Warnings: Zack speaks and Cloud, um, flies solo?

Chapter 27 : Freedom of Choice

"Maybe I should kill him now," the General mused out loud, looking down at the fallen gunman, "before he can do any more damage."

Sephiroth had thrown his coat around the dark-haired First and now Zack was burying his nose in the collar in an adrenaline-crash induced stupor. It was amazing how comforting it was. He was surrounded in Seph's smell and it made him feel safe once again. Of course, that was before the General had come up with his little pro-active defence strategy.

"What?" Zack exclaimed. He jerked out of his daze and hissed as extremely sore muscles seized. "I think that's a really shitty idea."

Zack had told the General about the battle and how the Tsviets had attacked Tifa and Vince because they had been looking for protomateria and, apparently, the ex-Turk had it. It had taken some time because the SOLDIER had digressed into a critique of Tifa's fighting style, a description of Rosso the Crimson's outfit, and a joyful point-by-point report of how he'd used his wings in battle for the first time. He'd avoided talking about the aftermath with Chaos, or at least he hadn't given the Silver General many details. Unfortunately, Sephiroth was observant and smart; he'd figured out a lot by what Zack hadn't said.

"It would thwart any further attempts by Deepground to access the 'protomateria' he supposedly carries. Plus, if he becomes that creature again it might take after you or whoever else takes its fancy. Are you willing to risk that?."

Zack scratched his head. He wasn't really but he didn't think it would come to that... unless Vinny nearly got himself killed again. Then there was the possibility that the spooky dude was really Seph's dad—but how to explain that? Then there were the others ideas that had occurred to him; he hadn't even gotten started on the whole Weapon-with-a-capital-double-u thing.

Sephiroth sighed, "If that creature could see you now, you'd be on the ground getting ravished."

"Eh?"

Zack looked down when the silver-haired warrior waved his finger at him. The coat, never designed to close fully, was gaping wide open, exposing a long line of tanned and muscled flesh. "It's very enticing," Sephiroth added with a predatory smile, "but I'd prefer to wait until we have a bed. It's easier on the knees."

"Fucking shit, Seph," Zack blushed and laughed and pulled the coat back together. "I don't know where your pervy humour's coming from but I like it."

The General smiled more naturally but looked away shyly. He fixed his gaze on the ruins of the reactor while he explained. "I'm no longer ShinRa's creature. I no longer have an image to maintain and, even if I did, there's no one to punish me if I display fallibility... or humanity." A deep breath. "You are here beside me and Cloud is awake back in our quarters. For the first time in my life I honestly believe that life is good." Then the slender warrior sighed a little. "At least it will be once the danger from Hojo and Deepground are taken care of."

"Yeah, about that," Zack walked over to stand beside him. "I think the situation may be way more complex than you might think–"

"I'm sure it is," Sephiroth agreed.

"–and it's not Vinny's fault that he has nasty fuckers inside him that like to behave like assholes. Besides I was warned," the SOLDIER continued. The Silver General turned to him, one eyebrow lifted in enquiry. "In the caves, before we found Valentine, I had to 'talk' to Cloud?" Sephiroth nodded in remembrance. "It was Raincloud who told me where to find Vinny. He also told me that the guy had 'angry parts' and that I should be careful."

"Angry parts," the General questioned, "His exact words?"

"Yeah, exactly," Zack confirmed.

"Meaning more than one," Sephiroth sounded resigned as if he really should've expected a man found in a coffin to take the meaning of multiple personality disorder to the next level.

Zack hadn't thought of that. "Uh... maybe..."

"I have four others that reside within me, including Chaos." They turned to face the ex-Turk, who was sitting with a hand draped negligently over his drawn-up knee. There were no signs of the catastrophic injury that had precipitated the demon's appearance. "Chaos is the most dangerous as it is the most intelligent. However, it is not the most common of my... beasts to appear."

"The most common?" the General questioned.

"One called Galian Beast. Similar in design to the creature Azul became but much smaller and more agile."

"An earlier version," Sephiroth theorized.

"Possibly."

"Dangerous?" he questioned.

"Yes."

"Controllable?" he probed.

"Not very."

Zack decided that all these one word sentences were driving him nuts. "They come out when you're injured, right?"

"Yes," Vincent replied then stopped. Zack waited for more. He waited…

Obviously, a longer question didn't necessarily mean a longer answer.

Just when Zack was ready to pound his head on the nearest rock, Vincent continued, "Although, while in the lab, I sometimes thought I might have a measure of control over their appearances it was not an avenue I wished to explore while in Hojo's control."

Zack nodded his head, "I can understand that. Still it would be a damn good thing to know because I think you're going to have to take on Omega at some point." Two pairs of unique eyes, one cat green, one eerie red, locked onto him inquisitively. They were nearly the same shape, Zack realized, even if the colours were so completely different.

"You know of Omega?" the spooky-eyed gunman asked.

"A little, I think, maybe."

"Explain," Sephiroth ordered.

"I'm not sure I can, yet. I've been given so many friggin' riddles and metaphors and shit, I haven't figured them out. It's just Raincloud talked about Chaos controlling Omega... or something like that."

"Chaos is connected to Omega," Vincent agreed. Cat-slit eyes moved the question to the ex-Turk. "It was in a message Lucre– Dr. Crescent left behind."

"And Omega's importance?" the General asked.

"Omega's one of the planet's Weapons; the final one apparently," Zack responded.

"Yes," Vincent agreed. "When Gaia's end is close, he—it will appear, but not until the other Weapons have been deployed."

"They have," Zack said, "That's the report that came this morning. Five," he waved his hands to describe the indescribable, "huge motherfuckers crawled out of the Northern Caves this morning.

"Weapons?" Sephiroth asked, "What kind of weapons?"

"Um..." Zack stalled. He hardly knew what they were, himself, so it was hard to describe them for the General.

Vincent answered for him, "It's likely they are Gaia's defence, used when the planet is facing destruction."

"And they've been deployed." It was a statement, not a question, but Zack responded anyway.

"Chaos identified them earlier. He sent images into my head that matched the photos in the report."

Sephiroth stared at him. "You don't think he was lying to you?"

"It was by accident, I think. He was happy they'd arrived and the images just kinda flowed into my head." He was going to add that Chaos was looking forward to being free but, with a quick look at Vincent, he decided not to. Who knew what kind of weird symbiotic relationship the two of them had crafted over thirty years. Maybe the ex-Turk wouldn't want to see him go. Maybe Chaos leaving meant Vincent dying... that would suck.

"If they appeared last night that would explain the chant Chaos kept repeating."

"He chanted at you." Zack questioned, "Was it the names of jewels?"

Vincent nodded. "Yes."

"That's significant?" the General asked.

Zack shrugged, "More as confirmation that those things were the Weapons Raincloud was talking about. I wrote down what he told me, as close as I can remember, but my notes are back at camp."

Sephiroth said nothing but Zack knew that the General was thinking things through, weighing, comparing; deciding on the best course of action. "We have to return to the camp. I need to see those reports and Dr. Crescent's message. Zack, you need to transcribe as much as you can remember of all those 'riddles and metaphors and shit' that you've been told," he paused, thinking, "Will Cloud have any recollection of the things Raincloud said?"

Zack thought about it but had to shrug helplessly, "I dunno. Maybe."

The silver-haired warrior nodded shortly, "He should attend as well then, just in case."

"Tifa should as well since she was present when Dr. Crescent's message activated and she was helping me research more about Omega and Chaos." Sephiroth nodded agreement. He trusted the young Nibelheimer.

"The one called Nanaki should also be there," Vincent suggested. Sephiroth raised a questioning eyebrow. "He has a good grasp on his grandfather's theories on the Lifestream which could be very pertinent."

Actually, Sephiroth had been wondering how and when the ex-Turk had met the reclusive Gi, but the suggestion was a good one. He nodded agreement, "If he can be found." He narrowed his eyes at the reactor. "The planet is defending itself," he muttered, "How far will it go?"

It was Vincent who responded. "Like any living thing it will do whatever it needs to."

Zack looked at the pretty and poisonous green mist that floated and sparked around the ruins. He remembered living things twisting, changing, and dying in agony in pretty green fumes... and shivered. He didn't want to die like that. Not again.

If he kept his movements small then everything was okay. He could stand without knocking everything over. He could turn if he was careful and walk if he took small steps, but no matter what he tried he couldn't make his wings go away and he really needed to take a shower.

Cloud had tried to imagine what it felt like not to have wings but failed. He'd tried to use his will to–to wish them away but that had failed too. Now he was trying to re-create memories of when he'd been in that other place, his place, with Sephiroth. He hadn't had wings then, he was sure, because they'd been doing… doing that, and that's where Cloud's memories stopped. Not because he didn't have more but because he hadn't been able to get past the point where he'd climbed on top of the General. He'd pushed the General down and attacked his body with teeth and tongue and fingers.

More than memory, less than reality, but it was still making him hard.

The General had chosen him. As unbelievable as it seemed, General Sephiroth had made love with him; had gotten an erection because of him! Wings forgotten, small, strong hands travelled lower and enclosed his own aching sex. He closed his eyes and he wasn't here, alone. He was with the General, his General and he was surrounded—his voice, his breath, the feel of him.

Cloud wanted… he needed… His hands started moving almost on their own.

He was covered in a light sheen of sweat. He bit his lower lip to contain the sounds trying to escape. His left hand reached down his back and delved into his cleft, seeking out his body's tight, puckered entrance. His right hand moved faster, stronger, as the memories filled him, hypnotized him, drew him in. There were memories of his dreaming place and memories of the time before the lab. Water flowing over their bodies and the feel of the General's mouth enclosing his sex; a warm bed on a magical morning and General Sephiroth filling him, moving within him.

His hands moved harder, faster, because he remembered and he wanted. His hands weren't right but they were enough to create a ball of tension at the base of his spine, and to build on it, make it bigger, coil it tighter. And then it exploded. He exploded, covering his hand with his thick, pearly-green cum, stretching him briefly to his toes, taking him to the sky. Then letting him drop… all the way to the ground; although he barely felt his knees hit the flooring.

He hadn't expected it to be so intense. After all, it was just a hand-job, and his own hand at that, but he was as shaken as if he'd actually had Sephiroth here to make love with.

He curled around his still pulsing erection, panting and shuddering in the aftermath, letting his mind and body settle. It took longer than it should have but when he felt like moving again he realized something had changed. His wings were gone. Disappeared back into his body somehow, he could still feel the possibility of them, like they were hovering between his skin and his ribs, waiting to be pulled out again. He could control them now.

He laughed softly. It was a good thing they were gone because now he really, really needed to take a shower.

Sephiroth decided that they should head to Nibelheim as it was both closer and easier to get to than heading straight back to the airstrip. They'd be able to get shoes for Vincent, something for Zack to wear, and a vehicle to take them back to camp. They were walking briskly which, considering they were all enhanced, meant that the passing greenery was blurred.

Sephiroth wasn't going to wait until they reached the village to organize the brainstorming session he wanted. He wanted this situation settled... permanently. He pulled out his PHS and began dialling. "Zack, if you would call Tifa and have her bring whatever she discovered yesterday," he ordered.

"I'd do that, except my PHS was in my pants," Zack waved his hand indicating the whole of the Nibel Mountains, "It's out there somewhere now."

"Hmm," Sephiroth hummed in disappointment before flicking his eyes toward the ex-Turk.

"I do not have one."

Before the silver-haired SOLDIER could comment, his call was picked up. "Ah, Master-Sergeant; conference this call with the Officer of the Day, please." The rock-voiced agreement was clearly audible to Zack, so he listened idly as Sephiroth ordered tables, chairs, food, paper, maps, photos, reports, copiers, and more food.

He was looking at the sky, and thinking that Seph probably hadn't ordered enough to eat if his stomach was anything to go by, when Vincent came up beside him. The ground they were on was rocky and rough but the gunman showed no signs of discomfort even though he was barefoot. He didn't say anything and Zack didn't feel the need to break the quiet. He was just enjoying being alive and outside and free.

"You don't seem upset," Vincent said hesitantly.

"Upset?" he asked, perplexed.

"About what happened earlier; Chaos and... everything," the ex-Turk said delicately, "I... I'm sorry."

"You got nothing to apologize for," the First responded, "That asshole wasn't you." Zack laughed and stretched his arms out wide. He actually bounced a little. "Plus, I'm alive and not in the fucking lab. My friends are safe and my girl's waiting for me." He turned to Vincent to share his happiness but Vincent had averted his face. Zack looked closer. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like the gunman was blushing. Zack's smile widened. Unbelievable. Vincent Valentine, former Ace Turk, was a prude. He sure as shit was looking away from the SOLDIER's full frontal. Ah well, he sighed, that made the timely rescue even more... timely. The guy was weird but he wouldn't want him feeling bad about something that had out of his control.

His lazy musing was interrupted an oddly hesitant question, "Is it that easy for you?" Zack looked at him, puzzled, so Vincent explained a little more, "Forgiveness. Absolution. Moving forward. Is it really that simple?"

"Can be. I mean, shit, I'd feel better if I had my Buster sword, but this is good too." Zack lifted his face, enjoying the feel of the sun's warmth on his skin.

Vincent said nothing, just buried his face in his collar. The ease with which the swordsman had absolved both he and Chaos was unbelievable. He didn't understand. The SOLDIER had been played with, nearly raped and possibly killed, and yet he was smiling and walking along as if he was enjoying a lazy day in the park. Happiness couldn't be that simple.

*Of course it isn't that simple for you, my host, you have always been a boring, broody bastard. I wish your cretinous lover had installed me in him instead,* Chaos sighed wistfully.

"You forgive very easily." It came out almost contemptuous, as if the SOLDIER must be stupid or somehow incapable of understanding the impact of everything he'd been through. It showed too much emotion and Vincent wished he could take it back.

Zack looked at him, recognizing the undertone, knowing the ex-Turk had underestimated him as people always did. "I can forgive some things, yeah. It's easy to forgive people for things they had no damn control over in the first place. What the hells' the use of holding a grudge against them, after all. I can forgive my friends a lot, of course, or else why have them as friends?" His mouth twisted into a sneering smile, "Hojo, on the other hand, is going to die vilely and screaming for fucking mercy."

Vincent was shocked by the change in the SOLDIER. He'd had no idea the bouncy First held so much rage inside him; an anger on a level with that of Hellmasker. He blinked and wondered what to say next. 'Get in line', was the first thing that occurred to him but that sounded rather childish.

*It's not childish,* Chaos pouted, *It's only right that my sweet little bat give the honour to his elders, don't you think?* Before he could even start formulating a response—to either of them, Zack had continued musing out loud.

"Maybe it's easier for me because the people I care about the most are all still alive–" A picture of Angeal formed in Zack's mind; of the big First walking away, looking over his shoulder, 'Embrace your dreams' the image said. It still hurt that he wasn't here but the ache was dull and faded. "–at least most of them are still alive."

"And the one who didn't survive," Vincent probed unable, for whatever the reason, to let it go. He knew people forgave their own sins and the sins of others all the time but he had no idea how they did that. "How do you forgive yourself for letting that one die?"

Zack snorted, "'Letting' him die? Shit, I held the sword." Unhappy memories. In some ways, that moment tortured him more than what had happened in the lab because it wasn't something that had been done to him. He had done it. He had chosen to raise his sword against his mentor and friend, and he had chosen to accept Angeal's fight-to-the-death conditions. Still... "What fucking good would it do him, or anyone, if I turn into a pile of gloomy, emotional goo? Should I cut off my hand, or supplicate myself on broken glass? I don't get that shit. Instead, I should fight for what he believed in, right? Live life the way he would've wanted; protecting the people and things that are important to me."

"And if your actions betray yourself?"

"Like I said, it's a choice. Though, if you chose it, is it really a betrayal of yourself?" Zack looked down at the ex-Turk, "Personality's always gonna be a factor because your choices reflect who you are."

Vincent blinked in thought. "So if I were a 'broody bastard' before–" he trailed off uncomfortable with the label.

"You'll still be a broody bastard," Zack smiled and decided to tease the priggish pseudo-vampire. "The ladies will love you for it, though… and some of the guys, too. All of them wanting to heal your pain."

*I wouldn't mind that,* Chaos chirped, both because he wouldn't mind it and because he knew it would make his straight-laced host squirm.

It did. Vincent blushed and looked away. "Ms. Lockhart said much the same thing," he commented. "I don't understand why they would be attracted to a mood."

Zack laughed, "Fuck, you don't have to understand it; just learn to deal with it."

"Just like that," Vincent was still sceptical.

"That's up to you isn't it." The big SOLDIER stretched out again, revealing scars and the scratched lines connecting them. Then he turned his face back up to sun. They walked in silence unbroken except for Sephiroth's low voiced commands.

"Hey, Seph," Zack interrupted, "Can you order those meatballs we had last night, a lot of 'em? I think I could eat a whole damn pot all by myself."

Nibelheim, when they reached it, looked both sad and eerie.

Nibelheim had been an old village and a poor one. Most of the houses had been made out of wood, not stone. They were mostly gone, either through the fire Hojo had set to cover his crimes or from being bulldozed. The few surviving structures, the inn, the mayor's house and the store, were made of stone not wood. They seemed to huddle together at one end of the town, scared and lonely. They looked diseased, somehow, with the combination of fresh, bright lumber and soot-darkened stone.

Now, Nibelheim no longer seemed dead. Crews were working all over the small village, clearing the ruins, rebuilding, preparing the site for permanent settlement.

Walking into town, even one full of friendly troops, Zack just naturally fell in to General Sephiroth's right. Since the General was left-handed and the Commander's sword hand was his right, this only made sense. Each of them would be able to draw and swing their weapons freely. What impressed Vincent Valentine, as he trailed behind the duo, was that they had moved into position without conscious thought; partners in a way few ever experienced. Perhaps he should re-evaluate the light-hearted SOLDIER once again.

They moved somewhat slower here, so that the equipment operators had time to see them and adjust their operations. Plus the meters of nails and broken glass would do more damage to Vincent's bare feet than the kilometers of natural ground cover.

They got a few odd looks as they marched through the village but most of the troops were busily going about their tasks. The two SOLDIERs in the lead didn't look around, didn't peer anxiously at the work being done. Their shoulders and backs were tense as if they were fighting off unhappy memories. From what he had learned from listening to Tifa, they probably were. They had been here when this was a true village. They'd met the people who'd lived here. This is where their nightmares had begun—just like his had; dream and nightmare combined.

Lucrecia...

He watched the long, straight line of his son's spine as the warrior moved smoothly and competently through the mess. 'Why didn't you tell me?' he asked her ghost once more.

*Because you didn't fight for her. You let her go back to that arrogant sack of flesh,* Chaos said bitterly.

He had... He had let her go back to Hojo, back to her husband. He'd justified it because she was married, because he was a Turk, because it was her choice and as long as it made her happy. Except she hadn't been happy... and he'd been shot before he could rescue her.

*If you would have rescued her. I have my doubts,* the demon commented harshly. *For a notorious killer, you are pathetic when it comes to romance.* Images of what Chaos would do to whatever person or thing came between it and the object of its desire filled his mind. Blood was a major component.

"Yo, Vinny!" Zack called, "Wake up, man. We're nearly there."

"It's Vincent," the gunman said automatically, glad for the excuse to shake off the past.

The Commander's tent was easy enough to locate. It was the largest and the double doors never stopped moving as troops constantly went in and out. Sephiroth had worked with the engineer before and knew that his tent would be covered with blueprints, construction schedules, and task lists as well as supplies such as safety glasses and vests, gloves and other small items that a hard-working crew would use up like flour in a bakery. However, the Silver General had forgotten one new item that had been added to the Commander's tent: Lieutenant Hinz, his erstwhile aide.

"General! There you are," the man said, as if Sephiroth had been lost. "I was about to head back to camp with my report but the Commander changed his estimates, again. He really is a most disorganized person. When you read my report I'm sure you'll be outraged!" Hinz paused for breath and finally caught sight of the General's companions. Vincent wasn't so bad. Maybe he stared at the Lieutenant with his eerie eyes but at least he looked presentable. Zack, however, had sauntered over, in his non-closing coat, to look at the drawings of how Nibelheim was going to look.

"Who is that?" Hinz asked, sounding outraged.

"He is Commander Fair, my Second-in-Command." It wasn't open for debate the warrior's voice said but knew that wouldn't stop Hinz.

He stared at the SOLDIER starting at his over-long, mussed up hair and travelling down over a naked and scratched chest to his dirty, scuffed army boots. "That is your SiC?" He would have been shrieking except he was too well-bred for it.

Zack sauntered over, unconcerned at what was or wasn't covered. "Hi there, nice to meet you." He held out his hand

Hinz didn't take it. "Sir, I must protest. You are the General of the Western Army. You have standards to maintain. It's obvious this... this disgrace of a soldier isn't worthy to be your right hand."

Zack's eyes narrowed in anger before opening up to his usual guileless size, "That's too bad... Lieutenant, isn't it? Papers' are already signed. He's stuck with me."

"Sir–"

Sephiroth interrupted the junior officer, "As much as I understand your attempts to–" isolate "–protect me. Commander Fair is my Second-in-Command."

The lieutenant narrowed his eyes, his shocked fury easy to read. This-this was going to take his place at General Sephiroth's side? His outrage was probably increased by whatever circumstance had caused the tears in his uniform, the bandages on his hands and the light covering of dust and dirt that coated him. His voice, his posture and his attitude all proclaimed him to be a clock-punching desk jockey, not a manual labourer yet, from what they could see, he'd obviously been forced to do physical work—at Sephiroth's command, too! His face flushed with shame and anger, Hinz visibly lost his well-bred, self-serving common sense.

"The Board shall hear of this, General," he threatened, his voice vibrating with the force of his emotions, "Your actions bring ShinRa into disrepute–"

"Actually," Zack interrupted, "I think the ShinRa board did that well enough on their own. After all, they didn't realize that one of them was a sociopathic, homicidal madman who was embezzling millions of gil to fund his own secret army…" he shrugged and allowed the sentence to trail off.

"Don't forget the human experimentation," Vincent added, talking calmly and brutally over the officer's harsh breathing and spluttering anger.

"And the human experimentation," Zack agreed, "most of which the Board damn-well knew about but fucking ignored. And now that the results are rampaging across the countryside killing any- and everything they come across they have to call on two of their earliest victims, both of whom they'd declared dead, to rescue the world for them. " Zack smiled, "Shit, compared to that I don't think little ole me can do any more damage to ShinRa's rep."

"Rufus is trying to do better from what I've seen," Sephiroth reprimanded him mildly.

Zack smiled even more broadly, more honestly, "It's hard to imagine that whiny, snot-nosed kid as the president of fucking ShinRa."

"That is no way to speak of the President of Neo-ShinRa," Hinz sneered and puffed himself up "Why, when I tell him–"

"Hinz," Sephiroth's calm, cold voice stopped the lieutenant, "I have remained silent because both Rufus and Tseng asked me to but no longer. We both know that the person you report to on the Board isn't Rufus."

The lieutenant collapsed back down and the colour left his face. "I don't know what you mean…" but he averted his eyes as he said it.

Zack rocked back on his heels—this was becoming interesting. He had no idea what Seph was planning but he'd back him up all the way. "Yeah, you do."

"You lie very badly," the ex-Turk added his damning assessment. He moved to the side, as Fair had done, forming a living cage around the young officer, ready to block any attempt at escape.

Hinz was trembling lightly, but his family was one of the oldest on the eastern continent. He had generations of aristocratic history to call upon and he would not be intimidated by such riff-raff. He lifted his chin, "That's ridiculous. Of course I report to the Board. You saw my orders."

"I did," the General confirmed, "but I also talked to Rufus. Unlike his father, he actually listens when someone else speaks so we discussed the appointment at length. We realized very early that neither he nor Reeve had approved your orders. After that, it wasn't hard for Tseng to discover who was paying for the multi-million gil restoration of your family's estates." Although his voice remained calm and deliberate, to himself Sephiroth could admit to feeling rather annoyed by the lieutenant. Had the man really thought he was so completely stupid that he wouldn't realize when someone was trying to manipulate him? Did they have no understanding of how Hojo, and the other scientists, had treated him as he was growing up?

His eyes glowed bright acid green, giving away the depth of his anger. Zack saw it and decided to pull the lieutenant's attention to him until Seph could reclaim his control. He deliberately spread the wings of the coat wide, making sure all his natural glory was showing, before placing his hands on his hips. As expected, Hinz shuddered in well-bred horror and broke out in a sweat.

"This is almost better than Midgar Nights," the SOLDIER smiled in wide-eyed enjoyment—some of it was even real. "Who is the evil overlord, pulling strings in the background, trying to ruin the hopes of the handsome young prince? It isn't Reeve 'cause that guy gives his money to every damn sob-story he comes across."

"Don Corneo," Sephiroth stated simply and Hinz jumped in startled confirmation, "The self-proclaimed Mayor of Neo-Midgar." The dark-haired SOLDIER was frowning. He recognized the name but it wasn't coming forward. His memory of his life before Nibelheim was good but it still had holes in it.

"Don Corneo was rising to prominence in the slums at the same time Genesis and Angeal… left. He was, and is, a pimp, a pusher and a pedophile."

"Oh yeah, I got him now," Zack scrubbed hands through his dirty hair, "Used to get girls for his harem by saying he was going to marry one of them. Never did though. He was a slimy douche-bag."

The General nodded once. "He still is, and his backers are worse. They sell weapons, supplies and information to any side with enough money. People—innocents, die or end up in Hojo's hands because of them." If voices could be ice, Sephiroth's would be a glacier.

"And yet this man was assigned a position of confidence?" Vincent's voice was a low growl, even rougher than his normal tones and like a banked fire. There was a part of him that was very, very angry that this person had been placed so near Lucrecia's, no… his son.

"He was assigned a position where he could be fed whatever lies or half-truths we wanted them to know. You were a Turk; you should be familiar with the procedure." Sephiroth slanted the older man a slightly dismissive look. "At the time they proposed it, I didn't really care. However, I have been thinking that the promise of protection I gave to Lord Godo was essentially worthless; a lie of omission. They wanted assurances that ShinRa would not attack, I promised that I would not lead ShinRa forces. I promised, knowing it was trickery on my part. Control of Neo-ShinRa is still fluid and I know that the forces who wish to wrest control would return the company to the same level of greed, stupidity and ego that Rupert ShinRa always displayed—if not worse. So I have been thinking about what comes next and I have decided what kind of future I wish to be part of."

"Watch out world," Zack muttered, bouncing. The others would think he was excited by the unfolding events. Truth was he wanted to punch the traitorous bastard into next month and watch his brains splatter—giving people over to that fucker Hojo. However, the SOLDIER knew that Seph could do essentially the same thing with words… and less mess. Didn't stop him wanting to hit something though, so he bounced, and let people think what they wanted.

"Right now, Rufus may be young and his resources stretched too thin, but that will change. Unless and until he proves either corrupt or incompetent he will have my full and complete support. I will not tolerate, nor will I forgive, attempts made by Don Corneo, or his associates, to undermine what Rufus is attempting to build—especially when we are already under threat. If I hear that your noxious 'investors' are trying to destabilize the only functioning government there is, I will come after them with everything I am."

"I'll come too because, y'know, I like being the hero and it sounds like fun." Zack bounced up on his toes.

"It would allow me to atone for my sins," Vincent joined in, surprising the SOLDIERs although they didn't let it show.

"I have also decided that you will remain here, in this camp, and assist Commander Tucassa any way he sees fit. If you manage to get a message out to your employers then you may tell them what I said. If I see you back in the base camp, I will kill you," Sephiroth stated. "Are we clear, Lieutenant?"

Hinz's face was now blotchy and his breathing was ragged and hoarse. He'd never really had to accept responsibility for his actions before. His family, his social standing, had always insulated him. His parents hadn't questioned how he'd obtained the money to fix up their many mansions or where the cars and race chocobos came from. They'd accepted the largesse as their due, as he had. It was his right to have money and to live a privileged lifestyle because he'd always done so.

Obviously, that's not what the General believed and, when a two-meter tall, genetically-enhanced warrior said death was one possible consequence, then a smart man listened. Hinz, not normally known for his brains, decided that this time he would think before opening his mouth.

"There is another option," Vincent spoke up, once again surprising the others. "He could choose to continue his function as a conduit." The pause was heavy with possibilities.

"Become our tool rather than theirs," Sephiroth clarified, not liking the idea simply because he wanted this man dead.

"Correct."

Hinz cleared his throat, "I could do that."

The General narrowed his eyes at the pampered young officer. He knew that Hinz would do just about anything that didn't result in death or disgrace—or poverty. He would never be trustworthy… but he could be useful. "I will consider it. Until then, the ban on your presence in the main camp stays. Understood?"

The lieutenant meekly agreed but they could all see him thinking that he'd work the angles, figure out some way to benefit or get out of it later. Zack gave him three months, maybe less, before his associates 'suicided' him in a field somewhere. Hopefully the war would be over by then.

"See, Vinny," he bounced, "It all comes down to choices."

The patience of mountains was in the gunman's voice when he replied, "It's Vincent."

Zack just grinned.