The employees of the Shinra Electric Company moved about focused on their tasks but mildly aware of the dark-haired woman elegantly poised at one of the pristine white tables of the sixty-first floor lounge. Although elegant and seemingly innocent they knew who she was and what she was to the company.
She was a TURK, the Shinra Company's professional clandestine division. If Shinra needed to make something happen, they were the ones who got the job done no matter the consequences.
The woman sat quietly at the table focused on the documents in her hands, on the table were additional documents that were covered slightly by a manilla folder with the Shinra logo on the front and black mug with the matching Shinra logo.
Chu Minamoto
Elite Class SOLDIER
Status: MIA/KIA
Previous Mission: Investigate Nibelheim Reactor for abnormal results.
"Geez Liv, you really are a nerd, your looks are totally deceiving"
Liv looked up to the crimson-haired man in front of her, Liv sighed and focused back on the document in hand.
"Was there something you needed Reno?" Liv questioned as she reached for her mug.
"Ouch, the cold shoulder," Reno shrugged as he pulled out the second chair and sat down.
"There's a reason you sought me out so what is it?" Liv asked.
"What if I just wanted to check up on my lovely coworker?" Reno replied cautiously and leaned back in his chair.
"Spare me," Liv replied and sipped the steaming contents in her cup.
"It's true," Reno replied as his attention was pulled by two female employees walking past the two, Reno smirked. Liv sighed heavily and turned her full attention back to the file.
"What are you doing down here anyway?" Reno asked and glanced back to the woman in front of him.
"Minding my business," Liv replied as she continued to scan the document. Reno clicked his tongue in response to her sharp response.
He already knew what she was doing, he and Rude had picked up on it months ago and Tseng allowed it as long as it didn't affect her performance or results. Starting the previous year she had begun to surround herself with information of a tragedy that fell upon the village of Nibelheim five years ago, and in the middle of it all were three SOLDIERS, the Legendary SOLDIER Sephiroth, the first and only female SOLDIER Chu Minamoto, and First Class SOLDIER Zack Fair.
No one truly knows the details of what had taken place, but the two men noticed that it had impacted their comrade, Liv. She began to focus too much on one of Shinra's secrets, Reno sighed.
"You're not gonna find it there," Reno replied as he caught the eye of a blonde-haired woman.
"What are you talking about?" Liv questioned.
"I didn't know you could play dumb, Liv. I'm surprised," Reno chuckled.
Liv sighed and placed the file back into the Manila folder and leaned back into her chair, she already knew what the man meant.
"I know there's information missing, "Liv began before she stretched in her seat.
"Well…" Reno began his attention still on the blond-haired woman, he winked.
"Must you flirt when you're talking to me?" Liv crossed her arms as she frowned at the man.
"Until you give me a chance," Reno replied bluntly.
"Keep dreaming," Liv scoffed and reached for her mug again.
"And so I continue," Reno replied and stole a glance of her sipping her tea.
Liv was one of the last remaining TURKS before the others were exiled five years ago. Reno and the others had taken her under their wing and watched as she grew into what she was today. But the incident that took place five years ago changed her.
"I saw that look," Liv commented.
"You saw nothing," Reno replied.
"If I knew I was going to have to deal with you, I would have left with the others," Liv sighed.
"And now you're stuck with us," Reno replied and began to mouth numbers to the blond-haired woman.
"You're the worst," Liv sighed and took her cell phone from her breast pocket. She glanced at the blue screen and to the name illuminated on the screen, promptly she answered the phone.
"Yes Sir…" Liv began as she listened to the man on the other side of the line.
"I understand. I am on the sixty-fourth floor with Reno," Liv's seafoam green eyes focused on the man across from her. He was still focused on the blonde-haired woman.
Reno waved to the woman as he heard his name and turned around to face Liv, unbeknownst to him the blonde-haired woman was approaching him. And without warning, she placed a hand on his shoulder and then suggestively placed a piece of paper on his lap before she sashayed away leaving the man with a huge grin on his lips.
"Understood sir," Liv replied and ended the phone call. She placed her phone back into her breast pocket.
"Tseng wants to see us,"
"And here I thought I was going to get lucky tonight," Reno sighed as he looked at the number on the paper.
"Not tonight," Liv replied casually as she gathered her files and neatly placed them back into the manilla folder, she looked up to Reno who watched her quietly.
"What?" Liv quirked an eyebrow.
"Nothing," Reno replied and suddenly stood. He managed to catch a glimpse of the files she had placed into the manilla folder. It was a declassified brief to the reactor investigation to Nibelheim, he sighed.
Liv stood, pushed in her chair, and gathered her things before she headed to the elevator followed by Reno. Silently the two TURKS waited for the elevator to arrive, Reno casually looked the woman from head to toe. He remembered her once short ebony hair and how it framed her face to give her an innocent-looking appearance but now her hair cascaded over her shoulder, the lack of her bright smile.
"You know...you've been moody lately," Reno began as the elevator chime sounded.
"I think I've been pretty normal. Are you sure it's not you?" Liv countered as she entered the elevator. Reno scoffed as he entered the elevator and watched as she used her badge at the scanner to access the upper floors. The doors slid closed and began its ascent to the sixty-sixth floor.
"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's you," Reno mumbled as he watched the numbers increase. The short elevator ride was silent, again Reno sighed. Moments later the elevator chime sounded in the elevator and doors slid open slowly. Liv and Reno both walked from the elevator and to the TURKS office or the Public Administration Office. As they entered the office, they saw that their other comrade was already seated at his spot, and Tseng was busy completing his reports from their recent encounter with their main target.
Tseng stood from behind his desk and nodded to the two TURKS as they took their seats.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice but we've had some developments in Intel regarding the Eco-Terrorist group, AVALANCHE," Tseng began.
"We are all aware of the group and the damage they caused to the Mako Reactors and the lives of the citizens in each of the sectors. Our sources have triangulated a possible headquarters or where they believe the group has their base…" Tseng trailed off as the monitors in front of the TURKS turned on and a map of Midgar appeared in front of them.
"Sector Seven Slums," Liv whispered.
"Yes. The President wants the group eliminated," Tseng replied as the three TURKS focused on him.
"How?" Reno questioned.
"To be determined," Tseng replied and sighed.
The four TURKS remained silent as they knew that the President was ruthless to any and all that dared to cross him and was known to use extreme measures to squash any and all. There were a few times where they found themselves hesitating to complete their assignments but in the end, completed them.
"We are to do our assignments, our jobs efficiently and effectively no matter the consequences," Tseng said firmly as he looked at the three TURKS. Reno reclined in his chair, Liv crossed her arms and Rude sat with his hands intertwined with one another.
"Please be available, we know that this situation is fluid and things could change at a moment's notice.
"Alright, Alright, Alright," Reno groaned as he stood.
"Yes sir," Liv and Rude replied.
"Dismissed," Tseng nodded to the TURKS. Reno was the first out of his seat followed by Rude and Liv. Liv gathered her things and began towards the door.
"Liv," Tseng began. Halfway out of the door, Live nodded to both Reno and Rude as she turned back to the man.
"Yes Sir?" Liv began. Tseng caught a glimpse of Reno staring back at him before the door closed.
"How are you feeling?" Tseng began as he looked down at the woman.
"I am well," Liv replied. Tseng's copper-colored eyes quickly looked over the woman before he nodded. "The President would like for you to report to him about your recent findings on AVALANCHE and the Cetra,"
"Alright," Liv nodded.
"Also," Tseng began. "Please omit any additional explanation of the report you gave me. I understand planetology and history are your expertise but there is a time and place for that information,"
"Of course, sir," Liv replied.
Several weeks ago the man had to reprimand her at the orders of Heidegger when she firmly explained the effects of long term Mako use and proceeded to explain what Mako really was. Though they both knew she was correct, the presentation of the information could have been a little less heated.
"The report was scheduled for 1800 hours. A few of the other Directors will be finishing their meeting with the President, please wait until they are finished," Tseng said as he picked up the datapad from his desk to confirm details.
"I assume Professor Hojo will be there as well," Liv commented, Tseng sighed.
"Unfortunately yes," Tseng replied as he remembered the discomfort the woman had around the man. "I apologize-"
"It's ok. It's part of the job," Liv replied, Tseng gave the woman an appreciative smile.
"Of course. Please let me know if you need anything else," Tseng nodded.
"Alright, thank you," Liv bowed slightly before she exited the office. Tseng watched the woman leave and watched as the doors closed behind her before he sighed. He leaned against his desk as he began to pull off his gloves and rub his temples.
"The daughter of billionaires working to preserve the planet turned TURK...it still blows my mind," Tseng mumbled to himself and rubbed the back of his neck.
Liv silently made her way to a secluded space in the Shinra building and found solace in the archives. Quickly she laid out her files and pulled out her datapad, mug still in hand. She looked at the files and focused on the file of Chu Minamoto and the image of the woman peeking from the manilla folder. Memories over the past years flooded her thoughts as she stared at the photo.
Fujihito, Ziraconiade, her former comrades, and finally the disappearance of her best friend.
"Does this mean something or is this just a case of bad luck?" Liv began. "Chu did you know I would look into this? Is this why you spoke to me before you left all those years ago?"
"Whiskey? You're having that kind of day Reno?" Rude asked as he saw his friend's drink.
"Yep. It's been that type of day," Reno sighed "Stressful,"
"Stressful?" About what?" Rude asked, surprised that the man would be stressed about anything. Reno took a quick sip and waved off the man's concern.
"It's nothing big," Reno half smirked. "Just our lovely female coworker,"
Rude took a big gulp of his beer as he looked towards the bar and the bartender behind it. The two TURKS had retreated to their favorite lounge near the Shinra building called "Lady in the Heavens" It was a small lounge that played into the theme of the heavens above. The walls were painted like a night sky, with constellations and the galaxy above if you could ever see it in the city that never sleeps, the night sky always had the hue of Mako and the city lights blocked out the stars above.
The bar was their place to relax from work, despite knowing that work followed them wherever they went.
"What about her?" Rude asked cautiously. He knew that Reno was interested in her but she was clearly not interested in him.
"She's changed," Reno began. "Better or worse...I dunno"
"We both know that this job changes people. Working for Shinra changes people," Rude began. The bartender placed a fresh mug of beer next to the man's half-empty mug.
"Thank you,"
The woman smiled kindly and continued to clean and straighten around the lounge. The lounge itself wasn't crowded as it normally was but due to the bombings from AVALANCHE in Sectors One and Five other sectors were affected as well as the Shinra employees, they were either up to their eyeballs in work or too spooked to travel.
"Let's talk about something else. I'm starting to feel depressed," Reno quipped but Rude that the man was torn about the mission he was given- to observe Liv. They trusted her with their lives and she trusted them with hers, he couldn't find any connections as to why Tseng or anyone at Shinra would want to observe her.
"So about that girl you're seeing," Reno began
"Reno. No," Rude sighed. "It's not like that,"
"Awh c'mon you gotta live a little Rude," Reno chuckled
"I already told you it's not -" Rude began when both of their cell phones began to ring.
They quickly answered their phones and moments later ended the phone call.
"Wow, I can't even enjoy my whiskey," Reno sighed and took a long sip of his drink before he placed a couple of Gil on the bar.
"We'll just have to come back is all," Rude replied and chugged the rest of his first beer and half of the second. He too placed some Gil onto the bar before he and Reno exited the bar.