Chapter Sixteen: Gratitude
Once Tseng was seated at Vincent's computer, he quickly found the shortcut for Universal Messenger and started the program. He navigated so quickly and with such ease that Vincent was immediately alarmed, realizing he was completely out of his element. If the former Turk should decide to try something untoward, he wasn't even sure he'd be able to tell.
He realized belatedly that he was a poor choice to oversee Tseng's contact with his Shin-ra insider, as he had only recently learned to operate a computer… and not very well. Before his long sleep, the machines had been in their infancy, and no one outside their development team had even seen one, much less learned how to use it. Vincent had only just begun to adjust to the oddity that was the PHS, when he was given an office at Junon Harbor that included one of the strange metal towers. He hadn't even known how to turn it on, much less what it did… finally admitting as much when people wouldn't stop asking if he'd gotten their e-mails. What the hell was an e-mail, he'd asked Cid, to a shower of guffaws. Embarrassed, he'd awkwardly approached Sephiroth and asked to be shown what to do with the thing, and how to retrieve the mysterious invisible letters he was being sent. Despite his five year absence from the normal world, his son still knew the basics and quickly adapted to anything that had changed. He'd been a surprisingly skilled and patient teacher, almost as if he enjoyed the role.
Now, at least, Vincent knew how to turn on his computer, open a few programs, and read his e-mail. He could even type a little, though his clawed hand made it a bit of a challenge. He'd decided to show the machine to Lucrecia, knowing it would interest her and give her something more interesting to do than staying at home reading while he was in his office. She was instantly fascinated, and had a better understanding of its functions than he did within minutes. He'd grown a bit tired of saying "I knew that" and having her smirk knowingly after the fifth time, so he'd given up and admitted he was mostly clueless. She'd managed to show him a few tricks she learned, but he was still a beginner at best. How in the world was he supposed to make sure Tseng didn't try anything suspicious, when he stared helplessly at the screen the moment something strange happened? And how could he be sure the other man didn't notice how inept he was? Standing behind him was helpful, but he had a sinking feeling it wouldn't be enough.
"I will log in under an assumed name I've had for years, for the times I wished to take care of things outside Shin-ra's knowledge," Tseng said with a glance over his shoulder. "My contact also has an identity only I and a few others are aware of. He managed to encrypt the IP address of his laptop, so that it cannot be traced back to him… among other security measures."
"Good," Vincent replied casually. What in the hells is an IP address?
He watched as Tseng typed in his username, then hesitated a moment. "Would you mind looking away while I enter my password?"
Vincent frowned, wondering how bad of an idea that was. It made sense, however, that Tseng wouldn't want others to have access to his account. Not only might it endanger his contact, but it would also severely undermine his value as Avalanche's connection to him.
"All right," Vincent said, trying to sound unconcerned. He turned his back, listening as Tseng quickly typed in a fifteen digit password and pressed enter. When he heard the ding of the program accepting the information, he turned around and resumed staring at the monitor.
"Ah, good, he's online," Tseng said with a glance at his list of contacts. But before he could do anything more, an instant message box appeared in the center of the screen, from someone named 'Catnip.'
"Well hello! Long time, no see!"
"Are your cats at play?" Tseng replied, causing Vincent to raise an eyebrow. Was he seriously going to spend time discussing pets with his contact? He dearly hoped not… He would prefer not to spend hours looking over his shoulder while he chatted endlessly with his friend. He had other work to do, not to mention a burning desire to return home to his beloved.
"We have a few code phrases to prove our identities," Tseng explained, as if sensing his thoughts while he awaited a reply. "If he answers properly, I will respond with the next line, and then we will both know it is safe to continue."
"I see… That is wise."
"I suppose… Common sense when communicating important information this way, really."
Vincent fought the urge to sigh with annoyance at Tseng's arrogant tone. He finally made note of the former Turk's user name, HonorGuard. He wondered if Catnip's name was a clue to his identity, running through a list of the Shin-ra employees he knew in his head. His thoughts were interrupted when a new message arrived.
"They're playing safely on their own," wrote Catnip, adding a smiley face to the end of the statement.
"That is the correct response," Tseng said, already typing his reply. "So are mine, though we have company."
"What does that mean?"
"I wanted him to know that I was not alone, so he could choose how much to reveal, if anything, about his identity. But my response also informed him that it's safe to share information and answer my questions."
"I see…" Vincent wasn't sure he was comfortable with the contact knowing Tseng was being watched, wondering if it would affect his honestly or the depth of intelligence he would provide. Still, putting himself in the contact's shoes, he did understand.
"All righty, then. How have you been?" Catnip sent. "I heard you all are in Junon Harbor. Intelligence figured that out rather quickly, not that they can do anything about it."
"Yes. Avalanche has allowed us to stay, and they have been good to us. There are conditions of course… one of which is to provide information about recent Shin-ra activity."
"Aah, I see. Is Elena well?"
"Yes. She and the baby were both unharmed, and are doing fine."
Vincent silently observed the conversation, noting that the contact knew Tseng well enough that he was aware of his situation. He wondered if he had learned of it before the Turks fled Midgar, or if he'd somehow been informed since. He hoped it was the former, since Tseng was not supposed to have access to any method of communication.
"Great! Well, I guess I'll fill you and your companion in on what's been going on around here," Catnip messaged back.
"Anything specific you'd like me to ask him?"
"Let's see what he has to say first…"
Several minutes passed, before a long message appeared on the screen.
"Well, we were all forced to attend Hojo's funeral. Closed casket of course. The only people there were Shin-ra employees, which was really no surprise. The guy has no friends, and who knows about relatives. I definitely had a hard time looking properly saddened by his demise. Rufus hasn't named his replacement yet, or yours, but you all need to be aware that the Military and Science Departments are still hard at work looking for a way to counter Junon's shielding ability."
"Unsurprising," remarked Vincent, though inside he got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The thought of what would happen should they succeed was not something he liked to think about.
"They're researching a way to break through it, but there's also an undercover operation in effect… It's likely they'll try to sneak into the base and disable the shield from within, rather than trying to break through it when it's active. So if you aren't heavily guarding whatever equipment runs it with only the most trusted members of your team, you ought to be."
"I do hope that has occurred to you?" Tseng asked, this time with worry creeping into his tone. Vincent nodded sharply, a bit offended. Did Tseng think he was stupid?
"Of course. We have taken many security measures with the device. Cameras, alarms, twenty-four hour armed guards… and Cid has it trapped as well, should anyone manage to get close enough to interfere with it."
"Good… The remaining Turks will be determined and relentless if they've been assigned to reach it. We must be just as determined to protect it."
"Otherwise, it's been chaos around here," Catnip continued before Vincent could reply. "Rufus went on a 'mental health vacation' shortly after you left, and has only just returned. A lot of employees are asking questions, and not getting any answers. All they were told is that Hojo was murdered in his quarters, which has made everyone very nervous about their safety. And with all of you leaving at the same time, no one knows what to think."
"I assumed they'd never be told the truth, or anything close," Tseng replied. "But I expected to have my name dragged through the mud, even if they won't admit that I killed him."
"Well, that hasn't happened, at least not yet. Rufus hasn't really said anything about you and the others, just that you've left the company. I'm not sure he knows what to do. He's never had to handle anything like this before, and he's still young and foolish."
"Ask him if there are any immediate plans to attack the base," Vincent said, taking in the information and committing it to memory.
Tseng did as he was told, then quietly awaited a response. Vincent was pleased with his actions thus far, further convinced that he had no intentions of betraying them. The former Turk may have seemed cold and uncaring, but Vincent sensed that he cared deeply for Elena. He saw a lot of himself in the man, and admired him for what he'd done to protect her. It further reminded him of his own failure, however, and he concentrated on the monitor to keep his mind from wandering into the past.
"Not yet," Catnip replied. "There's too much upheaval at the moment, and the shield is a huge roadblock. But trust me, the moment they find a way around it? Rufus will launch a full scale attack. It may not happen for years at this rate, but it *will* happen… I hope you all will be ready in time."
"Good," Tseng said quietly, no doubt thinking ahead to the birth of his child. "It seems we will have peace for a while, at least."
"Incoming! Gotta go!" Catnip suddenly messaged, and before Tseng could react he had gone offline.
"Someone must have entered his office," Tseng said with a sigh of annoyance. "I hope that information was helpful, at least? We can contact him again in a week or so for an update. I don't wish to message him too often, since it increases the odds that he will be caught. If he is, I owe it to him to go to his aid, and I am not in the mood to return to Midgar…"
Tseng logged out of the program and rose from Vincent's chair, returning to the other side of the desk. Vincent reclaimed his seat and nodded, switching off the monitor.
"Yes, thank you. I will share it with the others at our meeting this week."
"Very well…" Tseng remained standing, but hesitated instead of leaving the office as expected. He looked thoughtful, as if there was something more on his mind that he was not sure he ought to share.
"Is there anything else you need at the moment?" Vincent finally asked, surprised when the other man sat down across from him again. He briefly studied his hands before looking up and meeting Vincent's eyes.
"I understand now why you were sympathetic to our situation, and why you became so… upset during our meeting," Tseng began, his usual confident tone a bit hesitant. "I'm glad I was able to remove the stain of Hojo from your life. He was a sick man that had been hurting people for longer than I realized… I am sorry for what he did to you and your family."
Vincent raised an eyebrow, unconsciously sitting up a bit straighter and gripping the arm of his chair with his claw. "What do you know about that?" he asked, more sharply than intended. He could feel his pulse begin to pound at his temples, unwanted memories intruding into his thoughts.
"I know what he did to Lucrecia, and to Sephiroth. I always suspected that he was Sephiroth's father, though I did wonder how he'd managed to become such a powerful soldier with those genes… Learning that you are his father makes much more sense."
Vincent's heart began to race, and his stomach churned with nausea. Somehow, Tseng had learned of his past, and possibly even Chaos, despite the fact that he was living under house arrest and should have had no way to learn such personal information. Had he been wrong to trust him after all? He stared at him harshly, his emotions raging just beneath the surface. Tseng calmly met his gaze and did not so much as flinch.
"How did you discover all of this?" Vincent demanded. "The experiment was highly classified, and before your time… No one was to know who Sephiroth's parents were, or what became of Lucrecia and myself after his birth."
"Your young guard… Yuffie. She is a wealth of information when you get her to talk."
Vincent frowned, anger instantly burning inside him like an acid. He'd tried so hard to be tolerant of the girl… to make her feel like an important part of the team. And she had repaid him by betraying his confidence and sharing highly personal information with individuals she should have known better than to trust. He was going to kill he- No, he quickly corrected himself, struggling to push Chaos' violent desires from his mind. He was going to scold her and assign her to the worst duty he could imagine for the foreseeable future.
"Don't be mad at the girl," Tseng interrupted, reading Vincent's expression as he ground his teeth in frustration. "Elena can be quite disarming, and Yuffie was no match for a group of very interested Turks hanging on her every word. She meant no harm… It's clear that she likes and respects you a great deal."
The words only softened the blow a little, and Vincent suddenly felt like a specimen being examined under a microscope. He felt exposed and vulnerable, his past and his secrets revealed. He wanted nothing more than to be alone at that moment, but Tseng was still studying him closely, and made no move to leave.
"I'm sorry if I've upset you," he said, the sincerity clear in his voice. "I just wanted you to know that I am grateful for what you've done for us, and will be forever in your debt."
"I appreciate that," Vincent said quietly, a severe headache already beginning to form. Chaos was close to the surface, feeding on his negative emotions, and he briefly closed his eyes in an attempt to silence the demon. "Elena is doing well, then?" he asked, desperately needing to change the subject and remove Tseng's attention from himself before he noticed his distress.
Tseng nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. Suddenly his familiar mask of neutrality had lifted, and his expression was much less guarded. "Very well, thank you. She is still nervous and a bit in shock… We both are," he admitted, shifting uncomfortably. "But she's also starting to get excited. She already wants to begin working on the nursery. I'll need to speak with Aeris to see if she can give us the gil and supplies we'll need, though…"
He frowned, and in his eyes Vincent could see the shame and regret he felt that he could not provide for his own child without assistance. He had a good idea of how it felt to feel inadequate as a parent, filled with sympathy for him. He had done so much good for so many people by ridding the Planet of Hojo, and had acted honorably in a difficult situation where many others would have turned their backs and protected themselves ahead of anyone else. Tseng deserved to feel proud of what he'd done, and to enjoy the arrival of his daughter. The least Vincent could do was help make that possible.
Vincent reached into a pocket on the inside of his cloak, removing a large pouch of gil. He paused for just a moment, then reached across the desk and held it out toward Tseng.
"Here."
Tseng studied it for a moment, until what Vincent was doing registered. His eyes grew wide and he tilted his head, looking from the bag to Vincent and back again.
"Why…?"
"Take it. There should be more than enough gil to cover everything needed for a nursery. Use whatever is left for other things for the baby."
"You don't have to do this," Tseng said quietly, slowly reaching out to accept the gift. He looked so surprised and embarrassed that Vincent almost smiled. It was nice to be able to break through his composure for once.
"I know. I did not have the chance to do this for my son… Your daughter is lucky to have you, and you should be able to give her everything she needs. You did what I was not able to… and I am grateful that no one will ever be hurt by Hojo again. "
"Thank you…" Tseng said, carefully tucking the pouch inside his jacket and turning several shades of crimson. He seemed unaccustomed to receiving such generosity, and Vincent could have sworn there were tears shining in his eyes. "We won't forget this."
Vincent simply nodded as the former Turk quickly stood and left his office. His mind continued to race with memories and regrets, and he knew he'd never be able to concentrate on his work. He looked down at the paperwork still piled on his desk and made a decision, rising to his feet. It would still be there later, awaiting his return. Right then, all he wanted was to go home to Lucrecia and hold her in his arms.
((Author's Note: There is your answer to who taught Vincent to use a computer. That part was a lot of fun to write. The image of him just baffled by the machine is so funny to me. I'm hoping most of you have checked out On My Honor to see who the contact is, if you can't guess. Plus I think it's some of my best writing. Anyway… this period in the fic is the calm before the rest of the storm. It can't ALL be angst and Chaos-attacks, after all. This fic is about Vincent and his struggles, but also the 'transformations' going on for other characters, Junon Harbor, and even Shin-ra. I would say there will be one more chapter, perhaps two… and then the peace will be interrupted. I don't want to rush the story, though, or leave out anything I need to have in there. I had a really cool idea for my next story a few days ago, and it got me very excited. It's set about 6 months after this story ends, so there is a lot of setting up I need to do. My fics all occur in my own little AU I've crafted across more than a decade, and I want to continue to build on it. I will say that the next fic is also centered around Vincent… and contains a tragedy, a new relationship, murder, family, drama and lots more. Can you tell I'm enthused already? Lol… I already had an idea for my next fic that I liked, but then I had this random plot idea while playing Diablo 3, and merged the two together. Now instead of just being the next step in my storyline, it is something I really WANT to write and am already thinking up scenes for. I think it's going to be a ton of fun to work on, and hopefully to read. But, we are far from finished here, so until next time! ~ JenesisX ))
