Naril: Hello! I'm still alive. Barely… uhm… sorry about this admittedly second long creative break. I felt like I lost my grasp on the characters a little bit…
Reno: And she planned out her chapters and went doolali…
Naril: So,… yes I got stuck in a dead end but I think my inspiration is now back….
Reno: Or so she hopes *snickers*
Naril: Anyways, on with the chapter and I hope I'm still doing the Sector 7 Incident as much justice as it deserves. Oh, and I realise in terms of the eye-colour the song does not fit but I think it does fit otherwise.
Reno: *rolls eyes* Yep, we've established that before. By the way: She doesn't own anything.
Naril: *wacks his head*
Reno: OW! okay! apart from the plot. *glares*
Chapter 8– Behind Blue Eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies
But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through
But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool
If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
The Who
Behind him the platform started to crunch and slowly tilt as his numb feet left the metal.
He felt the odd thrill of free falling for only a moment before he jolted to a halt. His shoulder erupted in agony as the bone snapped out of it's socket, dislocated. He barely noticed his own scream.
The battered redhead forced his head to tilt up, to find a vice-like hand wrapped tightly around his lower arm. His weary gaze finally focused on his partner's face tense with the effort of holding on.
It took tremendous effort but Reno's mouth quirked up a little, smirking up miserably at the other Turk.
Rude said nothing but pulled him up into the chopper, supporting his much slighter frame as the younger man almost immediately collapsed against him.
"I got him. Let's go!" The bigger Turk barked over the sound of the rotor-blades, grabbing hold of a handle to steady the two of them as the copter eased up over the ledge of the platform again.
Reno instinctively held on, digging shaky fingers into his partner's jacket even though he barely managed to stay conscious any longer, his other arm tight around his throbbing middle.
He vaguely made out Tseng's voice as the chopper steadied. "Get him into the back. I'll handle this." Then Rude slung his shaking but uninjured arm around his back, starting to move away from the still open door.
His legs would not work, giving way underneath him after just two steps and he vaguely wondered how his whole body could throb like this. Despite every effort, a pained groan escaped him as the older man caught him before his knees could hit the floor.
"It's okay partner, I got you." Rude's voice sounded worried he noted sluggishly. Perhaps he would die after all. After what he had just done he definitely deserved it.
In his haze he let himself be half-carried, half-dragged into the back of the chopper. Only when he was lowered to lie across the backseats, did he make a weak sound of protest, because it strained his broken ribs.
He heard voices around him, arguing, and then the feel of the chopper moving.
"Is he alright?" A soft feminine voice spoke suddenly. It sounded vaguely familiar.
Reno blinked heavy eyes open to find her seated across from him, an honest worried look on her pretty face.
"He look alright?" Rude's agitated voice answered, but he was too tired to turn his head to find him.
The girl shook her head, the ribbon in her hair swishing with the movement. Her bright eyes were fixed on his, radiating a sympathy he did not want. She got up and approached without his partner stopping her. He just watched her with his slowly caving in vision.
She crouched down to be level with his face. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.
The redhead frowned at her weakly, trying to keep from passing out a little longer.
"For what they're making you do." The flower girl clarified and it was the last thing he heard before his injuries finally had him pass out.
„What do you mean? How could they get to her?" Godo was fuming whilst he paced in front of the former Turk sitting on the hospital-bed.
Reno winced as the nurse dabbed at his head-wound. "They were not normal thugs. They were way too strong and quick. No way anyone could have stopped them."
-"And that is supposed to make me feel better?" The Wutainese asked incredulously barely letting him finish.
"Look, I'll find her, alright? I'll get her back. Just… just save the damn lecture for when she's safe." The redhead scratched at a bloodied spot on his jeans, trying to quench the need for a cigarette or a stiff drink.
"I should have known better than to trust someone like you!" The King of Wutai snarled, not noticing or simply ignoring the redhead clenching his newly bandaged hand into a fist at the remark.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Reno had tensed as he locked eyes with the older man.
The nurse finished and left quickly deciding to inform Mr. Tuesti about the beginnings of this new disaster.
"It means that I should never have trusted a Turk with my daughter's life!"
"As far as I know you weren't that worried about sending her into the wilderness by herself." Reno grit out between his teeth.
"She ran away from home. If your damn company had not reduced my country to…"
-"It's not my company!" The redhead mustered, trying but slowly failing to keep the rage boiling inside of him down.
Neither man noticed the door open behind Godo's back and Reeve stand in the doorframe having heard the last comment.
"It doesn't matter! You willingly worked for them! Killed for them, even. You're no better if not worse than Shinra himself." The Wutainese did not see Reno's eyes turn deathly cold.
"Think what you want." He told the older man dangerously calm.
"I assume the same applies to me, then." Godo shot around at the new composed voice, Reeve having finally decided to speak up.
He held up a hand as the King of Wutai opened his mouth to say something. "There's more important things to think about right now." He continued and turned to look at the battered redhead.
"If those men you fought were what you believe them to be, our database is too limited to help us. Shelke had another idea though." He gestured for them to follow him and waited for Reno to gingerly slip on his jacket again, trying to avoid aggravating his battered ribs.
He led them down a corridor to the communication centre. Reno exchanged a quick look with the WRO-leader as they entered. His senses were on full alarm now, all thoughts of a smoke forgotten.
They approached a computer-terminal near the centre. Shelke was manning it.
"We linked your phone to the terminal Godo. Hopefully the kidnapper's will call you soon enough and…" A phone going off interrupted him.
It was Reno who pulled his mobile out of his pocket, a frown on his face. There was no caller ID. He shot a look at Reeve who nodded at him to answer it, the Wutainese beside him fidgeting with impatience.
"Hello?"
-"Why hello Reno. You seem to be a regular celebrity these days." A computer-distorted voice came out of the speaker. He could not even make out if the caller was male or female.
Aquamarine eyes widening with alarm he pointed for Shelke to program the device for his phone instead. The former Tsviet thankfully caught on immediately and started tipping away.
"Oh yea? I don't know who you are, but if you're still pissed off at Shinra take it out on them." He replied, playing dumb to buy them time.
-"Don't act like the idiot you want people to think you are; although, you weren't clever enough to outsmart the media. Spending time with the princess of Wutai on the beach? You should really be more careful. People talk."
Reno's mind was running in over-drive. How did they know to call him now, with Yuffie's father and Reeve both present? How did they know his phone was not hooked up to the machine but the Wutainese Kings' was?
"Right, so you're the one who's got her." He snarled in reply, alerting Godo finally about what was going on. He turned the phone on speaker and scanned the room. He narrowed his eyes. A technician in a corner looked more nervous than he should working on his station.
"Wanna tell me why you're calling me instead of her father?" He spoke into the mouthpiece, keeping his gaze trained on the employee at the same time.
"Since his phone is clearly by now hooked up to a tracer, I think not. I thought I'd save a known Ex-Turk like you the trouble and call you directly."
Reeve had gone rigid, carefully watching the redheaded man for a sign that he might snap. The voice on the other end chuckled when Reno did not reply right away.
"What's the matter? Did I hit a soar spot, Reno of the Turks?"
"No clue what you're talking about." The redhead ground out, having had enough of the teasing.
"Let's get to business shall we? You clearly want something. Else you would not kidnap a WRO senior." He continued, clenching and unclenching his hands to restrain himself.
"Ah, yes, about that." There was shuffling and a string of profanities coming from the background.
Godo was about to speak up at recognising his daughter's voice, but the ex-Turk quickly shook his head at him and gestured for him to stay quiet. He glanced again at the man sweating away at his station, not even pretending to type anymore.
"Seems you're no better at being a bodyguard than being a Turk." The voice teased again.
"Let me talk to her." He clenched his jaw, wanting to grab the man he was watching right away, but he needed to keep the connection at least a little longer. He chanced a glance at the tracer; just a few more seconds.
"Nah, not yet."
"You son of a bitch! What have you done to my daughter?" Godo burst out then.
"Nice finally hearing you speak up Godo, I knew you'd be around. I have not done anything; yet."
Reno made out a sharp twitch from the technician then and barely stopped himself from swearing as he realised that the man had a plain view of the monitor Shelke was running the trace on.
"And this conversation is over for now. We will be in touch again, that is if the WRO and Wutai stay nice and quiet."
The call was cancelled.
Shelke looked up at them from the computer. "The call was too short. I cannot trace it like this."
Reno nodded absently, eyes still fixed on the technician who had gone back to work quietly. It took him less than three swift strides to stand right behind him.
The man stiffened immediately.
"How much?" The redhead asked.
"S-sorry?" The technician stuttered, his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him as if his life depended on it.
"How much did it take them to buy you?" The ex-Turk re-iterated. By now Reeve had walked over to join them, disappointment clearly visible in his face.
The technician turned to the WRO-leader almost immediately. "S-sir! I'm sorry! They…I-I… my family…"
Reno had him by the collar before anyone could stop him and yanked him against the wall.
"I've got two questions for you! Who are they and where are they?" He growled.
"I don't know!" The man half-shrieked, fear all over his pale features.
"They contacted you somehow!" The door slid open and two guards entered.
"I don't know!" The answer was near hysterical and so Reeve decided to step in.
"Reno! Let him go. I'll handle this." He ordered, voice still calm, but full of misery at the betrayal of a member of his company.
The furious redhead hesitated, but catching the stern glance Reeve was giving him, let up on the man who slid to the ground in a whimpering mess at his feet.
He did not spare him another glance but turned to Godo who had been watching flabbergasted.
"I swear she'll be back in one piece." He did not even look at him when he said it, but the King of Wutai nodded in acknowledgement.
Reno barely reacted, already thinking through his next steps and stepped forward to stand beside Shelke. "Can you get me Valentine's contact details?"
The small woman looked at him blankly. "Yes." She made it sound like a question despite her monotone voice.
"I wanna see how far he is and then check in on some old contacts of mine. See if the information matches up."
The vacant eyes of the Tsviet looked him over before she nodded.
Reeve sighed, watching from the sidelines and took out his phone. "I'll see what I can find out, myself."
°°°TBC°°°
Naril: Reviews are greatly appreciated and wanted! *grins* I'm sorry my updates aren't as regular as they used to be. I'll try to be better. *big puppy eyes*