THIRTY-TWO

The motor sat in its housing, ready to go. I'd been in Sector 7 for a year now, and I enjoyed the life I'd built there and the friends I'd made. My only regret was that I couldn't share it with Kunsel. The pain wasn't quite so bad anymore, and I didn't gaze up at the underside of the plate as much as I used to, but I still missed him.

With a sigh, I pushed my thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. Building the elevator for our secret hideout in the basement had become something of a long term project over the past seven months. I worked on it whenever I could, and the others all pitched in as often as possible, but with our jobs and everything else, there was only so much time that any of us could devote to it.

Barret was anxious to see it finished, and I knew exactly why. With a hidden base, we could move forward with our plans against Shinra in safety. He had something in mind, but he wouldn't say what it was. Just vague hints about striking back when the time was right, hitting Shinra where it would hurt them the most. The rest of us trusted him, though, and I was more than happy to help cause Shinra a little pain. Finishing our hideout would be a big step in that direction.

I was in the basement with Biggs and Wedge, and the circuit board with the motor for the elevator was on a temporary workbench in front of me. Once everything was working as it should, we'd move it out and bring in all the furniture, equipment, and other stuff we'd found for our hideout. For now, though, we were keeping it in the other room. It was a tight fit to get past it all to make our way in here, but I knew the place would look great once it was all done.

"Okay, looks good," I said, checking the connections on the motor. "Let's try this sucker out and see if it works."

Biggs blinked. "Shouldn't we put it on the lift?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet. I'm gonna turn it on and make sure it runs smoothly first. Then, once we know it works, we'll go ahead and install it inside the pinball table upstairs."

"You're the boss," he grinned.

I winked and held up my finger. "And don't you forget it!"

Wedge looked at him. "Might wanna stand back."

"What for?" Biggs asked.

"Oh, that's right, you weren't here the last couple times, were you?" Wedge said. "You remember how I mentioned we've been having some trouble getting the lift working?"

He nodded. "Yeah. What's the problem?"

Wedge explained. "It's the motor, you see. No matter how hard she tries, Jessie hasn't been able to get it going yet. It's really been giving her a lot of problems. This'll be her fourth try."

"Talk about a pain in the ass," I agreed, picking up my toolbox. "So you'd better brace yourself, Biggs. Just in case. I think I got it this time, but then again, I've thought that before."

"Wouldn't this thing just not turn on at all if it didn't work?" Biggs wondered, stepping back.

I joined him. "You'd think that, but no, not always. Sometimes it'll just sit there, yeah. But there were a couple times where it reacted a bit, um… forcefully. Blanket on standby, Wedge."

He already had it. "Ready!"

"Uh, that motor's not gonna blow up on us, is it?" Biggs swallowed, eying it nervously as Wedge backed up.

I laughed sheepishly. "Aren'tcha glad you came over?"

"Ecstatic," he quipped.

"Alright, guys," I said. "Here we go…"

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the switch and flicked it on. At first, everything seemed fine. But then, only a few seconds later, sparks flew as the motor's steady hum abruptly turned choppy. Wires popped and sizzled, and smoke filled the air. Then the whole thing caught fire, tongues of flame shooting up from it.

"Shit!" I swore. "Wedge, hurry! Put it out!"

He moved in and threw the blanket over the whole sorry mess, and together the three of us patted out the fire before it could burn much of the workbench. My throat stung from the thick smoke swirling around us, and my eyes watered. The guys weren't any better off, coughing just as much as I was and waving their arms in front of them to clear the air a bit. The motor, housing, and the whole circuit board was nothing but a sad, blackened hunk of charred metal now.

"Not again…" I sighed.

Wedge glanced at me. "You okay, Jessie?"

I gazed at the ruined wreck in front of me. "Just wish I knew what I was doing wrong. I really thought it would work this time, you know? I checked everything, but, well… poof."

"You'll figure it out," he said, gently putting a hand on my shoulder. "You always do. So don't worry."

Although I was disappointed, I put on a cheery smile and nodded. "I suppose you're right, Wedge. Just gotta keep on trying. First, though, I need to clean up this little disaster."

Biggs flashed me a thumbs up as he started picking up some of the pieces. "We'll give ya a hand, Jessie. Wedge, open those doors so we can clear the smoke outta this place."

"On it!" he said, moving to do just that.

Between the three of us, we got everything cleaned up in no time. I was really glad the guys were with me. Not only for their help, but that they still believed in me. I'd been banging my head against the wall for months with this thing, and I was starting to feel a little discouraged. I wondered if I'd ever get the motor to work.

"Wanna go look through the junk piles for more parts later?" Biggs asked as we dropped the charred remains of the motor and its housing into the trash dumpster outside behind the bar. "I'm up for it if you are, Jessie. Couldn't hurt to give it another try."

Wedge nodded. "Me too!"

"Thanks, guys," I replied. "But… maybe later. For now, I think I'm just gonna go inside, have a drink, and try to figure out how I screwed up. I've gotta be missing something. A faulty circuit? Something in the wiring? Too much current? I just wish I knew…"

Biggs scratched his head as we walked out front. "Well, okay. But if you change your mind, you know where to find us. In the meantime, a drink sounds pretty good to me."

"I bet it does," I laughed softly. "But… I think I wanna be alone for a while, if it's alright. No offense."

"None taken," he said.

Wedge gazed thoughtfully at me. "You okay, Jessie?"

"Oh, I'm just fine!" I told him, bouncing on my feet and giving him a broad grin. "You guys worry too much."

"All the time," Biggs admitted.

I bowed. "Awww, I'm flattered! Worst-casing it over me. You two're such good friends. A girl couldn't ask for better!"

Biggs and Wedge exchanged a puzzled glance. I was sure they were confused by my sudden cheerfulness, but I didn't wanna worry them. I wasn't sure if they'd bought it, though. The guys knew me well enough by now that they could sometimes see it when I was putting on an act. They weren't as good at it as Tifa yet, but they'd still caught me bluffing now and then. In any case, I was feeling a little down after my failure in the basement but did my best not to show it.

"Alright, then," Biggs nodded. "Be seein' ya later."

"Take care, Jessie," Wedge added.

I waved at them as I skipped lightly up the stairs. "Have fun, boys! Go on, shoo! I'll be fine!"

After they waved back, I turned and headed into the bar. Just as I'd expected, it was empty. Tifa would open it later, of course, but for now it was still closed. Afternoon sun shone through the windows as I went to the back and took a glass off the shelf. I'd seen Tifa mix up a Cosmo Canyon enough times to know how to do it myself, so I got the bottles out and did it. I wasn't gonna get plastered or anything, but I thought a little buzz might help me think better.

When I was done, I sat at the bar and nursed my drink for a while, wondering how I could get the elevator working and why, every time I tried to build a motor for it and started it up, it either sat as lifeless as a rock or fizzled out in a burst of sparks and smoke.

There was a TV mounted in the left corner of the room, and since I didn't really have anything better to do at the moment—it was one of my days off work today—I got up, picked up the remote, and switched it on. There wasn't much on as I sat back down, at least at the moment, so I just sighed and went back to my drink.

Tifa came downstairs a moment later. "Hi, Jessie. Looks like things in the basement didn't go too well."

"You could say that," I agreed, taking a sip.

She made herself a drink as well, then sat next to me. "Wanna talk about it? I'm a pretty good listener."

I smiled. "You always have been, Tifa. Thanks."

"Anytime," she said.

"So, here's the thing," I told her. "I've salvaged and built about four different motors for that elevator, and they've all been a bust. I can fix a lot of things, but even I can't do everything. There's some stuff that just won't work no matter what you do."

Tifa nodded. "Are you gonna look for another one?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Tifa. Most of the stuff in the junk piles is pretty beat up. No surprise, of course—this is the slums, after all. But I can usually get most of what I find working sooner or later, if not use it as part of something else I'm building."

"The motor's different, though, isn't it?" she said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "The ones I've found, I made them out of recycled parts, plenty of elbow grease, and a lot of hope. But every one of them's been a bust. I know how much we need this hideout, and I don't wanna let Barret down. I'm just not sure what to do."

Tifa thought for a moment. "What if you had a new one?"

I stared at her. "That'd be great, but to get a motor that's never been used before, I'd have to go topside to the plate. Not the easiest thing for me, you understand. Or the safest. Although… I do know a little about making fake ID's. You might be onto something…"

"Glad to help!" she laughed.

"But that still leaves the question of where to go once I'm up there," I went on, thinking out loud now. "That lift needs a powerful motor to run it. Not something you'll find in any old body shop. Maybe there's a warehouse I can sneak into. I wonder if—"

Just then, I looked at the TV as a news anchor started in on a story that immediately caught my attention. In a little box on the screen next to the guy's head was footage of a long, low building that looked almost like an aircraft hangar. It was in the middle of the city, but I wasn't sure what sector. There was a polished, restored old airplane set right in the middle of the small plaza in front of the place.

"In other news," the reporter smiled warmly, "Shinra's Aviation and Aeronautics Museum in Sector 7 is opening a new exhibit this week. It features many of Shinra's actual aircraft, all completely restored. Actual scout planes, fighter jets, and more, flown by skilled Shinra pilots over the years. Great fun for the whole family!"

I could almost feel the wheels turning in my head as I looked away from the TV and gazed thoughtfully at the bar as I took another drink. "Hmm… an aircraft museum. I wonder…"

"I know that look," Tifa chuckled. "You've got an idea."

"Who, me?" I batted my eyelashes.

She laughed. "Don't go playing the innocent girl act on me, Jessie. I know you too well. So talk to me."

"Well, okay," I said. "The engines of all those planes in the museum are in perfect condition. If I can get to one of them, I should be able to use it to make a working motor for the lift!"

"That'd be great, but aren't they pretty big?" Tifa asked.

I shook my head. "Not all of them. The ones in some of the smaller planes aren't much bigger than car engines, really, and I wouldn't need the whole thing anyway. Just certain parts."

She smirked. "So, you're planning to head plateside, go over to the museum, and steal a few engine parts?"

"That's the idea," I nodded, sipping my drink.

"Sounds risky," Tifa said. "Do I need to remind you what happened the last time you went out on a mission?"

I patted my stomach. "Nope. I've still got the scars."

She took a swallow of her own drink. "I'm sure you do, Jessie. I saw how bad it was. And I know this isn't the same. I just don't want you to go through anything like that again."

"I know," I said. "You're as bad a worrier as Biggs. But it's good that I have you looking out for me. Thanks."

"Just being your big sister," she smiled softly.

I winked. "Hey, I'm older, you know. So that makes me the big one! But you do have that big ol' mothering way about ya. I suppose I can't really deny that. Anyway, I'll be alright, Tifa."

She nodded. "How are you gonna get up to the plate?"

"I'll just make myself a fake ID and ride the train," I said. "It should be safe enough. Then I'll walk to the museum and play the little tourist girl to get in. After that, I'll find a small plane, swipe the parts when no one's looking, and leave. Nothing to it!"

"So when will you go on this little excursion?" Tifa asked.

I thought it over. "In a few days. I've got work, and then there's our fighting lessons, too. So… looks like another Saturday mission for me. That's my next day off. I'll go then."

She rolled her eyes. "How did I guess? Let's hope this one turns out better than the last one did."

"It'll be fine, don't worry," I assured her.

"Well, I'll worry anyway," Tifa chuckled. "You know that. But what about the security cameras? The museum's sure to have them set up all over the place, Jessie. Any ideas?"

I reached into my belt pouch and took out a small electronic tablet. "Bought this puppy a few months ago and tricked it out. I mostly use it for work—tracking orders, doing invoices, that sort of thing—but I can also use it to help with our missions, too."

"How's it going to help with the museum?" Tifa wondered.

"Once I get there and find a good plane to steal from," I explained, "I'll use it to hack into the security system and cause a glitch that'll just loop empty footage of the area. The guards won't suspect anything, and I'll be able to pull off my little heist safely."

"Well, if you're sure about this…" she sighed.

I was. "I've got it all worked out, Tifa. But don't tell Barret, alright? He'd probably blow a gasket if he knew."

"At the very least," she laughed. "You know how he is."

I did, alright. I'd witnessed Barret's temper before, usually when he was going off on another tirade about Shinra. But he'd also have words with us if we were doing something he felt was too dangerous. Though we hadn't gone on any more real missions since the adventure Tifa and I had shared in the sewers half a year ago—and I had the feeling Barret was behind that—the guys and I had still done a few small things here and there to hamper Shinra's efforts.

Stealing supplies, beating down a few soldiers who'd been trying to do the same to others, little acts of sabotage at some of the guard posts, that sort of thing. And I hadn't missed the fact that Barret had seemed to come down on me more than the guys. He was such a softie, always being so protective of me, though he'd never admit it. I was sure it was because of my brush with death. Had to be. And also that I was a girl. I could take care of myself well enough and didn't need him looking out for me like that, but it was pretty sweet.

I didn't think my museum theft would be very dangerous, nothing like that mission to the supply depot and the sewers, but I knew Barret wouldn't like it if he knew what I was planning. And that I intended to go alone. I'd attract less attention that way. Tifa must've already figured that out, but she hadn't said anything about it. And that made me more than a little curious, to say the least. She was almost as bad as Barret in how much she always worried about me.

"Wish me luck?' I said, sipping my drink again.

She winked. "Of course. Have fun!"

By the time Saturday came, I was ready, my tablet secure in my belt pouch as I walked up to the platform at the station. The attendant was still there, though most of the passengers had already gone inside. So I had the place mostly to myself. I waved to him to get his attention and was just heading over to buy myself a ticket and get on the train when I heard footsteps behind me. I whirled around, but it was only Biggs and Wedge strolling casually up the road.

Biggs sighed. "Tough break. Tickets are all sold out."

I blinked. "What? How'd you know I—"

"Easy!" Wedge answered. "You've been acting weird ever since that last motor went bust. Wasn't hard to see."

"And don't get me started on all that pep!" Biggs added.

"She told you, didn't she?" I smirked.

The guys both nodded. I should've figured Tifa wouldn't let me go alone. I'd been keeping up a cheerful front all week—maybe a little too chirpy, now that I thought about it—to keep the guys from catching on to what I was planning. But it ended up doing the exact opposite. Even so, I didn't wanna put them in danger.

I folded my arms in front me and grinned. "Should've known she'd get you two involved. But I'll be fine, even if I've gotta wait for the next one and go a little later than I'd planned."

"No need, Jessie," Biggs chuckled, lifting his hand. "We already got tickets earlier. Knew they'd sell out quick."

"You coming?" Wedge asked.

I giggled. "Looks like we're off to the museum!"

"Yeah!" the guys cheered.

Although outwardly I was just having fun and cracking jokes with the guys, on the inside I was a big bundle of nerves. This would be my first time on the plate since I'd left a little over a year ago. I was sure my father was still searching for me, but we wouldn't be up there long, and what we needed was worth the risk. I'd just have to be careful. At least I looked a lot different now than I had then. I also hoped I'd see Kunsel, although I knew it was unlikely.

I still missed him, but thinking of him didn't make my heart flutter as much as it used to. There was still a warm, pleasant feeling there, all those wonderful memories we'd shared. Tender moments from another life, one I thought I could finally begin to move on from. I wasn't quite there yet, but maybe with a little more time, I'd be ready. But no matter what happened, I'd always care about him.

I had my fake ID ready when we boarded the train, and it worked without a hitch. Of course, the real test would come later. The scanner system that I'd helped develop back when I had first started working at Shinra was still there, and we'd hit a checkpoint by the time we reached the plate. I was confident we'd be fine, though. I knew that system well. And I also knew exactly how to fool it.

The ride was as uneventful as I'd hoped, and the three of us spent it sitting together in one of the cars in the back. It was fairly crowded, but I didn't mind. It helped us blend in better. Near the end of it, we passed through the security checkpoint without incident, though I did let out a little sigh of relief once the red sensor net had finished sweeping over the train. One less thing to worry about.

When we arrived at the Sector 7 plateside station, we headed right to the museum. It was just down the street, so it didn't take long for us to walk over there. That plane out front was even more impressive here than it had been on screen. There was no way I could swipe parts from that one, though. Too many people around waiting to get inside. There was a bit of a line, actually. Not too long, but enough that I knew I'd be seen if I tried anything with that plane.

"You know, Jessie, this definitely seems like you," Biggs grinned. "I bet there's all sorts of neat stuff inside."

I laughed. "Yeah! Motorcycles are more my thing, though."

Wedge smiled. "Too bad this isn't a bike museum."

"Totally!" I agreed. "I could so get lost for hours in a place like that. You'd probably have to drag me outta there."

"Sure would!" Biggs teased.

The line moved pretty fast, and we were inside before we knew it. I led the guys past the entry hall with its gift shop and into the main area of the museum. It was definitely a hangar that had been converted into this nice place, and it had been divided into two halves full of restored aircraft. There was also another large section enclosed between them. I ignored it for now and headed into the right side to get started. Each of the museum's two halves were like long brackets surrounding that large central area with the entrance in front of it.

As genuinely interesting as the exhibits were, I kept us moving. We passed all kinds of planes of different sizes, but it was still too crowded for me to try anything. There were displays of different flight suits and even an open cockpit you could sit in. I was tempted to try it out, but I reminded myself why we were here and kept going. We all did our best to look as casual as possible and blend in.

I found what I was looking for in the back of the museum, just past a large Gelnika-class cargo plane near a little connecting hall that went into the other half of the building. It was a small B-90 scout plane from the war with Wutai, and the massive bulk of the Gelnika sitting in front of it gave me plenty of cover. Anyone wanting to see the B-90 would've had to walk all the way around the bigger plane.

"Okay, guys, this is it," I whispered, flipping open my belt pouch. "I need you to be my lookouts while I work."

Biggs nodded. "We're on it, Jessie. Good luck!"

He and Biggs both gave me a thumbs up, then hurried to opposite ends of the Gelnika to keep watch for me. From there, they'd be able to see anyone coming and warn me. I took out my tablet and got to work, confident that my friends had my back. As I hacked into the museum's security system and glitched it, I looked for the engine compartment. It was near the front, a large and mostly rectangular panel set in between the cockpit and the main propeller.

The B-90 was a little single-engine plane, fortunately, so I wouldn't have to worry about looking for another compartment after this to get what I needed. Everything would be right here. After putting my tablet away, I took out my tools and got the panel open as quietly as I could. I had spent some time this week on Shinra's online network studying the layouts of the different aircraft engines that I'd be most likely to find so I'd know exactly where everything was.

It didn't take long for me to swipe the parts, and while I was able to fit almost all of them into my belt pouch—it was practically bulging by the time I was done, and I barely managed to close it—the battery was another matter. I wasn't sure how I was gonna sneak it out. I motioned to the guys to come over as I fastened the panel back in place and tried to think of a solution to my little problem.

"Got everything?" Biggs asked.

"Yeah, but how are we gonna hide this?" I said, holding the battery in my hands. "Any bright ideas?"

Wedge grinned. "Just a sec! Be right back!"

He hurried back the way he'd come from, and I wondered what he had in mind. Biggs shrugged, as curious as I was, and Wedge returned only a moment later, a small cushion in each hand. There was a bench near the nose of the Gelnika plane for people to sit on, and I realized he must've taken the cushions from there.

At first, I wasn't sure what Wedge planned to do, but then, when he carefully stuffed the cushions inside the bottom of his shirt and slid the battery snugly in between them, I smirked and had to cover my mouth with my hand to stifle a fit of giggles. It was all Biggs and I could do to keep from cracking up as Wedge stood there with his arms around his stomach holding everything together.

"Genius, Wedge!" I smiled. "Pure genius!"

He blushed. "Aw, thanks. Nobody really looks at a fat guy's gut, you know. It's not polite. So I think this'll work."

Biggs laughed. "Yep! Just a little extra padding."

"Exactly!" Wedge chuckled.

"Well, now that we've got what we came for, we should head out," I said. "Let's split up. It'll draw less attention."

Biggs nodded. "Right. Meet outside. And walk, don't run."

I went on. "You go left, Biggs. Wedge, take the right. I'll head down the middle, through that big room over there."

"See you soon," Wedge agreed.

He went first, and then a minute or so later, Biggs left, going in the opposite direction back the way we'd come in from. After the guys had been gone for a couple more minutes, I got underway myself, heading into the connecting hall and following it down toward the central area I'd seen earlier. Although my nerves were on end, I walked casually and took my time, playing the part of just another tourist. Nobody seemed to notice, and I breathed a little sigh of relief when I finally left the hall and entered the middle of the museum.

There was a cute little aviation-themed cafeteria on one side, and I felt my stomach rumble. If I hadn't been in the middle of a risky theft, I might've taken time to grab a bite to eat. As it was, though, I knew that would have to wait until I got home. I started to move on, then stopped and gaped, my eyes widening and my jaw falling open, when I saw the other half of the large room. It was like nothing I'd ever seen, and for a moment, I forgot all about why I was here.

"Whoa…" I breathed.

The entire wall was dominated by a huge, hand-painted mural of a massive airship, its fuselage long and sleek. It was held aloft by a pair of large horizontal propellers in the middle, their thick drum-like engines beneath them, and two small wings, one on each side halfway between the main body and the long, narrow nose.

The fuselage split in two behind the main body where the forward propellers were, and each side stretched back to a smaller tail fin with a cubelike stabilizer mounted below it and separated into three sections. There was also an open deck suspended just below the main body, with another set of propellers extended behind it, and enclosed in front of it was the bridge with its clear forward windows.

The massive airship was hovering above the launchpad in Junon at what looked like dusk, the sky filled with clouds and red with the light of the setting sun. It was amazing, and I found myself moving closer to get a better look at it. The mural had to be at least fifty feet across, and it was incredibly detailed. I could even see the little lights shining along the airfield. Planes were fun, and I loved motorcycles, but this beautiful airship was something else completely. I was so engrossed in admiring it that I almost didn't hear the argument.

"Sir, I'm afraid you can't smoke here," a man said. He was probably one of the museum staff. "It's against the rules."

I glanced to my left to see another man standing nearby, flicking a lighter and holding it to a cigarette perched in his mouth. He had light blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a stubbled chin. Handsome enough, but a little too old for me, probably in his early thirties. He wore a tan shirt, khaki pants, brown leather boots, matching gloves that went up almost to his elbows, a dark blue flight jacket with the sleeves rolled up, and a white scarf tied around his neck. He also had a pair of goggles perched over his forehead with a pack of cigarettes held in place on one side by the strap. A pilot for sure, and pretty cool, too.

He puffed on his cigarette. "Fuck that, ya beady-eyed little shit! I'll do whatever the hell I want. I'm here by personal invitation of Director Palmer himself. So if ya wanna make yourself useful, go tell him to get his fat ass out here! I ain't got all day."

The other man, a short guy with balding hair, shrank back a bit. "I don't want to have to call security…"

"You fuckin' serious?" the pilot barked.

"I, um… we don't allow smoking inside the building, sir," the other guy said, his moustache twitching nervously. "There was a rather large sign by the front. Didn't you see it?"

The pilot shrugged. "Sure did. But I don't give a shit. A man's gotta have his smoke. Now find the director! That sorry son of a bitch better not've had me come all the way out here for nothin' or I'm gonna shove that fuckin' teacup right down his throat!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" the other guy stammered, scurrying off.

I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him, but at the same time, I found the situation kinda funny, too. The pilot didn't seem so bad, just irritated at being kept waiting, which I definitely understood. Though I wasn't usually as colorful about it as he was. I let my eyes wander back to the mural, still marveling at the airship.

"She's a beaut, ain't she?" the pilot chuckled.

I nodded. "Yeah. She really is."

He walked over to join me. "She's mine, ya know. Well, she used to be. At least 'till Shinra took her from me. Bastards. Now all I got's a shit little town in the middle of nowhere, a rusted rocket lookin' to fall over any second, and a scary ass broad to make me my tea. At least I've still got Tiny Bronco. My plane, that is."

"I've never flown before," I said. "But it sounds fun."

"Ain't nothin' like it," the pilot grinned. "High in the great big blue, the world spread out under ya. Helluva rush."

I smiled. "Well, I hope you get your ship back someday."

"You and me both, girl," he said. "Thanks. And when I do, look me up sometime. I'll give ya a ride if ya want."

"Sure thing!" I beamed. "I think I'd really like that."

He glanced at me and puffed on his cigarette. "Good, good. So, you some kinda engineer or somethin'?"

I blinked, then thought about the kinds of things I did for a living. "I, well… I guess you could say that. I fix stuff and get it working again, that sort of thing. How'd you know?"

"You ain't afraid to get your hands dirty," he said, pointing at them. "Looks like you've been busy today."

I looked down at my fingers and gasped, realizing for the first time that they were covered in grease from the plane's engine. I was stunned it hadn't been noticed earlier and that I hadn't even seen it myself until now. The guys had missed it as well. I'd been so intent on getting outta here in one piece that I hadn't even thought about checking my hands. What was I gonna do? I'd be caught for sure!

"Um, yeah…" I swallowed. "I was just, uh… well…"

The pilot just took a handkerchief from his pocket and tossed it to me. "Couldn't resist takin' a peek at some of these babies, could ya? Ah, I can't blame ya. Better get cleaned up, though. Don't want any of them dumbasses from the museum seein' ya like that."

I caught it and quickly wiped my hands. "Thank you!"

"Don't mention it," he said.

I was just about to get going again when Biggs and Wedge showed up, slipping in from the front hall as nonchalantly as they could. But as soon as they saw me, their eyes lit up and they sighed in relief. Seemed I'd been here a lot longer than I'd thought.

"There you are, Jessie!" Wedge said. "We, uh… we thought you got lost in here. It's a pretty big place, you know."

"Ready to go?" Biggs asked.

I blushed. "Yeah. Sorry to keep you boys waiting. I just, uh… I got a little distracted here, that's all."

He glanced at the mural. "So I noticed."

"Gotta go now," I waved at the pilot and smiled. "Thanks again for your help, though. Oh, I almost forgot!"

I started to give the handkerchief back to him, but he just brushed me off. "Ah, keep it. I got a ton of 'em back home. Good for cleanin' off after workin' on Tiny Bronco all day."

"I'll bet," I laughed. "See you around!"

The pilot nodded, then took another puff on his cigarette and went back to gazing at the mural. I followed the guys toward the exit leading to the front hall, and we were almost there when I heard that other guy from earlier come back and talk to my new friend, his voice a lot more deferential now than it had been earlier.

"Director Palmer will see you now, Mr. Highwind," he said. "If you will just follow me to his office. Since he doesn't have much to do at the Shinra Building, he spends a lot of his time here instead. I'm afraid the space program is still closed, as far as I know."

The pilot snorted. "Fuckin' hell. Shoulda known. Fine, let's get this goddamn shitshow over with. Gonna give that fat old bastard a piece of my mind for wastin' my time like this."

"He's… wow…" Wedge blinked as we left.

I giggled as I put the handkerchief away. "Yeah, he is. But he's really not so bad. Helped me out, in fact."

Biggs raised an eyebrow. "Really? He did?"

"Yep!" I said. "I'll explain later."

He shrugged. "Fair enough. Had us worried there for a bit."

I chuckled as we strolled outside. "Sorry about that, guys. But it all worked out in the end. Anyway, let's go home."