Disclaimer: I did not create Final Fantasy VII… I did not compose Easier to Run… Thanks for the many great minds who made this story o' mine possible… Easier to Run by Linkin' Park… Final Fantasy VII by Square… Either way… I own this story! Hehehe…
Author's Note: Thanks to Rihsa who pointed out that the Aeris' eyes were green and not brown… Hehehe… Sorry about that… Anyway, here's the next chapter…
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ETERNAL DAMNATION------------------------------
CHAPTER 1: TURKS
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone…
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The gunfire echoed through the tunnel.
"Rude! Elena!" he shouted. "Cover me!"
"What the fuck?" Rude snarled. "Don't you dare leave!"
"Reno!" Elena called out but she was already too late. She stared as the tousled-hair Turk sprinted towards the end of the tunnel.
"Damn!" Rude grunted. He sent a wave of bullets at their enemies.
"Damn rats…!" Reno's curse reached their ears.
How right… Elena thought as she reloaded her gun.
What they're up against now, they were not sure. Rufus had asked them to do a job for him again. Clean the rats? A coup? Whatever… All they know is that they're supposed to follow whatever mission they were given.
Reno's footfalls stopped suddenly and the glow on his metal rod died out. He pulled out his gun.
Now… where are you? He thought.
A rustle of movement at his side caught his attention.
Oh no, you don't! He jumped away just in time to avoid a hard bash on the head. A scarred, aged face showed clearly for a second. A man, holding a billy club stepped out from the shadows and proceeded to attack him.
He smirked.
Gunfire.
And then silence.
A body of a man lay dead a few feet away from him.
The sound of someone running behind him caught his attention next. He turned abruptly around, aiming the silver gun at the direction of the sound.
"Hey!" Rude held up a hand. "Hold up! It's us!"
Reno quickly lowered his gun.
"Area's scrubbed," he said simply. "S'up?"
"You---" Elena hissed.
"Aww, honey. You worried about me?"
"Ass-wipe!"
"Hehehe…"
"Reno. Elena," Rude warned.
"Awright!" Reno said. "So, what's up?"
"Area's clean. Southern tunnels cleared," Elena said evenly. She looked at the body on the floor. "Who's that?"
Reno shifted. "Someone…"
"What do you mean someone?"
"It means I don't know," Reno said. "But by the looks of it, we can't really ask him anything. He's already dead."
"But then…"
He looked at the body for a time and then kicked it to its side so that the body faces up. They watched in silence as Reno scooted down and pulled off the vest that the man was wearing.
Rude squinted. Elena uttered a sharp tone of disgust.
C4.
"You see?" Reno prodded the body. "Bomb."
"We know what it is…"
Rude looked back at the tunnel. "Maybe the others had some wired around them too."
"Even if they do, it will not go off," Reno said.
"Why not?" Elena looked surprised.
He pointed at a shiny black thing on the floor beside the dead man.
"A detonator," he said.
"Inter-connected?" Rude asked.
"Yep!"
Elena followed Reno's inspection. "Simulated bombs…" she said. "Clever…"
"But apparently, not very effective," Reno stood up, holding the detonator. "Call in Shinra."
Rude quickly produced his cell phone from out of his Turk uniform. He pressed in Shinra's call number.
"Job's finished," he said. "The marks have been retired."
He fell silent for a few seconds.
"Hm… Uh huh," he glanced at the other two Turks.
"Rufus wants to se us…" Rude said, covering the mouthpiece oh his phone.
"Tell him we'll see him tomorrow," Reno said.
Rude went back to his phone. He nodded. And they heard his series of 'uh huh', 'alright' and 'yes'.
Elena sighed. She looked at the redhead Turk who was toeing the tunnel floor with impatience. It seemed Reno really wanted to get out of here.
"Done," Rude said when he turned to them.
"Good," Reno said. He stretched and started to walk. "The clean-up crew will come, yo?"
Rude nodded.
"When will they arrive?" Elena asked, starting to walk after Reno.
"Seven minutes max," Rude replied.
"What are you going to do with that thing?" Elena pointed at the detonator that Reno was holding. "It may still set off the bombs."
Reno sighed. "Then, hotwire the goddamn thing!" he smirked. "Or… I wouldn't mind setting off some firecrackers. It's been a long while since I last saw fireworks."
"That is an option." Rude nodded.
"Not while I'm here," Elena interjected. "Scratch the idea, you fools."
"Spoilsport!" Reno smirked.
They chose then to collect the bombs from the bodies.
When they finished, they started to walk out of the tunnel. Rude's face was blank and expressionless as ever while Elena's had a look of deep concern. Reno's hands were shoved deeply in his pockets and he walked with his back hunched and his eyes down to the floor. The shiny metal rod glinted at his side.
As they stepped out from the smelly tunnel, they welcomed the open air gratefully.
"Ah! Thank God!" Elena said, breathing deeply.
Reno yawned and stretched again. He looked up at the night sky.
No starts tonight… he thought. Rain?
"Wanna come over?" Reno asked absentmindedly when he reached his car. Rude refused by shaking his head. Reno fumbled with the keys for a moment.
"I'd better do the bomb," Rude said, stretching a hand out to take the detonator from him. "Better me than you, anyway."
Reno smirked at him, as he handed it over.
"Lena?" he turned to the now silent blonde Turk. "Lift?"
Seeing no other option, she nodded. Her car was at an auto shop at the moment, getting a tune-up. It got a little cranky lately.
Reno and Elena heard the steady whir of a motor behind them. They turned to Rude, who was adjusting himself on his motorcycle.
"See you," Rude saluted to the two and then drove off. The whir became a steady hum, until it vanished completely.
"Let's go," Reno said and climbed into the car.
Elena watched Rude's backlight fade into the darkness. Then she heard the car engine come to life. She looked at the only companion she had and saw that he was already inside. She followed him into the car and sat silently as he adjusted his seat.
Not a typical male's car… she thought.
The whole interior was neat, clean and without the stench of stale smoke or beer.
Before they backed from the space, Reno reached inside his uniform and pulled out the silver gun. He threw it over his shoulder and onto the backseat. Funny, he did not remove the rod at his side.
They spent a long time, gazing silently outside the car as they accelerated through the freeway.
"Reno?" Elena started the bit her lip.
"What?" he grunted as he shifted gears. He kept his eyes on the road.
"…What's on your mind?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Oh… Alright," Elena whispered.
They were silent the rest of the way. They passed the wide metal bridge that connects the uptown and downtown districts of Midgar. They coasted down the dark streets, passing the grim-looking people in the slums and the now close shops. Reno made a sharp right at the near end of the avenue passed a couple of blocks and began to slow down. He made a stop in front of an old but beautiful manor. He cut off the engine and turned to Elena.
She hadn't made a move.
"Come up?" she asked quietly.
"Elena…" Reno said.
She fell silent. Then, "You don't have to say it…" Elena lowered her head. "I already know."
Reno turned away from her. He heard the car door open and then slams close.
"See you tomorrow, Reno," Elena stepped back.
"Yeah," he said. "Tomorrow…"
He waited for her to get inside the house. When he was sure she was safely inside, he started the engine and slowly backed from the street.
So tired…
I feel so sleepy…
It had been a long night…
The silver gun reflected an image at his mirror and caught his eye. His cerulean eyes glinted with silver as he momentarily stared at it.
The gunfire earlier resounded in his head and he jumped in surprise, causing the car to go off lane for a few seconds.
"What now?" he asked himself. "Getting jumpy?"
You're an assassin, you moron!
Yeah… Right… And I'm scared of my own gun… Dammit!
He floored the gas pedal and he sped off into the night, the car becoming a blur of black and gray.
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Author's Notes:What's with these guys anyway…? You think something's going on between them? And I really think I ought to have let Reno play with that bomb detonator a little more… But then… Hehehe… Remember what happened to the Sector at the start of the game? Well… I really don't want that to happen again. Anyway… Sorry for the short update. I'll be really grateful if you send me a review! Till then, my readers! Fight o!