Verna unlocked a door and placed a tray filled with food on the end table. Barrett was glaring bullets at her. She felt slightly uneasy seeing as he had a gun on his hand and could very well shoot her. She glanced over at the door and shut it. Sighing, Verna removed her hood.
"It's been awhile, Barrett," Verna spoke, keeping her back to him. "Last time I saw any of you guys was in Rocket Town when I hit Palmer with a truck. Then again, none of you saw me." She turned around and gave a nervous smile.
"Verna?!" Barrett questioned slightly shocked. "So you are a spy for the Shin-Ra!?"
Verna shook her head, "No, I'm not. I'm not allowed to leave under Rufus's supervision. If anything I'm spying on Shin-Ra."
"Shit," Barrett crossed his arms. "So it really was Cait Sith! Damn cat! Well, sorry 'bout the way we treated you."
Verna furrowed her eyebrows together. Cait Sith must have been Reeve's puppet. She didn't say anything about the manager. Barrett must have not known who Cait Sith really was. She'd rather not cause any trouble for Reeve. After all, Reeve was pretty much the only manager that didn't want to kill Verna.
"Now, if you could keep me being here quiet," Verna put her hand on the door. "The only ones that know about me being here is Rufus, the Turks and the guy who controls Cait Sith."
"You know who it is!?" Barrett took a step forward. "Tell me!"
Verna laughed quietly, "I can't tell you who he is, but you'll need to trust him for something that's about to happen."
"What's going to happen?! Tell me!" Verna left the room. "Damn it!"
Verna put her hood back on and walked out of the building. She wrinkled her nose at the smell. Junon wasn't the most pleasant place. It smelt like rotting fish that weren't supposed to die due to fishing. Sighing, she kept on walking to the airstrip.
Once she tried to get on the Highwind, she was stopped. Verna smiled slightly and removed her hood. The man who stopped her moved to the side and ushered her in. He looked around to make sure no one was watching and got back to his post.
Verna glanced around the control area only to be tackled into a hug. Verna stiffened at someone invading her personal space. She quickly pushed them away. The person fell to the ground and muttered an ow.
"What was that for, Verna!?" Verna looked down seeing Yuffie pouting.
"Ya tackled her, so ya asked for it!" A man pulled out a cigarette from his mouth. "Name's Cid. Welcome to the Highwind. It's under new management!"
Verna grinned, "Cait Sith told me all about it. Congrats Captain." Verna looked around, "Where's Aerith…?"
The atmosphere dropped to subzero temperatures. Verna gulped, she asked the wrong questioned. Cid sighed and took out a cigarette. He turned his back to her.
"You told her 'bout me becoming captain, but you didn't tell her about Aerith?"
"I couldn't bring myself to tell her!" Cait Sith hugged onto the robot he controlled.
Verna's eyes widened upon realization. She looked down at her feet. The flower girl was gone. She could only imagine that Sephiroth was the one behind her death. Sighing, Verna gave her condolences to the team of rebels.
"Let's not worry 'bout it," Cid put his cigarette out. "We just need to worry 'bout getting Tifa and Barrett out of the Shin-Ra's grasps."
Verna nodded her head, "Rufus and I have a plan." She took out a scroll out of her shirt and unrolled it. "Scarlet's wanting the entire world to see the execution. This being said it'll make it easier to get into the room if a couple of us pretend to be news reporters."
"Oh! I want to be a news reporter!" Yuffie jumped up and down.
Verna grinned, "You'll be the one outside. Cait Sith will be in a disguise waiting just outside the gas chamber. You'll be on the lookout for WEAPON and be there for backup."
"Sounds good to me!" Yuffie grinned.
"I'll be wearing this disguise and follow Scarlet into the gas chamber. When we leave the room I'll just so happen to drop the key within Tifa's grasp. She'll be able to get it and free herself and turn off the gass. Cait Sith will gas Scarlet and render her unconscious. I'll take out the other soldiers with Barrett's help."
"What about annoying laugh guy?" Cid questioned.
"Rufus will be distracting him. He'll also be on the lookout for WEAPON. The Turks will be nearby in case there's a situation that we can't get out of. When everyone is out you'll all board the Highwind and get the hell out of here. If something goes wrong and we can't get Tifa out of the gas chamber we'll have the Highwind get her out."
"Hey, if you think I'm going to damage this air ship for one moment you're wrong!"
"The Highwind is loaded with you bunch. I'm sure with the help of some Materia you'll be able to break her out. Sound better?"
"Hmph."
"What will we do while we wait here?" A man with a red cape questioned – he was at Rocket Town.
"Fight off any of Shin-Ra's men that try to get on board," Verna nodded her head. "If they're wearing a soldier's uniform don't hesitate to take them out."
"Well, what about you?" It was Yuffie's turn to start asking questions.
"I won't be going with you guys," She grinned. "Besides, I still have some unanswered questions and I have to make sure nothing goes wrong once you guys leave. Anything else? I need to get back."
"Why is the Shin-Ra suddenly helping us?" The man with the red cape inquired – she later learned his name was Vincent Valentine.
Verna smiled, "The President knows that you're trying to help. At this point, with Meteor and WEAPON, he needs all the help he can get. It's his managers that are causing all the issues."
"Hey!" Cait Sith stood up.
Verna smirked, "Besides you, but way to let them you're a manager. That just narrows down the possibilities." Verna sighed and waved, "See you guys later. Good luck. We have six days until the execution."
Verna knocked on a metal door before it opened. She saluted to the man in front of her. He looked at her with a blank expression. She kept her stance seeing how long this little game could go on.
"Just get in here," He spoke not playing along.
Verna frowned slightly and walked into the bedroom. Dark Nation was lying on the bed sound asleep. The room had a calm atmosphere to it. It reminded her from when she used to live with her mother and father. Everything was peaceful and there wasn't a worry in the world. Of course, things were changing.
Verna looked over at the window. The curtains were shut. It was to block out the reminder of Meteor. It blocked out the reminder that Shin-Ra Electric Power Company was somewhat responsible for this catastrophe. Now, the president of this said company sat on the bed with his head in his hands.
Immediately Verna sat next to him, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I failed."
Verna narrowed her eyes, "You didn't fail."
"Yes, I did," Rufus looked up at her. His eyes were blood shot.
"When was the last time you got some sleep?" Verna questioned concerned. She was sure he didn't cry.
"I don't remember," He mumbled. The bags under his eyes were becoming more pronounced the more Verna looked at him.
"Well, get some sleep now," Verna urged him, but he didn't budge.
"I still have so much work to do. I have to come up with a plan to stop the execution, to stop WEAPON, and to stop Meteor."
"You already came up with a plan to stop the execution," Verna laughed half-heartedly. "It's already in action, so you can check that off your list. When AVALANCHE is free we can have them go after WEAPON and we can focus on Meteor, okay?"
"Hn," Rufus groaned as his eyes threatened to shut. "Alright…"
Verna smiled and pushed him down onto the bed gently, "Now get some sleep. Dark Nation will keep you company." She looked over at the peaceful panther. "You'll think more clearly once your brain has had a time to restore itself." She stood up from her spot and covered Rufus with the covers. "Night."
She turned around to leave, but a hand suddenly gripped onto hers. She looked down seeing Rufus's hand holding onto her tightly, but not so tight to leave a mark. Her eyes trailed up the arm and to his face, his eyes were closed, but he was still awake.
"Stay…" He fought the sleep just to whisper it. "Please…"
Verna nodded silently with a small blush and crawled into the bed next to him. He held onto her tightly and his breathing slowed down. He finally fell asleep. Verna laid there quietly as she listened to his breathing and heartbeat slowly. Her eyes shut as warmth enveloped her. She was slowly but surely falling for him as she was slowly falling asleep.
-A/N—
So you know how I had a fever when I was writing chapter 23? Well, it was kind of weird when I got it. Because at first I was totally happy, just playing some Final Fantasy VII, but then I just suddenly felt like crap and I suddenly had a fever. It was so unexpected! I figured out why, though. Right when Hojo entered the screen I just felt horrible! So I blame that evil son of a bitch for making me sick!