"Hungry?" Reno asks, poking his head into my office. "It's lunch hour."

"No, not really." I shake my head, leaning over to file through a box of files Rufus left for me to figure out. "Gotta get this done. Rufus is a pain in the ass."

"He really doesn't like you," he laughs, shutting the door behind his back. "Too bad. Brought you a sandwich from the caf."

"You can keep it."

"Ungrateful," he scoffs, sitting on the edge of my desk and dropping the wrapped food on top of the paper in front of me. Huffing, I toss it back onto his lap. I groan upon seeing a greasy stain on the center of the page.

"Dammit, Re."

"Well I don't want it."

"Fine."

Reno stands and presses his hands to the surface of the desk. His eyes glitter with mischief and he pulls the paper out of my grasp.

"Already chuggin' out the busy work no one wants, huh?" He grins, peeking over the edge of the page. "Pretty sure I told Tseng I didn't want this one."

"Gee, thanks." I pull it back, staring hard at the words before me. "I don't even know what half this shit means."

"Don't have to. Just sign it and move on."

"And that's why we have to drop the plate," I remind him. He shrugs half-heartedly, turning his eyes to the wall. "It doesn't bother you?"

"It does, I guess. But we gotta do what we gotta do." He puffs out a short, sarcastic laugh. "I dunno. It's a big move, that's for sure."

"Yeah." I force a smile and scribble my name down at the bottom of the page. Fuck it. "Well, it's too late to be developing a sense of morality."

"Yeah," he laughs, shaking his head. "So, you're not gonna eat it?"

"Already said no."

"And you're stickin' to it?"

"Yup."

"Fine." He taps the edge of the desk with his rod. "You're tryin' too hard. Not even Rude reads this much, and he's got a stick up his ass."

"Gotta be a curvy stick if this is the peak of his standards," I mutter, turning to another page. Reno snorts. "The only reason I give a shit is because Rufus tried to kill me earlier."

"Charming one, ain't he?" He rests his weapon his shoulder with a smile. "Shoulda warned you."

"You really have been slacking," I tease, glancing up at him and pushing the sandwich forward with the tip of my pen. "Seriously, I don't want it."

"Alright, got it." Reno lifts the wrapped food and tosses it in the air only to catch it a moment later with a wink. "Reject my love—I see how it is."

"Mhm."

"I'll just have to make someone else swoon over me."

"Go ahead," I mutter, stuck on a word. What the hell does that even mean? "You've got limited options."

"Rude isn't a bad choice."

"Rude wasn't your first choice, though," I remind him, laughing to myself when he shrugs and swings the door open.

"Whatever. See ya later, Cutie."

"Can't wait."

"Ready to head out?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

I stand on the helipad next to Reno, peering up at the chopper we're to take to the plate tonight. The door behind us slams shut; I turn to see Tseng and Rude coming nearer. Reno raises an eyebrow, cracking a smile at his partner's mirrored expression.

"What's up, Boss?" he greets. Tseng eyes the second helicopter.

"Don Corneo spilled over," he answers, his smooth hair shining under the bright lights of the helipad. "I'm assigning Rude with the two of you; we may need the extra help."

"And you?" I ask. His dark eyes meet mine and he nods toward the second chopper.

"I'll keep an eye on the ground."

"You got it." Reno pulls his hands from his pockets and clasps them behind his head, slouching. "Three of us? Avalanche's good as dead."

"I certainly hope so."

"Well, let's not prolong the inevitable," I huff, stepping toward the chopper and sliding the side panel open. I send Tseng a final thin, lipped smile before hopping inside and closing the door behind me. Reno and Rude climb into the front and I lean forward between their seats. "Ready to hit it, boys?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Reno mocks, raising the pitch of his voice. I punch his shoulder and he starts the blades up, shooting me a cheeky grin.

"So, what? We got to the top of the pillar and set the blast?" I ask, frowning. "That simple?"

"Supposed to be," Reno shrugs. "Doubt it'll go that way, though."

"Why's that?"

"Terrorists are desperation incarnate."

"Oh, big words," I tease, patting his shoulder and turning to Rude. "Our little boy's growing up."

"Yeah, okay."

Slowly but steadily, we begin to lift into the air, rising high off the helipad and heading for the illuminated city below. The chopped jolts and I huff, falling into my seat in the back.

"Could be a little smoother of a ride," I murmur.

"Alright, Mom, how 'bout you let me handle this," Reno retorts, straightening in his seat. "It'd be even rougher if you were flying."

"It's been a few years," I shrug. "For you? Maybe a few days."

"A week, thank you."

"Oh wow. You poor thing." I reach forward and fluff his bright hair. When he moves to bat my hand away, the chopper jerks to the side. Rude straightens us out with a grunt.

"Can you get her off?" Reno whines to Rude, rolling his eyes at my laughter. "Please, Dad?" The only sign that Rude heard him is the slightest pinch of his eyebrows. "Damn, that's cold. Gettin' disowned hurts, y'know."

"Take it like a man," I bite back, staring out the window as we approach the pillar.

Bright sparks and rapid-fire popping signals a battle of rebels. I lean forward again, watching men and women scurry up the pillar stairs, firing at Shinra helicopters and soldiers with fear in their eyes and determination in their blood. Reno gives a low whistle.

"Think we gotta say somethin'?"

"I'd ask Tseng," Rude replies, eyeing the battlefield we hover over.

"Wait a minute…" Reno mutters, shooting the helicopter closer to the pillar. I hang on tight, startled.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Gotta make sure they know who did this," he huffs, pulling to a stop and turning the beaming lights onto the pillar. A head of blonde hair ducks behind the railing. Cloud, wasn't it?

Reno turns on the microphone inside, clearing his throat as he readies some bullshit speech I assume he was ordered to give.

"Testing, testing…" he calls out, flipping his own switch into "work Reno." Well, this'll be fun. "Attention, Avalanche scum! We know all about your evil plans to destroy the pillar. But the Turks—" I hit the side of his head, lips pressed together in a scolding look. "Ahem! But Shinra—that's us—won't let you get away with it!" Rude sighs and shakes his head. "So go crawl back into whatever hole you crawled out of… or something." He looks back at me, eyebrow raised. "That outta do it, right?"

"Um , the mic—" I start. He waves me off and Rude shrugs.

"Eh, good enough."

"Are we gonna do anything about that guy?" I ask, pointing at Cloud as he straightens, his enormous sword peeking over his shoulder. Reno's eyes narrow and his lips quirk into a bitter smile.

"Wait. I know you…" He scoffs. "Mister 'First Class.'" Before either of us can ask any questions, he pulls the lever for the chopper's artillery and sends a spray of bullets raining over Cloud's head. "First-class asshole! Gotcha now!"

"Reno—" Rude starts.

"You ain't got nowhere to run!" Reno cries as Cloud races up the stairs for cover. He's quick to unload bullet after bullet into the shabby shelter of stacked pipes Cloud's ducked behind, teeth grit and shoulders hunched forward.

"Got history?" I ask, watching the soldier's cover chip away piece by piece.

"Hell yeah we do! Made me look like an idiot in front of Aerith!"

"Ah. Wounded pride." I lean closer to Rude, heart beginning to pick up the pace as I realize what we're getting ourselves into. My first real role in the Turks. Might as well act the part. Because really, what is a Turk without their bad guy front? Rude sighs, flipping a switch before speaking into his own mic.

"Throw down your weapon and surrender! Shinra does not negotiate with terrorists."

I can't help but exchange smiles with Reno. What the heck is he deepening his voice for? To sound scary? Reno snorts, finally breaking. He throws his head back against his seat, laughing. Rude ignores him, clearing his throat. Sick of waiting, Reno shakes his head and stares back down at Cloud's hiding place.

"Man, screw this cheap-ass play." He unleashes another round onto the pipes, laughing when they fall to the slums below in a burst of fire.

"Nice," I drawl out, holding my arm out. Reno bumps fist against mine, grinning.

"Damn right."

"Wait, what's—" I frown when another burst of fire erupts from the slums below. "Hey, tune in Tseng. Why the hell did you turn the radio off?"

"He wasn't talkin' to us," Reno mutters, eyes narrowed on Cloud's remaining pipes. His spiked hair just barely peeks out over the top. I huff, turning the dial on the radio and searching for a familiar voice. Finally, Tseng's comes on.

"Confirmed, one more bird lost," he reports. That was another helicopter? "Probably for the best. After all—" He stops short and I frown. What are you doing out there, anyway? "Change of plans. Reno, can you hear me?" I answer for my friend, who's entirely absorbed in watching after Cloud.

"Yeah, we can."

"You take it from here. Someone's been a little too adventurous."

"Who?" I ask Rude. He shakes his head, turning the radio's volume down.

"Aerith, probably."

"Pop your head out and let me finish this already," Reno huffs, crossing his arms behind his head. Rude points ahead.

"Stairs."

"Huh?"

I stand on my toes to see a woman sprinting up the stairs, taking them two at a time. A friend of Cloud's maybe? Reno's grin grows menacing as he reaches for the trigger again.

"Two birds with one shitload of bullets!"

Suddenly, Rude veers the helicopter to the side, smacking Reno's head against the glass and sending me tumbling back into my seat. Ow. Huffing, I drag my way back to the front, watching Reno's bullets spray across the width of the pillar, missing the woman and Cloud entirely as they run off.

"Dammit! You wanna explain yourself?!" Reno shouts.

"Seriously, what the hell was that for?" I demand.

"Uh… Hand slipped."

Rolling his eyes, Reno slumped in his seat, crossing his arms behind his head and glaring at the place Cloud once stood. I sigh and rest my elbow on the back of his seat, tugging at the tie around my neck.

"Should we just head to the top?" I suggest, finally breaking the silence.

"And miss this asshole? No way."

"Re, where do you think that asshole's headed?"

Reno sighs and straightens, admitting defeat.

"Yeah, fine. Let's get this show on the road."

Rude pulls us up to the top of the pillar, where a second chopper shoots down a group of mako tanks. Three people scramble out of the way, all of which I recognize. Cloud, the woman, and their big friend with the gun arm. Full circle, huh? Reno gets to his feet, ducking past me and throwing the side door open.

"Comin' with, Kat?" he asks, watching the fight with a glimmer in his eyes. I nod, peering over his shoulder when he leans forward, hanging onto the rail inside.

"Yeah. Can't let you get yourself killed, moron."

"Hm. Time for a rematch."

"You really hate him?"

"Oh yeah." When he looks back at me, his ponytail whips me across the face.

"Ow!"

"If that's all you can take, maybe you should stay back, Sweetheart?"

"And let you have all the fun? No thanks."

"Alright then." He stands. "Rude!" When his partner tosses his rod back at him, it nearly smacks me upside the head. Reno catches it without looking back, but he's laughing, knowing full well I almost went toppling overboard.

"Let's do this!" I call over the chopper blades, pulling my handgun free to make sure it's fully loaded.

"You're gonna want somethin' more than that," Reno says as we pull closer. "And the guy with the sword's mine."

"Worry about yourself."

"Sure thing, babe." He grins when Cloud pauses to look up at us.

"You!"

"It's nothing personal, bitch!" Reno hollers, diving down from the helicopter with a flip for flair.

I grimace when he lands on the edge of Cloud's blade, his rod crackling with electricity that was meant to stun the soldier. With a final wave to Rude, I drop down to the ground, letting the impact run through my legs before I straighten, taking a deep breath. You're a Turk. Act like it. Scoffing, I let a smug smile cross my face and raise an eyebrow at the woman when she turns to stare at us. Let the games begin.