-1A/N: This is were the new story is going to deviate from the original and were most of the set up for what's going to happen will begin.

Business As Usual

Shelves packed with items covered most portions of the Lasbit Item Store. The more expensive items are kept in cabinets behind the counter. Denzel spent the best part of the last two days helping Mr. Lasbit pack the shelves, sort the deliveries and fetch orders.

It was a simple little job that gave him fifty Gil at the end of the day.

It was enough money to keep him and Marlene well supplied with sweets and soft drinks that was for sure.

There was far more to items than people seemed to notice. They were packed full of rejuvenating elements and energy rushes. Denzel didn't understand what the big long chemicals were, but he guessed that he would in time. For now he was happy to feel helpful, placing items in the right shelves and such.

- - - - - -

Marlene sat in her room playing with Cait. Nanaki had left at the same time as Vincent. The two of them were heading for Junon. Vincent was to pick up and bring back Clouds bike. Nanaki was travelling home. Cait decided to stay behind, he liked the plush carpets and sofa's. Marlene was overjoyed of course.

The stuffed cat seemed to enjoy boxing with Marlene's other toys, probably because he was certain that was a fight he could win. Cool air blew in through the open window and ruffled drawings pinned to the wall, almost sending them floating across the room.

"It's nearly time for Denzel to come home, wonder if he learned anything new today, what do you think?" Marlene grinned at Cait watching the cat flip around on the bed.

"I think," Cait started, staggered about dizzily," He will have learned what not to mix" The black and white cat flopped on the bed and the two bust into laughter.

Down stairs the bar was as it always was now, noisy. The room was quite dim, a strange mix of low sun and smoke. Tifa reached for the fan controls as she passed them, upping them to their maximum.

Tifa's black hair was complimented by a small pink flower head pinning her hair behind her left ear, a Yuffie touch. A smart fitted black shirt hugged Tifa's curves as she moved about behind the bar.

Yuffie had taken to the job well and decided on more of a waitress-ing role, carrying drinks rather than stand at the bar all the time. She had insisted if she had to pretty-up so did Tifa.

A dark skinned hulk of muscle that was Barret was parked firmly and immovably on a stool at the bar. Hollering back and forth with Tifa.

Conversing was difficult with the bar this busy, at least no one would complain he was talking too loud, he thought.

"Y'see, I'm thinkin' of stayin' a little longer! y'know, see Mar-"

"Hold that thought" Tifa added before Barret had time to finish. He glanced off to his right, over near the store room. Some drunk was leaning on the wall over Yuffie, who was delicately balancing a tray of drinks and giggling profusely, stopping her from moving.

"Poor guy" Barret laughed as Tifa hopped the bar. With an unsettlingly casual manner Tifa pulled the mans arm from the wall and right up his back. His own body weight caused his head to fall forward and bounce off the wall.

"You're leaving" Tifa smiled. Before the drunk knew what had happened he was standing outside a pub, without a drink, swaying from side to side and staring at his feet.

"Why me?" Yuffie mouthed and continued to hand out drinks. Tifa just sighed and slid behind the bar again.

Laughter in the bar was never the same twice; different groups laugh in strange different choruses and for different reasons. Laughter was good for a bar.

"Sorry about that" Tifa grinned and handed Barret another drink. Barret Wallace was a drinking machine, he seemed to have no limit, and it seemed to have no effect either.

"No you're not" he boomed with a satisfied grin.

- - - - - -

Denzel walked casually up the street kicking the same stone he had kicked at the door of the shop. The young boy stopped rather abruptly at the bottom of the steps to the bar. Perplexed, Denzel stared at the swaying drunk figure at the door. He seemed to be just staring at his feet and muttering.

With one eyebrow raised slightly Denzel edged round the man and backed through the door. Inside was just as it always was, so loud it was almost impossible to hear the background music at all.

Denzel walked mostly unnoticed through the bar. The kid had taken extra care to avoid spilling other people's drinks or stepping on drunken men's toes.

"Hey kido!"

Smiling Denzel turned towards the store cupboard and saw Yuffie wink at him just before she passed out of sight. Red faced he turned to the bar and climbed on the stool next to Marlene's dad.

Without fail, the seats to either side of the behemoth of a man would always be empty. None of the regulars had the testicular fortitude to sit beside as fierce a looking, and more to the point, sounding man.

"Hey Denzel," Tifa smiled and reached under the bar. She pulled out a small bottle of fruit juice and slid it across the bar, "go get changed"

"Yeah Marlene's waitin'" Barret added.

- - - - - -

For two days Cloud was stuck on that boat with the recruits. It wasn't hard to figure out that all the recruits had brown envelopes; Admission papers to the facility. It seems that Levka was testing some people.

If they let their guard down enough for him to steal the papers then they didn't deserve to get in. Of course without the papers, they wouldn't.

In the cool air Cloud had observed how they worked. They rotated from the moist deck to the cabin then the bottom floor canteen. Each place full of hopefuls, full of lives normally fair game for the Turks. On there last snatch attempt before getting off at Mideel Cloud had an idea.

"Payback" he smirked.

In the corridor just off deck one recruit must have thought he was getting lucky. Pinned against the wall by one of his hands was a beautiful girl dressed in a short loose chequered skirt and a white halter top. The recruit was kissing her hard, running his free hand up her inner thigh slightly lifting her skirt.

This woman was either dedicated or enjoyed her work way too much. She teased the recruit letting his hand stray a little then stopping him. She casually reached down his back as she kissed him and pulled out the envelope. Without stopping the kiss, she held her hand out as Levka passed. Grinning he took it from her and placed it in his back pocket.

The Turk passed the two by and headed for the toilet. As he passed the stairs Cloud slid up them carefully relieving Levka of the envelope and walked towards the two kissing.

"We are now docking at Mideel. Please ensure all personal belongings are accounted for" the speakers chimed and faded. Cloud placed his hand on the 'lucky' recruits shoulder and spoke.

"Excuse me, I think you dropped these," to the recruits surprise Cloud stood holding a brown envelope with his name on it. Confused the man took the envelope and placed it in his jacket.

"Thanks man"

Cloud nodded, he passed the man with only a glance at the scantly clad 'Bait'. During that brief moment their eyes met, Cloud winked with exaggerated vigour and headed for the exit ramp.

- - - - - -

There was only one thing Professor Tortellano hated more than being disturbed, being disturbed needlessly. So when the door knocked as he was sealing his letter to Kalvin it was no wonder he was miffed.

"This had better be good!" he barked and twisted his desk light to shine on the envelope. The door slowly opened as he took his fountain pen and addressed the envelope. Tortellano took the envelope and stuck it to the side of a card tube and then set his glasses on the mess he called a desk.

"The carrier is here" Riene informed him, the Turk stood loosely in the doorway with his jacket over one arm. The professor lifted the tube and stepped towards the door.

"Searched and secure I assume?" Tortellano passed Riene at the door and heard it shut as Riene turned.

"No need Sir," he shrugged. "He carries his weapon in plan sight." Riene smiled, suddenly remembering the face of the clerk when he arrived. Tortellano stopped instantly. With surprising grace he spun on his heels to face the Turk.

"Then why, in the name of all this Science, did you let him in?" The flat tone in his voice did well to hide the alarm it underpinned. Riene shifted to his other foot and shrugged casually.

"BIA level 5, can't touch him" The Turk shook his head in disbelief, "no idea were he got it, but it's real."

The professor sniggered and turned once more. The leather soles of his shoes made an eerie squeal as he did.

"You can't touch him" the lab coat snapped, "But I can"

The two men continued up the corridor and turned right into a hall which led to the interview rooms, Lab coats passed them hurrying too and fro, several aids passed them before they stopped outside one room.

"His name is Cloud Strife, Sir. When you said you wanted the best, I didn't think you meant him." Riene gazed through the glass panel in a sort of impressed curious stare.

"Thee Cloud Strife?" Tortellano choked.

"That's the one" Riene replied not really listening.

Tortellano eyed Cloud through the glass. He knew all to well who he was, that man took down Sephiroth, twice. Xainth was supposed to find someone who could be counted on to get the job done, no matter what gets in the way. But Strife? For pity's sake he and his cronies assaulted the Shin-Ra tower once!

"Well, I hear Levka is back, seems his transfer came through, just as you said it would. If you need me beep me." Riene turned and left with out waiting for an answer. Tortellano looked vaguely pleased with himself.

The 'interview room' Cloud stood in reminded him more of an interrogation room. The walls were grey with no border or hint of décor. On the wall to the right of the door was a two way mirror. It was not the most comfortable fifteen minutes Cloud could remember.

Eventually the door opened and a small man in a lab coat entered. In his hand he carried the package Cloud was told to expect. A card tube and a letter.

"My name is Professor Tortellano and I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist you hand over your weapons." Cloud stood unmoved for a moment and then glanced at the two way mirror.

"I know who you are, name tags are useful like that, and that's not gonna happen." Cloud nodded at the package, "That for me?" Tortellano tossed it on the table and it skidded to a stop.

"The package must remain sealed at all times. Any failure to comply will be deemed as an attempted espionage. You understand that?" The professor looked Cloud up and down. Cloud approached the stainless steel scuffed table and separated the letter and tube. Without much interest he placed both in his holster and faced Tortellano.

"You guys approached me, remember?" Cloud took his right hand and settled Styx in it's holster better. "Espionage, huh? Before you could pin that on me, you'd have to tell Rufus what it was I stole." Cloud smirked and took another glance at the mirror. "A little bird tells me you went to a lot of trouble to keep this off the books. " Tortellano just glared at the blonde for a second.

"Is that all?" Before the old man had a chance to reply a high pitched ring filled the room.

Cloud reached for his phone and flipped it open.

"Well I'll be damned, you actually can work the thing after all!" a rough cheery sounding voice could be heard as though through headphones.

"What is it Cid?" Cloud asked and then listened.

"Well, I'm here. I can't get any closer to the facility than Mideel village, I don't have that damn BIA you do. So you'll have to come here. The place is crawling, Shin-Ra and beasts. A few rough looking folk too, watch your self Blondie." The tinned sound of Cid's voice echoed in the whole room.

"On my way" Cloud replied and flipped the phone closed. "We done?" Cloud nodded towards the door.

Taking the nod from Tortellano as his cue, Cloud left the room and turned right into the corridor. Just as he made his way up the hall two men turned the corner ahead of him. They were walking towards him on the other side of the corridor. One of them caught his eye, the way he walked…

"Levka" Cloud muttered and narrowed his eyes.

The Turk seemed to notice him and hold his gaze as he and the other Turk passed. Cloud was so interested in Levka he failed to spot the young woman exiting a room who then stepped right in front of him. With a huff the two collided, Cloud slid his foot forward quickly, leaned over and caught her. Effortlessly he righted her.

"Sorry" Cloud apologized. A Long dark red ponytail hung to her waist and silver glasses rested on her nose. "I'm sorry I wasn't watching where I was going." Cloud continued. The young woman looked up at him intrigued. She smiled and took something out her pocket.

"Your eyes…you're not a recruit, in fact, your not even SOLDIER are you?" She leaned over and stuffed something in Clouds pocket and with a wink was off down the corridor at a jog. Slightly unsettled Cloud left the building as fast as he could, something about her bothered him.

He closed his eyes as he walked for a moment. She looked so much like her. He suddenly realized how much he missed his old friend.

"I still remember, Fox."

"Sis!" Riene spotted Kiara as she passed him and Levka. She skidded to a stop and faced them, "What was that about?" Kiara smiled in mischief.

"That guy? He knocked me over, but he caught me." She suddenly seemed impressed. "He's fast, cute too." Riene laughed for a moment then smiled at his sister.

"You ever hear about Cloud Strife?" Riene nodded up the corridor where she had come from.

Kiara paused then grinned.

"No way!" The Turks sister looked rather pleased with herself.

"He's the carrier Doc's been waiting on," Riene added with a shrug. "What are you grinning at?" Kiara just smiled and turned to leave.

"Nothing" She called just before parting with them. Riene turned back to Levka to find him gazing into space. Riene waved a hand past his partners face. No luck. Levka just whispered.

"Interesting Indeed."