"Ah, Kat!" Omid cries when I step into his office. "Your uniform is ready!"
"Good." I offer a smile when he hands me a neatly folded suit made from thick black material.
"Omid should have more done in a few days."
"Sweet, thanks."
I leave with my uniform hugged to my chest and head toward the elevator that I swear I've spent half my time in at this point. Outside stands a tall man in a blue suit. He offers a smile, stretching his dark goatee, and holds out a hand. I take it uncertainly, raising an eyebrow.
"You must be the new Turk." He pulls away and his dark eyes light up. "I'm Reeve Tuesti, head of Urban Development."
"Kat."
"Tseng's mentioned you on occasion," he continues, chuckling. "Quite a unique girl. Funny, though. I can't seem to find your name anywhere."
"Why are you searching for my name?" I frown.
"Yo! Kitty Kat!" Reno cries, running toward us. "Whatcha up to?" He asks, grinning.
"Heading to Tseng's office," I answer, tearing my eyes away from Reeve's.
"See you got the shit," he teases, tugging on the edge of my uniform.
"Yeah." I stare at the glowing button that promises an elevator is coming, but the wait feels like it's lasting a hundred years.
"Let's take the stairs," he huffs, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward a nearby door.
"How many floors is it?"
"Eleven. Ain't half bad."
"Eleven?"
I hurry to keep up with him, wheezing by the third set of steps. Reno, far ahead, leans over the rail with a stupid smile on his face.
"Really gotta cut back on those cigs, man."
"Fuck off."
The uniform makes me feel like I'm choking. I tug at the collar uncomfortably, helplessly staring at my awkwardly knotted tie in the mirror. Huffing, I rip it off and undo the top button. Reno makes fun of me and takes me to Tseng's office. There, I hold my noose out, pleading for help.
"Help?"
Tseng sighs, shaking his head, but he comes closer and does as I ask, giving me step by step instruction as I stare hard at the wall behind him. Reno leans against the door behind me, snickering. It's been a long time since Tseng's been brave enough to touch me. I've always been something to keep at a distance, a disgusting, rotted trophy of his past that he just can't seem to leave behind. When he steps back, I grimace and tug at the collar again.
"It's too tight."
"You weren't listening," he sighs. I shake my head, rubbing the back of my itchy neck.
"No. Sorry."
Before he can lecture me, his phone rings. He gives me a stern look before answering, heading back behind his desk but refusing to sit. Slowly, he puts a hand in his pocket, frowning.
"Yes, sir. I'll put him on it right away. Sir? Yes." He takes a deep breath and hangs up. For a moment, the silence hangs in the air. Then, he looks up, directing those piercing black eyes at Reno. "You let Avalanche get away?"
"Just Cloud and the Ancient," he shrugs.
"I would have appreciated a notice," Tseng fires back sharply. "I need both of you on this."
"On what?" I frown. He doesn't answer, staring hard at his computer screen. "Tseng?"
"President Shinra has commanded that we drop the Sector Seven plate."
"What?!" I demand, alarmed by his words. All those people…? My home?
"Without evacuation?" Reno asks, frowning.
"Yes. He's personally requested that you bring Kat," Tseng continues, straightening. "I'll go after Aerith while Avalanche is occupied. They'll learn of this somewhere, I'm sure."
"But this is—" I start.
"What we do," Tseng finishes. "Rufus wanted to see you."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Of course he does," I huff, turning toward the door.
"Control yourself," he barks, short-tempered. "Rufus is unafraid to do what it takes to get his way."
"A little for that," I grumble, pushing the doors open. Reno stands with his back against the wall, eyes glued to the floor and hands deep in his pockets. If he'd said something before…
I shake my head. I can't think like that. This is what I'm supposed to do, so this is what I'll do. No questions asked. Taking a deep breath, I knock on Rufus's door. The guard outside eyes me, though he refuses to open the door for me as he did for the director. Only when a voice crackles from the guards' radio does he open the door with his ID. I huff, stepping inside.
"You needed me?"
"Yes." Rufus looks up from his endless papers and jerks his head toward a stack of cardboard boxes. "I need you to bring those down to my secretary. She's just down the hall."
"Am I really—"
"Yes. Watch your tongue," he snaps, turning back to his papers.
Gritting my teeth, I lug the boxes down the hall a stack at a time, earning the soft apologies of the woman at the desk every time I set them down beside her. After four trips, they're all where they belong. Then Rufus sets me to delivering his paperwork to someone else on another floor, and so I obey, hearing the chides of Tseng in my ear every time I'm about to bite back. After he demands that I deliver lunch to his guard, I decide enough is enough. Tseng can suffer the consequences later.
"Why can't you do it yourself?" I demand, crossing my arms. "Just send him away. I'll watch for you."
"And how will you let people in?" he argues, bored.
"I—"
"I'm busy doing important things," he snaps, looking up from his work sharply. "Of course, you wouldn't know the meaning of that word, would you? Important?"
"Excuse me?" Frowning, I watch as Rufus stands, wandering around his small, clean office.
"Slum scum. You're all the same." He makes a show of brushing his pristine sleeve off and flipping his hair out of his face. "You have no morals, you have no respect, and you most certainly do not matter."
"Oh, really?" I retort, crossing my arms. "And who taught you that? Familiar words from family, maybe?"
When he first starts walking, I expect him to stop. He doesn't. My back slams against the wall and something solid presses to my chest, a direct threat. I can't catch my breath staring up into that ruthless face, but I can't look away either.
"Where are your boundaries?" he snarls. "You know nothing?"
"Struck a nerve?" I mutter, wincing when he pushes the gun further into my chest.
"You—"
"I certainly hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Rufus freezes, eyes flitting up to the large man blocking his doorway. He takes a step back, tucking his weapon away slowly as he recomposes himself, though his face is clearly laced thick with disdain for his father.
"How did you get in here?"
"I have full access everywhere, son, I own the damn place." President Shinra turns his eyes to me. "Kat, you're dismissed."
Nodding, I hurry out of the room, squeezing past him and jumping when the door slams. I shiver when a loud thud comes from the office, shuddering. I don't want to know what's going on in there. I find myself in Tseng's office, babbling away about what happened and the noise. Tseng, rather curtly, tells me to mind my own business and leads me out of his space.
"Your office is ready," he says stiffly, pointing to a door across from Reno's. "You're close to Reno and Rude should you need anything. I'll let you know if the President gives any more orders—he may call you directly." He turns to me, strict as ever. "Kat, I don't need to remind you, but I will. If you make enemies and I'm instructed to remove you from your position, I will." Remove me. We both know what that means.
"Yeah," I sigh, crossing my arms and staring at my new door. Tseng nods, refusing to look away from me.
"You knew the risks when you agreed to return."
"I'm not quitting."
"Good. Get set up and I'll see what I can do about Rufus."
"Don't worry about it," I shrug. "It was a one-time thing."
"You're sure?" That I don't want the guy pissed at me for tattling?
"Yeah."