Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.

30 – Poking Reality

Reno woke up with his face pressed against something course and scratchy. Couch, he thought, immediately amazed he could think at all. The word migraine did not do justice to the pulsing, stabbing pain taking up residence in his skull. It felt like his brain was a bass speaker, expanding and contracting to a steady thump.

The redhead took a deep breath and slowly brought his right hand to his face, gently pressing his index finger and thumb against closed eyelids. The orbs felt swollen and pressurized as though his brain was trying to squeeze them right out of their sockets. A cartoon image of himself with eyes dangling from the optical nerves jumped into his mind. He fought a chuckle, knowing it only worsen the horrific pain in his head.

"Are you finally awake?"

Eyes still closed, Reno winced at the sound of his boss's voice. Though the Wutain hadn't spoken loudly, it still felt like a hot poker being jabbed into a fresh wound. The redhead tried twice before he was finally able to get a groggy, "Yeah," out of his dry throat. Steeling himself with a few steady breaths, he finally managed to slowly roll over and sit up. The pounding in his head increased by tenfold and he hadn't even opened his eyes. Shit.

"You do not look well."

"I'm fine."

"Perhaps you should rest."

"I said I'm fine," Reno snapped, eliciting another wince. "Just a headache."

Tseng watched as the redhead opened his eyes only to immediately scrunch them closed. After a moment, the lids cracked and moved apart slowly until they were mostly open. They stayed that way for perhaps two minutes before closing once more. He took a sip of water as the redhead muttered a curse and leaned back into the couch. "Must be some headache," he finally said in faint amusement.

"Tseng?"

"Hmm?"

"Bite me yo."

"I do not believe that would help, but if you insist…" the Wutain trailed off, tipping the water glass to his lips. Over the rim of the cup Reno smirked faintly. He turned, rinsed his cup out, and faced the redhead once more. The man was rubbing fingers against his temples. "Must I order you?"

"No," sighed Reno quietly.

"Good. Additional personnel should be arriving soon. I am going to meet with the Mayor and make supply lists before their arrival. If anything happens I will notify you."

"Alrigh'. I'll work on the files later if I can."

"Very well, but do not push yourself."

"I won't yo."

Tseng walked toward the door and at the sound of his footsteps Reno's eyes cracked open. "If you begin feeling any worse notify me at once."

"Will do."

Reno watched his boss leave through half-open eyes. As the door clicked shut he titled his head back with a sigh. After a few moments he stood slowly then waited for the misery in his head to level out before moving. Even if he wanted to push himself it was clear his head wouldn't allow it, but like it or not other parts of his body demanded a restroom.

Once he'd finished taking care of business Reno chanced a look in the mirror. Gods he looked like shit. His eyes looked bruised and puffy and his skin was drained of almost all color. Even his normally bouncy and vibrant hair was limp and dull.

The redhead cast a glance at the shower and debated. The pain in his head remained but it was a mostly manageable ache now. Would a shower make it better or worse? He decided to risk it and turned on the hot water.

As he waited for the water to heat, he pulled his PHS out to check the time: 07:56. Almost like home, he thought with a grin. Often he got up around this time, took a quick shower, and was at the office by 09:00 hundred.

Before he replaced the phone, the redhead once again tried to get in touch with Genesis: no answer. Irritated, he snapped the device shut with a scowl. There was a six or seven hour time difference between Gongaga and Midgar, so it would be around 02:00-03:00 hundred hours there. Turks and SOLDIERs were required to keep their PHS's on 24/7, so even if he was asleep the call should have woken him up. Maybe he's on a mission. Possible, but unlikely since as far as he knew the auburn was still suspended from missions. Maybe he forgot to take his PHS off vibrate or silent. That option, while still unlikely, was more believable but only just.

Reno growled, jammed his PHS into his pocket, and cranked on the cold water, deciding lukewarm was probably the best route to take. Too hot or cold might make his headache return to full force. At the moment the discomfort had settled enough that he at least felt functional and he hoped to keep it that way. He disrobed and removed the tie from his hair and his goggles as quickly as he dared. Testing the water once more, he finally stepped under the spray.

The water cascading down his shoulders felt wonderful and helped lessen his headache more. He washed slowly and tried to bend over as little as possible figuring blood rushing to his head was a bad idea. Once he'd finished soaping up he pressed his palms against the wall in front of him and let the water rinse away the suds without assistance. He had to admit that even though the headache had lessened he still felt like shit. His throat was scratchy, his stomach was slightly upset, and his joints ached. Great, fuckin' flu.

Roughly 15 minutes after he turned the water on Reno shut it off with a sigh. He stepped out of the shower, patted himself dry, pulled on his pants, and threw on his shirt but left it unbuttoned. It would be nice to get his other uniform since it was clean but it was in the chopper and would have to wait.

The redhead picked up his discarded towel and rubbed it over his head until he was satisfied his hair would air dry quickly. That accomplished he retied the unruly locks and put his goggles in their rightful place before hanging up the towel and turning toward the living room.

To work or not to work, that was the question. He eyed the laptop and swore he heard it calling his name, but all he could think about was a seemingly endless flow of tiny letters and numbers that were sure to make his head pound all over again. A shiver struck him and he finally decided to rest for an hour or two and take things from there.

Reno strolled into the main part of the hut, walked to the bed, and yanked back the covers. He sat and quickly disappeared under the blanket to ward off the chill that had settled over him. The feeling that he was neglecting his duties was strong but he fought it off by telling himself making himself sicker sure as hell wouldn't accomplish anything, except that it might take him even longer to get back to work. Tseng had told him not to push it so he was only following orders. Here's to orders, he thought just before sleep claimed him.

"All clean Boss. She'll even pass Reno's inspection."

Tseng nodded. "How did Zack do?"

"Worked hard without any lip, so I'd say great."

"Is Eagle clean?"

"She's fine, Sir," Rude replied, glad Tseng left out the Bald part. Ever since Reno had begun flying he'd given nicknames to every chopper based on who was piloting. If Tseng was piloting the chopper was known as Panther, Elena at the controls meant Sparrow, Reno was Tin Can, and Rude was Bald Eagle. Even Rufus hadn't been spared and was known as Snowflake.

"Very well. Reno was not feeling well this morning. Go check on him then meet me at the Mayor's house." Rude nodded. "Zack!" The youth tossed water out of a bucket and handed it to Elena before trotting over. "Show Rude where Reno and I are staying, then return to SSC Hewley."

"Yes, Sir," replied the youth. He turned to the bald Turk, who nodded, so he set out. 10 minutes later he stopped in front of the Turks hut. "Here, Sir." Again his only response was a nod before the Turk disappeared into the hut. With a confused look and a shrug, he went to find Angeal.

Rude walked into the hut and let the door close behind him. The place was small and not exactly five star quality but it was comfortable and clean. The furniture was simple and wooden aside from the battered, hunter green couch. The flooring and kitchen cabinets were also wooden, making him feel like he was inside a tree. Generic paintings of flowers and fruit hung on the walls and provided color, as did a few worn rugs, throw pillows, and blankets. A closed laptop sat on the coffee table with neatly stacked discs off to one side and papers on the other. There was a gutted metal box, which he assumed was the transmitter Tseng had told him about, on the kitchen table.

Not seeing his partner on the couch the Turk's eyes drifted to the bed and spotted a suspicious lump with red hair sticking out of the top of it. "Reno?" he quietly called, not sure if his partner was awake or asleep.

"Yo," Reno replied, poking out three fingers on his right hand as a wave.

"Tseng asked me to check on you."

"I'm fine."

"You're lying," Rude replied, knowing if the redhead was fine he wouldn't still be in bed.

"I know."

"Hmphf," snorted the bald man, striding over to the bed. He peeled back the blanket, moved Reno's goggles up, and dropped a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up."

"Least my skin's warm," Reno muttered, yanking the blanket back up. He heard cloth rustling and added, "Don't ya dare call Tseng."

"He should be notified."

"It's just a fuckin' fever Rude."

Rude looked at his PHS, then at his partner before returning the device to his pocket. "I'll stay here for awhile. If you get any worse I'm calling."

"Yeah, yeah," Reno grumbled, balling the blanket up under his chin so he could see yet stay warm. "When ya get here anyway?"

"A few hours ago."

"Really? Time is it?"

"Around noon."

"Musta dozed off," the redhead absently mumbled. "Ya meet the new recruit yet?"

"Fair? Yeah. He helped me wash Panther."

"She appreciates yer TLC." Rude chuckled, retrieved a chair from the kitchen table, and sat a few feet from the bed. "The hell ya grinnin' at?"

"Least now I know you aren't hiding some secret anti-cold repellant."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Germs just seem to bounce off you."

"I've been sick before yo."

"Not since I've known you."

"Really?" Reno asked in thought. "Guess yer right. Don't think I've been sick since I was 14."

"Lucky."

"Looks like it ran out."

"Good. Maybe I'll finally win a game of poker."

"Keep dreamin'," Reno chuckled. There was a knock at the door and he watched Rude get up and answer it. Not being able to see who it was he closed his eyes and burrowed into the covers. A few minutes later, he reopened his eyes as his partner returned.

"Sit up and drink some of this."

"What is it yo?"

"Broth of some kind."

Reno started to decline but decided it might help warm him up. His stomach was slightly upset but that could be because he hadn't eaten all day. Wouldn't hurt to try some of it and see what happened. "Alright," he finally said, sitting up slowly. Rude blinked at him in surprise as he handed the covered cup over. Musta thought he'd have to fight with me. "I ain't a stranger to illness. I know the drill," the redhead grinned.

Rude nodded, sat, and began removing the plastic wrap from a plate. He watched Reno take the cover off his cup, blow on it, and take a few tentative sips before picking up a sandwich and taking a bite. The bald man wasn't sure what it was exactly but it tasted good. Reno and Tseng had both been eating the local food and since the Wutain was fine, he doubted the redhead's illness had anything to do with food so he munched away.

Reno finished about half the broth and decided he'd had enough. It tasted good and had helped warm him some, but he didn't want to push his failing luck. Placing the cup on the nightstand he nodded at Rude before sinking back under the covers.

The bald Turk watched Reno lay back down and finished his lunch. After a few minutes the redhead drifted off and he quietly picked up the dishes, took them to the kitchen, and washed them. That out of the way he debated on calling Tseng but decided against it. The man could yell at him later if he wanted but he wasn't going to leave Reno and saw no reason to rat him out. So far his partner was behaving like a proper sick person and unless he got worse he could handle it.

Rude went into the living room and stared at the laptop in thought. He could try to work on the files Tseng had mentioned but he wasn't likely to get far. That sort of thing wasn't really up his alley. Reno often told him he lacked finesse with electronics and whatever the cause the things seemed to hate him. He spotted some books on a bookshelf, selected one, and sat on the couch to read.

A few hours later the door opened and Tseng entered with a man in a white lab coat. The newcomer was tan and in his late twenties to early thirties. He had shaggy black hair that flipped outward just above his ears and went down to his shoulders in back. His face sported a full, bushy beard the same color as his hair. The eyes that locked with Rude's were dark brown. The man smiled and nodded before heading toward Reno.

"Be careful. He is unfamiliar with you and jumpy under the best of circumstances," Tseng called.

"I'm used to dealing with SOLDIERs, Director Tseng. They get pretty jumpy too," the man chuckled, looking at the lump he assumed was his patient. His voice roused the Turk and the man quickly sat up with a blink. "Hello Reno. Long time no see eh?"

"Hollander?" Reno rasped, not fully awake.

"The one and only!" Professor Hollander jovially replied, dropping a black bag onto the bed, opening it, and digging for something. "You really should be more careful. Seems to me every time we meet you're injured or sick!"

"Gotta keep you employed, right yo?" replied the redhead, voice full of sarcasm.

"Reno," Tseng snapped in an authoritative tone. "Professor Hollander has been kind enough to take a look at you. The least you can do is show some appreciation and respect."

"It's all right," chuckled Hollander. "I wouldn't be Mr. Sunshine if I were him either. Would you gentlemen mind waiting outside?" The Wutain and bald Turk exchanged a glance before exiting. "Now then," he said, turning back to his patient. "Your boss gave me a rundown of the situation. How does your head feel?"

"It sti-… actually it feels fine," Reno replied, surprised to discover it didn't hurt at all.

"You wouldn't be lying to me would you?" Hollander chuckled, wrapping a blood pressure cuff around the redhead's arm.

"I ain't lying," sighed the Turk, seeing no way out of the exam. "It hurt when I woke up this mornin' but somewhere along the way it quit."

"Good, good," Hollander replied, removing the cuff, pulling out a penlight, and shining it into the redhead's eyes. "Watch the light." The Turk did as he was told and he finished, tossed the light into his bag and pulled out an otoscope and an ear thermometer. "Any symptoms besides the headache and fever?" he asked, checking the reading on the thermometer: 100.8.

"Stomach's been kinda upset off and on since yesterday. Don' know if it's related or not."

"Might be," Hollander replied, looking into Reno's ears. "Any vomiting? Diarrhea?" The Turk shook his head. "So the headache is better and you have a slight fever, anything else bothering you?"

"Throat's sore."

"On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst, how sore?"

"Five," scowled Reno. Damnit he hated doctors and Shinra's professors were just doctors in disguise as far as he was concerned.

"All this just started yesterday you say?"

"Yeah."

"Do you get headaches often?"

"No."

"How are your injuries from before?" Hollander asked, shoving a tongue depressor into the Turks mouth and looking at his throat.

"In-er-es?"

"From the, ah, Turk incident," chuckled the Professor, removing the depressor. "If memory serves correctly you were pretty banged up when you barged in on that board meeting with Rufus. Also seem to recall hearing Professor Rayleigh saying you cancelled a follow-up appointment."

"Oh, those. They're healed."

"You might think that because they feel better they're healed but infection cou-"

"SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth healed them."

"Sephiroth?" Hollander replied, tone a curious mix of doubt and surprise. "He healed a Turk? Why on Gaia would he do that?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"When did this happen?"

"Not long after that meeting you talked about."

"You were confined to your quarters."

Reno stared at Hollander for a moment, wondering what the sharpness in his tone was all about. "Sephiroth was guardin' Tseng and we were cleared to work together on some stuff. The guy musta took pity on me or somethin'."

"I see. You spend much time with him?"

"With Sephiroth? Not really," Reno replied. He really hadn't spent much time with Sephiroth but even if he had he would have lied about it, at least to Hollander. The man had become irritated and displeased, almost disapproving, since the silver was mentioned. "You got a problem with him?"

"No. Where was SSC Rhapsodos during all this?"

"In the room with us," stated Reno, wondering if Hollander didn't like Turks as well as Sephiroth. Maybe he was trying to get something juicy to take to President Shinra. He could see it now, 'hey, those traitorous Turks disobeyed your orders and so did your golden boy.' Dickhead. Course it was partially true but Hollander didn't need to know that and he sure as hell wasn't going to weasel information out of him, sick or not.

The redhead acted as though he was going to say something but suddenly his face went blank. Hollander dug into his bag and retrieved his penlight once more. He shined the light into the Turks eyes and they reacted accordingly, yet the redhead seemed oblivious to it. "Reno?" No response. "Reno can you hear me?" Again no response.

Hollander sat on the edge of the bed and still the Turk showed no sign that he was aware of his presence. He reached into his bag, pulled out a rubber mallet, and tested the man's reflexes. They seemed fine.

It was clear the redhead was awake but unresponsive. Strange. He was contemplating brain and neural trauma as well as psychological issues when the redhead started to shake and began to slowly come back to his senses. "Are you with me Reno?" he asked gently, pressing two fingers to the Turk's wrist and checking his pulse. The Turk's skin was ice cold and getting an accurate reading was almost impossible due to the shivering, however it seemed slightly elevated.

"Yeah. Sorry, don't know wha' that was about."

"Has it happened before?" Hollander asked.

"No," the redhead said, shaking his head. He managed to get the shivering under control and swallowed at the needle Hollander pulled out of his bag. Needing a distraction, he said the first thing he could think of. "Genesis, ah, STC Rhapsodos, got demoted."

"What?" Hollander practically yelled. "When?"

"He got called back after the meeting and, ah, when he returned his uniform had changed."

Annoyed, Hollander started to snap something until he noticed the color had drained from the redhead's face. "What's wrong?"

"I, eh, hate needles."

"You won't feel a thing."

"Easy for you to say yo."

"The tip is less than an inch long Reno," chided Hollander.

"Doesn't matter. Still hate it."

"I'm sorry but I need to take a blood sample."

"What happens if I say no?"

"I'll take it anyway."

"And if I run?"

"I doubt you'll get far. Whether you crumple beside the bed or a mile from here I'll send your friends after you then have them hold you down."

"All scientists such asses?"

"Consider yourself lucky, I'm not half as bad as some," Hollander chuckled. He chuckled again at the Turk's disbelieving look. "I'm not trying to traumatize you Reno, but it has to be done. Outwardly you show limited signs of illness and no infection or injury, but internal could be a different story. A blood panel will help me figure out if something is going on and maybe even tell me why you went unresponsive." The Professor stopped and saw his words meant little to the redhead. "You handled getting your ear pierced so you can handle this."

"Completely different situation yo."

"Friends get you drunk?"

On lust maybe, Reno thought, thinking of Genesis. "Somethin' like that yo."

"And the tattoos?" The Turk instinctively touched one of the crescent marks and looked away. It didn't appear the redhead was ashamed of them, rather he didn't know what to say or wasn't comfortable discussing it so he moved on. "You called Genesis by his first name. Do you know him well?"

Reno blinked, taken aback. This guy would probably make a damned good interrogator. His questions didn't relate to each other and always kept a person off kilter. Plus the guy was pretty sharp. He'd hoped the Professor had missed his slip earlier but obviously not. Why couldn't he get one of the non-sociable scientists to poke and prod him? They tended to ignore everything that wasn't about science. "Not that well."

Hollander's curiosity was peaked. The redhead was skilled at hiding his feelings but he was used to dealing with a mixed bag of characters to say the least. As a result, he'd learned a trick or two over the years, including how to notice the subtlest tone or change in body language. The Turk's tone held faint traces of evasiveness, wariness, and slight defensiveness and he'd tensed slightly. It was a sure bet he was lying but to what extent he didn't know. While he was definitely interested, pushing the redhead was a bad idea. The man obviously wasn't well and in his experience, pushing a Turk was never a good idea.

Reno watched Hollander and fought to keep himself in check. Whether intentionally or not the guy had hit upon two touchy topics in a row and it had put him on edge. Worse, he was almost positive it was intentional, but he couldn't figure out why. What the hell did Hollander care about his tattoos or how close he was to Genesis? He was curious about Seph too.

The redhead sighed and told himself he was being paranoid. Even he'd been forced to admit he wasn't in top form today. He was already jumpy from being sick and now he was probably turning the smallest thing into something major. It didn't help that he felt guilty for lying about how well he knew Gen and Seph. Made him feel like he was ashamed of them or hiding their relationship. Not that he knew what his relationship with Seph was exactly, but still. Suddenly all he wanted to do was curl back up under the covers and hide.

Noticing the Turk was apparently lost in thought, Hollander pierced a vein. The redhead didn't even flinch and he smiled faintly. While he was a scientist and would admit to having questionable morals he really hated hurting someone unless he had to or it was for the better of mankind. This situation didn't meet either of those criteria. "Hold still," he said, attaching a tube to the needle and watching it fill.

Reno snapped from his thoughts and blinked at Hollander. "What?"

"I said hold still."

The redhead looked down and noticed the needle sticking out of his arm. "Ifrit's Hellfire, ya think I would have noticed you stickin' me."

"You're tired," Hollander replied, removing the tube from the needle and replacing it with another. "As soon as this one is full we're done."

"Thank Gaia."

"Am I such bad company?" grinned the Professor.

"It ain't that," Reno sighed. "I'm just outta sorts and tired yo."

"Understandable."

Reno winced and battled a shiver as the Professor removed the needle from his arm. Admittedly he didn't feel it, it was just the idea of it that creeped him out. He watched Hollander write something on the side of the tubes then casually stick them into a pocket of his lab coat.

Both looked up as a knock sounded at the door, but it was Hollander that called, "Come in." The Wutain opened the door and gestured for him to join him. He held up a finger and turned to the redhead. "You've got the right idea and I want you to continue doing it; which is to say nothing. Just stay in bed and rest ok?"

"No problem yo," nodded Reno, laying back down, drawing the blanket around him, and closing his eyes.

The Professor picked up his bag and started to leave but stopped after a step. "Reno?" The Turk opened his eyes and 'hmmed'. "Be careful with Genesis. He's more fragile than he seems."

Reno's eyes widened in surprise but otherwise he didn't move as the Professor joined Tseng by the door. How the hell had he figured out something was going on between the two, let alone something… meaningful? Maybe he was guessing. Or maybe I'm not hiding things very well today. Whether a guess or not his reaction had probably just confirmed it but he didn't care. He was tired of hiding the relationship yet he didn't know how Genesis felt so he kept his mouth shut. It was something they were going to have to talk about. If he ever talks to me that is. Reno growled, closed his eyes again, and hoped he fell asleep soon because if he kept this up his headache was sure to return.

"How is he?" Tseng quietly asked when Hollander had joined him.

"I think he'll be fine. Probably just the flu. I did take some blood for testing and I'll run it as soon as the mobile lab is set up. It might tell me more."

"Very well. I actually came to inform you that the lab is up and running. I will take you there now."

"Thank you."

Tseng headed for the lab with Hollander following silently behind him. He didn't know whether it was simply in his nature or not, but he felt the man was hiding something. The Professor appeared preoccupied and as though he was holding something back. It was possible it had nothing to do with Reno but it seemed unlikely. Even more annoying there was little he could do about it. They were of equal rank within the company and he had nothing to hold against the man as leverage. He was wondering if he should try and dig something up when Hollander abruptly stopped.

"Someone needs to stay with him. I'll send one of my people over."

At Hollander's words Tseng became even more convinced the man was hiding something. It was nice to have someone around when you were sick, but it wasn't needed. "With all due respect that may not be a good idea. Reno may not rest with someone he does not know in the room," he said, not knowing if it was entirely true given the Turk's current state.

"I don't care who it is, I just don't want him left alone. Put one of your Turks with him," Hollander snapped.

Suspicion solidified, Tseng nodded, looked around, spotted Rude, and called him over. "You will stay with Reno until further notice."

"Yes, Sir."

"Take his temperature at least once every hour and make sure he stays hydrated," Hollander began, digging out his thermometer and handing it to the Turk. "Let me know immediately if he is awake and becomes unresponsive or if he begins to exhibit signs of discomfort or pain or starts thrashing around. Also if he mutters something I want to know what it is, even if you don't understand it. Got it?"

"Yes Sir," Rude replied with a glance at Tseng before trotting away.

"I understand the Science Department likes their secrets and I will respect that, for now. However if whatever you are withholding is detrimental to Reno or anyone around him I will personally make your life a living hell before I destroy you with my bare hands. Do I make myself clear?" said Tseng, watching the color drain from Hollander's face.

"Yes."

"Good. Now please, follow me."

Rattled, Hollander pulled himself together and once again followed the Wutain. When the original Turk incident had gone down, he had understood President Shinra's decision to classify the group as a Priority Two threat. That meant that the threat was lethal, skilled, and had possible information that might harm the company's image or worse, something their enemies or competitors could use. What he hadn't understood was why, after the original incidents had taken place and the department was down to five people, Shinra had classified them as a Priority One threat. A PO1 threat was the highest threat level and included all the guidelines for a PO2 threat, however it also meant the threat was imminent. In other words it wasn't a question of would something happen, it was a question of when.

Yet now, for the first time, Hollander understood Shinra's concern. Or was it fear? While the remaining Turks might be loyal to the company, it was also very apparent they were fiercely loyal to each other as well. There seemed to be little doubt that they'd stick together even if that meant going against company orders. Worse, their small number might work to their advantage since it was harder to trace a few individuals than to find a large group. That could make it damn near impossible to discover their allies, let alone their plans, before it was too late. Add to that they might all well be psychopaths and the department became a powder keg surrounded by fire.

Hollander sighed as the mobile lab tent came into view. While his thoughts might be true, most of it could be true for over half the company. There were many Shinra personnel that weren't happy at the moment. Of course, they probably didn't possess the skills to do anything about it, but even so nothing meant the DoAR, or anyone for that matter, would turn on the company. His thoughts were mere speculation without proof and truth be told he had no desire to go after any sort of proof, even if it existed. Frankly it wasn't his problem and the only thing that concerned him was staying on their good side. That might take some work but he'd sure as hell try. The Turks were not a group he wanted to cross because it might be the last thing he ever did.

Once again Rude found himself seated on the couch reading a book. Tseng hadn't given him orders aside from staying with his partner and while Professor Hollander had asked him to monitor a few things he still had a lot of time on his hands.

"Door."

Rude spun his head and arched an eyebrow at his partner as a knock sounded at the door. It took him a few seconds to rise and he couldn't help but toss a few looks the redhead's way. He psychic now or something? he thought as he cracked the door open.

"Good to see you Rude. How are you?"

"I'm fine. What can I do for you SSC Hewley?"

"I was wondering if I could talk to Reno. I know he's not feeling well but it won't take long."

Rude opened his mouth to say no but his partner's voice stopped him. "Let him in."

"Reno you're ill," objected Rude, somewhat startled the redhead had heard the conversation. They weren't whispering but they were talking quietly.

"And yer probably starvin'. Hewley can babysit while ya go get some grub and bring it back. I doubt I'm gonna die in the next ten minutes yo."

"Reno…"

"Even sick I outrank you. Don't make me go there."

Rude felt the tips of his ears burn in annoyance. It wasn't that he cared that Reno outranked him, rather he was suddenly stuck between Ifrit and Leviathan. Fire and water made steam, and that made it difficult to see the right answer. If he left, Tseng might be pissed, yet if he didn't leave, Reno might be pissed. Damn steam. Gods but he was hungry. Finally Rude nodded, opened the door, and left hoping Tseng wouldn't be too pissed at him.

Angeal entered the hut and closed the door behind him. The Turks dwelling was a bit smaller than theirs was though the interior looked about the same. The covers on the bed shifted and his gaze landed on the redhead, who sat up, stretched, and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry to bother you. I know you're not feeling well."

"It's alright," Reno yawned. "Tell ya the truth I'm kinda bored. Not used to doin' nothin'."

Angeal nodded. "Any word on the files we found?"

"Classified Shinra intel."

"Okay, sorry."

"No," Reno chuckled. "I mean that's what's on the discs. Least the one that worked. Don' know about the others."

"Oh. How would something like that get out here?"

"Not one hundred percent certain but it seems AVALANCHE is involved. Beyond that I can't say 'cause I don't know what's classified and what ain't. Sorry."

"I understand."

The SSC shifted nervously and Reno arched an eyebrow. "I'm guessin' the files ain't the reason for yer visit."

"No," Angeal sighed, shaking his head. "This is somewhat awkward for me, but ah, have you heard from Gen lately?" The redhead tensed and went completely still. "Sorry, sorry. I know it's non-"

"You can't reach him either?"

Angeal stopped talking and stared at the redhead. "No." The Turk muttered a curse and Angeal chastised himself, thinking he should have waited until he felt better. "It's probably nothing. He's done this before."

"He has?"

"Yeah," confirmed Angeal, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's been awhile but it's happened before. One day he'll be fine and the next he won't talk to anyone. He'll just vanish."

"Why? For how long?"

"I don't know why. I always figured he just wanted time to himself to think or whatever. How long varied. Sometimes it would be an hour, sometimes days."

"How long's it been since he's done this?"

"A few years," Angeal sighed. "Since we came to Shinra at least. I wanted to talk to you to see if it was just me he was avoiding."

"Here I was thinkin' he was avoidin' me," chuckled the redhead quietly. "I haven't talked to him since I left fer Junon, which was what, four days ago I think. I've tried to call but got no answer, even in the dead of night."

"Maybe he was assigned a mission," Angeal said to no one in particular before turning back to the Turk. "I can't access that data from here though. All I can see is what missions are available."

"I could call Sephiroth."

"It's 17:04 here," Angeal replied, glancing at his PHS. "That would make it pretty late in Midgar. I don't really think there's an emergency plus you don't feel well. Why not wait until tomorrow?"

Reno sighed as the door opened and Rude returned. They nodded and he watched his partner head into the kitchen. The bald Turk held up a cup and pointed to him. Mmm, more broth. Sad thing was that as unappealing and pathetic as it sounded for dinner his mouth was watering. "Alright but unless I hear somethin' tonight I will call tomorrow," stated Reno, taking the cup Rude now held out to him. He squirmed and scowled as his partner stuck the thermometer in his ear before darting away. "I'm gonna remember this the next time yer ass is sick partner."

"If only I were so pampered," Rude muttered.

"Heh, what you call pamperin' I call annoyin'."

Angeal chuckled and turned toward the door as it again swung open. Tseng walked in, closed the door, and scowled at all of them. Not knowing what else to do he stood, snapped a salute, and remained at attention. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rude come to attention as well, however he didn't salute. Reno didn't bother to acknowledge his boss and instead peeled the lid from his cup.

"At ease. Are we having a party gentlemen?"

"No music, no booze, no girls. Shitty party yo."

"I would not think a lack of females would bother you," Tseng replied. Rude wiggled his tie, Angeal's eyes widened, and Reno almost choked on whatever he was drinking. Satisfied, the Wutain focused on the redhead. "I assume you are feeling better."

"Ain't one hundred percent but I'm functional."

Tseng nodded. "In additional to Professor Hollander several members of the Science Department have arrived, putting further strain on inhabitable space. Since you are feeling better Elena and Rude will join us here."

"Cool with me. What about Ciss?"

"So glad you approve," Tseng replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Cissnei remained in Midgar to coordinate things from there." He turned to Angeal. "The SOLDIERs are being relocated to the Fair residence."

"Be prepared for sleep deprivation yo," Reno chuckled.

Barely concealing a grin Angeal nodded to Tseng. "I'll go make sure everyone knows and that the hut is ready for whoever."

The SSC nodded to the three Turks then headed for the door. It swung open just as he was about to grab it and Elena appeared, carrying a tray in each hand. A huge smile spread across her face as she spotted him.

"Hi Angeal! Long time no see," chirped Elena, handing a tray to her boss.

"Hi Elena," the SSC replied, smiling. "Mission's been a nightmare. Maybe tomorrow we can have lunch or dinner together?"

"I'd like that."

"Okay. See you then!" Angeal said then exited.

Elena smiled after him for a moment then turned toward the others. Rude and Tseng looked as passive as ever but Reno's face held a mix of amusement and curiosity. He opened his mouth but she beat him to it. "Not a word," she said in a tone full of warning. The redhead's mouth closed but an idiotic grin spread over his face, making her scowl.

Hiding his own amusement Tseng made his way to the kitchen table and sat, placing the tray of food in front of him. Rude quickly joined him and Elena followed soon after. Silence fell upon the group until Reno broke it.

"Feel like I'm carryin' some lethal virus yo."

"For all we know you are," Rude replied, taking a bite of food.

"True. We could be dead tomorrow just by being around you," grinned Elena, winking at Rude. Their boss didn't comment but a faint smirk fought for control of his lips.

"Way to cheer me up guys," Reno called. He took a few more sips of broth then set the cup down and got up. Nature calls.

Tseng watched the redhead make his way to the bathroom and was pleased. The man seemed fairly steady, giving him hope that he was recovering nicely. Thank Leviathan. Reno didn't like to sit still period, let alone be left out of the action. He'd probably start to whine and complain soon and that, combined with his many duties in Gongaga and his own concern, would probably drive him mad. He took a bite as Reno reappeared, returned to bed, and wiggled under the covers. Their eyes met briefly before the redhead closed his, wiggled a bit more, and sighed. Rest well.

The remaining Turks finished dinner quickly, washed the dishes, and then began preparing for bed. It was early however, everyone was exhausted and knew there would be plenty of work tomorrow.

Elena had managed to snag a cot, which she claimed for the night. Tseng would have preferred to share the bed with Reno so he could keep an eye on him, but Rude protested enough that he relented and took the couch. Apparently the bald man thought if he got to close the Wutain would get sick and that wasn't acceptable.

Rude shut off the light before climbing in next to his partner. No one said it aloud, however everyone hoped Reno would recover quickly and wondered what tomorrow would bring before drifting off.

Genesis awoke in bed propped up by a nest of pillows. Even with the extra elevation every breath was a struggle and sounded like a death rattle. Had he the strength he would cry in misery or scream in confusion. What's going on? As it was, his gasping and panting didn't provide his system with enough oxygen, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded.

The auburn opened his eyes and waited for the room to stop spinning, but it didn't. He blinked several times but everything continued to tilt and sway like he was on a boat. A cramp knotted his stomach and he quickly doubled over, wrapping arms around his midsection. He heard a muffled crash but ignored it, focusing on scrunching up as much as he could thinking it might alleviate the pain in his gut.

"Gen? You ok? I heard a cras- Gen what's wrong?"

Genesis's mind didn't want to put a face to the voice. Absolutely nothing made sense but at the moment he was more concerned about his well being than trying to figure things out. One thing at a time.

The bed shifted, making the room lean even more. The auburn tried to speak but only managed to groan and croak. Another sharp pain struck his stomach and he hunched up even more as a hand began rubbing his back. Fingers made their way under his chin and gently lifted his head up.

"Gaia your lips are blue! Here, put this on and breathe as deep as you can."

The auburn had scrunched his eyes closed to lessen the spinning and his head reflexively jerked back as something touched his face. He blindly reached out and locked his left hand onto a wrist to try to appease his equilibrium as a strap was placed behind his head. It didn't work and he began flailing about as panic finally got the better of him. Hands landed on his shoulders and held him still, adding to his anxiety.

"Calm down Gen, please. It's only an oxygen mask. If you panic and move around like that it's only going to get harder to breathe."

Genesis stilled his movements and inhaled cool, crisp air. Oxygen mask? Why in the name of Gaia did he need one of those? After a few minutes the lightheadedness faded and he understood. Oxygen deprivation.

"Better?"

"A little. Thanks An..." he trailed off as his mind finally began to clear. "'Geal? What are you doing here? I thought you were on a mission."

"You're parents had some town thing to attend so here I am," Angeal shrugged.

"Parents?" replied the auburn, thoughts racing so fast he couldn't even think. He finally opened his eyes and the room came into focus. Weak light filtered in though windows surrounded by sapphire blue curtains, fainting illuminating the items on a solid oak desk. A large, round blue rug, which matched the curtains, was centered in the middle of a shiny chestnut floor. Two large oak bookcases were pushed up against the wall opposite the windows. The bed itself was also oak and covered in shades of blue; dark blue comforter, denim blue sheets, and throw pillows of various blue hues.

"Something the matter?"

"Nope," Genesis replied, fighting confusion and panic. "Everything's exactly how it should be. Exactly how it was when I left… three years ago."

"Three year-… maybe I should go get your parents."

"I'd rather you go get Reno. Maybe then I'd have a dream worth dreaming." Because that's what this is, he thought, a dream.

"Reno?"

"Turk, flashy red hair, gorgeous blue eyes with just the right touch of grey, lopsided smirk to die for," replied the auburn, trying to remove the mask. While he succeeded, it seemed that even if the past was a dream he couldn't escape the cursed thing and he quickly replaced it.

"What's a Turk?"

Genesis turned his head and blinked at his friend. Angeal's face was a mask of concern, fear, curiosity, and confusion. Gaia, even in a dream he doesn't change. He debated on whether to actually reply and decided he might as well. Not like he had anything better to do and it didn't appear he was going to wake up anytime soon. "A special ops group that works for Shinra Electric Power Company."

"Never heard of them. Are they like SOLDIERs or something?"

"Sort of," Genesis smiled, amused at dream Angeal's ignorance and interest. "They aren't military and operate in the shadows. The less noise and fuss they make the better."

"Like assassins."

"Not like, they are. At least when they have to be."

"Huh. Didn't know Shinra hired people like that."

"Hire them? They aren't contractors 'Geal, they're on staff."

"How do they pull that off? Having permanent assassins I mean."

"They operate as the Investigative Sector for the General Affairs Department and are known as the Department of Administrative Research. You get assassin from that?"

"No."

"Exactly. One assumes a company like Shinra would have a research department. Hell they probably do. I'm sure somewhere or another there are pencil pushers with huge stacks of books all around them that actually do research, but it isn't the Turks."

Genesis watched dream Angeal bend over and pick a book up off the floor while contemplating what a weird dream this was. Seriously, out of all the things his subconscious could remember or piece together, this is what it landed on? How irritating.

With a sigh, the auburn nestled back into the pillows behind him and realized he was tired. How the hell someone could get tired while they were already asleep was beyond him, but so was having to use an oxygen mask. Wasn't a person supposed to be able to control their dreams or at least change parts of them?

The STC's skin suddenly felt like it was crawling but he couldn't figure out why. Soon the sensation vanished and he began to itch. Really itch. He tried to scratch but for some reason his arms refused to budge. Annoyed the auburn wiggled but was only able to move about a half inch. Godsdamnit!

The itching stopped with an abrupt pain that sliced its way through his entire system before vanishing. He had no idea where it had started or what caused it, he was just thankful it was gone. The back of his eyelids were suddenly yellow orange and he snapped them open only to be blinded by a ridiculously bright light. He jerked his head to the right, trying to get away but was unable to do so. Thinking he heard something, he strained his ears but couldn't make anything out. The light seemed to disappear but like the rest of his senses his vision refused to cooperate and he couldn't focus. All he could see were blurred white shapes moving about in the distance.

Genesis sighed and closed his eyes once again. Gods he was having some screwed up dreams. He once again became incredibly tired and went with it, hoping the next dream would be pleasant. Third time's the charm right?

Otoscope - that annoying thing doctors used to look into your ears and up your nose.