Chapter 86: Turning Tables
"What?" Cissnei's response was immediate and angry. "We are not!"
Cloud's brows shifted a little over his eyes. Calmly upward. He didn't believe her and it was obvious. Tifa was still busy blinking at the other woman in shock. Tifa had seen Sephiroth, albeit briefly, and the man scared the hell out of her. He was linked with something that was making the planet itself scream in pain and horror. What was Shinra planning on doing? Inviting him to sit down tea? Or thinking they could keep him contained in a lab tub? Oh, because they'd all seen how well that went considering Cloud was wandering around outside his and Jenova had apparently gotten out of hers as well. And yet, as insane as it sounded, Tifa didn't doubt Cloud's assumption for a moment. It sounded far too much like Shinra.
"We're not!" Cissnei repeated herself fiercely. "That creature killed the president. His son sent us to hunt Sephiroth down and eliminate him. He's seen the video footage, we all know how dangerous that man is."
"Video?" Zack piped in for the first time. He'd scooped Marlene up in his arms and was standing a little in front of Aerith and Tifa wondered when he'd done that.
"Of what he did inside the Shinra building. And… before." Cissnei's eyes shifted to the side to avoid them. "In Wutai."
In Wutai… So they would know if it was Cloud that had fought and seemed to have killed Sephiroth or whether it was another man that looked like him and Cloud had borrowed the memories from… Tifa's eyes flew to Cissnei. But the woman still wasn't looking at them and Tifa suddenly realized – she knew. Cissnei knew. And she wouldn't tell. Even if it would answer all of Cloud's questions, even if it would finally give him peace of mind because, no matter what the answer was at least he'd finally know… and Cissnei wouldn't tell.
From the flat look in his eyes, Cloud wouldn't have asked.
"What were your orders?" he asked without inflection. "When we discovered where Sephiroth was going to be and went to confront him? Were you ordered to report in first or just take him out?"
Cissnei's eyes flew back to his.
"Report in first. Of course."
Cloud's eyebrows lifted again, a barely there move.
"Do you usually have to call in before you eliminate a target for last minute clarification when you've already been cleared hot?"
"Look," Cissnei folded her arms across her chest and her brows came down low over her eyes. "We can't count on your thrown together bunch of misfits to do the job, Strife. No offense but you're not professionals and he's the most decorated SOLDIER in Shinra history. We call in the target when we find out where it is because if you can't finish the job, Shinra will be there to."
Cloud's blue eyes didn't flicker. His voice was surprisingly gentle when he answered:
"Maybe you should call in and clarify your objectives, Cissnei. Because I think your rules of engagement aren't as open as you think. Tell them you're about to incinerate the body and see what they say."
She glared at him.
"You're paranoid, Strife."
He made a soft sound in his throat. A hum. His voice was still gentle and his eyes had lost their blue fire.
"And you've worked there too long to be this naïve, Cissnei."
"Fine. I'll call it in." Cissnei slipped her hand into her coat pocket and Cloud watched calmly as she frowned and reached into the other pocket. Her eyes narrowed and then her head came up and her wide eyes found Cloud.
"My phone!" her eyes narrowed as fast as they'd widened. "All right, give me back my phone."
Cloud just looked calmly at her and didn't answer.
"Damn it, Strife!" her hands fisted in threat now at her sides. "This isn't a game."
"You stole her phone? All right!" Zack was enthusiastic and looked like he was seconds away from going for a high-five. "Did you get Reno's too?"
"It's not a game. That's why I care who wins." Cloud gave Tifa's waist a gentle squeeze and let go of her. "We'll keep the phones until we're done."
"I have to call in regularly." Cissnei took a step toward him as he started to turn to go and she didn't look like she was threatening. "Please, Cloud. I'm serious. If I don't – the old woman's safety depends on us calling in."
Cloud turned his head to slant her a look from the corners of his blue eyes.
"No," he answered softly. "It doesn't."
"It doesn't?" Aerith squeaked and Cloud gave her an embarrassed smile, looking as if he almost expected her to scold him.
"I came up to tell you," he tried to apologize and the solid, dangerous defender and leader of their group disappeared for a moment for the suddenly glowing brunette as he rubbed at the back of his head. He dug his PHS out of his pocket with the other hand and offered it to her. "They're still on the run but – a quick call should be all right."
Aerith made a noise that was half scream of pleasure and half bursting into tears and, ignoring Cloud's outstretched hand, she threw herself against him and wrapped her arms around his chest. Cloud froze, arm still stiffly held out in front of him, and Zack took it upon himself to make motions with the arm he wasn't holding Marlene with and mouth 'hug her' in over-emphasis. Tentatively, Cloud closed his arms around Aerith and she burst into happy tears against his chest.
"I won't forget. I swear I won't. Not ever."
"I didn't do anything," Cloud protested quietly, still managing to look like a pleased, confused little boy and Aerith laughed against him.
"You make things happen. When you put your mind to it, you make things happen."
Then she pulled back and took the phone from him with a smile that was bright enough to fill the entire bridge. Tifa got a hug, Marlene got a hug, even Zack got a quick kiss on the cheek before she went dancing over to a corner. Tifa watched her go and was just about to hug Cloud herself for making her friend so happy when Cissnei spoke up.
"So. Now what?" her voice was very calm and emotionless. "Are you going to just push us off or are you going to drop us somewhere desolate and let us walk home?"
Cloud exhaled and the traces of little boy disappeared as if they'd never been. Now he just looked a little tired.
"I don't leave enemies alive behind me." He tilted his head to look up at the sky through the glass for a moment. "At least not since I became me. It seems like the one time I accidentally did, it was a mistake so big that it might cost us everything." He lowered his head with an exhale and Tifa suddenly realized, whatever Cloud decided, the team would go along with. If he wanted the Turks to take a long walk off a short beam a couple hundred feet above the ground, no one would stop him. Which meant it was Tifa's job to stop him.
If she thought he should be stopped…
"You get to walk home. After we're done here," Cloud's voice was low. He looked over at Cissnei and his voice softened. "If I thought there was even a chance that you might join us, I'd ask you to stay. But you're too good at lying and you enjoy knowing what others don't too much to give it up now."
He waited. And she didn't protest. For just a moment his eyes were sad and then he turned to Zack.
"Come on. We've got packing to do."
He glanced at Tifa but she shook her head and both of the men left, Marlene riding in quiet puzzlement in Zack's arms. Tifa waited until they were gone to step forward.
"You could just tell him what the cameras in Wutai showed," she offered softly. "Or tell Zack the truth about himself. Cloud would forgive you if you'd do the second one."
The other woman's eyes met hers and they were sad.
"I know." She looked at the door both Zack and Cloud had gone out of. "He wants me to come." Her eyes slid back to Tifa and she shook her head. "Not like that. He just wants to save me the way I saved him once." She exhaled. "I just don't need to be saved."
"Shinra's that wonderful?" Tifa couldn't keep the dry tone out of her voice and the other woman made a softly amused sound.
"No. But the Turks are. I couldn't leave them anymore than you could leave your group." Sad, her eyes drifted to the empty doorway again. "Not even for him."
Because she couldn't seem to stop herself, Tifa asked:
"Did he? Ask you to? Before?"
Cissnei looked at her then and for a minute her face was still. Then she shook her head.
"I like my secrets. But I don't lie. Yes, he asked me to go with him. At the time, I thought he loved me and that was why he was asking. Now? I don't know… It doesn't matter though. I could never leave the Turks. Not for Zack. Not for him. The Turks are my family."
Tifa understood that. She was just lucky enough that the man she loved happened to be a part of the people she loved. She gave the other woman a smile that was a little crooked.
"I hope you don't mind if I'm not sorry you won't be staying."
Cissnei made another amused sound and it was edged with both bitterness and complete understanding.
"He never looked at me the way he looks at you. He never touched me the way he touches you. I hope you don't mind if I'm not sorry I don't have to stay around to watch it."
