A/N: i know, its been a while since i managed to update this one. blame chronic writers block and my 100 themes challenge over on DA. one of these two problems has now passed (thanks to my trusty chainsaw of doom!) and so i hope to update on these things much more regularly now. i've also got another chapter of Free as a Bird in the works that should be finished before the begining of May as well as some progress on Taken and Valentine. links to all the other stuff that's been eating up my time will be going up in my profile shortly. evil grin

now, ezzie, i demand an update of my light, cousin of death or always smiling.

Chapter 11—Revelation Leading to Hidden Truth

"Its been two weeks, Reeve. When you do your techs expect some kind of results?"

Reeve Tuesti turned to regard Vincent Valentine with troubled eyes. "I don't know anymore, Vincent. I honestly thought something would have turned up in our research by now, but not even Shalua is finding anything. And our "guest" from Deepground isn't telling us anything beyond her name and that her compatriots will be here to take this "protomateria" that they're looking for."

The commissioner sighed. "As frustrated as its making me, I can only imagine what its doing to the three of you."

"That little holding cell and all the chains are making us all crazy, Reeve. This whole situation is making us all crazy; I just want to take my family home and get on with our lives."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Shalua Rui looked intently at the data on her computer for the hundredth time, wondering where she was missing the Valentines' crucial piece of information. She wished that Doctor Crescent had finished her thesis and that all of the dead scientist's research was available to her; she was certain that the missing data was there.

For the millionth time, she cursed Shinra, their secrecy and their hidded experiments. If she could just get any additional bits of Doctor Crescent's research—or even Professor Hojo's—then she felt certain that she could find what was needed to save the demon locked up in the basement of GRO headquarters.

Wait a minute…Professor Hojo's notes! Those might still be in the old mansion that Vincent told me about!

Quickly, the scientist reached over and keyed her intercom. "Reeve! I think I have an idea!"

Reeve's voice came back across the speaker sounding groggy. "Shalua? What time is it?"

"About 0200. But that isn't important. I think I came up with something that will help Vincent and Chaos."

"I'll wake him and we'll meet you in your lab." The commissioner's voice was suddenly very awake.

Shalua waited impatiently, tapping a pen against her keyboard. Ten minutes later, then men stepped into the lab and she jumped up from her chair, filled with the energy of her own revelation.

"I think the answers we need are in Professor Hojo's notes."

Reeve's surprised exclamation of "Hojo!?" was covered by Vincent's "What do you mean?"

The scientist gestured to Vincent. "You said it yourself. They worked together in Nibelheim on the Jenova project. He was the one who put Chaos in your head. There were a slew of rumors that he was working on some secret black book project for Shinra that involved the Tsviets around the same time."

She paced away a few steps, then turned to look back at them. "If the answers aren't in his notes at the old mansion, where else are they going to be?"

Vincent looked thoughtful. Reeve looked back and forth between his friend and his right-hand woman. "Are you suggesting we send in a team to take the notes from Nibelheim?"

"No," Vincent answered for her. "She wants me to go in and get them. I already know where they are."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Leaving Chaos alone here in the building…" Reeve trailed off, unwilling to finish the statement.

"I'll take him with me. Its safer that way."

Shalua and Reeve looked at him with matching expressions of horror. "How can you consider that safer?" she asked quietly.

"We'll take the back way in, through the mountains and the sewers. Traveling that way, its doubtful that we'll meet anything except monsters and perhaps some Deepground troops."

"Vincent, that's awfully dangerous." Reeve's face lost none of its horrified expression.

"Reeve," Vincent placed his good hand on the other man's shoulder. "I know you're worried. But out of everyone who's been around when Chaos goes berserk, I'm the only one he hasn't attacked. And I'm the only one who's been able to calm him down when the attacks come. Its less safe to leave him here with you than it is to take him with me."

The commissioner shook his head. "I see your point, but I still think its a bad idea. Promise me that you'll be careful?"

Vincent gave his friend a small smile, thinking that Yuffie would say the same thing. "As careful as I can be. Can you get me some supplies?"

Reeve nodded. "They'll be ready in the morning."

"Good." With an expression that showed more resolve than he was really feeling, the gunslinger left the lab to tell his family about the decision.