Her eyes glanced for anything she could use to help AVALANCHE. They've helped her in the past and she needed to repay her debt. A small smirk formed on her face as she ran towards what would help her. She swung a door open and climbed into the driver's seat. The keys were in, much to her relief.

Verna shifted into gear and slammed her foot on the gas pedal. Her eyes shut tightly as she heard a thump hit against the semi. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the man that Cloud was fighting lying on the ground unconscious.

However, she hadn't the time to keep looking at the fatter man. The sound of a plane running filled her ears. She looked over seeing Cloud and the other two members jump on the moving vehicle. The plane took off.

Getting out of the truck, Verna watched the plane fly. Something suddenly went wrong. Gun shots went off. Smoke erupted from the plane as the tail was hit. It went crashing down. Her hands shot to her mouth as the plane disappeared over the horizon. She couldn't help but wonder if they were alright.

Verna began to run in the direction where the plane went down. Though, she stopped in her tracks as her cellphone began to ring. Glancing down at her pocket, Verna took her cellphone out. She titled her head as she examined the number. It wasn't a familiar one. Perhaps her uncle changed his number again.

"Hello?" Verna questioned. There was a silence. "Is this you uncle?"

"I would hardly call me your uncle," Verna froze at the chilly smooth voice.

Verna moved her cellphone away from her face. Her head turned to the side slowly as she met eye contact with cold blue eyes. His eyes held a sense of a frozen wall that was melting away with a fire full of rage.

Verna gulped and she began to run away, but was stopped with an infantryman stepped in front of her. Her head whipped to the side quickly as she looked for another escape. They were closing in on her. Verna pulled out a gun and pointed it at the men. They backed off ever so slightly, but not completely. It was obvious she never used it before.

"Perhaps you can kill one or maybe two of my men if you're lucky," Rufus spoke. "But you can't kill them all with that pathetic excuse of a weapon." He moved some of his blonde hair out of his face with a hand. "You can't escape."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Verna said just above a whisper. She was scared out of her mind. She cleared her throat as she spoke louder. "I have a summoning Materia with me. It's something that one of your managers failed to pick up at the broken reactor in Gongaga."

"Summoning Materia?" Rufus narrowed his eyes. "I'd like to see you try to use it. I doubt you have any idea of how to use it. If you did you would have used it already. Now stand down."

Sweat began to trickle down her face. Bending down, Verna placed the gun on the ground and raised her hands in the air showing that she surrendered. Fighting would be futile, and she knew it.

"Take her!" Rufus snapped at his men. His temper was starting to flare as his cool exterior crumbled.

"Where, sir?" One of the soldiers questioned the President.

Rufus sent a death glare over at the soldier. Storming over, Rufus not so gently took grasp of Verna's arm and drug her over to a helicopter that was waiting in Rocket Town. Everyone backed away as they sensed his mood. If he didn't have such a strong grasp of his emotions he most likely would kill anyone of them at the drop of a hat.

Verna remained quiet as she allowed herself to be drug away and forced into the helicopter. Her mind ran over various situations that she would be placed in. He most likely would question her on the newspaper, but she wouldn't talk. No, she couldn't betray her uncle like that. She wouldn't even let it slip that she worked for her uncle. They kept a professional relationship in the office to avoid any suspicions that they were related.

"Oh, have yourself a girlfriend, did you, boss?" It was the read headed Turk that Verna witnessed Cloud, Barrett and Tifa fight. Upon receiving a glare from Rufus, Reno started the helicopter, "We'll get a way to find Sephiroth, Sir."

"Just shut up and move, Reno," Rufus snapped.

Reno nodded his head and started flying through the air. For what his boss told him he didn't seem to be too mad with him. Were the two friends or something? Or did Rufus do something for him in the past?

Rufus crossed his arms. A physical behavior that makes a person less likely to be approached – this Verna made note of in her mind silently. Her eyes glanced the former vice president over. He wasn't exactly an eye sore, the complete opposite in fact. Verna looked away as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. She couldn't be thinking such things, especially if he was now considered the enemy.

While Verna averted her eyes from him, Rufus looked at the girl. He was trying to decide the best way to interrogate her. His initial thoughts were to torture her, but he knew that it was his anger speaking. Rufus took a deep breath as he attempted to calm himself down. He had to think things out more, if he made a wrong move he'd have to deal with the consequences. Besides, if she did manage to escape she could very well write things on Shin-Ra that would put the company in even worst light than it was already in. No, he would treat her very well for an enemy.

"So," Rufus spoke as his temper began to simmer from its original boil. "Tell me about your uncle."

"He's my mom's brother," Verna stated the obvious. She was trying to hold back a smirk when she noticed the ends of Rufus's lips turn into a scowl.

"Obviously," Rufus spoke in a calm voice. "Assuming that he would call you, you must be close to him. Am I right?"

"As close as one would be with their uncle."

Rufus unfolded his arms as he crossed one of his legs over the other, "Are you closer to him than your mother?"

"My mother died," Verna frowned. "He took care of me after she died."

"I see," Rufus paused. His mother was also deceased, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"It was a long time ago," Verna leaned her head against the metal of the helicopter. "I should be saying I'm sorry for your loss instead. Your father died much more recent than anyone I've known."

"It was for the best," Rufus gave a bored look. "He had it coming with how reckless he was. He never once considered any of the consequences. He thought himself to be unbreakable."

Verna looked over at Rufus from the corner of her eyes. Rufus seemed to think the same way about himself – as if he were unbreakable. Did he think otherwise? That would be interesting, especially for someone so cold. At least, that's what all of the rumors about him say. They say that he's never once bled or cried.

"And what do you think about yourself, Mister President?"

"I must consider the consequences that follow every word I make," He spoke simply as if it were a simple question. "Something I'm sure you could make use of. Hitting Palmer like you did will have to be dealt with. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes," Verna nodded. "In my case the good outweighed the bad."

"What do you mean?"

"How close have you gotten to finding Sephiroth?" Verna narrowed her eyes and straightened her back. She looked at him, examining his every move. "I think that AVALANCHE has been closer to getting to him than you have."

Rufus would have shifted from the bit of anxiety the girl managed to send him. Something like this was rather unusual for a person such as himself. However, he kept his posture and smirked slightly.

"We have gotten close on several occasions, probably closer than the terrorists."

"And where is he now?"

"I'm afraid I can't disclose such information."

"In other words you have no idea where he is. Your Turk, Reno, even suggested that you don't know where Sephiroth is."

"Ms. Alm," Rufus spoke sharply. "You have no business in this hunt for Sephiroth."

"In what way do I not have any business?" Verna raised an eyebrow. "If I recall correctly Sephiroth could very well put everyone's life in danger, including mine. Not only that, but he nearly strangled me while I was in Kalm. Therefore, I have a score to settle with him."

"Is he really the forgotten hero to you?" Rufus watched her. He was going to turn the tables on her and try to make her fall into a pit of dark emotions.

"He is a forgotten hero," Verna paused. "He's strayed from the hero he once was as if he's forgotten who he was." She crossed her arms and looked at Rufus. "Speaking of which, why does Nibleheim still stand?"

"I'm afraid I'm the one that needs to ask the questions," Rufus completely avoided the question. He was a sharp one.

"Then, go ahead. If you don't answer my questions, I won't answer yours."

Rufus sent a glare in her direction. He moved some hair out of his face, a habit that Verna noted Rufus of doing a lot. If his hair really bothered him that much, why doesn't he just get a haircut?

"You will tell me everything about the newspaper. We can't afford having you make this more difficult for us, Ms. Alm."

"Or can you?" Verna looked at him. "What if I wrote positive things about Shin-Ra? What if I gathered support for you? I still won't tell you anything about the paper or where it's currently located, but I could make things work in your favor."

Rufus's expression grew into one of interest. This girl was quick on her feet. She seemed rather intelligent, unlike some of his employees. She didn't even seem to be intimidated by him in the slightest. Rufus smirked ever so slightly at her proposal. Things were going to be interesting.

-A/N—

Why was I so excited about this chapter? Well…One…Verna hit Palmer with the semi-truck. Honestly, when that happened in the game I burst out laughing. Though, I had to wonder who on earth hit him! Was it Shera? Probably not, otherwise Shin-Ra would have arrested her. So…I had Verna be the one to hit him~! I was also kind of excited about Rufus calling her phone when he was right behind her. _

Oh! And was I the only one disappointed that Rufus didn't move a single strand of hair out of his face during Advent Children!? TT_TT