A/N: I have an outline for the conclusion of this fic, and I've been cruising right along it, happy as a clam. But someone *cough-sunflowerspot-cough* set the plot bunnies on me and one got their teeth into my ankle. Ouch. I once had this really vaguely formed idea for the ending, but just couldn't see how to make it work and abandoned it. But now... well, we'll just have to see, won't we? :)

Summary; The search is ramping up as more information comes to light regarding the renegade group's possible motives. Kera and Tifa are losing hope for Denzel's return, but is time running out as fast as everyone fears?

Searching...

Chapter Six of the 'Denzel Chronicles'

By Ivy Tanté

The technician reeled back, blood from his nose splattering the concrete floor as his coworkers fought to contain the wildly struggling teen. Lashing out, Denzel felt grim satisfaction as another body hit the floor with a grunt. It was useless, of course. He'd still end up manacled to that exam table but he made them pay every time they dragged him out of the cage. The raspy tone of Bergstein was shouting at his men to contain him, and Denzel growled low in his throat at the sound of that hated voice.

Finally overcome, he lay on the cold stainless steel table and stared up at the shadowy ceiling, chest heaving from his exertions. He could hear someone snarling out orders as people moved around him and medical equipment hummed. Finally catching his breath, Denzel narrowed his eyes as the angry visage of Bergstein leaned over him.

"You broke Raps' nose and gave Oberin a concussion. If your test results weren't so interesting I'd kill you right now," Bergstein snapped, temper evident in the way he cruelly tightened the restraints on his wrists. This teen accounted for two deaths and six injuries in his already inadequate staff. Incredible.

Denzel couldn't find any humor in the situation and just glared up at him. I'll kill you yet, Bergstein, he swore as one of the orderlies jabbed an IV into his arm with little expertise or care. The now-familiar floating sensation hazed his thoughts as the drug started taking effect almost immediately. He knew now that Bergstein preferred his subjects to suffer through the testing, but Denzel caused so much havoc -even bound as he was- that it was necessary to drug him. Too much equipment and personnel had been damaged during his struggles to risk such enjoyment.

As he went under, Kera's face swam into view for just a second. Gods, why didn't I tell you I love you before I left? Then the thought was gone as blackness descended...

Once Denzel was unconscious, Bergstein stood looking down at him, anger still simmering. His fondest wish was to kill the youth for his continued resistance, but he was the only one brought in that gave Bergstein hope that his goal could be reached. Shaking himself free of the debilitating fury, he gestured to the man standing near him. "It's time to get started. Felnor, ready the injections."

ab

Leaning into the steel-gray body of Kaumafon, Kera Shoman zipped through the streets of Edge with little attention paid to her surroundings. The information packet in the left storage bin of the bike was of vital importance and needed to be in Reeve Tuesti's hands ASAP - Tseng had been very specific in that detail. Though why Rufus had ordered the Turks to assist in the search for Denzel was beyond her understanding.

Pulling up at the Headquarters of the WRO, Kera leaped off the bike and raced into the building. Employees strolling in the lobby area scattered before the whirlwind as she tore through, pelting up the stairs to the third floor conference room set up as the central hub of the search. Forcing herself to a stop just before the door, Kera took a deep breath to steady herself then knocked quietly.

"Come."

Opening the door, Kera slipped in and held out the package to Reeve, director of the WRO. "Tseng..." she started.

"Contacted me. Good work getting here this fast." Tilting his head, eyes twinkling, he asked, "What did you do, strap a booster rocket to Kaumafon?"

Flicking her hands, Kera assured him, "With that bike, it's all in the wrist." That she could be so comfortable in such company was still a wonder to her.

Movement to her left caused her to turn. Cloud Strife was intently studying the map of Edge and the surrounding area, brows furrowed as he did some rapid calculations in his head. "About 91 mph. Denzel tops out at 88 mph and I average around 96 mph." Smiling, he turned to Kera and said, "Once this is over I'll have to see about having another bike made. I think you're hired, Kera."

Blushing, Kera looked down at her feet and swallowed hard. Three weeks after Denzel's disappearance, her parents had been so alarmed by her despondency they'd gone to Cloud for help. The ex-SOLDIER had noticed her weight loss and lack of energy or direction; Tifa had commented more than once that she had no appetite and tended to stare at nothing at all while tears dripped from her eyes. But it was Marlene that set Kera on her present course by confessing that Denzel often let Kera drive Kaumafon. For the past week Kera had worked to deliver messages and information to and from the various units looking for Denzel.

Giving Kaumafon back was going to kill her, she knew. It was her closest link to Denzel and brought him back to her every time she climbed on.

"Well, let's see what the Turks think is so important," Reeve said as he opened the packet. Discs and papers soon littered the tabletop as the three of them sorted the contents into piles of varying urgency. The information given was so detailed and precise, Kera begin to feel a grudging respect for the shadowy organization.

Kera didn't take her participation in the search for granted; Cloud had made it plain he wanted her involved in every way possible because he trusted her. It was a bit embarrassing to know he was aware of her love for his son, but in his eyes it made her a part of his family. She now stayed at Seventh Heaven even more than home since he could protect her personally if she was close. And Tifa and Marlene needed her help and support. On her own she kept floundering, mired in grief and rage, but she had somehow found the courage to be strong for those around her.

"Here," Kera handed a small notebook to Cloud. "Is this one of Bergstein's journals? He writes of creating one single perfect specimen then using it to clone its DNA onto others. I'm seeing added notations regarding Mako, Jenova."

But Cloud was shaking his head, "This isn't Bergstein's." He pointed to the handwriting in the margins, "The notes are his, yes, but this spidery script is Hojo's. Holy Leviathan, Reeve. How much of Hojo's research could he have access to?"

Reeve took the journal from Cloud and started flipping through rapidly, his eyes scanning the pages as though he was looking for something in particular. When he stiffened, both Cloud and Kera braced themselves. "S-cells. There's mention of them, along with Z-cells and C-cells. If there's anything left from Nibelheim..."

The next hour was a mad scramble as they prepared for the trip. By the time everyone was assembled the High Shera was hovering overhead, Cid hollering down for them to "Get your arses in gear, kiddies!"

"Irascible," muttered Tifa. "I wonder how much tea he's had today." Cid liked a well-brewed cup strong enough to peel paint. One hand was resting on her still-flat stomach, but it wouldn't be much longer before she started showing. Though slightly over two months along, there hadn't been any morning sickness or unusual cravings - for food, at least. She cut her eyes to Cloud as he stood talking to Nanaki and smiled. How the poor man operated on the small amount of sleep she allowed him was a mystery.

Kera approached with a grin on her face. "Share that thought?" She had no idea what was going through Tifa's mind, but half the men around had taken one look at that sly smile and shifted away, clearing their throats.

"Not until you're eighteen," Tifa said with a laugh. "And maybe not even then."

"I'll get it out of you yet. And if I don't, there's always Marlene to tap." Kera informed her with a wink.

"Good luck," Tifa shot back, and they both laughed. Then Tifa leaned into Kera and the mood turned somber and serious. "Are we going to find anything?" she whispered.

If Kera was surprised she gave no sign. "We have to, Tifa. We have to if we want Denzel back."

ab

One of the first things Reeve had done as director of the WRO was to have Hojo's basement lab in the ShinRa mansion located in Nibelheim sealed. The second had been the removal and destruction of the pods in the Mako reactor. No one, he believed, should have access to the insanity of Hojo. Of course, the events in Deepground had proven his efforts futile, but he'd never felt his actions at the time were wasted.

Now he stood amid the wreckage and feared he hadn't done enough to stop this madness. The lab was totally stripped of everything, right down to the bare walls. Nothing remained to hint of its purpose but the still lingering scent of blood and Mako and the hideous stains on the floor. Several areas the walls had been gouged out, probably to remove equipment, but a couple revealed the existence of two previously unknown tunnels. One led to the reactor, the other to a small pass hidden deep in the mountains. Teams were carefully combing each right now.

At least it explained why the seal on the door wasn't broken.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Reeve turned to watch Cloud inspecting the walls in what had been an office of sorts for Hojo. In his desire not to have the WRO contaminated by events of the past, he'd decided against moving all the books and journals found in Nibelheim to Edge. How long would he regret that impulsive decision? And how deeply was his conscious to be scarred by Denzel's continued absence?

Every nerve in his body went on alert as Cloud moved something and a narrow door opened in the seemingly solid wall. Stepping in behind him, Reeve could see there was a medium-sized safe concealed in a deep niche, and it was open and empty. "Damn," he muttered.

Cloud crouched to touch the bottom of the safe and scowled, "This was cleaned out recently, Reeve. There's almost no dust inside and there would be if it was left opened like this for any length of time."

"And once again I've failed you utterly." The pain in the rich voice was tangible.

"Yeah, well. Normal people don't foresee things of this nature, Reeve."

There was a slight pause as Reeve's eyebrow shot up, "You just referred to yourself as normal, Strife."

Cloud shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Miracles happen, Tuesti."

Snorting out a laugh, Reeve clapped him on the shoulder and suggested, "Then can we get out of this hellhole? It's giving me the creeps and I'm sure it's a thousand times worse for you." As they headed back, a roar then a reverberating squeal sounded from the left tunnel, the one leading to the reactor. A figure hurled out, narrowly missed by a tongue of flame that licked out to scorch the entrance of the passageway.

Straightening from his instinctive crouch and letting go of the hilt of the Fusion sword, Cloud found himself looking into the face of a man he barely remembered. A name burst out incredulously, "KUNSEL?!"

A smile wreathing his face, the SOLDIER 2nd Class gave a sketchy salute and said, "Hey, Cloud! Been quite a while, hasn't it?" Equipping a glowing green Materia, he sent a blast of Ice2 back down the tunnel that momentarily frosted the stones white. Whatever was chasing him gave another squeal and the scrabble of claws indicated retreat. Slapping his sword on his back, he crossed over to the men. "Whoever cleaned out the reactor did a really good job. I couldn't find anything but the dragon that decided I should be toasted before being eaten."

Cloud still hadn't picked up his jaw from the floor yet. "KUNSEL?!" he repeated.

He couldn't help but snort, "Yes, Cloud. Kunsel. I've been, um, kind of working for Reeve for a few years now." For just a second his eyes reflected the regrets of past events. "I found Zack where you left him, on the cliffs overlooking Midgar. I watched him dissolve into pyreflies in the wind and thought it was over. Whatever loyalty I had for ShinRa was compromised when you and Zack became Hojo's test subjects. It died completely with Zack." Grimacing, he admitted, "I didn't know if you were with Zack and had no idea where to look if you hadn't been. So I wandered for a long time, picking up odd jobs here and there to survive. Didn't really have any ambitions, just existed. Then I heard about Deepground and decided to come back. I managed to contact Reeve privately and made arrangements to do... some more odd jobs. So here I am, still trying to avoid becoming a monster's lunch. Funny how some things never change."

It took a lot of effort to get his thoughts in order. "Look, it's great to see you, but... I mean, do you even know what's going on?" Cloud finally asked.

"About Denzel? Cloud, why do you think I'm here?" The outrage on Kunsel's face seemed to transform him, letting both see he was still the man that determinedly tracked Zack Fair all over the known world years ago.

Reeve stepped in, "We were about to quit this creepy mausoleum when you bulleted out of that tunnel, Kunsel. I think some fresh mountain air would do wonders for our perspectives. What do you say?"

A scrape and roar, along with another shot of flames reflecting red on the stones, decided the matter.

ab

Once aboard the High Shera, all that could fit crammed themselves into the briefing room. The only way Kera made it in was to sit on Barret's lap, but she didn't complain. Watching the dynamics between Cloud and Kunsel was entertaining, and quite educational. Cloud kept rubbing at the back of his neck every time Kunsel mentioned some humorous story from his past, and totally skewered Zack as a hyperactive, impulsive puppy - as per Angeal Hewley.

But when the meeting started, it was like he was a different person entirely. His reports had the same crisp detail and precision of the Turks, and gave Kera an idea. Rising, she managed to get Cloud's attention. Though Kunsel seemed surprised when Cloud motioned him to silence to hear what she had to say, he didn't protest.

"What is it, Kera?" There was curiosity in the vivid blue eyes.

"A moment outside?"

At his nod, she and Cloud elbowed their way out of the over-crowded room and onto the metal crosswalk. "Yes, Kera?" Cloud repeated, and waited patiently.

"The Turks. They've got their noses into every corner of the world. Will they work more closely with us?" The question came out in a rush, because she was afraid she might lose the courage to ask.

Cloud turned away for a moment. "I... don't care to trust them that much, Kera. I'm sure Denzel told you how rocky of a relationship I've had with them."

Hardening her heart, Kera rapped out, "And is your pride worth more than Denzel's life?" It was the first time she'd ever spoken to him so. Inwardly she was quaking in her shoes but none of it showed on her face.

Anger flared in the aquamarine eyes. Stepping back, he glared at her for the longest minute of her life. Then he closed those glowing eyes and took a deep breath. "No," he said finally. "Nothing is worth his life. I'll contact them." Cloud reached out then to pull her close. "You are one of the strongest, bravest kids I have ever met." A pause, then, "Denzel is toast."

Kera was just relieved to have that laser stare over. "Pot, kettle, Strife," she teased.

Laughing at her allusion to his own relationship with Tifa, he led her back into the hot, crowded room. The fireworks afterwards were pretty spectacular, but Cloud shouted down all opposition, resulting in Reeve contacting Tseng and arranged a meeting at the WRO Headquarters. Kunsel was the most amused by the crowd's violent reaction to the suggestion, but he didn't seem as adverse to their help as the others.

ab

Burning... He's burning alive and nothing can stop it. Flames leap from his skin, searing his eyes, his throat. Every inhale brings the inferno inside him, fiery shards smoldering into his lungs...

"His temperature is reaching critical, Bergstein," a voice floated from the haze surrounding him. "I warned you we were moving too fast. He's resilient, but only human right now."

"Dammit! Stop the IV," rasped the scientist. "Cast Ice on him, damn it all, Felnor."

"The shock from one extreme to another could kill him."

There was a rustle and a sharp, painful tug as the IV in his arm was removed. "He's going to die anyway if we don't get his core temperature down. Cast!"

Ice replaces fire. The pain is simply unbelievable as the flames freeze into solid form all along his body. Tremors rack his frame as he tries to twist away, but he's held fast at his wrists and ankles. A thin, shattering scream sounds distantly as the world goes silent and black...