Final Fantasy VII: Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Summary: "((An Angeal x Zack, Sephiroth x Genesis story)) With one of their greatest allies unable to help them, bodies piling up and being discovered by the dozen, and uncovering secrets that were never meant to be revealed, men who know much more than they tell, and when dead men speak again, time is running out as the ShinRa Stalker comes ever closer to fulfilling his dark mission. And as the SOLDIERs rush to solve the mystery, save their friends, can it be that one they never expected to know anything knows more than what he let on? Will anyone be saved, or will they all fall for good?"

Warning: "This will be a Yaoi ((male x male)), first off. It will have rape, reference to rape, and implied rape. There is a reason that this Fanfiction is rated "M," and by continuing to read this story, I am no longer responsible for any offense taken by the manuscript."

Disclaimer: "I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters so don't haul off and think I do. However, the following characters are actually mine, whether or not these characters actually appear in this particular story: 1st Class SOLIDER Marshall Willowstaff, Cadet Captain Benjamin ((Ben)) Adler, Captain Daniel Marks, and Head Physician Julian Jake."

A_ _ _N

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Eavesdropper ((Part 2)).

Contrary to popular beliefs, Genesis Rhapsodos was not a cruel man. He did not purposely scare the living daylights out of Cadets, nor did he use his Summons or his Firagra spells against them. And he was damn sure he wasn't some "blood-sucking vampire," too. Those rumors merely festered because of a certain incident that had been sworn to secrecy amongst the 1sts and the Cadet Corps- the incident revolved around an oddly muddy night, a few nosy Cadets, Genesis himself, Genesis' crimson duster, and LOVELESS. The incident was rarely regarded as the "Mud Incident," by those who knew about it, and went down in ShinRa's history as the only time a 1st Class SOLDIER actually attacked Cadets without any sign of holding back, and one of the most expensive repair jobs that ShinRa ever had to cover in its grounds.

By nature, Genesis Rhapsodos was a quiet, curious man. He was a fine warrior, of course, and was truly respected ((and somewhat feared)) by those who knew him- except his true friends: Angeal, Zack, and Sephiroth. All knew him as an invisible, silent watchman, noticing him late at night prowling the dark corners and sometimes catching a midnight bathroom break or a midnight walk, each time kindly warning the perpetrator(s) to go back to their barracks immediately. All knew of his nickname of "Star-Gazer," but none except Sephiroth dared called him by that name.

What most people didn't know was that Genesis Rhapsodos was a truly kind, easily- upset, almost guarded man, resembling a frightened child in some ways. His mind, although unnervingly intelligent and insightful at times, was always second-guessing, always suspicious of its own actions at times, forcing Genesis to be incredibly indecisive at times. Though Genesis very rarely showed such doubt in front of anyone, his mind instantly kicks into action each time he even heard a suspicious or upsetting rumor- especially those that couldn't possibly be just that.

So, naturally, Genesis knew all about the Ring. The Ring, as this highly-selective group was called, was an underground forced all-male prostitution ring that was based around ShinRa and Midgar. Genesis himself had been a victim of the brutal Ring, and had made it his goal to destroy them as soon as he became SOLDIER. He and Sephiroth worked together to hunt the elusive Ring, but each time they came close... they disappeared.

Of course they would be involved in this, Genesis thought, watching Zack and his friend vanish back into the ShinRa building. Of course he would have ordered Julian's disappearance. I need to tell Sephiroth before… this group Zack mentioned... it must be the SR. How could they have revitalized so quickly- yes, it's been four years since I left the Corps and the SR. The Runners must have been brutally suppressed, and because Zack must be one of them… Genesis' eyes widened, and he pulled out his cell- Sephiroth needed to hear this- Zack was going to be the next victim… and the one in charge of this entire "ShinRa Stalker," rumor... had to be at the very top of the Cadet Corps… someone they trusted…

It can't be.

A_ _ _N

"Tell me you're absolutely sure of this." Sephiroth said for the second time. His unnervingly intelligent mind broke into action- the brothel he'd destroyed with Genesis was back? Not even Angeal knew of the events that took place four years ago. No one did. It was supposed to have been destroyed altogether, along with all evidence that pointed to Genesis and Sephiroth. It the Ring was back, then that would mean that the resistance group, the group Genesis had created, the ShinRa Runners, were back, as well… which meant that Zack Fair could be one of them.

Damn them. Damn them all. Sephiroth thought, staring at the growing, angry clouds above him. They were responsible for Daniel Marks' disappearance. For Julian Jake. For those ten Cadet's deaths… and the truly despicable things is… it's not to keep Cadets out of SOLDIER. They don't care about that. All they want is their little brothel that they think we don't know about. If Zack is involved with the ShinRa Runners, then things are going to get very complicated very quickly.

A_ _ _N

Four years ago… I was told to meet my superior Officer in a storeroom in Block 88 of the Cadet Barracks. Those barracks had been abandoned years ago, and I remember being so excited. Were they going to give me extra training? Maybe a promotion into SOLDIER? I headed there without telling Angeal where I was going. And there… my descent into hell began.

Three or four Captains raped me. I don't remember most of the event, but what I do remember is what they said to me:

"This is your fault, Cadet."

"You shouldn't have been so pretty."

"You are causing us to do this."

"If you tell someone… we will do worse."

"We'll kill you."

For the next four years, from the time I was sixteen to the time I was twenty, they continued to haunt me, raping me, torturing me in various ways… always warning me to stay silent. I couldn't fight after the first month- if I did, they said, they would take Angeal away from me.

Angeal. Angeal, my dear friend. He had no idea. He still does not know.Genesis thought. And now they were going to tell him… merely because there was no other way.

Genesis sighed, looking over at Sephiroth, who was leaning quietly against the window in the 1st Class Lounge. Sephiroth looked up. "It will be all right," Sephiroth said, comfortingly. Genesis shook his head. "No… no it won't. I've lied to Angeal for four years, Sephiroth. What if he…" Genesis sighed again. "We have to tell him… because we both know they're coming after me next. He needs to know so we can plan this out."

Sephiroth was silent, but Genesis could sense desperation and pain brewing silently and deeply within his lover's eyes. Four years ago, it had been Sephiroth to save Genesis from falling deeper within the Ring's deadly influence. It was Sephiroth who had saved Genesis from leaving ShinRa- and protected him from being hurt for all these years after. Sephiroth had saved him once… and now this time, Genesis was willingly about to give himself up, all with the intention of saving Marks ((if he was still alive)), Julian Jake, and all those Cadets the Ring had been torturing.

"How could they…" Sephiroth murmured. "How could they… to children? They came here to fight, to have a future ahead of them… they came here, like Zack, to be heroes. They looked up to us, as SOLDIER. They came here to be us… with stars in their eyes from the very start. How could they destroy such hope… by doing something as cruel, as wicked, as this?"

Genesis snorted bitterly. "None of that stopped my parents, did it? There are some fucked up people in this world, Sephiroth. And it's our job, as SOLDIER, to take them all to hell. We're heroes, aren't we?" Genesis said suddenly, looking up. His azure eyes held a fire that made Sephiroth smile ever so slightly- this was the Genesis he'd fallen so deeply for. This strong, driven, young man… was the Genesis that he treasured more than anything else.

"Yes. We're heroes… and heroes protect the innocent from evil." Sephiroth responded, nodding. At that moment, Angeal and Zack entered the room, Zack looking pale and shaky, and Angeal looking concerned and somewhat on-edge.

Angeal had no idea.

But Zack probably had a clue what was about to happen. His eyes grew wide as he took in Genesis and Sephiroth staring right at him, almost expectantly. He looked over at Angeal, then back at the Silver General and his crimson-coated friend. He paled to a new shade of white. Just before either Sephiroth or Genesis could do or say anything, Zack did something none of them were prepared for.

A_ _ _N