Chapter 19. Attempt
Elie's POV.
I was summoned in a matter of days to participate in something totally new.
The conference room. Me and the whole military authority, John and who knew who else. The discussion would focus on the mission that would follow - the one where 2 soldiers would die.
I had commented the whole thing with John, Veld and the General two days ago, thinking it would be enough like that - the way it always was, me telling them things off the record, they taking care of it and I would just stay in the lab quarters minding my business until John eventually would tell me how it all went.
Right.
Not this time.
Apparently the General wanted to involve me in the process. The missions, the whole discussion prior to going to the field… would include me being there as well.
John had been very specific about it.
Personally, I had my reservations.
Talking privately to John, the General and Veld was one thing but… being in a conference room with all that testosterone? Not a good thing the way I saw it.
Not only I was foreign to them but I was willing to bet the strangest comments would take place. Not that I minded 'gossip' - I never did in life, but… in here, the whole thing was different.
I had knowledge and it gave me a strange power… that sometimes felt incapacitating. The fear of not being taken serious and considered a fraud was always there, even if I knew I wasn't such thing. Okay, so The General knew I was serious, John knew and Veld too… but in the begging things had been pretty hard to handle. I remembered that very accurately - the way the general shocked me the first time I saw him… and many times after that.
Still, he was still frightening, even if I felt at ease and treated just fine.
There was always something about him - there would always be. That shadow, that presence that would want to destroy his mind and that I wanted to avoid at all cost.
He was stubborn, all-mighty and arrogant - but all things considered he was an okay guy, and I didn't want him to turn into what I knew so well he would become.
Seeing him be this way - the way he was now… made me want to make him stay exactly like that.
And that made my stomach flutter with anxiety. What if I wouldn't make it? What if I… couldn't stop him from going insane?
God, the thought itself tortured me.
"Is our leak here?"
His voice took me out of my daydreaming. Sephiroth. It was like he knew I was actually thinking about him and all the dread his persona would involve in the future. And as I remained there standing, arms crossed with my shoulder resting against a wall, I let my stare find his.
Excitement was all over him. And it wasn't difficult to understand why. His obsession with catching the traitor that lived among us consumed the General's mind in a not so healthy way.
"No."
"Are you sure?" He insisted, whispering at me.
"Positive."
He sighed, and scanned the whole crowd, a murmur all over the room as everybody waited until someone started talking.
"Are you using me as a decoy?" I had said the words hoping I was wrong but something inside me told me I was actually right. God, it was so him. Only someone like him would have the guts to do something as outrageous and dangerous enough as exposing me to a very angry and suspicious Rufus Shinra who wasn't around right now to try against my life.
"Stevens," He said, with a disappointing tone. "I wouldn't do such thing."
And as I saw him leave and walk towards the pulpit, I started to feel a little nervous. I blinked at my logic, at the hidden irony in his last words.
The math was pretty easy to do in this case.
Geez.
Silently, I prayed for everything to be allright. It was a fact Rufus Shinra wasn't around… but did he have to be around for something to happen to me?
I gulped at my logics. I didn't want to die - I couldn't, I still had too much to do, so much… to prevent from happening.
I looked around, scanning the faces of those who remained focused on the man who would start talking at once. The same man that had been talking to me seconds ago.
The same man who - apparently -, was playing hide and seek with the odds. My odds, to be exact.
"Okay people, ease up." His voice was solemn and dark. Silence was complete. "The goal of this meeting is to minimize casualties and work together on behalf of the company."
He paused, as SOLDIER and Turks eyed each other.
"AVALANCHE's evolving. They have their ways to enhance their troops and we have to be prepared for it. January, 14th, Icicle Inn: there will be a charge - an ambush. You will have to prepare - in skills and in numbers in order to succeed. Essai, Sebastian - you're dismissed from this mission."
Sephiroth's words fell like a one ton rock, as the names involved started to whisper. Several SOLDIER talked among themselves and it was pretty obvious those guys were displeased with such decision. I took they felt dishonored for being mentioned in public just like that.
"But, sir-"
"It's decided." The General's tone silenced the crowd of two and his eyes landed on someone else instead. "Fair?"
Zack's stare focused at once, surprised at being called by his name.
"Sir."
"You'll be in charge of this mission. Choose your men wisely."
A sample of smile started to built on his face. He felt honored and rewarded with the mission, it was obvious. I couldn't help but to smile at well at how genuine Zack was. He was really a cool guy and Aerith was a very lucky girl to have conquered his heart. I smiled at the thought. Gosh, how I would like to see those two together one day.
"Yes, Sir. I'd like to have Strife on my team, General."
And that erased the good mood I was in completely. I gulped dry at the terrible decision Zack was making without knowing. My eyes widened and I wondered how I would tell Zack he couldn't do such thing - but someone got ahead of me, cleverly.
The General's stare met mine discreetly - in a way I interpreted immediately as 'advice'. No one was focused on me, but Zack instead. So, I merely shook my head at the General.
Strife could not be part of Zack's mission. Not this mission. What if he got killed instead of those two? Not that it meant that someone had to die - the goal in this meeting was avoiding that exactly but… who knew?
"I am afraid Strife won't be available for this specific mission, Fair." The General's words were soft but decisive at the same time, and in Zack's face there was no way to hide the disappointment he felt. "But I am sure you'll pick wisely all the team members for this particular task."
Silence fell for seconds, and Zack's eyes searched for mine. The shine on his stare demanded for answers, justifications, and I couldn't say a thing to him - for now. I made a face, hoping he would understand there was actually no choice about not taking Strife with him.
"Any further remark?" The General spoke again and, confronted with the silence around him, he took the hint. "Doctor, if you please."
Medina walked to the pulpit now, the General leaving the stage to John. And a picture of AVANLANCHE's RAVENS filled the screen.
I nodded at the smart strategy. Cool, John would be feeding SOLDIER and Turks about their enemy - which was a good thing to prevent nasty surprises from happening.
"Gentlemen. Here I present you: The RAVENS. As you may have noticed…"
John's melodic description soothed the environment, cleansing my worries for moments. John actually amazed me. He was great at what he did - a great doctor, an exceptional scientist.
However, I didn't hear much of John's speech - because someone didn't let me.
"You owe me an explanation."
A presence was exactly behind me as my eyes focused on the pictures John was showing. It took me a while processing the General's question.
"What?"
"What about Strife?"
I sighed, considering turning to face him, but decided against. I sensed him looming over my form, like a haunting shadow, so the perspective of face-to-face in such short distance wouldn't help me. At all. I needed a security distance to be coherent around the man.
"I can't believe you're asking me about that right now."
I spoke my mind, surprised at his nerve. I also understood his impatience - kind of, but he was so insistent at the less opportune moments it innerved me. Really. What would I say to him? 'Hey, Strife is important because if you snap and go all crazy in Neibelheim, he'll be the one taking you out.'
I sighed at my silly thought and turned my face, whispering feeble words that I knew he would listen from behind.
"He's important, General."
And the result couldn't be nice, obviously.
"Is that all you have to say? 'He's important?'"
I blinked a couple of times, disturbed with his arrogance.
"What's his first name?"
"Excuse me?"
"Strife's first name."
"Why don't you tell me."
"Cloud Strife." I said, turning to face him completely. The smell of leather invaded my nostrils and my face angled upwards so our stares could meet. He was angry. Noticeably angry at me. "I know the name doesn't strike a thing on you for now, but believe me… it will."
The General narrowed his green eyes and I hoped his pupils would remain even as we dialogued.
"I'm getting tired of your games, Stevens. Don't push my patience and try to be more objective. Why didn't you want Strife on the mission?"
"Because he will be important for the Planet, General. His physical integrity must be secured."
He blinked at me, clearly displeased with my answer.
"You're always so vague."
"I am as objective as I can… for now."
Sephiroth's POV
As John's voice was heard on the background, I stared back at the woman in front of me, frustrated with her words. The way her eyes communicated with mine worried me, because her stare informed me of other things - things totally different from her words.
It was actually getting easier to communicate with her this way - basically, it was the way I warned her - not to lie, not to trick me, not to deceive and betray us - me. Thankfully, she knew better.
But her renitence in speaking the whole truth was starting to affect me.
Thankfully, she cooperated in everything we asked of her. She had provided valuable information about the Ravens - and we had decided it would be important to share that information with those who would be there, fighting.
But the time was getting close though.
I felt it, every time she avoided talking about what would happen far ahead.
Stevens had spoken of the main three AVALANCHE charges for the upcoming year: January, the Icicle Inn. February, Junon. And finally, June, on Shinra HD - about that one, we still remained in the dark.
But, then again, first things first. Overboarding Turks and SOLDIER with information wouldn't be only unnecessary - it would be dangerous, considering we had a traitor among us. A traitor whose identity Stevens knew too well and still kept silent about it.
Of course, it had to be someone with influence - powerful enough to take her out right under our noses. And she knew that - hence why she remained in silence.
A silence that would have to be broken up someday. Sooner than later, I hoped.
And I would be there.
To behead that son of a bitch.
I walked silently towards the back of the conference room, checking the crowd. Everything was so calm, everyone paid too much attention to John.
Which was memorable to watch.
"Who is she, General?"
A voice sitting close to where I stood questioned me discreetly. My eyes met the eyes of the SOLDIER asking such question. There, I saw only curiosity.
A curiosity that could not be sated for now.
"Focus, SOLDIER."
The man obeyed as I spoke the words and my eyes landed on the woman standing on the other side of the conference room, arms crossed, resting with her left shoulder on the wall. Her face, unreadable, focused on the screen, as a vacant stare denounced how her worries laid far from this conference room.
How different Stevens looked like, dressed normally instead of those white pajamas from the lab. Jeans fitted her, as well as those boots, almost half my size.
I knew I was pushing her limits over and over again. But I had to. I couldn't afford to be soft with her, now that I knew she was the key to take this company out of the spiraling conspiracy it was imbibed in.
Not to mention other things - concerning me. I had to admit it, curiosity burned inside me. Countless times I had to refrain my will of taking her and torturing that feeble mind into telling me everything I wanted, needed and had the right to know.
And as my thoughts rambled, I saw how, slowly, her stare met mine, as if sensing the weight of my thoughts on her.
Her brownish, bright alien eyes perspired worry and despair, surprise and many other things I didn't know how to name. John's voice disappeared gradually until there was only silence, me and her, in a bubble of feelings and thoughts talking with each other.
It was a strange sensation of… sharing.
But the moment was interrupted quite abruptly.
A dry sound came out of nowhere and hit the wall right in front of my eyes - an inch above Steven's head.
I saw her froze as she screamed and grabbed her own head, kneeling as red tainted the back of her right hand.
Hell broke loose in that very moment.
I exited the conference room in long strides, through the main door that had been open the whole time. A man dressed in black ran through the hall, as several SOLDIER now joined me, right there where I stood.
I narrowed my eyes as I did the match.
I didn't need my sword with this one.
"Give me your gun." I ordered, as I stretched my hand towards my left side.
In less than a second, a gun landed on my hand and I aimed with all my might.
Three. Two. One.
Die.
I fired three shots, the elegant sound the gun made scoring the silence around me, interrupted by the acute noise of the cartridges hitting the granite floor. In that moment, I knew I was being thoroughly watched, worshipped, observed as a role model to follow blindly. All eyes gradually shifted to the manly form a couple of yards away, by the end of that infinite hall of white wall and floor.
The dump noise of the body falling, dotting the surroundings with bright, vivid red, felt soothing enough.
I walked towards the man, who seemed to be choking in some liquid. Blood, most likely.
He tried to move, but he couldn't. I had been precise enough to let the man crippled, bleeding… but alive, nonetheless.
For now.
With his back to me, in visible pain, I scanned the man sprawled on the ground.
I didn't recognize the suit, didn't recognize the method. I removed the wool mask covering that man's face, my eyes landing on a total unknown face. I kneeled, the gun on my left hand as my other hand grabbed a fistful of his hair.
"Who sent you?"
As to be expected, the man didn't deliver a thing. There was panic on his eyes and I noticed the inevitable stench of death approaching. So, I had to worry.
"You should tell me. Whoever paid you to do this won't save you from what awaits you."
A grunt was all I had in return.
Very well.
"You'll die, painfully and slowly. I made sure of that."
And, with a scornful smile, I let go of his head, which hit the ground with a dry thump.
I walked towards my men, who stared back at me as I cleaned my gloved, bloody hand, to the nearest wall, leaving a trail of that man's blood behind me.
Elie's POV.
I couldn't hear a thing.
In one minute I had been losing myself in the strangest, most intimate eye-contact of my entire life, sharing and showing everything that couldn't be put into words… with him. The coldest man in this reality. Then, out of nothing, there was this loud, acute sound on my head, mixed with the voices of men moving, positioning strategically in that conference room.
As I kneeled, my head pounded with pain, and I didn't know what on Earth had happened. What had that noise been? What had been that thing right above my head?
"Elie!"
I recognized the voice, but didn't know from where it came from. Directions were all messed up for me right now. North, south, east, west… it was all the same to me now.
"Ah!"
I heard myself scream in pain, feeling, seconds later, something wet and thick on my right hand.
I tried to open my eyes as the pain seemed to subside, at a painfully slow rhythm - following the beat of my heart.
Warm hands met my wrists and in that moment I realized I was shivering.
"Calm down, it's me. John. Let me look at you. Please."
The despair on his voice didn't soothe my worries.
"John!" My voice cracked and I didn't know what to think. Good God, what had happened?
"Calm down, you're okay, calm down."
The warmth of John's skin eventually calmed me a little. Still, I was having a bad time processing the whole thing.
"What happened?"
John hesitated.
"You were… almost shot in the head."
I felt a pang in my heart at his words and closed my eyes in response.
It had begun. Rufus had tried to kill me.
I sighed, confused and despaired, as the pain in my head grew again.
"Ow…"
"Let me see that."
John, with all the patience in the world, put my hands down and checked my head.
"It's just a minor injury. You'll be okay."
"But there's so much blood." I whimpered, my hands tainted red.
"Scalp bleeds a lot." He informed, putting something cold in the place that hurt the most. "You'll need a couple of stitches. And a scan."
I blinked, now able to focus.
Me and John kneeled on the ground, facing each other. Around us, there was a circle of man, all with their backs to us, guns in position. At the conference room door the commotion was huge, and I had the opportunity of seeing the General enter the conference room again, as he removed his right glove and shoved it away.
Fury invaded me for a moment.
Bastard. It had been his fault all this had happened.
But as I sensed he was approaching us, I breathed in deeply and prayed for self-control. It wouldn't be wise to accuse him right here, in the heat of the moment, in front of everybody. Even if he deserved it with all the will.
The circle of men loosened as he approached and I took my time focusing my stare on the ground.
Damn. Stupid, self-confident guy that almost got me killed!
"Are you okay?" His voice sounded closer now, as he crouched next to me as well.
I didn't answer. I couldn't. Or I would risk slap him in the face hard. Really hard.
"She's fine. A little shaken, I suppose."
An uncomfortable silence followed, until the General decided to speak again. At me. Who was staring at some random tile in the dark granite floor.
"He's dead, you have nothing to worry about."
In that moment, I didn't resist. I closed my eyes as I gathered… control. Choose wise words, Elie. Wise words.
"I won't forgive you this recklessness." I whispered, my eyes finding his. "If you wanted to prove your theory, you might have done it without putting my life on the line." I almost felt my voice cracking and tears threatened to appear. "Right now, I am the only thing standing between you and lifestream, you asshole!"
I had used a cautioned, low tone in purpose. John remained silent, as he witnessed the bitter word exchange between me and the General. His eyes scanned me and I saw him gulp as he carefully processed my speech. So, he did what he considered wise for the moment - change subject.
"You know who sent him. So, it's up to you."
"I can't."
"I don't understand your renitence in protecting that person's identity."
"Soon… after October."
"And why October, specifically?"
"Just give me a freaking break! I can't tell you now."
Urgency was all over the General. He finally was grasping that things were indeed serious on his side.
"Does it have to do with m-"
"General!"
A man screamed right next to the door, interrupting our sour dialogue. Thank God. The General stood and eyed the man, giving him permission to continue.
"The President demands your presence in his office."
The General's stance changed at once. Man, what duty did to a man.
"I'll be right there." His gaze shifted to Medina now. "In the meantime, I wouldn't let Stevens wander around. Just in case."
"I agree."
"Keep me posted."
Medina's POV
I had never seen a live attempt on someone's life before.
I had been talking, the crowd of SOLDIER and Turks so attentive and focused… and then, out of nowhere - a gunshot.
It had been so fast, the whole thing. The noise, then the scream and finally, seeing Elie fall on her knees like that.
I swear I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw her bleed.
I ran to her, the whole personal shifting and adjusting to protect me, her and themselves. I had to admit they - SOLDIER and Turks - were very well trained and acted completely out of cold blood in situations where panic would easily spread.
I reached Eleanor, hoping the wound was not serious. Seeing her react to the pain soothed me and I scanned the wall a couple of times, realizing the bullet was, in fact, stuck in the cement.
So, she had to be alive.
Please, let her be alive.
I tried to talk her out of worries, as always. And as I saw the wound was indeed minor, something that would eventually require a couple of stitches, my heart finally calmed down as well.
But, then again, when she was getting back to her usual self, he returned. The General. Like a God damned haunt, always prying, always invading and with that unique characteristic of him - being unpleasant and indifferent all the time.
Damn. I couldn't get why she had that secret fascination with him. Elie didn't tell me, but I wasn't stupid. Come on. The way she looked at him, sometimes, when he was not aware?
I wished she looked at me like that sometimes.
Anyway, there was always hope.
After all, the General was a careful priority on Elie's informational sequence. She had told me, several times, that he was a delicate matter to take care of and that I would know of all of it in time.
I knew some things already. Bits and parts that made no sense… but still, there was no way I couldn't feel extra when they shared a stare the way they were sharing right now.
Elie's words were harsh, and I sensed she was at the verge of crying… but the man remained neutral and tough, not minding he had a broken woman in front of him.
How insensitive. What an idiot.
"Is is true? Do you know who tried to kill you?"
Elie nodded at me, as we were escorted heavily to the Science Division. Turks and SOLDIER made a consistent shadow around us, eyes on everybody and everything. She grabbed a towel on her head, surrounding a bag of frozen peas to minimize the swelling.
"Then why don't you tell the General? He can arrange the means to protect you, Elie."
She sighed, as we both entered the lab quarters. The guard remained outside, after scanning thoroughly all the floor.
"Remember what I said to you once? Disclose information, gradually?" Her stare was genuine and hurt. I didn't get why. "I can't just tell the whole thing, just like that. It would be chaotic if I did so. "
I kind of understood her but… thing was, shit had gone real and scary now. So I chose my words carefully. I knew the General was many things, but… I had to agree with him on this.
"I believe you, but… I'm afraid I have to agree with the General."
She sat on her bed, removing the towel, partially decorated with different shades of red. She took her time answering me.
"Just… some more months and that's it. But there are priorities, John, there is much worse than AVALANCHE to worry about and you know it."
I sighed, approaching her and scanning her scalp wound. It was time to do some stitching.
"I won't lock you up - but you'll have to be careful. I don't recommend leaving the lab quarters." I said, as I prepared the table with the sterilized material. "Just in case."
"Okay."
"So let's take care of that wound, shall we?"
-/-
The next day I went to see the General first thing in the morning by personal request. The lab was now under tight surveillance, Turks doing the job quite effectively. I had been on permanent contact with Reno, the night shift's Turk on Elie's door. He had informed me the night had been eventless.
Thank the Planet for that.
I had never seen the General in such a bad mood. He was always so 'in control', apparently so immune to everything, that I had to deduce something very nasty had to happen yesterday when the President summoned him.
"You should lock her up."
The man almost barked the words at me. I sighed and tried to remain calm, be polite and talk some sense into the man. I knew things had gone out of hand yesterday… but all things considered no one had died - except for the killer and Elie was doing just fine. Her scans were okay and she didn't have any internal injury.
"It's inhumane to do such thing."
He rose from the chair, as if I had said a complete nonsense.
"Her integrity is necessary Medina, stop being soft."
I blinked at the overreaction. But he was far from done with that.
"I want my guard there, as well. Strife!"
And out of nowhere, said SOLDIER, I supposed, appeared inside the office.
"Yes, sir."
"Starting now, 12 hours shift with the Turks on Steven's premises, lab's quarters. Eyes on her the whole time. You have permission to open fire at any potential threat."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Now go!"
The door closed and sat I remained, eyeing the General with a serious you're-out-of-your-mind look.
"You're overreacting."
My words seemed to wake him up from some sort of daydream, and his stare met mine at once.
"I'm being rational, Medina. Stevens knows too much about everybody - enough to have a bullet inside her head for that. Just because you don't exist in that reality of hers, it doesn't mean others don't want to know their fate."
I bit my lip, surprised at how low the General was able to go to hit someone. It was like this was a game and he had to win every damn time, and everything was allowed. It was obvious he had been listening to all the audio files from the lab quarters or he wouldn't be throwing such low blow on me.
What was wrong with this guy, anyway?
"You don't have to be unpleasant." I declared, preparing myself to leave.
"Thing is, I'm not being unpleasant." The General eyes left mine as the man rose and walked towards the window. The day was cloudy, and a cold wind blew today. "Don't you think I don't know something bad will happen to me? I'm not stupid, Medina." I heard him sigh, his eyes lost in the landscape ahead. "It's all over her. The look in her eyes every time I'm around. What she is not telling me… has to be serious enough for her not to disclose it right away."
He had a point. And I had absolutely nothing to offer him. So, I remained in silence and let him speak instead.
"I want to know. Prepare for what's to come. Even if I can't handle it. So yes," He said, turning to face me now. "I'll overreact about Stevens' security all I have to."
And I was out of this conversation right now. Damn, why had I come here in first place? To lose my precious time? Right!
"I'm heading to the lab."
I got up the chair and made my way to the door.
"You do that."
But when my hand landed on the door handle, I remembered something. A subject that had been dormant for days now.
"Any news on the PORTAL?"
"Last time I checked, they were still running tests."
I nodded in acquiescence and exited the General's office.
Man.
I sure needed a break.
A/N - So, a bigger chapter to compensate the shorter ones. Hope you liked it! The moment of truth is approaching people… watch out ;) you know what to do, read and review, I can't wait to hear from my beloved readers!
See you next chapter :)