle of the room, and several doors stood closed along its length on both sides of the foyer beneath its high, arching ceiling. They all led into different parts of the house.

Several paintings hung on the walls, too. Abstracts, mostly—Mom had always liked art, and the paintings and sculptures that she'd bought over the years were displayed all through the house—but there was one exception. An immense portrait of my father dominated the back wall of the foyer above the doorway leading into the lounge, so that anyone who entered the house would immediately see it. It was as overbearing as he is, and I hated it with a passion.

General Richard T. Heidegger, head of Shinra's Peace Preservation Division. My father. He's one of the most powerful men in the city, and he answers only to President Shinra. Peace Preservation. Now there's a contradiction in terms. It was Shinra's military, their own private army, and peace was just about the last thing on their minds. But back then, I hadn't learned that lesson yet. It was very painful for me when I finally did, but the truth usually is.

Anyway, Mom and I said our goodbyes to Nan and walked outside. In the large driveway within the fenced-in compound waited our limo. Charles, the chauffeur, opened the door for us, and we slipped inside. I don't miss the luxuries I had back then, not really. Sure, they were nice, but… it's the people that I miss. Nan, Charles, Theresa, and others, too. I had always hoped I could seem them again, but… I don't know if it'll happen now. I hope they'll understand someday why I did what I felt I had to do, why I ended up in the Sector 7 pillar, fighting and maybe… dying… for a place and people so different from what I once knew. But in a way, I'm doing it for them, too.

The ride to the Shinra Building was a quiet one. I had been there a few times before, but not often. Sitting as it did in the center of the city, the place was huge, easily the largest building in all of Midgar, and as it slid into view through the window of the limo, it seemed to swallow up everything else in sight until it was all I could see.

The first part of the building rose up in a curving triangular tower with a second smaller tower atop it. Lights shone from every floor, and on the front was the Shinra logo. Above the second tower was an unlit section, something like a huge metal cylinder lying on its side, and just above it loomed the third and final section of the building. The offices of Shinra's upper management and the President were up there, and as I looked, I could see lights shining from the windows.

Several smaller towers, some of them lit and some not, surrounded the main building, and a number of massive pipes that must have been at least a dozen feet thick rose up out of the ground, bent horizontally, and connected to the Shinra Building and its surrounding towers. The pipes were full of mako, and the building was not only Shinra's central headquarters, but it also served as the main hub for transferring energy all across the city. I couldn't help but marvel at the place as we drove up in front of it, and when Charles opened the door of the limo for us and we got out, I stared up at the building's incredible height. I had to crane my neck to see all the way to the top.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Mom observed.

I nodded. "Yeah. I think it's bigger than the last time I saw it."

We both laughed for a minute, and after saying goodbye to Charles and watching him drive away, we climbed a short flight of curved steps in front of the main doors. They were made of fine, spotless glass, and each one had the Shinra logo in the middle of it. There were also a pair of narrow alleys that stretched off out of sight, one on either side of the building. I wondered where they lead but decided not to worry about it for now. Maybe I would find out later.

Pushing open the doors, we headed inside, and once again I found myself looking up. Past the two black desks on either side of us where a few receptionists were working, a pair of wide, sweeping staircases rose up on either side of the lobby all the way to the third floor, and I could see the higher levels rising up out of sight in a seemingly endless series of interior balconies. Sitting right in between the two sets of stairs was a large, rectangular sign of thick glass with the Shinra logo emblazoned on it, and through it I could just make out the shapes of a few different vehicles parked on display, including a pale blue three-wheeled truck. I was no mechanic, but I knew a bit about cars and trucks and bikes and liked peeking under the hood to see how they worked.

I followed Mom up the righthand staircase, all the way to the third floor. A few more vehicles stood on display here as we approached the elevators on the back wall, including a Hardy Daytona motorcycle over to my left past the top of the other staircase. Sparkling under the lights, the bike sat on a short platform to the side of the elevators. I wanted to go take a closer look, but we had to head upstairs soon. So I sighed and pulled my gaze away from the Hardy with an effort.

Standing near the elevator was a man in a crisp, dark blue business suit with a white button-down shirt and a tie as black as the hair on his head and the short, neatly-trimmed beard upon his face. His eyes were a pale blue and filled with warmth. I followed Mom as she approached him, a smile growing on her face, and saw him doing the same. So she knew him, but I couldn't recall her ever mentioning him before.

Mom nudged me so I was standing next to her. "Jessica, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Reeve Tuesti. He's the head of the Urban Development Division."

"Nice to meet you, Director," I held out my hand.

He shook it and smiled. "And you, Jessica. Your mother's told me a great deal about you."

"All of it good, I hope," I grinned.

"Oh, yes," he chuckled. "And please, call me Reeve. I know that I'm your boss, but all that formality just irritates the hell out of me."

I grinned, liking him already. "Thanks. So you know my mom?"

Reeve nodded. "We go back a long way. Amanda and I, we grew up together, you see. But that's a story for another time."

Childhood friends? I was curious, of course, but I knew I wouldn't get any answers yet, so I let it go for now. Mom and Reeve chatted for a bit as my attention wandered and I tried not to think much about what was to come. My first day on the job. I knew I could do the work, but it was still a new experience for me. Then I noticed Mom had put a hand on my shoulder and was looking at me.

"Jessica, could you give us a moment, please? I'd like to speak with Reeve alone for a minute."

"Sure," I nodded. "I'll just wait over there."

I walked on over to the Hardy, actually running my hand along the seat when I got there. It really was a cool-looking bike, and I wondered what it would be like to ride it, feeling the wind blowing across my face as my hair flew behind me and the purring of the engine filled my ears. And maybe there would be a cute guy to join me. A strong, handsome bad boy with an attitude. Of course, I never expected that my silly little daydream would ever be anything more than that.

Who knew, right? Sometimes dreams like that really do come true, although not always in the way you expect. That was certainly the case for me. I could never have imagined back then where the course of my life would take me, and who it would lead me to. Maybe that's a part of why I fell so hard for him. Cloud was exactly the kind of guy I'd always dreamed of. Tough, cute, and dangerous, but with a tender side that he wouldn't show to just anyone, a caring heart hidden behind an icy cool exterior. I'm so glad I got to see it.

Anyway, I was daydreaming about boys and bikes when I heard my name and realized that Mom and Reeve were talking about me. I didn't know why, and I was curious to find out what they were saying. Sure, I know eavesdropping isn't exactly the best habit to have, but my interest was piqued, so I turned a little to hear them better while pretending to still be absorbed in looking at the Hardy.

"Reeve, do me a favor," Mom's voice was oddly quiet.

I glanced discreetly over at them to see Reeve nodding. "Of course, Amanda. How can I help?"

Mom sighed. "You know the kind of place this, and so do I. Jessica doesn't. Not yet. And it worries me."

"I understand. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Watch over her, Reeve," Mom urged him. "Keep her safe."

He took her hands in his for a moment. "I will, Amanda. You have my word. I'll do everything I can to protect her."

"Thank you. I know that she'll be working mainly on the 30th floor and won't really have much contact with her father or anyone else from upper management aside from you, but… I still worry about her. This place… it presses down on you after a while."

Reeve's gaze never left her. "I know. All too well."

"I wish I could just take Jessica and go, leave this city and start over somewhere else, but… I can't. Not yet."

I nearly stumbled when I heard that and barely contained the gasp that flew out from my lips. It was the first time I had ever known her to actually have considered leaving my father. I wanted her to, had argued with her about it for a long time. But she had always stayed, and it had left me mad at her more than once. I couldn't stand my father's temper and the way he'd hit her. He hadn't started on me yet, but I knew it was probably only a matter of time. I just hoped I would be out on my own long before that ever happened.

"Why not?" Reeve's question brought me from my thoughts.

Mom let go of him, turning away a little. "It's still too soon. If I did it now, I don't know that we would be safe."

"He'd come after you?"

"I don't know what he'd do," Mom shook her head. "And that's what scares me. He's so unpredictable. And dangerous."

Reeve nodded. "I know. But you said 'not yet.' I assume this means you have a plan."

"I do, yes. It'll take time, though. Years, maybe."

"What did you have mind?" he asked.

Mom waved a hand in front of her, brushing off his question, "No, I can't say anything yet. Especially not here."

"I understand," Reeve replied. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Just take care of my daughter, Reeve. That's all that matters to me. She's much too curious for her own good and is as smart as they come. It could get her in a lot of trouble if she were to start poking around in places where she shouldn't. There's a lot of things going on here that I'd rather she never found out about."

What did she mean by that? What was Shinra up to? They were the biggest company in the world, sure, but they did a lot of good. At least, that's what I had believed, once upon a time. All I had known then was the face they showed the world, the friendly and helpful veneer Shinra wore like a second skin. I hadn't discovered the truth yet, the dark and ugly nightmare lurking behind the mask. But I would, in time. Like my mom had said, my curiosity had a way of getting the better of me. And you know what it did to the cat.

Anyway, I listened as Reeve replied. "I know. I feel exactly the same way, Amanda. The secrets this place has… Jessica will be better off not knowing them. I'll keep her safe."

Mom smiled, and she turned back toward me, I looked away again, pretending I hadn't heard anything. She called to me. "Jessica? You can come back now, we're finished."

"Alright," I said, walking over to her and Reeve.

She motioned to him. "Go on upstairs with Reeve. I have to go and take care of a few things here for a while, but I'll be in my office later if you need me. And good luck. I'm very proud of you, Jessica."

I hugged her tight. "Thanks, Mom. I'll be okay."

With a final wave and a smile, she walked away, disappearing back down the stairs as Reeve pushed a button to call the elevator. It chimed a moment later, and the doors slid apart. I went inside as he held them open for me, and then he joined me and pressed the button for the 30th floor as the elevator shut behind him.

"Nervous?" he asked as the lift started to rise.

"A little," I admitted.

He didn't seem surprised. "That's quite alright. It's your first day on the job, after all. I think you'll do just fine, though."

"Thanks," I smiled. I could see why Mom liked him.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Systems Operation is one of Shinra's secondary divisions and is part of the Urban Development Division, so that means it falls under my purview. While I'm technically your boss, the head of SO will be your immediate supervisor. I'm sure you already met her during your interview."

I nodded. "Yes, I did. We got along pretty well, I think."

"That's good. Marissa will get you all settled in and will answer any questions you might have."

"What about you?" I wondered. "Do you work on this floor, too?"

Reeve shook his head. "No, my office is much higher up. But I like to come downstairs sometimes and see how everyone's doing, listen to their concerns, that sort of thing. So you'll see me around."

"I'm glad," I told him. "I don't know very many people here."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "I know. But remember, you're not alone. And my door is always open to you."

I smiled again. "Thank you, Reeve. I appreciate it."

"You're quite welcome," he said, letting go. "I work on the 57th floor if you ever need to come and see me. And I have other ways to keep in touch as well. More discreet and less… traditional."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough."

It was a few days later that I discovered what Reeve meant. I'd been busy debugging some network code before heading off to lunch on the 60th floor. That huge tree in the middle of the main room was amazing. It was one of the only ones I'd ever seen in Midgar. Lots of people were there, sitting at the tables or bustling off somewhere on their own little errands. I had kept pretty much to myself, eating quietly and watching the activity going on around me. It all seemed pretty normal, not really very interesting, but I noticed that some of the people seemed anxious and uneasy, and a few others were walking around with their shoulders slumped and their heads drooping slightly as if the weight of the whole building was pressing down on them. I thought of what Mom had told Reeve the other day and wondered what it might mean.

After I had finished lunch, I went back downstairs to the 30th floor and returned to my cubicle only to find something weird there waiting for me. It was a cat, a stuffed toy about three feet tall sitting on the edge of my desk, its legs dangling over the side. It was kind of cute, actually, with the little crown on its head and the white gloves on its forepaws. It had black fur over most of its body aside from its chest, belly, face, and the tip of its tail, where the fur was white instead, and on its hind paws the cat wore a pair of brown leather shoes. Lastly, around its neck was a bright red bow tie and cape.

Who had left this for me? It was a sweet gift, but I had no idea who it had come from. I'd always had a thing for plush animals, and I'd still had a few back in my room from when I was a little girl. The cat would have its own special place there. I was just picking it up when suddenly something happened that scared me half to death. The cat twitched its whiskers, blinked its eyes, and waved at me!

"Hello, lassie!" it said. "Been waitin' around fer ye!"

I let out a little shriek in spite of myself and dropped the cat as if it had just caught fire. It fell to the floor with a soft plop and picked itself up, brushing itself off and straightening its gold crown before glancing back up at me. Although my heart was pounding, I was also curious to know more about this strange visitor of mine. Swallowing heavily, I sat down in my black swivel chair and leaned forward.

"Um, h-hi…" I managed. "Who… what are you?"

"Cait Sith's mah name. I'm a robotic plush toy ahn fortune teller, at yer service! Ahn ye must be Jessica."

I blinked. "I am, but how did you know that?"

"I get around," he replied. "A mutual friend sent mae to see ye."

"Reeve?" It couldn't have been anyone else.

Cait nodded. "Aye, that be him."

Letting out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, I relaxed as I thought about what Cait had said. So this was Reeve's more subtle way of communicating with me. Did anyone else know about Cait Sith? My cubicle was in one of the middle rows, but the ones on either side were empty, and no one seemed to have noticed my little outburst at the cat's unexpected liveliness. It didn't really surprise me, since I had seen even in the short time I'd been here that most people kept to themselves and didn't worry much about anything other than their own jobs and lives. Cait must have been counting on that.

"Does he do this for all his new employees?" I asked, knowing the answer already but needing to hear it for myself.

Cait shook his head. "No, lass. Just you."

"Why me?" I wondered, although I suspected it had to do with the promise Reeve had made to Mom.

"I cannae tell ye. But I'm here to help ye if ye ever need it."

I wasn't surprised at his refusal to elaborate, so it didn't bother me. And it was good to have a friend here. "Thanks, Cait. And, um… sorry for dropping you earlier."

"It's alright, lass," he grinned. "No harm done."

I smiled. "You really scared me there for a minute, you know. I like stuffed animals and even talk to mine sometimes. I just never expected one to talk back. Guess I won't be taking you home after all."

"If ye really wanted, there's a few of mae that are just ordinary toys. I could get ye one if ye like."

"Maybe later," I laughed. "So, you said you're robotic?"

Cait hopped back onto my desk. "Aye. Reeve built mae. He's gonna make more, but fer now it's just mae."

I leaned back in my chair, utterly fascinated. It must have taken an incredibly sophisticated AI network and lots of complex programming to make Cait as responsive and lifelike as he was. I'd had no idea Reeve was a technological genius, and I couldn't help but admire his skill and ingenuity. I also liked Cait's strange accent and wondered where Reeve had come up with it. It was a nice touch.

"I'd love to hear how it works," I told him. "Your AI, programming, and all your other systems, everything about you. I just love computers and technology. Flashy stuff, you know?"

Cait's eyes twinkled. "I'd be happy to explain it all to ye, Jessica. So while yer busy doin' yer work, I'll just sit here ahn tell ye aboot maeself. Oh, but first, I've got somethin' fer ye."

It was then that I realized he was holding something in one gloved hand. It was a small cylindrical device of polished steel fitted with two round, slightly concave buttons near the top. Cait scooted over, handed it to me, and then returned to where he had been sitting. As I looked at it, I realized that what he had given me was a transmitter of some kind. I gazed back up at him in wonder. "What's this for?"

"Just a wee somethin' to help us stay in touch," Cait explained. "It's a transmitter ahn a communicator. Press the left button ahn I'll be here in a jiffy. Hold down the right button and ye can talk tae mae from just aboot anywhere in the city."

"Cait… thank you," I breathed.

He grinned. "Yer welcome, lassie. Now, aboot how I work, let's see, where tae start? Oh, I know…"

While Cait started telling me about himself, I slipped the device he had given me into my pocket and got back to work. Despite Cait being there next to me chatting away, I still managed to do my job. I'd always been good at splitting my attention, and the work itself wasn't too hard to begin with. As I made my way through all those lines of code, typing and clicking while listening to Cait, I wondered again about Mom and Reeve and the promise she'd had him make to her.

What was she trying to protect me from? What was going on here? Reeve had, through Cait, given me a way to contact him without others knowing about it. Why? What was it about this place that had him and Mom so concerned? What didn't they want me to know? I liked Reeve and Cait, but I couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed by everything they were doing for me. It was sweet but also a little strange at the same time. I didn't really know what to make of it.

Working for Shinra was turning out to be a much more interesting experience than I had expected. And unusual. But what had happened so far was just the beginning of the long and ultimately dark road that I had found myself on. I didn't know what was in store for me, only that things seemed a little peculiar at my new job.