Notes: Many thanks to Kaze for plot help! A certain part of this chapter was inspired by the 31 Days theme "As I break this chair..." It should be pretty obvious which part.
Chapter Six
"Eavesdropper?!" Cloud repeated in shock.
"Yeah!" Zack leaped out of the car. "Let's catch him this time!" With determination in his eyes he flew forward, not trying to be quiet. With four good fighters--three of them former SOLDIERs--the spy did not stand a chance of escape.
There he was, as soon as Zack rounded the corner! The guy turned, looking at the spiky-haired man coming after him. Then he whirled back, going to try to run again. Zack caught up from his left, grabbing his arm. Sephiroth suddenly appeared at his right, taking hold of that arm. Cloud and Angeal came from behind.
"You're not getting away this time!" Zack declared. "We want some answers. Were you spying on us at the bookshop?"
The well-built man struggled against them, frustration flashing in his eyes. These people should not have been able to catch up to him. Had they known he would be here, or was this just coincidence? Either way, this had not been in his plans.
"Even if I was, that doesn't help you," he sneered.
"It helps us know something rotten's going on!" Zack retorted.
Sephiroth reached up, pulling off the man's ski cap. Shaggy brown hair bounced free, spilling over the muscular shoulders. The unfamiliar man watched the other, as if expecting a reaction, but Sephiroth's expression did not change.
"What is your name?" the silver-haired man asked, his tone firm and unrelenting.
"Puddingtame," smirked the captive.
"We're not in any mood for games," Angeal said.
"You're making rhymes," the brown-haired man grinned.
Cloud rolled his eyes. "Why were you listening in to us?" he spoke up, as he and Angeal walked around to face the stranger.
"I was paid to," the guy said in defiance.
"And what're you doing out by this place?" Zack asked.
A shrug. "I build stuff," he said. "When I saw the place such a mess, I wanted to see if I could figure out whether it could ever be repaired."
"Do you know who this house belonged to?" Sephiroth wanted to know.
"Nope," was the retort. "I just hope whoever it was, wasn't here at the time. Doesn't look like it'd be easy to escape from."
Cloud watched him in suspicion. Was he sincere, or was he saying this just to try to get on their good side? He might be trying to appeal to their sense of compassion and ethics.
"Who wanted you to spy?" he asked.
"Somebody I don't know," was the retort. "They just left me messages with newspaper letters and money. They wanted me to find out what was being said when you guys went in the shop today, and I was up for some easy cash, so I went."
"Was that the first time you were contacted?" Sephiroth asked.
"No," the guy admitted. "I did a couple other jobs first." He looked from Sephiroth to Zack, and then to Cloud and Angeal. "I guess you want me to talk about them, right?"
Their stern looks were the answer.
"Alright already." The man shifted position. "But you're cutting off the circulation. Is it too much to ask for you to let go of my arms?"
Sephiroth's expression was unimpressed. "I doubt you'll suffer any permanent injuries if we don't."
"You're all heart." The captive sighed in resignation. "The first job was a couple of days ago. I was following some weird guy--black hair, pale skin, thin lips. . . . He didn't do much I could see was interesting, though. Just went around town, did some errands, got take-out at the Chinese restaurant. . . ."
Zack stared. "You were following Azazel Rakesh?!" he exclaimed. This was getting more ridiculous every moment. What did one of their archenemies have to do with all of this? The plot they were mixed up with was supposed to involve smugglers at their own company. Why would anyone connected with that mystery want to have someone from another company followed?
"Aza- . . . what kind of a tongue twister name is that?" the guy retorted. "I can't even say it!"
"I guess you don't keep up on big business," Cloud said. "He's the head of the board of directors for Fragmented Triangle."
A blink. ". . . Wow," was the response after a moment. "What'll they think of next--Broken Circle?"
"That's already been done," Sephiroth said, his voice flat.
"By the same guy," Zack added.
"And who cares," Cloud said. "What was the other job you did?"
The shaggy-haired man leaned back. "Following another weird guy," he said. "Big and broad, with light brown hair in a ponytail. He was wearing glasses and a tan suit. I was following him today, right before I got the assignment to spy on you guys."
Now Zack's mouth dropped open. "Dalton?!" he exclaimed. So the man was alive. That was not really a surprise, and yet in connection with everything else, it was beginning to seem overwhelming.
Sephiroth frowned, considering this. "What did he do?" he asked.
"Kept running, even though his ankle had gotten twisted," was the reply. "Eventually he met up with the first guy I'd been tailing."
"Could you hear anything they said?" Sephiroth continued.
"Oh, so now you're hoping I was eavesdropping," the guy smirked.
"Just answer the question," Cloud grumbled.
"I didn't really hear anything," came the answer. "But Ponytail acted confused or disoriented or something."
"Huh." Zack frowned. "Okay, how'd you get out of the storage room when I ran in after you?" he asked, shifting position as he stood on some of the debris. Broken glass crunched under his dress shoes.
"I just turned off the lights and slipped through the door," the man said.
"What was that vacuum cleaner noise?" Zack returned.
Their interrogatee looked genuinely confused. "What vacuum cleaner noise?" he said.
"There was a weird sound like a vacuum cleaner in the storeroom," Zack said.
"I must've been gone by then, because I sure didn't hear it," was the amazed response. "Maybe someone else was hiding in the room too."
Sephiroth was inclined to believe him. His amazement over the odd sound did not seem faked.
"Why did you cause such a commotion upstairs in the shop?" he said.
"Upstairs?" the guy blinked.
"Yeah!" Zack said in indignation. "Knocking over all those shelves and running off after the clerk tried to talk to you."
"And don't forget unlocking and locking those doors," Cloud said.
"Hey wait!" Now the man struggled against their grips again. "I never went back inside after I ran out the back way. And come on, I said I build things! Why would I want to knock down a whole bunch of shelves, maybe breaking them and anything else by them? Gives me chills thinking about it."
"You tell me why," Cloud said. "The clerk described you."
"I wasn't there, I swear it!" he exclaimed. "And I didn't do anything with doors, either."
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. If this was the truth, then someone had apparently tried to throw suspicion on the spy--either by dressing up as him . . . or by lying about him being there in the first place. It only made Linda look even worse. If she was guiltless too, then they needed to catch the impostor to prove it. Or prove that this man was lying.
"Can you prove you were not in the shop after leaving the first time?" he wanted to know.
"Like having an alibi?" The shoulders slumped. "No, I guess not. I came here right after leaving the store."
"Why, exactly?" Sephiroth frowned. "Do you know who lived here?"
"I wish I did," the guy said, a bit of anger slipping into his voice. "The last note I got said to come here to report on my progress, so I come and find the whole place gave up the ghost. Plus, no one's around except the guys I was spying on." He gave them an odd look. "You weren't sending the notes, were you?"
"Of course not!" Zack said in disbelief. "What kinda logic would there be in that?!"
"Not any, that I can see," the other said with a shrug.
"Do you have the notes?" Sephiroth asked.
"Sure," was the reply. "They probably wouldn't help you, but you can look anyway." He smirked. "They're in my pocket, so you'd have to let me go before I could get them."
Zack looked over at Seph. He was finding himself believing this guy too. He was probably not going to run away if they let go. And if he tried, they could chase and grab him again.
Sephiroth gave a slow nod. He released the captive's arm, Zack following suit with the other side.
"That feels good," the man declared, flexing his arms. Digging in his coat pocket, he produced four small pieces of paper. Sephiroth took them, looking through the vague and mysterious messages. He paused at the one that seemed to be the first.
If you want to earn some easy cash, follow this man for three hours after he leaves this address.
It then gave what must have been the street and house number for the residence where the Rakeshes and Dalton lived. A picture of Azazel, clipped from a newspaper article, had been stapled to the note.
"This is crazy!" Zack exclaimed. "So whoever it is even knows where these guys live?"
"Did he ever seem to know he was being followed?" Sephiroth frowned.
"I don't think so," the man shrugged. "I'm good at what I do."
"What about the other guy?" Zack asked. "Dalton; did he know?"
A thoughtful blink. "I kinda think he did," was the reply. "Or maybe he really didn't and I just stumbled on him when he was having a different problem. The way he was walking fast and everything even though his ankle was messed up, he seemed like he was trying hard to get away from something. He acted kinda spooked."
"Dalton, spooked?" Cloud raised an eyebrow. That was probably an exaggeration, but still. Dalton was the most easy-going of the three of them--or at least, the one with the best calm facade. If he had acted tense in any way, then something was obviously wrong.
"I don't see any sense in having you come out here," Angeal said, looking to the shaggy-haired man. "Not unless whoever sent the messages wanted you to meet us. And that doesn't make sense either."
"It sure doesn't," Zack said. "What's your name anyway?"
A smirk. "Would you believe Shaggy?" replied the other in a deliberately obnoxious way.
Four unimpressed stares.
"Okay, so you're not cartoon fans." He brushed the wild locks away from his face. "Name's Casey."
"Okay, Casey," Zack returned. "How about you give us your address and phone number? Maybe we'll need to talk to you again. And if you hear any more from this crazy guy, we wanna know about it!"
"Yeah. Maybe you should leave a note for him, asking him why he didn't show up," Cloud said.
"Maybe so," Casey agreed, and then blinked. "But would I get any answer?"
"Probably not," Cloud said, slightly irritated that his mostly sarcastic comment had fallen flat.
Zack let out a sigh, peering at the notes Seph was still holding. "Oh well," he said, "at least we're getting the Rakeshes' address out of this. Maybe it'll be helpful sometime."
Casey shrugged, scribbling down his own address and phone number on a scrap of paper. "You need to know where they live?" He blinked. "And what are they--brothers or something?"
Zack gave a weak grin. "Well, there is another Rakesh brother, but it's not Dalton," he said. "Never mind about that." He accepted the paper from Casey, glancing at it before slipping it into his shirt pocket. "Thanks for talking to us."
"Hey, I didn't have much choice, if I wanted to save my arms," Casey answered, his tone purposely obnoxious again. "And since it looks like that guy's probably not going to show, I guess I'll have to forget it. I have other stuff to do." With that he brushed past Zack and the others, heading for the corner. "Later!" He ran off, vanishing around the bend.
Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Well, that was fast," he said. "I wonder what that 'other stuff' is about. I wouldn't care if this didn't just seem really suspicious."
Zack crossed his own arms, frowning at the direction from which the strange man had departed. "You know, I have this creepy feeling that he still gave us a fake name, too," he said.
Sephiroth grunted. "I wouldn't be surprised, but what's your reasoning?" he asked.
"He wanted us to call him Shaggy," Zack said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Like the character from those Scooby-Doo cartoons, I guess. And the guy who plays him is named Casey."
"Great," Cloud muttered.
Angeal was amused. "I didn't know you were that much of a cartoon buff," he commented.
"I'm not!" Zack protested. "I just remembered that one because I thought it was weird that the guy's last name was almost the same as his first."
"We can try contacting him if we want to know more," Sephiroth said, though he really did not believe that Casey was much of a threat. It was always possible, but right now he was more focused on examining some of the other odd angles to this case. He looked back to the remains of the house. "Let's look through the wreckage," he said. "Maybe we'll find something intact that would be a helpful clue."
"Maybe," Cloud agreed. "And the neighbors should be questioned, too. They might know how the fire started."
"I'll stay with Sephiroth and go through the debris," Angeal said.
"And me and Cloud can talk to people!" Zack chirped.
Cloud rolled his eyes. "It's not really that exciting," he said. He dreaded it, to be honest. They would probably either find people who did not want to tell anything, or else they would stumble across someone who was far too talkative, to the point of rambling about things that had no relevance. It could take ages just to question people at a few houses.
"Just let me do the talking and we'll be fine," Zack grinned, draping an arm around Cloud's shoulders.
The blond allowed a slight smirk.
"We'll reconvene in thirty minutes or less," Sephiroth said.
"Aye, aye, sir!" Zack gave a mock salute before turning to walk off the property. Cloud shook his head, following his friend.
Angeal turned back to face the demolished house, hiding an entertained smirk. Sephiroth noticed, but did not comment. After all, Zack would always be Zack, and both of them knew it.
Sephiroth walked ahead, passing under the collapsing doorway of the building. Of course there was nothing much to see beyond it, other than singed and rotting wood and twisted furniture. But under a broken chair, the glint of something metallic caught his eye. Frowning, he bent down for a better look. The dark green corner of a box was protruding from amid the debris. He pushed aside the chair, reaching for the container. It seemed to be loose enough, which was good because he did not want to spend a lot of time wrestling with it. With care he began to slide it out, soon revealing an oblong box of about eight inches by four inches in length. Splinters and dirt rained from its lid onto the ground as it came completely free. Ignoring that, he straightened up and studied the curious object. A brass latch was in front, with a small hole in its center. It required a key.
"What's that?" Angeal asked, coming up from behind him.
Sephiroth turned, his hair swishing with the motion. "I don't know," he said, pulling at the lid just in case he was wrong. It held fast. "It's locked." He moved the container from side to side, taking care in case something breakable was inside. "It's extremely lightweight," he reported. "It feels as if all that's inside may be some kind of paper."
"An important document?" Angeal suggested.
Sephiroth nodded. "It's possible." He frowned at the new clue. "We'd better hold onto this."
Angeal nodded. "It's strange that no one found it before," he said, crossing his arms.
"It depends partially on when the fire happened," Sephiroth said, shaking the rest of the dust off the box. "If it was at night, it might have not been seen when the search and rescue team was here. I only saw it now because the sun reflected off the corner."
Angeal was half-listening. The sound of voices had reached his ears and he had turned in that direction, his eyes narrowed. It did not sound like Cloud and Zack returning. Instead it sounded like two other men in a great hurry, possibly concerned over something. Sephiroth, having picked up on it as well, looked toward the direction Angeal was staring. They were in a cul-de-sac; no one could be coming from the other side of the street because another side did not exist.
"Let's cut through this yard," said the first voice.
"Really?" said the second. "Quite impolite of us, isn't it."
"I doubt anyone's home. Besides, there's no snow along here, so they can't follow our footprints." The sound came of a body leaping over a fence. "Can you make it, with your ankle?"
"Of course," was the slightly indignant response. The fence clanged again, but there was no sound of another form landing. He must be lowering himself more slowly because of his ankle.
Angeal turned to look at Sephiroth. The silver-haired man had tensed, his gaze riveted on the house next-door. Any minute the people who had jumped the fence would be coming into view. And from his expression, the voices were as familiar to him as they were to Angeal.
"It's Dalton," Sephiroth uttered in an undertone. "Dalton and Azazel."
Angeal nodded. "But why are they running?" he wondered. "Does it have anything to do with why someone hired that man to follow them?"
"They're going to be coming right this way," Sephiroth said. "I intend to ask them."
Sure enough, in a moment Dalton limped into view as he approached the side yard. Azazel followed alongside, his eyes narrowed and his stance tense. He seemed to be on the alert, expecting that any moment they would be cornered by whomever they were trying to escape. Dalton looked from one side to another and stared in surprise at the demolished house on his left.
"Hmm. . . . Someone must have left a match burning," he commented offhand as they reached the driveway. "One of the people who held me captive was a chronic smoker. Appalling habit. I'm not addicted to anything, am I?"
Azazel shrugged. "No," he said. "You drink a glass of wine now and then, but you know when to stop."
Dalton looked satisfied. "Good," he said.
Sephiroth frowned. "Something isn't right," he said.
"He acts like he has amnesia," Angeal noted.
"That could explain a few things," Sephiroth grunted, placing the green box on a ruined desk.
He stepped out of the house's skeleton and into the yard as the men next-door came to the end of the driveway. "I doubt a stray match brought down this house," he said, "unless it was deliberate."
Both Dalton and Azazel stiffened, turning to look. While Azazel raised an eyebrow in surprise, a flash of discomfort went through Dalton's eyes. But then he masked it with a smirk.
"Ah, Sephiroth," he said. "The president of Jenova Corp, I presume?"
Yes, Dalton definitely did not remember. This was the first time Sephiroth could even remember that Dalton had addressed him by name.
"That's right," Sephiroth said with a curt nod.
Azazel studied him with a frown. "And what brings you here?" he asked.
"Unfortunately, I think we're all involved in a mystery," Sephiroth said. "I was just speaking to someone who had been spying on me and the others. He claimed to have been hired to follow both of you as well."
Dalton frowned in disbelief. "Who on earth would be interested in mixing up all of us in a mystery?" he said. The memory of being told that someone from Jenova Corp had caused his fall was still very fresh in his mind. And though he still did not know that he believed it, he did not intend to let down his guard for one moment.
"I would like to know the same thing." Sephiroth watched his enemy with narrowed eyes. "I heard you mentioning that you were held captive. Maybe if we share our stories we'll be able to piece together what's going on." He did not trust Dalton, nor did he want to, but right now this was the best lead. And if their problems actually were connected, then they might be forced to work together for a while.
"Perhaps," Dalton said, not looking convinced. "Though right now we really can't be standing around for a friendly chat. Our location might be discovered at any moment."
"You were being followed?" Sephiroth asked, recalling the conversation he had overheard.
"Yes," Azazel said. "They're sure to realize we might have cut through a yard. And then they could easy enough find their way here."
A crash came from inside what was left of the house. The three men froze, whirling to look in that direction. Angeal was sprawled on the ground, staring at a trapdoor that had popped open in front of him. A man was coming out of the opening.
Seeing this, Dalton was all too willing to try to rout Sephiroth out of the area. "You seem to know Azazel," he said. "Maybe we can exchange telephone numbers later."
Sephiroth glowered. "Do you know that person?" he demanded, pointing to the scene.
By now Angeal had gotten up and was trying to restrain the newcomer. The thug fought against him, a gun clutched in a meaty hand. Angeal grabbed for the wrist, wrenching it so that the weapon was pointed towards a broken window. The gun went off, the silencer preventing any sound from being heard.
"I'm afraid that he has made my acquaintance," Dalton said. "He was one of the gentlemen so kindly keeping me in the basement of an old building."
Azazel drew out a gun of his own from his coat, clutching it in his still-natural left hand. "Then this is Fragmented Triangle business," he said in a smooth tone. "Jenova Corp doesn't need to stay."
"We're already involved!" Sephiroth retorted, turning to walk back to the house. The thug was punching Angeal, sending him backwards into the hazardous wall. It groaned and creaked in warning as the big man slammed into it. Seeing his chance, the gunman turned to flee. Sephiroth intercepted him, snatching the wrist of the hand that held the revolver.
Two other men emerged from the trapdoor now. Giving cursory glances at the scene around them, they tore past Angeal getting up and Sephiroth struggling with the first man. The second one focused on Dalton, firing as the big man came towards him. Dalton dodged the shot as Azazel retaliated by opening fire on their attacker. The third man attempted to hit Azazel, a wicked smirk gracing his features as he moved to pull the trigger.
Angeal could only stare in utter shock and disbelief at what happened next. An old chair rose into the air, as if moving of its own volition. With determined precision it struck the two gunners at the same time. They yelped in shock, crashing to the ground with the rotting furniture breaking apart over their backs.
Dalton was just as shocked. "Good heavens," he commented. "What was that?"
An unearthly laugh echoed through the dangerous space. The first thug turned to look, his mouth dropping open in disbelief at the sight of his cohorts and the chair. Sephiroth took the opportunity to deliver a knockout punch to the man's jaw. The other collapsed, the revolver falling into the debris. Sephiroth placed his foot on the handle.
Angeal drew out his phone. "I'm going to call the police," he announced.
"Good," Sephiroth said. "Do that, before they can get away." His green-eyed gaze swept the room, searching for anything that could be used to tie up their attackers. Then inspiration came. He dug into his pocket, taking out his tie. He had removed it earlier because it was such an annoyance to wear. Kneeling down, he wrenched the man's hands behind his back and bound them tightly with the black piece of cloth.
Dalton chuckled. "How ingenious," he said. "Unfortunately I don't seem to have a tie on my person at the moment."
Azazel whipped off the tie he was wearing underneath the tan winter coat. Crossing to one of the men still dazed by the chair, he took hold of the wrists and forced them together.
Angeal was already tugging on his own tie while speaking on the phone. He tossed the cloth to Dalton, who caught it and moved to tie up the last of the strange attackers. The thug muttered curses as his hands were restrained behind his back.
"You know, we really should have their ankles tied up as well," Dalton commented. "Otherwise, they technically could struggle up and depart before the police arrive."
"If you have any suggestions on what to use for rope, I'm willing to listen," Sephiroth grunted. Crossing to the trapdoor, he peered into the darkness. The passageway smelled musty and cold. Nothing seemed particularly different or striking about it. But how long had those men been hiding in it? And why? Had they planned to ambush Casey, but then had decided not to upon hearing all the extra voices? Maybe hearing Dalton had made them decide to come out after all.
"I still would like to know who used telekinesis on the chair," Dalton said.
"No one," purred another voice, similar to Azazel's. As Dalton stared, a carbon copy of Azazel began to make himself visible. But he remained translucent as he stood to the side, folding his arms over the ghost of a blue uniform.
"I threw the chair," he continued. "I couldn't have my dear brother shot, after all. Or my old business partner."
Dalton adjusted his glasses. "I see," he said, seeming quite intrigued. "We know each other then?"
"For over ten years," the spirit smiled. "You'll remember in time, I imagine."
"I do hope so," Dalton said. "You seem to be a fascinating person."
Sephiroth grunted. Apparently Dalton had no trouble adjusting to the fact that he was speaking to a ghost.
"Hey!"
Zack's voice suddenly rang out. As everyone started and turned to look, both Zack and Cloud were hurrying towards them from across the street. The spiky-haired men seemed stunned at the scene before them, but it was hard to say what they found the most appalling--that three men were tied up on the ground or that Dalton and the Rakeshes were standing over the defeated.
"What the heck happened?!" Zack gasped as he came to a stop in front of the open doorway.
"We were ambushed," Sephiroth said, his voice flat. "Did you have any luck?"
"Nobody knew how the house went up," Cloud frowned as he halted as well. "But a kid did remember seeing a shadowy guy outside the night it happened."
"Could he have purposely set it aflame?" Sephiroth wondered.
"I guess." Cloud looked to Dalton and the Rakeshes, his expression a clear question mark.
"What a coincidence, that our paths should cross," Dalton commented with an easy shrug. Cloud noticed he was looking Zack up and down. What was the purpose of that? Was he surprised that Zack had survived the fall over the cliff? There was a weird look in his eyes, as if he was not sure why he was looking at Zack at all.
And Zack had noticed it too. "What's the deal?" he frowned. "Are you already thinking about how you're gonna torture poor Seph next?"
"Torture him?" Dalton's tone was frustratingly vague. "Perhaps if we weren't all in such a pickle I'd be more inclined to ponder over what to do about such an enemy. Actually, when I was looking at you I was thinking that it seemed as though we shared a . . . harrowing experience."
"Only because you were trying to shoot Seph and Cloud and I had to stop you," Zack muttered.
"He doesn't want to let on, but he doesn't remember," Sephiroth interjected.
Well, Cloud could not help thinking, that did make sense. His expression when he had looked at Zack had probably indicated that he wondered where they had met before.
"It serves you right," he said, folding his arms.
"Hmm. Well, be that as it may, Sephiroth here did make an interesting observation," said Dalton. "All of us seem to be involved in this strange mystery. We could either exchange tales of our misadventures, or someone could investigate the tunnel these men came through. The police will be here soon enough, I suppose."
Angeal was standing over the trapdoor. "We can talk about things later," he said. "We should look this over now."
"Before the police come," Cloud nodded.
"I'll go down and investigate," Sephiroth said, moving to where the ladder was propped at the opening. "Someone needs to remain up here and guard these men." He eyed Dalton's ankle. "You can't make the trip down the ladder rungs."
"No," the other shrugged. "I'll stay up here, as you wish. Perhaps Azazel would like to go with you? After all, Fragmented Triangle does need to be represented."
"You don't trust that we'd tell you what we'd find?" Zack frowned.
"That would depend on what you would find, sir," Dalton answered smoothly.
"Nevermind," Azazel interrupted, irritated by the bad feelings that were taking precedence. "I'll go down with him." Replacing his gun inside his coat, he crossed the floor to the opening. He was not happy at the thought of working with Sephiroth and the others either, especially when he did have his memories. But he was not a contentious sort and was quite willing to go along quietly while it was necessary.
Sephiroth gave a curt nod. With that he descended the ladder, going as fast as he dared. The rungs creaked in an unpleasant manner, and the ladder shifted under his weight. It was not bolted down, probably so it could be moved if it needed to be. Upon reaching the bottom, Sephiroth switched on a flashlight.
There was nothing particularly interesting about the space; it was not furnished well, nor did it even contain crates or other things that smugglers might use. The floor was bare cement, with a tunnel stretching on for several yards before turning left. Narrowing his eyes, Sephiroth started down the path. Behind him he could hear not one, but two people coming down the ladder.
"I'm coming with you too, pal!" Zack announced as his feet hit the bottom. He hurried after his friend, not waiting for Azazel.
Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder. "Fine," he acknowledged. As long as Zack and Azazel would not get into any quarrels, he would much rather have Zack along than to be wandering the tunnel alone with an old nemesis.
"So what the heck is the deal with this place?" Zack frowned as they reached the bend. "Where's it gonna come out at?"
Sephiroth shook his head in weariness. "Who knows." The tunnel to the left did not seem any different than the one before it. Their footsteps echoed eerily as they proceeded. Behind him, he heard the click of Azazel's gun. He narrowed his eyes, turning to look to be sure that the weapon would not suddenly get pointed at him or Zack.
Azazel lowered the revolver to his side. "If we meet someone who wants to shoot, I'll retaliate before asking questions," he said, by way of explanation.
"And if you kill the guy, how'll you ask anything?" Zack retorted.
"Easy--I won't kill, at least not at first," Azazel said. "Not unless I have to."
Zack frowned, not sure that he trusted that Azazel had not been going to shoot them instead. He looked to Seph, who could only give him a "Don't let down your guard" expression in return.
"Maybe you should get in front of us," Sephiroth said to Azazel. "Since you have a gun ready." That would ensure that they would not be shot, as well as enabling them to keep an eye on the lanky man without turning around. Sephiroth was willing to work with his enemies, but they would have to prove themselves trustworthy.
"You didn't bring one?" Azazel returned, pushing his way past his old opponents. "Of course, how could I forget you hate them. And swords would be so inconvenient to use in here."
Sephiroth grunted. The truth was that, while he hated them, he was carrying a gun at the moment. He had taken the weapon from his desk before leaving Jenova Corp. But he was not in any hurry to let Azazel know that.
Up ahead, Azazel turned the next corner to the right. But soon he stopped. As Sephiroth and Zack came up to him, they found that he was standing in front of what seemed to be a dead end. He stared at the wall, his thin lips pulling down in an annoyed frown. Cobwebs decorated the ceiling, floor, and walls.
"If this was supposed to open from the other end, it doesn't look like it's going to," he said. "These webs haven't been broken."
Sephiroth turned to the other walls. They were the same. Maybe the smugglers stored things down here, if indeed Marcel was connected with them, but their only access to the tunnel was the way Sephiroth and the others had come.
"Here's something," Zack spoke up. Bending to the floor, he straightened holding a brass key. "Wonder what it goes to," he said, blinking at it. It did not look rusted or very old.
Sephiroth studied it. "It looks about the right size to open a lock on a box I found," he observed. "But would whoever dropped it really be that careless?"
"You found a box, Seph?" Zack said, turning the key between his fingers. "Where is it?"
"I left it upstairs," Sephiroth said. "It was too big to put in my pocket."
Azazel was still feeling along the wall. But it was no use; if there was a secret passageway, he could not find its trigger. He stepped back, frowning at the cold cement.
". . . The police are up there," he said, listening to the extra vibrations from people walking on the floor above. Other, unfamiliar voices were mingling with Dalton's, Cloud's, and Angeal's. Gunju, thankfully, had made himself scarce again, but the thugs were ranting about the phantom chair. A vague smirk passed across Azazel's features before vanishing.
"They're going to want to come down here, then," Sephiroth said, hearing the voices as well.
"And since we haven't really found anything, we might as well head on out," Zack said. "Do we need to show the police this key?"
"We should," Sephiroth said, "but let's try opening the box first."
Zack nodded, slipping the key into his pocket. "Okay then!" he chirped, hurrying past Seph. "Let's blow this joint and get back into the sunlight!"
"It was looking overcast when we came down," Sephiroth said in a matter-of-fact tone. "It might snow."
"Well, that's good too!" Zack asserted. Reaching the ladder, he quickly scrambled up. Amused, Sephiroth followed.
"You forgot about me going ahead of you," Azazel commented.
Sephiroth grunted. If Azazel had been planning anything, he would have done it before the police arrived. He was an irritation, but he was not foolish. Azazel likely knew the real reason why Sephiroth had wanted him in front, too.
With careful precision, Sephiroth moved up the ladder. The box, he noted as he arrived at the top, was still on the desk where he had left it. The police were currently loading the three men into the squad car, while Cloud and the others observed. He pulled himself onto the ground floor, crossing to the box. Zack was already there, waiting impatiently with the key.
"You could have opened it," Sephiroth said.
"I figured you should do it, pal," Zack said, "since you're the one who found it."
"That doesn't matter," Sephiroth said, but he accepted the key. Slipping it into the lock, he attempted to turn it. The mechanism clicked and the lid popped up. He pushed it back, studying the contents.
He had been right about there being little more than a piece of paper inside. But he had still not expected this kind.
"What is it?" Angeal asked as he and Cloud came over.
Sephiroth held out the box. "It's a photograph," he said.
Zack blinked, peering at it. It was a black-and-white photograph, to be specific, but it did not look that old. A teenage girl was standing in front of a large tree, smiling for the camera. At her side was another girl, who could not have been more than two. She had her finger in her mouth in a shy way, and was clutching at the older girl's leg.
"Wow, they're really cute," Zack said. "But why would a possible smuggler have this?"
"Here's where it gets even more strange," Sephiroth said. "The girl is Jessie Thorton. The picture must be ten years old or more, but I still recognize her."
"You're kidding!" Zack stared at Seph with wide eyes. "And that Marcel guy was hanging around Jessie, too."
"Maybe she gave him the picture?" Cloud suggested. "Or he could've just taken it."
"But why the box?" Zack exclaimed. "It's like whoever put it in here wanted to make sure it'd be safe."
"Or concealed," Sephiroth said. He had to wonder if there had been more in the box that had been taken away.
Azazel was hanging back, listening to everything that was being said. The picture meant nothing to him, and from Dalton's confused expression as he walked over, he felt the same. Azazel would be content to decide that this angle had nothing to do with them and that they could leave. But that would be foolish, allowing his bias to get in the way of logic. Every angle needed to be examined. All of this must connect in some way.
"So," Dalton said, "do tell us why this picture has any significance. Who is Jessie Thorton?"
"A woman who was beaten for knowing too much," Sephiroth said. "We're trying to find her."
"And I think we need to pay another visit to her uncle and ask about this little kid," Zack declared. He blinked at Dalton and Azazel. "You guys up for a trip to a bookstore?"
Dalton raised an eyebrow. "If it connects with this madness, then I suppose so," he said.
"There's antiques," Zack said as he moved to walk outside. "Maybe even some Oriental stuff."
"Really now," Dalton mused. "In a bookstore? How interesting. If I like what I see, I may frequent the establishment for pleasure."
Zack looked to Seph as the older man came alongside him. "Well, he's still got his personality intact," he commented.
"I'd be afraid if he didn't," Sephiroth answered.
"Just as long as he doesn't try gunning us down first chance he remembers," Zack muttered.
"Even if we have to work with him, there's no reason why we have to trust him," Sephiroth said. They crossed into the yard, heading for where the car was parked.
". . . And what're we gonna do with this picture?" Zack asked, suddenly realizing a new problem. "The police'll probably want it as evidence."
"We need to show it to Thorton first," Sephiroth frowned. "We're the ones this is happening to. I believe we are entitled to the photograph."
Zack sighed. "Man, I wish we had someone on the force who could help us," he said.
"Well, right now we're on our own," Cloud said as he and Angeal came up from behind. "Most of the officers are going to take the thugs to jail. A couple more are going to stay and poke through the house. Nothing would even happen with the box for a while, if we give it to them now. We should show the picture to Thorton and then take it to the police, if they want it."
"But they might consider that we were withholding evidence," Angeal frowned. "It was found here at a crime scene. The cause of the fire is still being investigated, according to the police. And this picture has to do with the missing woman."
"Maybe we'd better give it to them and then just describe the picture to Thorton," Zack said. "Or I could even take a picture of it with my phone! . . . Or maybe the police'd call him in to look at it. The last thing we need right now is even more bad press!"
Sephiroth closed the box, weighing the options in his mind. It was annoying, the thought that they did not have free reign here as they did on Gaia. With Shinra in charge of everything, and SOLDIER being the elite military force, there had certainly not been concerns such as getting in trouble for withholding evidence. But this planet certainly seemed more stable than Gaia.
"The police still need to drive the prisoners to the jail," he said, thinking of what Cloud had said.
"If you really believe that this Thorton can identify the photograph, let's simply take it," Dalton said, coming up to be on Sephiroth's other side. "Perhaps we can deliver it to the police at the same time they reach the station."
Sephiroth grunted. Dalton had the same idea that he and Cloud did.
"After all, they can't do anything with the box anyway until they reach the station," Azazel added.
Without responding, Sephiroth continued walking to the car. That was what they would try to do, then. It seemed the most logical, and it would waste the least amount of their time. If Thorton could tell them more about the picture, that could help the police as well as Jenova Corp.
"We have to make reports at the station about what happened with these guys, too," Zack said. "So you and Angeal need to take care of that, Seph. And Dalton and Azazel, too."
"We'll do it after we show Thorton the picture," Sephiroth said, unlocking the car. "And it should not be removed from the box. It may have fingerprints on it." He slid into the car, determined to hold the box on his lap.
The others began to get in as well. As Angeal eased into the driver's seat, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Someone's already been in here," he frowned.
"What?!" Zack yelped. "What do you mean?!" He leaned forward to look.
Angeal was staring at a piece of paper taped to the steering wheel. In dark red ink, a short message had been typed.
Jenova Corp and Fragmented Triangle will both be in pieces if they don't leave well enough alone.
And so will everyone involved!