Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.
12 - Ticking Clock
"Let's do this yo," Reno said. He removed his EMR and threw it on the ground before turning and facing Rude.
"I really don't like this Reno," Rude stated.
"Yeah? Ya think I'm fucking thrilled or something?" Reno retorted.
"Surely we can come up with something better," Elena threw in.
"We've been through this Elena. Shut yer noise tube." She flinched and the redhead quickly apologized. The blond gave a halfhearted smile and a nod in response.
Satisfied, Reno turned back to Rude. His mountain of a partner was standing in his normal pose: back straight, hands clasped at the waist, feet shoulder length apart. He eyed Rude, thinking he wasn't that much shorter than his partner, but he didn't have the muscle mass or weight. The redhead started jumping up and down, simultaneously shaking his arms out and tossing his head from side to side. This is ssooo not going to be pleasant, he thought as he rushed forward.
Rude had partnered with Reno long enough to expect a brash opening move. He quickly sidestepped and Reno slid to a stop about a foot away. The redhead turned and opened his mouth to say something, but Rude quickly reached out, grabbed the smaller man by the shirt, and punched him in the face.
Reno didn't flinch as Rude hit him; he laughed. The move was so similar to what he'd done to Rufus that he wondered if his partner had done it to make it known he was still annoyed about the incident. Unlike Rufus he didn't fall on his ass though. Instead he quickly spun and landed a roundhouse kick to Rude's head.
Rude stumbled sideways, shook his head, and went after Reno. He grabbed his partner's fist before it connected with his face and used Reno's momentum to throw him to the ground.
"Holy Gaia," Cissnei muttered as she watched Reno and Rude.
"Shouldn't they hold back a little?" Elena asked, clearly uneasy.
"No," Rufus replied. "The injuries wouldn't look real."
The trio fell into silence watching the two Turks fight. It was hard to tell who was actually winning. It was clear that while Rude may be physically stronger, Reno was far more flexible and faster. Given that it wasn't hard to understand why they were paired together so often. The two were perfect complements who could handle almost anything thrown at them.
Rude lunged forward, aiming for the side of Reno's head but the redhead dodged. He quickly twisted away and landed a kick to Rude's torso. Rude staggered and the redhead took the opportunity to land a few more blows on his partner. Rude finally regained his balance and charged forward.
Reno did a back flip; narrowly avoiding the kick Rude had aimed at his ribs. Unfortunately he couldn't complete the flip fast enough nor had he gotten out of reach. As a result Rude grabbed his left leg and threw him. "Sshhiiitttt!" he yelled as he sailed through the air. He landed face first and slid a good two feet, barely avoiding slamming his head into a rock. The redhead quickly jumped to his feet and winced.
"Oohh, so that's how you wanna play?" Reno called, turning to face Rude with a grin. His partner crouched into a defensive stance, eyebrow raised. Reno raced forward and leapt into the air. The move caught Rude off guard and he stood up, just like Reno had hoped he would.
The redhead twisted sideways, placing his feet in front of him. One foot landed on Rude's face, the other on his chest. Reno used his momentum to knock Rude over, landing upright on top of him. He had just enough time to grin at Elena, Rufus, and Cissnei before Rude yanked him off his feet and slammed him to the ground. Before he could regain his breath he was again flying through the air. He stopped as his back slammed into the side of the buggy; forcing what little breath he'd managed to claim out of him. Rude pinned him with one hand and struck him twice for good measure with the other.
"Enough!" Rufus yelled. Rude instantly let go and took a few steps backward, panting slightly. With Rude no longer supporting his weight, Reno slid down the side of the vehicle gasping for breath.
"Are you alright?" Rude asked of Reno.
"Never been... better yo," Reno replied, getting to his feet. The two eyed each other as Elena, Rufus, and Cissnei walked over to them.
Reno took in Rude's appearance and noted his handiwork. The big Turk's nose was a bloody mess, his lip was busted, and his bald head sported several cuts, scrapes, and scratches. His shirt was blood stained and torn, as was his jacket. Some of the blood was from a cut on his chest and some was from the nose. Rude's sunglasses had broken and there was an impression around his eyes from the force of the blow. There was also a red ring around his right eye from a fist.
Rude examined his partner just as closely. Reno's upper lip was split once, lower lip twice. His nose was seeping blood and his neck was bleeding from a cut in the back. There was a scratch on the left side of his face an inch wide that ran from his chin to just under his eye. Reno already had a black eye from Rufus and Rude knew he'd look like shit when everything else bruised. Rude pulled out a new pair of sunglasses and smirked, noting Reno's left ear was also scratched.
"What are you smirkin' at?" Reno asked, smirking back.
"I thought you were afraid of needles," Rude replied, snapping his sunglasses in place.
"What does tha-, oh," Reno grinned as his fingers found the earring. "Heh."
Rude raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. Reno toyed with the earring for a few seconds before dropping his hand. He hadn't forgotten about it, specifically how he'd gotten it, his foggy brain just hadn't followed the topic change. Shiva he was glad it hadn't gotten torn out. Though if it had, Genesis could do it all over again, he thought, grin widening.
"That should be sufficient," Rufus said, pulling up on the Turk's left.
"More than sufficient," Cissnei pitched in.
"Why didn't either of you stop sooner? You had to know you'd done enough," Elena asked.
Both Rude and Reno shrugged. "Heat of the battle I guess," the redhead replied. Rude flashed the faintest of smiles and nodded. Truth was they'd wanted to fight each other for a while and this had been the perfect excuse. It wasn't that they hated each other, it was the age old 'who's the alpha male' thing. Based on this little demo, Reno decided they were too evenly matched to tell. They'd really have to fight to find out and truly, he hoped they never did. He was really starting to like the big guy.
"Holy shit! Guess I missed the big fight," Angeal stated, stopping next to Elena. He tilted his head back and straightened his back as he caught his breath.
"Was a thing of beauty yo," Reno smirked, licking his busted lips. Rude wiggled his tie with the faintest wince.
"Well, you both achieved the desired effect. You look like you had your asses kicked... hard," Angeal replied, leveling his head with a chuckle.
"Did you find the PHS?" Rufus questioned. Angeal nodded and pulled the bag out of his pocket, handing it to Rufus. The VP accepted it with a nod.
"Ifrit we're really doing this," Elena whispered.
"Naahhh, Rude and I just wanted ta kick each other's asses," Reno sarcastically replied, earning a glare from Elena. While the statement was somewhat true, he wasn't going to admit it and neither would Rude.
"What time is the meeting?" Angeal asked.
"In about..." Rufus looked at his watch, "six hours."
Reno nodded. "Alright. Let's eat some lunch then finish up." Everyone nodded.
Elena and Angeal went to get the backpacks out of the buggy. Rude and Reno shook hands to show no hard feelings. Cissnei moved up beside the bald man, earning them both a smirk from Reno.
"Stuff it," Cissnei said with twinkling eyes.
"Heh, I don't think I'm the one you wa-"
"Reno!" she snapped.
Reno closed his mouth but gave a devious grin. Cissnei and Rude ambled away, leaving Rufus and Reno alone. Reno turned to the Vice President. "Guess everyone's confident I'm not gonna kill you huh?" he joked.
Rufus laughed. "Looks that way." He shifted and looked everywhere but at the Turk in front of him.
"What's up yo? You do know we're even right?"
"Yeah," Rufus said though a nervous laugh. "I want you to do it," he added in a serious tone, locking eyes with the redhead.
Reno knew exactly what Rufus was talking about and stared straight into his aquamarine gaze. "You sure about that?"
"Yes," Rufus said, then walked away.
"Ifrit's Balls," Reno muttered. He blew out a breath and watched the VP's back as he ambled away. The redhead wanted to ask 'why me' but he already knew the answer. Regardless of their recent spat Rufus trusted in him and his abilities. It was good to know and he was determined not to let the VP down. He blew out a breath and moved to sit next to Angeal. They sat in silence, staring off into the distance, lost in their own thoughts.
Genesis woke and cracked a blue eye open. He closed it and stretched, wishing he didn't have to get up. He could tell it was daylight but he had no clue what time it was. He sighed, sat up, and rubbed his hands across his face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Sephiroth said from the kitchen.
"You didn't," Genesis replied. "I just woke up. What time is it?"
"Noon."
"Shit," Genesis said with feeling. His heart jumped to his throat and his stomach fluttered.
"Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked. He heard the auburn haired man's heart start to pound, causing his pulse to speed up.
"Oh yeah, sure. My boyfriend's life depends on the outcome of a godsdamned board meeting," Genesis sarcastically replied. "But I'm just fucking divine!" He jumped out of bed, grabbed his shirt, and angrily jammed it onto his body. The SSC ran his fingers through his hair, knowing it must look like shit since he'd gone to sleep when it was wet.
"Boyfriend?"
Genesis, still annoyed, said, "Yeah, you do know what that is don't you?" in a sharp tone.
"Calm down Genesis, or you might set the house on fire."
"Wha-, oh that," Genesis said, calming slightly. "Sorry." He felt like an idiot for forgetting his emotions could make him cast spells. Yet... "My hands weren't even tingling!" he excitedly stated.
"Good," Sephiroth said. "I put the soup back on. We can eat before beginning."
Genesis nodded. "Is there a spare toothbrush in the bathroom?"
"There should be."
"Why don't people rob this place anyway?" Genesis questioned, moving toward the door.
"I do not know," Sephiroth replied. He'd wondered the same thing several times. "People just leave it alone."
"Huh." The auburn SOLDIER didn't bother putting his shoes on, just headed out the door and made his way to the bathroom.
Upon entering he walked over to the shelves, figuring that was the best place to look for a toothbrush. As he looked, he felt bad that he'd bitten Sephiroth's head off about the boyfriend thing. The guy was being nothing but nice and he was being a dick. He'd have to try and make up for it somehow.
The auburn found several new toothbrushes beside some travel sized toothpaste tubes. He grabbed one of each, headed to the sink, and looked in the mirror. As he'd suspected his hair was a fluffy mess. Even if he rewet it he didn't see anything to dry it with. He hated looking like shit and it made him sigh.
Once finished he returned to the house and found Sephiroth sitting at the table, back to the door. He appeared deep in thought and even seated his posture was perfect. Doesn't he ever just... relax?
Genesis approached asking, "You ok?" Sephiroth turned with such an odd expression on his face that he took a step back. Only then did he realized he'd been playing with the man's long silver hair. Shit! "I- I'm sorry. I wa- wasn't thinking," he stammered sheepishly. "It- it's very s-soft!"
"It's ok," Sephiroth said with a shrug. "It wasn't an entirely unpleasant experience. Just unexpected."
Genesis giggled out of nervousness and relief. "Well that's good... I guess." He moved and sat across from Sephiroth, thinking he'd be less likely to do something stupid.
A silence settled over the two. Unlike last night, this silence held some tension and discomfort. Genesis couldn't decide if he should kick himself for his stupidity or die from humiliation. At least he didn't kick my ass.
"You are... homosexual?"
"What?" Genesis said through a nervous cackle. Sephiroth opened his mouth, probably to repeat himself, and he quickly added, "N-, y-, hell I don't know! I think so?" The statement came out sounding like a question, further proof of his confusion.
"You... don't know?"
"I've never really thought about it enough to... classify myself," Genesis mused. "I guess I am though. I- I've only been with men and women don't seem... to appeal to me."
"I see."
Genesis couldn't tell what Sephiroth was thinking by his tone or his expression. "Is that a problem?"
"No."
"Thank Minerva," Genesis said through a breath of relief.
"Why would you care what I think?" Sephiroth asked, genuinely curious.
"Why wouldn't I?"
Sephiroth didn't know what to say to that. He thought about it before finally replying, "The only time people care what I think is when it involves battle strategy."
"I'm not people and I care, ok?"
"Why?"
Genesis growled out of frustration. It was like talking to a child who constantly asked 'why'. His eyes suddenly felt odd and he reached up to scratch them. He was about halfway there when Sephiroth stopped him with a hand on his wrist.
"Don't, you might injure them."
"What?" Genesis replied, trying to jerk away.
"It's the Mako. Do not touch them," Sephiroth said, releasing his grip. He stood and moved into the living room. The silver pulled open a desk drawer, removed something, and then returned to the table and held a mirror out to Genesis. "You'll eventually get used to the feeling and learn to ignore it. Until then, don't scratch."
Genesis took the mirror with a raised eyebrow. As he looked at his own reflection his jaw dropped. His eyes did glow. No wonder 'Geal was rattled. He was fixated for a minute, full of fascination and horror. "Fucking shit," he mumbled.
"I do not think it would be wise to fuck shit," Sephiroth said. He said 'fuck' and 'shit' like he'd never said them before and was trying them out. "It would probably lead to disease."
Genesis felt a smile creep over his face and he lowered the mirror. "Did you just make a joke?"
This time Sephiroth understood the teasing and smiled in return. "I believe so." Genesis gave a full-throated laugh and Sephiroth felt his smile become more confident and widen.
"There's hope for you yet my friend," Genesis quipped. Sephiroth's smile slipped and he tiled his head to one side. "What's wrong?"
"Is that why you care about my opinion? You believe we are... friends?"
Genesis thought about it. Did he think they were friends? "No I don't think we're friends... yet. I think we're becoming friends though. And yeah, I guess that's why I care about your opinion."
"Oh," Sephiroth replied, looking at the table.
Genesis gave him a puzzled look. "Don't you want friends?"
"I never considered it." He thought for a moment as Genesis watched his eyes fade in the mirror. "It might be enjoyable... so long as they don't play with my hair all the time."
Genesis lowered the mirror as his eyes widened and he started laughing. His laughter almost bent him double and eventually Sephiroth joined in. Once the fit died down, Sephiroth moved to the stove and found the soup had finished reheating. He spooned some into bowls while Genesis got out the bread and butter. The two sat down and enjoyed a quiet meal, each thinking they wouldn't mind having the other as a friend.
The Turks, Angeal, and Rufus enjoyed a quiet meal of their own. Reno grimaced a few times, deciding Rude had knocked a tooth lose. He wondered if Materia could fix teeth. Ifrit he hated the dentist. Either way he'd have to deal with it until tonight at the earliest, more likely tomorrow. Assuming he had to deal with it at all. Stop it!
As everyone started to hand their bowls to Angeal, who was on cleanup duty, Reno decided it was time. "Elena give me your sidearm. Cissnei get the med kit out of my bag."
"Sir?" Elena stated, voice wavering slightly. Cissnei said nothing, just went to get the kit.
"Sidearm, now," he snipped. He'd use his own but he'd lost it before the chopper crashed. If they didn't die, Shinra would probably charge him for it and the PHS. Cheap bastards.
Elena handed over her weapon and he held it for a moment. It felt foreign to him. Sure he had one, but he preferred his EMR. He stood and walked away from the group, Rude and Rufus trailing behind him.
Rufus silently followed Rude and tried to be nonchalant. What the hell had he been thinking? He didn't have to do this! Yes, you do. As Reno stopped he rigidly moved around him, halting about 10 feet in front of the redhead. Rude took up a position in between the two, careful to stay out of the line of fire. Elena, Cissnei, and Angeal stopped about two feet behind Reno and exchanged somber glances as they caught on.
Reno had his eyes fixed firmly on the ground, gun held at his side, pointed down. He saw Rude move into position out of his peripheral vision and heard the others stop behind him. The redhead raised his head and locked sky blue eyes with aquamarine ones.
"You sure about this yo?" Reno asked, almost praying the kid had changed his mind.
"Yes," Rufus firmly stated.
"Sir, please think about this," Elena pleaded.
"I have," Rufus said in an authoritative tone. "This has to be done or the plan falls apart. If any of you interfere, I will consider it disregarding an order and appropriate action will be taken."
Reno swung his left arm up, bringing it and the gun in his hand to shoulder level. He let all the air out of his body and sighted. When he was completely still he whispered, "I'm sorry yo," and fired.
The shot shattered the silence and seemed as loud as an explosion. The bullet hit Rufus high in the left shoulder, just as he'd wanted. Reno knew from experience that it was a clean through-and-through. Nothing major, like a lung, had been hit unless Rufus had some screwed up anatomy. He figured the worst problems the kid might face were shock and pain. The redhead didn't even expect any muscle, nerve, tendon damage, or major blood loss.
Both his partner and Rufus impressed Rude. Neither flinched, they'd just done what they needed to do. He pretty much expected that from Reno, but Rufus? The bald Turk figured the kid didn't know what he was asking for. To his surprise Rufus didn't even make a peep. The only sign that he'd even been hit was the blood blossoming on his jacket.
Reno spun the weapon until he was gripping the barrel, then turned and handed it back to Elena. She took it and he joined Rude at Rufus's side. The VP was still on his feet and Rude was helping him out of his jacket.
"I'd ask if yer ok, but I just shot ya," Reno remarked. His tone was an odd combination of bitterness and playfulness.
"I'm ok. I don't feel it. Yet," Rufus affirmed. He began unbuttoning his shirt as Rude laid his jacket on the ground.
Reno sighed. "You will." Cissnei came up beside him and handed him the first aid kit Legend had given him. He opened it and removed a can of local anesthetic spray, wound disinfectant, a wad of unopened gauze pads, and medical tape. Items in hand, he handed the box back to Cissnei, who snapped it closed and backed away.
Rufus now had his shirt off and Reno and Rude went to work field dressing the wound. It only took a few minutes and by the time they were done, Elena was standing next to the trio with two pills and a bottle of water. She held both out to Rufus.
"I'm fine," Rufus said, shaking his head and buttoning his shirt in place.
"Take it anyway," Reno said as Elena started to back up. She stopped and looked at him like he'd sprouted a second head. The hell? He ignored it and continued, "It's ibuprofen Rufus, it's not gonna knock ya out or anything. You need a painkiller and an anti-inflammatory before it flares up. Ibuprofen is both."
Rufus pulled his jacket into place and fought not to wince. He looked from Reno, to Rude, to Elena and noted their identical, knowing expressions. "Alright," he said, holding his hands out toward Elena. She smiled and handed over the water and medicine.
Reno nodded, walked back to the buggy, and pounded his forehead on it a few times to keep from screaming. He was incensed, frustrated, bitter, and just about everything in between. The redhead felt like he'd just stripped some part of Rufus's innocence away. He knew that probably wasn't true, but Kjata's Dick it pissed him off.
"Reno?" came a quiet voice from behind him.
"Wha'?" Reno croaked.
"You ok?"
The redhead sighed and turned around. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... frustrated."
Angeal smiled. "I'll bet."
"Heh, least this shit's almost done," he replied, kicking the ground. He looked up and noticed Angeal was fidgeting. "Something botherin' you SOLDIER? Besides what just happened that is."
"Actually, yeah," Angeal replied. He took a breath and blew it out before continuing. "The plan is solid... except one part."
"What part?"
Angeal's cobalt blue eyes locked with the Turk's. "How are we going to get into the building?"
Reno blinked at the SSC a few times. "Eh, through the front door?"
"With Rufus?"
"Well yeah," Reno reproachfully replied.
"That's not going to work." Angeal kicked the ground to gather his thoughts as Reno went back to blinking at him. "If you walk through the door with Rufus, any SOLDIERs or infantrymen are going to shoot anyone with him. They think Rufus is a hostage Reno. Kill you, their heroes and the problem is solved." He looked back up and watched Reno comprehend what he was saying. "Even if you put a gun to the kid's head they'll shoot you. Not to mention it would practically prove President Shinra, Scarlet, and Heidegger's villainization of the Turks, almost certainly sealing your fates."
Son of a bitch! Reno thought. Angeal was right. Their plan covered convincing the board of the Turks loyalty at the meeting. They'd failed to consider how to actually get to the meeting. "Fucking hell," Reno mumbled, slumping back into the buggy, rubbing his hands over his face a few times, and then crossing his arms. "Any ideas?"
"Aside from trying to sneak in somewhere? No."
Reno's mind was spinning. If they'd failed to consider such a basic aspect, what else had they failed to consider? His heart started to pound and he wished Genesis were here. Sure he might not have a plan either, but he'd feel better with the auburn SOLDIER present.
He turned and slammed a fist into the side of the vehicle. He didn't even make a dent and again wondered where the hell Sephi-, he stopped and spun back to face Angeal. "Sephiroth!"
Angeal raised an eyebrow, "Sephiroth?"
"Yeah. He's with Gen right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Give me yer PHS yo," Reno said, wiggling his fingers at Angeal, grinning from ear to ear.
After breakfast Sephiroth and Genesis folded the chair and couch back to normal. Currently Genesis was sitting in the chair watching Sephiroth clean both of their Shinra issued swords. He'd tried to help but the silver haired SOLDIER had declined his offer. Having nothing to better to do he sighed and closed his eyes.
Being idle left him plenty of time to practice his emotional control. Probably the reason he declined. His emotions had gone up and down, ranging from worry to rage. His hands hadn't tingled once and he was relieved. It gave him confidence that he could control what was happening.
He'd asked Sephiroth about the eyes and learned there was no way to control the level of luminosity. Genesis hadn't liked that, but Sephiroth further explained they'd look like normal SOLDIER eyes in a few days. That he could deal with.
"Your sword has a crack," Sephiroth said with a raised eyebrow.
"Those things are pieces of shit," Genesis replied, snapping his eyes open.
Sephiroth chuckled. "True, but how did you crack it?"
"During the Behemoth battle. I think it was when the thing rolled over to get me off it."
Sephiroth nodded. "Is your boyfriend a SOLDIER or a Turk?"
"Turk."
"Oh."
"That a problem?" Genesis defensively snipped, not liking Sephiroth's tone.
"No. I was just surprised."
"Why?"
"I'm sure you know the departments do not typically... fraternize," Sephiroth replied.
"In case you hadn't figured it out, the Turks are up a shit creek without a paddle. Right now I don't think they'd care who they fraternized with if help is sincerely offered. Besides, departmental bullshit is just that, bullshit. We all work for the same fucking company," Genesis snapped. He sighed and added, "Plus there's that old expression 'you can't help you who fall for'. Guess it's true."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "I do not understand the expression 'up a shit creek without a paddle'. Am I correct in assuming it means they are in deep shit?" Genesis nodded so he continued. "Then you're statement is correct. You met Reno on this mission then?"
"Yes," Genesis replied less defensively.
Sephiroth nodded and went back to working on the sword. Genesis was about to ask why the silver haired man cared when his PHS vibrated in his pocket. He yanked it out, saw Angeal's number, and smiled. "Yes?" he answered, not knowing exactly who would be on the other end.
"Hey love," Reno cheerfully replied.
Genesis rolled his eyes but smiled. "Everything ok?"
"Yep. I need to talk to Sephiroth though."
Genesis blew out a breath. "I don't like the sound of that."
Reno chuckled. "You are one of the most suspicious people I know, ya know that?"
"Your point is...?"
"Heh, that was it yo," the Turk chuckled. "Angeal found a small flaw in our plan, but I thought of a solution if Sephiroth will help." He didn't know how 'small' the flaw really was, but he didn't want to worry the SSC anymore than necessary.
Genesis swallowed hard and flashed his eyes on Sephiroth. "Oh he'll help alright." At those words Sephiroth looked up and their eyes clashed. Genesis realized that Sephiroth's eyes started to glow a bit. Only then did he note his eyes had that strange feeling and were probably glowing as well. Least I'm in good company, he thought, holding his PHS out to Sephiroth.
Sephiroth alternately eyed Genesis and the device held out to him. At his hesitation to take the phone, Genesis's eyes flared. He glared at the auburn haired man and snatched the PHS out of his hand. "Yes?"
"Where'd you get this... vehicle thing yo? It's killer," an unknown voice questioned.
"Whom am I speaking with?" Sephiroth questioned in a neutral tone.
"Reno, Active Director of the Department of Administrative Research."
"I stole it from the science department," Sephiroth replied, not seeing harm in telling the Turk the truth.
"Heh, makes it even better," Reno said through a chuckle. "Eh look, we need yer help."
"Go on," he said, glancing at Genesis. The auburn SOLDIER looked worried and anxious.
Reno told him about the glitch in the Turks plan. He finished with, "So I was thinkin' you could escort us."
"Escort you?" Sephiroth questioned, confused.
"Yeah. If we don't have weapons out or appear threatening, who the hell would stop us if we're with you? They'll assume you were sent to retrieve Rufus, you succeeded, and that we're your prisoners."
Sephiroth thought for a moment before looking at Genesis. The other SOLDIER looked like he was about to panic. He nodded his head once and saw relief wash over Genesis's face. "It won't work with just me," Sephiroth replied, sending Genesis straight back into panic mode. "SSCs' Hewley and Rhapsodos will be required as well." He saw Genesis perch himself on the very edge of his seat. The man was glaring while smirking, which made Sephiroth raise an eyebrow.
"That's fine yo," Reno replied.
"We will meet you in Sector 5 in three hours," Sephiroth stated. He disconnected the call and handed the PHS back to Genesis. The silver then stood and handed the other SOLDIERs sword over. "We must go," he said, already moving to the door.
Genesis quickly stood and followed, barely containing his excitement and dread. His hands tingled but he concentrated and the sensation vanished. Everything was going to be ok. And if not, at least I'll get to see Reno a fin-, he stopped the thought and shook his head in agitation. Reno would not die. If he had to kill everyone in Shinra singlehandedly the Turk would live. He hands tingled again and an evil smirk crept onto his face. Oh yes, I'll kill them all if I have to.
As Reno, Angeal, and Sephiroth plotted, Cissnei, Elena, and Rude helped Rufus to the buggy. When they reached their destination, the two women moved aside and Rude helped the VP into the passenger's seat. They decided to place him up front since it would be better than Rufus trying to climb into the back with a fresh bullet wound.
Rude thought the young Vice President was holding up remarkably well. He knew Rufus could be hard as nails within the company, but figured the kid wasn't as tough as he appeared. The last few hours had changed his mind though.
Rufus gave a tired sigh as he leaned back into the seat. His shoulder was beginning to ache and he was adamantly trying to ignore it. Rude had made a makeshift sling out of a piece of blanket Reno had given him and he was thankful since moving the shoulder shot fire though his arm and down his side. He had a new respect for all the military groups at Shinra as they were routinely injured and kept going like nothing was wrong.
As Rude leaned out of the vehicle, Rufus noticed Cissnei and Elena were out of earshot and said, "You should talk to her."
"Sir?" Rude replied, giving the VP a confused expression.
"Cissnei."
Rude's eyebrows shot up then lowered as he scowled. He opened his mouth twice before he got out, "What would a girl like her want with someone like me?"
Rufus was taken aback. He could think of several reasons why approaching Cissnei might be difficult, but apparent low self-esteem hadn't been one of them. Rude always seemed so confident and self-assured that he couldn't picture him any other way. He is human after all, he thought. Aloud he said, "What wouldn't she want with someone like you?"
Rude shifted nervously. He didn't generally talk much and when he did, it certainly wasn't about himself or his feelings. The bald Turk had never been close enough with anyone to want to or be comfortable doing so. Reno was as close as he'd ever gotten and there was still a hell of a lot of room for improvement there. He shrugged and locked eyes with the ash blonde VP in front of him.
A weak smile spread across Rufus's face. He knew he'd made Rude uncomfortable but he had to continue. "Look, if you don't talk to her she might find someone else and you'll always wonder. Isn't it better to know than not to?"
"I- I don't know Sir."
"Well it is," Rufus snapped. "Sorry." He leaned back and closed his eyes. "Trust me, keeping shit like this hidden fucking sucks," he added in a whisper. He opened his eyes and refocused his gaze on the bald Turk. "The worst that could happen from talking to her is that she turns you down. So what? Your pride takes a ding but at least you have an answer and can move on. Besides, I don't think you'll get shot down. She seems interested."
Rude stared down at Rufus with a thoughtful expression. He knew the VP was right, but it didn't make talking to Cissnei easier. The bald Turk scratched his head and watched the ash blond close his eyes again. Rufus was giving him advice that he himself couldn't, or wouldn't, take. He knew their situations were different and it didn't anger him, it just made him feel bad for the kid.
"I will leave the door open until we leave. If you need anything Sir, please yell," Rude said. Rufus gave a small nod and resettled himself. Confident the VP was as comfortable as he was going to get, Rude walked over to Cissnei and Elena. The conversation stopped as he halted.
Elena whistled and said, "Reno worked you over pretty good."
Rude nodded. He could tell the injuries were setting in as he couldn't count the places where his skin was scratchy, tight, throbbed, or all of the above. "Can we talk?" he said, turning to Cissnei.
"Sure," Cissnei replied.
"I'm going to go poke Reno's bruises," Elena gleefully stated before walking away. The two Turks watched as she snuck up behind Reno and poked the back of his neck. He whirled with a 'Hey!' before she giggled and hid behind Angeal. Reno glared at her with a grin and shook his head.
Cissnei chuckled and looked up at Rude, who was half scowling, half smiling. She took in the mostly formed bruises and suppressed a grimace. When Rude turned toward her it took a huge amount of willpower not reach out and see just how bad some of the injuries were.
Rude blew out a breath before he spoke. "When you joined the Turks I was struck by your physical beauty. The more I watched you, the more I realized it wasn't just physical, it's the whole package," he rushed, wishing he sounded more romantic. "I have liked you for months. Hell, more than liked you. I don't mean to pressure you or make you uncomfortable. It's just that if things don't go in our favor, I wanted to die knowi-," he was cut off by a finger on his lips.
"I would have used my mouth, but even on tiptoes I'm still too short," Cissnei said.
During his speech Rude had closed his eyes thinking it would be easier to get everything out. He snapped them open at Cissnei's words. She was standing less than a foot away, eyes glassy from unshed tears. For a minute he wondered if he'd upset her that badly, but as he took in her smile the words clicked. Her next words reaffirmed his conclusion.
"I've been trying to get your attention for weeks. I even talked to Reno," she said, giggling. "Gods I'm glad you finally said something."
She'd been trying to get his attention? How in Gaia did I miss that? The answer was simple: when he was at work he focused on work. He hardly ever saw Cissnei outside of work. In hindsight he could now see her efforts here and there and it made him want to kick himself for being so blind. He swooped down and lifted the small Turk until their mouths' were even. She gave a cute little yelp and giggled before their lips touched.
The kiss was chaste but sweet. Though he didn't want to, Rude pulled back, acutely aware that they had an audience. If the others hadn't been watching before, they most certainly were after Cissnei's yelp.
Cissnei smiled brightly as he lowered her to the ground. They both glanced toward everyone else and sure enough, they were being ogled. Reno was leaning on the vehicle, arms stretched over the roof with a grin on his face. Angeal sported a huge smile and Elena was pulled close to the SOLDIER's right side with a smile of her own. Even Rufus was looking at them with a smile, though there was a trace of sadness to it. As he watched, everyone quickly turned away like they hadn't noticed anything unusual. He shook his head and chuckled.
"You talked to Reno?" Rude asked playfully.
"Hell yes!" Cissnei replied jovially. "I figured if anyone could help me out it would be him or Tseng, and I was ssooo not talking to Tseng about that."
Rude grinned, picturing the look on Tseng's face as Cissnei asked advice about romance. He could almost see the Wutain's knuckles go white as he clasped his hands in panic. His next thought was that he should pound Reno for keeping his mouth shut. Out loud he said, "So you don't hate Reno?" He hated to ask, fearing she might get upset and things were going so well, but he had to know.
She sighed. "No, I don't hate him. He's just..." she trailed off, searching for the right words.
"Reno?" Rude supplied. Cissnei giggled and the sound lightened his heart.
"Exactly!" She turned her face up. "I know what you're thinking and don't worry about it. He said we'd talk when this is over so we'll work it out or reach an agreement. Both of us like our jobs too much not to." She paused. "Do you... know why his file is sealed?" She hated to ask almost as much as Rude probably hated asking about Reno, but her curiosity got the better of her.
Rude looked down at her. "No. I didn't even know it was sealed."
"Who can seal files anyway?" She thought she knew but wanted confirmation.
He thought for a moment before replying, "It depends on the files. With our files it would be Tseng, Rufus, or President Shinra. Veld could have as well."
"Could he have sealed his own?"
Rude again thought before replying. "I don't think so. Besides, I don't think he knew the file was sealed."
"Really?" Cissnei replied, surprised. Rude nodded and the conversation fell silent for a few minutes.
She looked toward the others but saw only Reno and Rufus. Reno was sitting on the hood of the vehicle, back resting on the windshield, one leg straight, the other bent at the knee, arms folded behind his head. Rufus was still seated in the passenger's seat and it looked like he was sleeping, though he probably wasn't. She looked around and finally spotted Angeal and Elena sitting side-by-side a short distance behind the buggy. Looking closer she noticed they were holding hands and she smiled.
Rude said, "Stay here." He kissed her on the forehead and strode over to Reno. The two had a short conversation and he returned to Cissnei. "We have a few hours. Reno set the alarm on Rufus's PHS and he'll call us when it goes off," he said, taking her hand.
"Ok," she replied, giving his hand a squeeze. She looked around and grinned. "How about we have a little fun?" she asked, pointing to a small cluster of rocks well within Reno's shouting range. They weren't huge and the others might still be able to see them, but they'd have a little privacy.
Rude gave a rare full-blown smile and started for the rocks. A little relaxation before the final showdown was exactly what they both needed. He didn't know how far they'd go and didn't care. He'd enjoy every second and if shit went badly later, he'd die a happy man.
Legend and himself had approached Midgar under the cover of darkness. They'd left the chopper and traveled a good distance to hide and wait. Both had agreed that they should rest and Legend had taken the first watch. A few hours later he'd woken to the alarm on his PHS and quickly discovered the other Turk was nowhere to be found.
Tseng was now hiding in a small hollow about 500 feet away from the Sector 7 gate. From his position he could clearly see the gate and was watching for any suspicious activity. Thus so far nothing had happened except the gate guard flitting with passing women. Every time the guy flirted, he scowled, finding it completely unprofessional and inappropriate.
He wondered what had happened to Legend, but he wasn't overly concerned. The Wutain hadn't set the alarm, which meant that Legend had left of his own accord, setting the alarm before he went. He wished the man would have given him a heads up but it didn't matter now. Besides, he didn't blame him for getting out while he could.
For the past few hours he'd had plenty of time to think about the upcoming meeting. Admittedly he hadn't thought so much about the meeting, but of the consequences. Sure he knew the general gist of the plan, but he didn't expect to walk out of the Shinra building alive. Hell, he didn't expect the others to even make it to the meeting. Much to his disdain, he found himself thinking of everything he'd done, and everything he hadn't.
The Wutain thought of things both before and after he'd joined the Turks. He remembered times of failure, and times of success. The new Turk Director thought of things he was proud of, and things he wished he could take back. He thought about how much he'd changed over the years, and those he had known along the way. Tseng realized that though he'd had relationships, he'd never truly loved anyone romantically. In his own way he loved the Turks, but it was mostly plutonic love. The realization didn't sadden him much; he'd long ago given up that part of his life for his career.
His chest ached as he thought of the Turks he was leaving behind. He knew after today they probably wouldn't be Turks anymore and he prayed to Leviathan they had the skills to survive in the aftermath of the meeting. The Wutain also prayed they'd find a place for themselves somewhere on Gaia where they could live out the rest of their lives in peace. Whether they stayed together or drifted apart didn't matter so long as they were happy.
The more he thought, the more he was certain they would survive. While none of them had been with the Turks for more than a year and a half, they had all been handpicked and trained with the utmost attention to detail. Yes, he could die knowing they'd live on. While grim, the thought gave him the courage and determination to walk into the meeting and do what he could to help them start their new lives. If his death helped secure their future, then he'd offer himself up willingly.
His PHS vibrated against his chest and he tensed. He pulled the phone out of his inner jacket pocket and turned the alarm off, glancing at the screen: 17:20. Tseng replaced the device and rolled the tension out of his muscles while watching the gate guard. As expected the man had his back to him, watching the people pass by inside the city. He popped out of his hiding place and closed the distance with conviction.
In less than a minute the guard was on the ground and Tseng held the gate key in his hand. He took a deep breath and placed the key in the lock with unwavering resolution. The Wutain felt his emotions drain away and wrapped himself in cold Turk indifference. He turned the key, entered Midgar, and quickly disappeared into the shadows. Take care of yourself Reno, he thought, stealthy and quickly making his way to the Shinra building and his fate.