"What was that?" Tifa gasped, turning around to face the way they'd come. Reno dropped his arm from her shoulders and stepped to the side slightly, staring at the ground.

"Sounded like someone was playing with a gun." he muttered.

"It sounded close to the bar! We should go back!" Tifa said, already hurrying forward. She paused and turned to look at Reno. He was hunched slightly, his hands in his pockets and digging the toe of one shoe into the ground.

"Go check then." he said quietly.

"Reno? What's wrong?" Tifa walked back to him and put a hand gently on his shoulder. He jerked away suddenly, eyes flaring up angrily as he backed away.

"Don't touch me." he spat.

"Reno?" Tifa stared at him in confusion and sadness, wondering what on earth was going on.

"Trust me, Tifa. Just go home." he lowered his eyes to the ground and stood there awkwardly.

"Reno if you don't tell me what's going on right now I'll never talk to you ever again." Tifa said sternly, narrowing her eyes slightly. Reno didn't say anything for a moment, but then he looked up again and there was a strange smile on his face.

"You'll be better off not talking to me." he said. Sighing, he turned and walked off.

Tifa stared after him, trying to figure out what was going on and what was wrong. Shaking her head lightly, she turned and began running back towards the bar.

~~*~~

Marlene and Denzel stared down at the two bodies on the floor of the back room. There was blood already in a pool around them both.

"What- what happened?" Marlene asked, her voice quivering. The back door was open, swinging slightly on its hinges. Denzel's eyes widened and he grabbed Marlene's arm firmly.

"Look." he whispered. In the back yard, a dark shape was slowly standing up and turning to face them. There wasn't enough light to make out any features. Marlene whimpered slightly.

"We're gonna die!" she whispered.

"C'mon!" Denzel quickly pulled her away from the back door and away from the bodies, leading her to the front door.

"Marlene? Denzel? What's going on?" Tifa asked, grabbing them each by one shoulder as she met them at the door.

"He's gonna kill us!" Marlene flung herself into Tifa's arms and sobbed. Tifa's eyes widened and she looked down at Denzel. The boy's jaw was clenched and his hands were small fists at his sides.

"He killed Renee, Ben and Cloud." Denzel mumbled. Tifa gasped, but the sound came out half choked. She hurriedly reached forward to grab Denzel as well, including him in the hug.

"Hello?" A voice called out through the house and Tifa looked up, gasping and tightening her grip on the children slightly.

~~*~~

"The mission's complete as far as I know." Reno slammed the door shut behind him and stalked over to a chair, slouching as he sat on it.

"Excellent. Now all we have to do is wait to hear the words from the horses mouth."

"That's right." Reno grunted.

"Is something the matter Reno?"

"No, everything is wonderfully perfect, sir." Reno scoffed.

"You've gotten yourself attached."

Reno stared at the floor and sighed loudly. "President Shinra, sir, you know where my loyalties lie."

"Clearly." Rufus Shinra rearranged his position on the lounge and tried to shift his bandages a little. "Otherwise you would've done something stupid, like, I don't know... help your friends hide!" He spat the last word out and Reno winced slightly, turning his head in the opposite direction.

Rufus Shinra had gotten pretty bashed up two years ago when the soldier's attacked. The few that had come for him had included fire in their assault and he was finally almost healed from the burns, cuts, bruises and broken bones. The turks that had defended him and his father had thought he died, although somehow he made it out and was found again by some other turks about to leave in a helicopter.

Rufus Shinra had witnessed his father's death and announced himself the President of ShinRa to the turks who helped him out.

Due to the injuries he had received, he looked as if he had not aged a day since then.

"I had a momentary lapse in common sense." Reno muttered under his breath.

"Rude, go check on Max." Rufus instructed, ignoring Reno's comment. From the corner of the room Rude stepped forward and walked to the door, leaving.

"Why didn't you ask me to?" Reno asked.

"If I did, you wouldn't come back." Rufus replied casually. Reno narrowed his eyes and shifted even lower in his seat.