Chapter6

The ride in the off-roader was uncomfortable and cramped, since all three of them had clambered into the back seats. Several times the driver asked them why they wanted to go to Shinra Headquarters.

"We heard they're recruitin' some new tough guys in SOLDIER." Cloud explained in a disguised voice.

"Rockstar rejects? Seriously?" The driver chuckled. "Shinra's really losing their touch. Besides, rockstars have bad attitudes."

"President Rufus said we'd be more likely to get the job if we had loads of attitude." Sephiroth also spoke in a disguised voice, but he was uncomfortable in the outfit. He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Cloud, why are we doing this?"

"Quiet! If the driver hears your real voice..." Cloud had to hush himself as he raised his voice. Just then the off-roader was pulled over by some uniformed Shinra officers who were doing a 'routine check' on 'suspicious vehicles'. One of them was a young brunette who couldn't take her eyes off Sephiroth in disguise. She opened the rear door of the off-roader and tried to casually flirt with him, but he pushed her away, climbing out of the vehicle and removing his disguise, revealing his long silver hair and Black Cape. The brunette promptly backed away, shivering and turning pale. The other officers took a step back as well but they looked as if they would spring into action at any moment.

Cloud groaned and climbed out as well, removing his disguise. "Great. Now we're screwed." He stepped towards the man in the Black Cape and shot him a narrow stare. "Nice going, genius. You've messed up the plan."

"I wasn't standing for that woman doing that to me. That is the last time I disguise myself. Ever." Sephiroth looked back at Cloud with a icy glare. "Don't give me that look. It could have been you." The two ended up arguing about the situation for a few minutes until Barret fired his gun-arm in the air.

"Alright, ya bickerin' idiots! We'll jes' 'ave ta come up with somethin' else!"

Cloud shook his head slowly. "You do realise it'll take us an hour to get to Shinra HQ on foot from here, and then what?" He was interrupted by a call on his PHS, so he answered it.

"I hope you're ready, Strife. You may have got away last time, but not this time. I have your friend Reno in my custody in the Sector 5 Slums. I'll let him go on several conditions. First, you bring Sephiroth with you, and second, you come on your own with him. Either that or I do away with your little Turk friend. Then I do away with you." The line went dead. Cloud felt himself shaking.

"The hell's goin' on, Cloud?" Barret placed a hand on the blonde man's shoulder.

There was an awkward silence. "Those guys who were after Sephiroth before... they've got Reno. They want me to... well, it's just that... oh, they want me to take Sephiroth to them alone." Another awkward silence followed.

"Damn!" Barret stamped his foot. "Those other bastards are worse than bloody Shinra! An' I thought it could get no worse!"

"I know, Barret... I know. We need to think up a strategy."

In a run-down, dank alleyway in the Sector 5 Slums, a rat scampered along the garbage-strewn ground, squeaking as it went. It stopped and sniffed at a shoe.

"Urrgh... go away..." Reno groaned, kicking at the creature. The rat squeaked again and scurried away, just as the man with shoulder-length silver hair wearing a black leather outfit strode up to him, pointing his gunblade in the Turk's face.

"I thought Shinra's lackeys were tougher than that." He gave a blackhearted laugh, keeping the gunblade aimed between Reno's eyes. "Especially those lackiest of lackeys, the Turks. You're a disgrace, Reno."

The Turk gasped. "You... you know my name?"

Another cold laugh. "Everyone who knows their enemy knows the Turks. And I know all about your little plan with Strife. You're trying to stop Mother's resurrection. I'm afraid I can't allow that..."

"Then at least tell me who you are... You know your enemy, now let me know mine." Reno's voice went a little shaky at the end as another rat scampered over his leg.

The other man lowered the gunblade before squatting in front of Reno, their eyes locking for a moment. "You may as well know my name, since I'll be your executioner when the time comes." He smirked. "Kadaj." Slowly he stood up again and stepped backwards, never taking his eyes off the Turk as he aimed his gunblade once more.

"What do you want with me, Kadaj?" Reno ground his teeth.

"Stupid as well as easily scared." Kadaj snorted and put his free hand on his hip. "You know what I want. Even Strife knows, and he will deliver. Alone." He smiled at his little victory. "And if he doesn't... well, he'll come to rescue you and all he'll find is a corpse."

"You sound so sure. You obviously don't know Cloud as well as I do. He'll outwit you." Reno grinned a little, hoping that that would have shaken Kadaj's ego.

"You mean as he outwitted you and your pathetic Turk friends? It doesn't take much to outwit idiocy like that." Kadaj laughed again. "It'll take more than that for him to outwit me. Far more." He took out his PHS and punched in Cloud's frequency with his free hand. "Now let's make sure Strife can find me."

"So wait... that's yer plan? I dunno, Cloud... seems a bit... outta our league. An' not forgettin' how well the disguisin' plan went before." Barret groaned as Cloud explained his plan to have him and Sephiroth effectively 'swap places'.

"Go on. You must have a better plan then."

"Sho' do, Cloud. Means we ain't goin' riskin' Sephiroth's ass, neither. If ya can, see if ya can get whoever wants 'im ta 'ave someone stand in for ya. That'll be me. Then, you take Sephiroth's place."

"I see a problem." Sephiroth stood next to Cloud. "I'm a good few inches taller than he is, also I'm a lot paler looking. Not to mention that his hair defies gravity when mine doesn't."

"S'pose we could make 'im wear high heels..." Barret chuckled. Cloud groaned.

"No, forget the high heels and height difference. I still have the silvery wig I wore for my previous disguise." The blonde man slipped it on over his hair. "It's almost the same length. And if I borrow Sephiroth's Black Cape and his katana... I could pass as him. Barret, we need a bag to put over my head." Barret shrugged. "It'll hide my eyes and eyebrows from view at least long enough to-" Cloud's PHS rang. "Hold on." He answered it.

"Let me make this easy for you, Strife." Kadaj's voice was cold over the other end of the line. "I'm holding Reno in the most run-down part of the Sector 5 Slums. Make sure you do as I asked."

Cloud took a deep breath. "Listen... I won't be able to make it. I'm still pretty beat up after our last fight."

He picked up a laugh. "You can't just chicken out, Strife."

"I'm not. I'll send someone in my place who I trust with my life."

"Go on. I'm listening."

"His name is Barret Wallace. He's tall, dark skinned, very muscular and has a gun-arm on his right arm."

There was a pause. "I hope you really do trust this Barret Wallace with your life. If he doesn't bring Sephiroth to me on his own, Reno dies. And so does he." The line went dead. Cloud faced Barret.

"Alright, it's settled. So we have our plan."

Sephiroth handed the blonde man his Black Cape, his katana and the belts he wore on his chest and waist. "Here, you'll need them. I want them back though." Cloud nodded and took them. "I'd better take your sword." The blonde man unstrapped his Buster Sword and handed it over, along with his shirt and belts. "I'll head back to Barret's place."

"Stay out of sight." Cloud warned. Sephiroth nodded and left the other two men.

"I really don't know, Barret... this feels like I'm betraying myself, dressing as my former enemy whom I still don't completely trust..." Cloud slipped on and tightened the belts as he spoke, pushing the katana through a convenient loop on the waist belt before putting on the Black Cape, flicking the hair of his wig out over it. "Well... does it work?"

"Ya still look like Cloud from where I'm standin', but..." Barret took a good few steps back. "from 'ere, I reckon you'll pass for Sephiroth. Now I got a bag I can put over that ugly head o' yours." He chuckled as he pulled out a black sack from the pack attached to his waist. Cloud thumped him. "Ya know I was kiddin', right?"

"I know." Cloud let Barret put the sack over his head. The weave was tight enough so it looked solid from a distance, but loose enough so that he could see through it, albeit not that well. "Let's hope this fools that guy..."

"Yeah. So look like ya don't wanna be doin' this, I'll keep me gun-arm pointed at ya, an' don't say anythin'. Not havin' yer voice givin' ya away." Barret shoved Cloud in the back. "Time t' do this." He made sure to handle Cloud like a captive, but before they left for the designated location, they discussed about overpowering this mysterious person if they got the chance. When Barret said the code word, both he and Cloud would spring into action. The duo then headed for the most run-down part of the Sector 5 Slums.

Meanwhile, Kadaj was enjoying tormenting Reno with how Cloud had backed down out of fear and had sent Barret in his place.

"Do you seriously think you can face the fact that Strife didn't show because he was scared? Or maybe he doesn't want to see your dead body."

Reno growled under his breath. "It doesn't matter, Kadaj! Cloud wouldn't leave me behind even if he did send someone else."

"Really." Kadaj leaned in front of Reno and grinned nastily. "What makes you think that this Barret Wallace doesn't want to see you dead? I know about him too. He hates you so much." He stopped just as he heard two sets of footsteps approaching. "I think he's come to join us." Smirking, he backed up and strode to the entrance. He saw Barret standing there, pointing his gun-arm at Cloud who was disguised. "So you're Barret Wallace. And you brought Sephiroth too. Alone, I hope?"

"Yeah." Barret tried to sound mean. "Made sure no-one followed. If they did I shot 'em."

"I see." Kadaj frowned a little. "Why would you hide his face, Wallace?"

Barret chuckled, the false story slipping out easily. "Ya sure ya wanna be seein' a face as ugly as that, eh? I did ya a favour and hid it so's ya don't frighten the locals!"

Kadaj grinned. "I'm glad Strife sent you in his place. I never liked him. Well come on then, bring him with you and I'll let Strife's little Turk friend go." Barret nodded and grabbed Cloud by the scruff of his neck, dragging him forward before pushing him to the floor. "I'm surprised he didn't struggle more. In our last encounter he was very defiant."

"Ya know, s'probably 'cuz I got a big gun. Ya don't struggle if yer captor's got a big gun." Barret motioned to his gun-arm as he spoke, although the constant lying was making him feel sick to his stomach. Cloud was unnerved by how easily Barret was lying to Kadaj.

"Good point... perhaps my gun wasn't big enough." Kadaj strode over to Reno and hoisted the Turk to his feet, freeing him from a rope that bound his hands together behind his back. He pushed the redhead forward. "Go, Reno. Get away before I change my mind." The Turk said nothing and ran for it. "I kept my end of the deal, Wallace. Now you complete your end. Show me his face."

Barret gripped the bag over Cloud's head with one hand and kept his eyes on Kadaj. "Ya sure you want me t' show ya that ugly mug of 'is?"

"Justshowmehisface,Wallace!" Kadaj's face was livid with anger. Barret smiled then, ignoring the furious outburst.

"Don't come cryin' t' me if ya faint wi' the shock!" He pulled the bag off with a flourish. Cloud tried to look as if he didn't know why he was here, and he decided against saying anything, remembering what Barret had said before they came.

"Hmmm..." Kadaj didn't come any closer to the other two men. "Stand him up. I want to see him fully." Barret complied and hoisted Cloud to his feet. Kadaj cocked his head to one side. "He's shrunk a little since I last saw him."

"I didn't notice that. Well, jes' so ya know, he is intact for ya."

Kadaj stepped forward and in that moment he realised he'd been duped. His eyes narrowed as he noticed Cloud. "Strife! You bastard, thinking you could stop my plan by coming in Sephiroth's place and sending your friend Wallace."

"It ain't over yet, ya snivellin' rat! We got a special delivery!" Cloud sprang into action almost instantly, pulling the large katana out from the belt-loop. It was too unbalanced and heavy for him to wield and it was taking most, if not all, of his focus just to keep it steady.

"And your trick falls down further by you being unable to wield his sword properly." Kadaj grinned slyly. "You and Wallace aren't going to last very long." He ran forward then, using the sharpened edge of his gunblade to swing at Cloud. He managed to block it, but the fact he was using an unfamiliar sword caused him to overbalance and fall to the ground. Kadaj quickly gripped him by the throat and pinned him down, aiming the gunblade between the blonde's eyes.

"Game over, Strife." Before Kadaj could shoot him through the head, some other gunshots caused him to back away, but Barret hadn't moved. Two distinct voices could be heard.

"We know you're holding Reno back there!"

"You asshole, we'll make you pay for that!"

"We're gonna make sure-" The sentence trailed off as Elena stopped just between Barret and Cloud. "Cloud? And Barret? What are you two doing here? Where's Reno?"

"We got him outta here following a threatening PHS call I got." Cloud explained the situation carefully. "That guy over there..." He pointed to Kadaj, who was slowly backing away. "He told me where to go. I went with Barret, got Reno out, and then..." He stopped.

"Then what?" Elena gestured to Cloud to tell him to carry on explaining. "And explain to me why you're dressed like Sephiroth."

"Part of our plan. We won't explain now... for obvious reasons." Cloud looked towards Elena. "Don't worry. Reno's okay, he got out. We need to finish the job before-" He turned around just to see Kadaj climbing up a drainpipe. "He's trying to escape! Stop him!"

Elena sprinted towards the drainpipe and started to climb up it just as Rude ran in to see the commotion. He assisted his colleague by trying to shoot at Kadaj, but his aim was off. Barret joined in the shooting and managed to catch Kadaj in the arm, forcing him to stop. Elena grabbed hold of his ankle and tried to pull him down and, with a few more shots from Barret and Rude to weaken him further, she managed to dislodge him from the pipe.

"Make sure he doesn't get away!" Elena called, making her way back down the pipe.

Kadaj picked himself up and broke into a run, but Cloud quickly stuck his foot out and tripped him, sending him flying. He quickly pinned the other man to the floor.

"Okay, so whose game is over now?" Cloud smiled at his little victory. Kadaj said nothing and tried to struggle free, but the ex-SOLDIER had him pinned in such a way that escape was - for the most part - impossible.

"Good, you've got him properly." Elena stepped forward and squatted beside Kadaj. "So... you're definitely in on something, trying to make Meteor happen all over again. Who are you working for?"

"Does it matter?" Kadaj spat. "I only follow Mother's word, what Mother says and her decrees and doctrines. I don't work for her. It is my duty to serve her. She says she wants her first son to return to her so they can become one with the Planet together."

"And we should let that happen because...?" Elena leaned in closer, a sense of mockery in her tone.

"I won't tell you, Elena. Don't ask how I know your name. Just know this. If Mother ever discovers that her first son has forgotten his purpose, as Strife claims, or that you're trying to stop him fulfilling it, she will not be pleased..."

"We don't care about that!" Cloud slammed Kadaj's head against the ground. "We aren't going to let another Meteor incident happen! How many times do I have to tell you?"

The other man was hardly shaken from the impact. "You really should pay more attention to your surroundings, Strife." Kadaj smirked a confident smirk before chuckling. Cloud looked around but he couldn't make anything out. A gunshot sounded from nowhere. The ex-SOLDIER sprang to his feet and looked around again. Kadaj saw his chance. He quickly rolled over and got to his feet before sprinting away from the group. Rude tried to trip him but he was too slow.

"Damn! The bastard got away!" Barret clenched a fist. "The hell we gonna find out what's goin' on now?" Rude and Elena shrugged.

"We should go back to your place, Barret. Don't forget, we need to keep an eye on Sephiroth. I just hope that guy who just got away doesn't know he's there."

"Not too loud! He could be listenin'!"

"Right. Let's go." Cloud began to head out of the alley, and the others followed after him, a sinking feeling in their hearts. They could only hope that Kadaj hadn't found out where Barret's house was.