"Who the hell cut the power!?"
In a flash I'd thrown the chair I was sitting in across the room and destroyed the glass wall that acted as a median between this room and the next. Thank the Ancients it was daybreak and there was a modicom of light coming in from the windows, otherwise I wouldn't have aimed my chosen projectile properly.
Hojo had injected Ifalna with something only referred to as 'Serum #106'. It was an experimental substance, apparently a prototype for the Soldier program. It was intended to strengthen combat abilities in normal human beings. Ifalna, however, had apparently reacted very adversely to it.
It had had it's desired effect... Only tenfold. Aeris' mother lashed out violently and escaped the building with her daughter in tow, fighting her way past security - guards and bots alike - the entire way. According to the record, she had even managed to claw her way through a reinforced steel door after the lockdown had been engaged.
However, this soldier drug was killing her.
I had also managed to stumble across Ifalna's autopsy report. Her time of death was listed at less than thirty minutes from the moment she was injected, and she was found in the Sector 5 slums, near the train station. The cause of death was this 'Serum #106' Hojo seemed to be proud of. It had reacted very badly with her insides, and on the journey down to the slums several of her internal organs had already shut down.
Just as I had the thought to look up the specifics on this serum, there was a blackout that, looking out the window, seemed to only affect the Shinra building itself. I only caught a glimpse at the file. The serum was a result of something called the Jenova project.
As I turned onto my back I noticed that the crown of my head was pounding. Maybe 'Laney was right, and I should cut back on the booze.
It took me longer than it should've to notice that I was in a hospital bed, and once I realized that, every part of my body seemed to throb in pain. I was bandaged everywhere, and my clothes were burnt.
"Reno, you're awake." That was the unmistakable monotone voice of my boss. No doubt to tell me I shouldn't be so careless...
"Tseng, why does my head hurt so much? Did I get mugged or something?"
"... You really don't remember anything?" Elena was peering down at me, and ever so kindly pointed a miniature spotlight right into my face. I recoiled and closed my eyes.
"No!! Will you turn that thing off?"
Tseng cleared his throat. "Reno. You shouldn't be so careless." Damnit, I knew it. "Your mission was to take a team into Reactor 5 and neutralize the Avalanche threat."
"Okay... So tell me, what did I do instead?"
"You and Rude went in by yourselves without telling anyone, nor calling for any backup or support in advance. You encountered the terrorist group in a narrow corridor, and one of them pitched a grenade at you two."
"If you had at least let me know you were going, I could've disarmed it or at least had the guts to throw it back, instead of standing there and wetting myself," Elena was merciless with that spotlight.
"How could've you disarmed a grenade?? And why would we take some rookie-" I was cut off with a slap. Okay, maybe I deserved that. Like hell I'll admit it aloud, though.
Elena pulled something from... Somewhere around her chest area. Damn spotlight, it was hard to make out. Even harder when she had the shiny metal object held in the light and it reflected back into my sore eyes. "This is my tie clip. It also doubles as a pin that could be replaced into a grenade before the spoon pops to stop it from detonating. Failing that, I keep a small kit with me at all times in order to disarm explosives. I could even take apart a lit grenade in less than three seconds. I am a munitions expert, after all."
"Sounds like a good way to get blown up..." I grumbled.
"You want something blown up?" I think I hurt her pride a little. "I can construct a bomb in less than a minute using a soda can, a funnel, and household cleaning supplies that could knock out a tank. Give me a half minute more and some fireworks and I could level a city block! I-"
"Elena." Tseng interrupted. "I doubt Mr. Shinra would enjoy that line of thinking, what with the recent bombings in Midgar."
Elena flushed and saluted hastily. "You're right! I'm sorry, sir! That was careless! I-"
"Reno and Rude need some time to recover. We should go." Tseng stood up and Elena showed mercy and turned off the light, finally. I heard them leave and close the door behind them, so I slowly, painfully propped myself up to take stock of my wounds.
I slowly pulled up the burned left leg of my pants and found my ankle wrapped in bloodied bandages. I rotated it and it hurt like hell to do so. The rest of my limbs were in the same sort of shape. Oddly placed burns and bruises all over.
"So the wounds are genuine." I mumbled to myself. "I guess this is Tseng's slap on the wrist for sticking my nose too far into his buisness. Grenades don't pop like this."