A/n: finally updated. this chapter is slightly longer than the rest and i like it more than the rest. it still totally sucks in my oppinion but least it came out alright.
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEEEEEP* Reno rolled over and slammed his hand onto the alarm clock. He hadn't gotten home from the bar, with Rude, until well after three in the morning. This would usually be fine as on a normal day he wasn't needed until two in the afternoon.
Today he was needed early though. He had to be in at 10 a.m. On top of that he always went in two hours early to work out at the companies gym. Everyone else seemed to use it at night and it was usually empty during the day. Something about everyone else working a normal 8-4 shift.
Climbing out of bed Reno tossed his newly pressed slacks on buttoned up his shirt and tossed on his blazer. He always tried to look decent for the mornings, was it his fault that suits were not meant for missions? Was iit his fault they became so uncomfortable he just had to make his own adjustments? Besides the company knew what they did and how Rude or Tseng did anything while keeping their suits in near perfect condition was beyond him.
Next Reno stopped by the kitchen and made some hot chocolate.9 Yes hot chocolate because coffee is a nasty foul smelling substance.) He grabbed the last two chocolate donuts from the counter for breakfast and headed off to work.
Upon reaching Shinra he headed to the back and began the treck up the 60+ flights of stairs. This was his warm up for the gym. He spent a good 45 minutes running up the stairs without slowing his pace. This equaled out to roughly 45 seconds per flight. He probably could go faster if he wanted to but, hey this was his warm the time he had finished his little run and made it to the gym it was about 8 a.m.
Entering the gym Reno approached the Bench Press first. He'd take it easy today as he did have a mission at noon. He slowly slipped off the two 100 lb weights on either side of the bar. 'Rude musta been lifting last' he thought. 'I'll just do 75lbs per side. That'll make 150 lbs plus the 45 lb bar.' He settled himself on to the machine and began lifting, breathing evenly to keep himself relaxed..
'
Man today's gonna suck. I have to drop the plate or get my sister killed and me fired. Ironically that'd get me killed too. Maybe if I were a better person I'd save all those people but I just can't. Besides if I don't do it Tseng will.' Reno began trying to reason with himself in his own head. He didn't even realize a shadow was looming over him until he heard a little cough. "I thought I'd find you here, although it's barely 8:30 so I thought you'd be running the stairs still," came Tseng's smooth voice. "Ya? What'd you want?" asked Reno.
"It's about yesterday actually. I wanted to say that I was sorry. I had no idea the type of punishment President Shinra gave you." Tseng said. Reno stood up and walked over to the butter fly press barely glancing at Tseng as he passed.
"Fine whatever" Reno gritted out. He really hated the butterfly press, it was his least favorite machine. Tseng watched Reno for a couple more minutes, then took a seat on the leg press and began using it.
"Why're you here so early?" Tseng asked.
"Mission at noon, so I gotta be in at 10, which means I have to start my usual work out at 8." Reno groaned and then stood from the butterfly press and walked over to the arm curl with distaste. Gods he hated Tuesdays and Fridays as those were his upper strength workout days.
"I thought you only came in an hour early? I must say though it seems to be a lot quieter in here during the day. Is it usually like this?" Tseng questioned.
"Everyday two hours early, but that doesn't include the warm up of running up the stairs. It does include the cool down of a couple hundred sit-ups or push-ups." stated Reno
"So that's how you stay so skinny, I thought you just didn't eat." Teased Tseng.
Reno snorted, "Hah you've seen me eat boss. I can pack away almost as much as Roz could back in the day."
Tseng smiled at the memory of his subordinate. "Man that girl could eat. She'd order a whole steak meal, eat it, then order dessert. Not even 2 hours later and she'd be eating a bag of chips. How she managed to stay so fit is beyond me."
"Ya, man she needs to come back from her mission in Corel. She's the only one who will do my entire work out routine with me" Reno said absently.
"Ah so that's hwo she managed to do it. Well anyway it's getting close to 10 Reno and you know you have to get your work done before the mission. I'll see you at 11:30." Tseng replied as he opened the shower room door and was gone.
Smiling Reno finished up his workout routine and headed for the showers. He was remembering old times thanks to his little chat with Tseng. Upon reaching his desk Reno gawked at the pile of paperwork on his desk. "What the Fuck! This is gonna take me an hour to do at least, then I gotta be briefed by Tseng, and still make it to the pillar." Reno said in disbelief. Sitting down he began reading the papers, and signing his name where needed.
Setting aside the final piece of paperwork Reno stood up and stretched. 'That was a pain. They were mostly injury reports or mission completed reports from trainees and rookies. Ah well time to go find Tseng and get this briefing over with,' he thought.
Reno found Tseng at the heli pad. "Bit late are we? Now I'm going to have to drop you off at the pillar. On top of that I had to get Rude to get the chopper ready, he'll be flying it," Tseng said while glaring good naturedly at Reno.
"Now boss, if you didn't give me all that fucking paperwork I'd of been on time. Besides you know the pillar is on the way anyways, so it's not like your going out of your way or anything." Reno chides.
Smacking Reno lightly upside the head Tseng motions for Reno to get in the chopper. "I'll brief you on the ride to the pillar."
Rolling his eyes Reno hops on the chopper. "Like I need to be briefed on how to type in a code."
"No but you do need the code," Tseng smirks. "Besides if we just typed in the emergency code to drop the plate we couldn't push the blame on avalanche. You'll be setting a bomb. I'll actually have the detonator in my pocket. You'll only be there should Avalanche show up, which they probably will, to try and stop us from dropping the plate. Even if Avalanche gets past you they won't be able to stop the bomb. The plan is for you to set a timer on the bomb, hop in the chopper when I come back, then get the hell out of there."
Reno sighed in relief, "So I'm not actually the one whose setting off the bomb?"
"No, but if anyone asks it was you. Should the President find out that I switched up the mission our lives'll be forfeit. Think of this as my way of saying sorry for yesterday." Tseng said with a slight smile. "On a side not one of our agents leaked to Avalanche some crucial information and she too must be taken out." Tseng frowns at this.
"Cissnei? But sir, she's been nothing but loyal. She told us the trains Avalanche have been on, she told us exactly what they were up to. They don't know she's Jessie of Avalanche." Reno said the shock evident in his voice.
"She wasn't suppose to tell Avalanche we were dropping the pillar, yet she told Biggs about it. I think she has a crush on him, because she told him to get the hell out of Midgar. The only thing she was suppose to do was to set up a meeting amongst the members to ensure they were in sector 7. Then she was to pretend she forgot something st her place and get the fuck out. You know what happens when someone goes against direct orders, or endagers the lives of one of my turks. That is exactly what she did, endangered your life Reno. You'll be the one fighting them to keep them at the pillar." Tseng states.
Reno sighs, "I know, but, Fuck it all I liked the kid. Now I gotta take her out. Fucking Shinra."
"…Avalanche," Rude says as he points toward the top of the pillar.
"Fuck, Tseng, man the guns I ain't quite ready." commands Reno.
Tseng shoots a quick WTF look at Reno before putting on a neutral expression and manning the guns. Rude quirks his eyebrow as Reno pulls out his cell phone. He quickly casts his eyes back to the fight at hand. He didn't really want to be witness to the breach of protocol Reno was about to commit.
"Yo Dallas make sure you ain't anywhere near sector 7 today 'kay?" Reno speaks into his phone. His face goes slightly pale, "what do you mean you're at the 7th heaven bar?" silence again, "Like shit I wrote you a fucking note, get the hell outta there, umm ya you can take the little girl with you." More silence followed. "what do you mean there's a girl in a pink dress there?" Reno listend to Dallas a bit longer, "ok ok look you and the child get out, the girl, aerith I'm sure won't leave anyways. Good bye." With that Reno hung up the phone.
"Yo boss, I'm gonna hop down there now, the flower girl's at the 7th heaven ok?" Reno said.
"OK, I'll pretend I didn't hear that little breach of protocol as I'm sure Rude's doing right now." Tseng responded.
Reno grinned, "You got it boss, but don't be late I don't feel like being made into sushi by these miscreants.
With that Reno jumped from the chopper just barely dodging the bullets from the avalanche member with the gun arm. He was focused on the mission. 'just get to the pillar tap in 2-8-1-6-0-5 and hit enter' Reno kept repeating the sequence in his head. Upon reaching the pillar he slid his Shin-Ra I.D. card in the slot and entered 2-8-1-6-0-5 and said "That's it once I hit this button (he hit the enter button as he said the word button) it's all over." Reno then slid out his I.D. card and turned to leave.
'Shit Tseng left already' Reno thought. Turning around he saw that Avalanche chick trying to get Cloud to stop the bomb. Reno smirked, "Wouldn't try that if I were you, it'll blow the moment some idiot touches it. Only a Shin-Ra executive can disarm it." Next thing Reno knew he was fighting the three Avalanche members. 'Fuck Tseng hurry up' he thought.
Reno waved his arm in a triangular motion and cast Pyramid on Tifa, while dodging an onslaught of bullets from Barret. Unfortunately for Reno, Cloud swung his sword at that instant and left a sizable gash on his right leg. Next Reno cast Thundara on Barret while Cloud freed Tifa from her prison. Tifa after a few seconds recovery time rushes forward and does a somersault over Reno. As she lands on her right leg she brings her left leg up and karate chops Reno in the back of his injured leg. Cloud runs forward next and swings his sword just barely nicking Reno's left arm. Reno again casts Pyramid but this time on Barret. Tifa works on freeing Barret while Cloud releases a barrage of slashes cutting Reno up pretty badly. Panting Reno stands up and casts barrier on himself just as Tifa comes rushing at him. Tifa manages to get a decent jab hitting Reno in the stomach sending him crashing to his knees. Barret aims and shoots at Reno catching him in his already injured leg.
Suddenly the sound of rotor blades can be heard. Reno sighs in relief. 'just in time I haven't got much fight left in me.' "It's time," Reno says. With that simple statement he takes a flying leap off the pillar, towards the chopper. He's caught by Tseng who hauls him up and tosses him into the seat farthest from the door. While Tseng taunts the Avalanche members Rude gets up from the pilot seat and checks over Reno. "Tseng we need to get Reno medical attention quick," Rude states quietly as he maneuvers the chopper away from the pillar and towards the upper plate. "Think you can get out in time," is the last words Reno hears before he drifts into unconsciousness.
A/n:So ya i'd tell ya why i didn't update till now but thatd make this note longer than the story. The phone conversationw as suppose to be kind of like someone listening in on Reno if you didn't get that. so i couldn't put what his sister was saying. also umm i made Tseng with more emotion and nicer than i had originally intended too but well i had a change in heart abotu the guy. he's more like one of my own superiors this past summer, where he's funny and joking and willing to talk to you if you take the time. but he's willing to be a hard ass when needed. he was always trying to make something up to you if he thought he was in the wrong. neways ya next chapters started...but i dont know if i'm even gonna use what i've started cause it's just...that screwed up.
As usual plz review with critiques, flames, w/e you feel is neccesary.