"Angeal?"

"Meet me in my office. The others will be there."

Angeal put down the phone and sat heavily in his chair, ignoring Reeve's curious glances. The Commander knew that the Strife boy was involved with something, but he could not, for the life of him, figure out what it was. The Avalanche comment suggested terrorist activities, but that didn't explain the Phs, his instructions to the girl in Nibelheim, his answers during the questioning, or his quitting. It felt like everything was connected, but if he was trying to infiltrate Shinra, he wouldn't be quitting now.

Zack bounded in, followed shortly by a carefully indifferent Sephiroth. The man in black swept into the room and swept into a chair, his piercing gaze landing on Reeve. Genesis appeared shortly after, smirking at the squeak the puppy let out when the First Class entered. They were all that were coming, as Angeal wasn't quite sure how to contact Reno. He didn't think he wanted to either, not with the boy being a Turk.

"What is this, Angeal?" Sephiroth asked, his voice cold.

"Cadet Strife," Angeal replied, keeping an eye on the nervous department head. "And leave Reeve alone, he works for the people, not the president."

Zack relaxed in his chair, and it was then Angeal realized just how much Reeve had been effecting the boy. He would have to tell Genesis to stop spreading horror stories about the president's cabinet, even if most of them were true.

"Everybody, Reeve Tuesti, Director of Urban Development. Reeve, this is my student Zack, and you know Genesis and Sephiroth are."

Zack smiled at the man, but Genesis smirked evily and the blood drained out of Reeve's face. Sephiroth ignored him.

"He's only here because he brought me information on Strife. He's not a spy, so just calm down, alright? Apparently Reeve met Strife in an elevator an hour ago, on his way to quit the training program. Now-"

He really should have foreseen this, Angeal thought as he watched the puppy practically explode. Zack shouted something about chocobos before racing to the exit, managing to knock of his chair and nearly wrench the door off of its hinges on the way out.

There was silence for a moment before Genesis grinned. "Well, now that you got the puppy out of the way…"

"No, Genesis. We are not getting roped into any of your pranks," Angeal replied firmly before leaning back and rubbing his head. "Well, I guess that answers the question of if we want to stop Strife."

"Why is he quitting?"

Angeal sighed. Did they really think he would know? "I have no idea, Sephiroth. Apparently he claimed to be overwhelmed by the Turks, but it still makes no sense."

"Is someone going to explain what's going on, or should I leave?"

Sephiroth's glare chilled the room a few degrees.

Angeal didn't feel the same way. "Cadet Strife is a suspect that we are investigating."

Reeve looked lost. "And why are three First Class Soldiers doing the investigating? What's he suspected of?"

The three looked at each other, Genesis shrugging his shoulders and answering, "We really don't know."

Reeve nodded thoughtfully, still seeming confused but less ignorant. "That's what the 'infinite in mystery' bit was about. So now you're 'seeking it thus?'"

Angeal nodded. "Cadet Cloud Strife claimed amnesia a week into training. Upon waking up in the infirmary, he tried to escape, even fighting Zack on the way out. He eventually calmed down, only to start talking about Avalanche and being dead and in the lifestream, as well as mentioning a Vincent. We assumed it was a concussion talking, and left it at that. After he left Zack discovered his Phs, which is more advanced than any of the ones we own, and searching through the contact list proved to be somewhat disturbing as he had the numbers of a few Shinra executives, including yourself, Reeve, along with other people inside Shinra who have confirmed that they have never heard of a Cloud Strife or given him their number. Shortly after a plant inside Strife's room reported that the cadet had alerted the plant to the fact that another cadet housed in the room had an illegal substance in his locker, also admitting that he found out by picking the locks. In his interrogation he appeared genuinely clueless about a suspicious message received after the Phs was recovered. Strife seemed unaware that he had a Phs at all." Angeal hesitated, before continuing in a lower voice, "Don't tell Zack, but a girl from Nibelheim called a few nights ago. She was asking for Cloud, and she sounded frantic, so I sent the secretary to get him. Apparently a dragon burned down the town, and she was one of the only survivors. Strife gave her some… interesting instructions. Something about a Shinra mansion. Later, when I told him not to blame Zack, he sounded offended that I thought he would."

Sephiroth frowned. "Lazard did not mention the burning of Nibelheim to me. Should I send someone out to make sure the dragon does not damage another town?"

Angeal shook his head. "It was just getting revenge, I don't think it will fly all the way to Rockettown to continue its rampage. Zack did kill a dragon, but I don't think he realized that there needs to be more than one for there to be eggs."

"Then a few days later, he was interrogated about something he helped stop as well as something, assuming he does have amnesia, he knows nothing about. Is it really surprising he was going to quit?" Reeve asked, appearing much more composed than he had minutes ago.

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "I think you're ignoring all the suspicious parts, Mr. Tuesti."

"I agree. His actions are too suspicious to disregard."

Reeve sat up straighter, looking almost eager for a debate. "But since he did try to quit, it leaves two possibilities. One, he really does have amnesia, in which case everything else is irrelevant because he now believes he is here to become a Soldier, or he has already gotten what he came for. And if he has gotten what he needed, there's nothing you can do about it because he was on the elevator going down an hour ago. Just because Strife's planning to quit doesn't fit with your suspicions, doesn't mean you can disregard the event. In fact, because it doesn't fit, it is the most important clue at this moment. Your thoughts as they are cannot accept it, so you have to change your thoughts to fit."

"Angeal! Angeal I couldn't find Spiky! I looked down at the lobby but the desk person hadn't seen him, but what if he just left without officially quitting? Angeal, help me." Zack stood in the doorway, eyes wide.

"Calm down," The raven haired Soldier replied, standing up from behind his desk. "Your friend doesn't blend in very easily, so if the secretary hasn't seen him, it probably means he hasn't been down there. He very easily could have changed his mind after Reeve talked to him, after all."

Zack very much so did not calm down. "But I checked all of his classes and Reno's gone too."

Genesis stood up too. "It's obvious the rat was called back. If you don't mind, I have more interesting things to do now that Strife is gone. Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."

Sephiroth followed after the flamboyant Commander, not saying a word. Zack sat amazingly quietly in one of Angeal's chairs, and Angeal fell back into his own, going back to his paperwork.

Reeve watched everyone, confusion obvious on his face. After the two First Class's left, he asked, "What just happened?"

Angeal did not stop working and answered with the ease of someone who had spent years multitasking, "I honestly don't know. You learn not to try and figure out how anything make sense, just take in the information. I think only Genesis truly understands everyone."

Reeve looked between the other two left in the room. Zack, who was whimpering slightly now, and Angeal, who was succeeding in ignoring him. Maybe he could help both of them. "Hey, Zack, did you check in the elevators?" The boy beamed up at him then raced out of the room, almost knocking the door off its hinges again. Reeve blinked "How do you-"

"I have no idea."

Cloud stepped out as the doors opened on level 32, only be knocked back in as someone flew by. Cloud twitched in annoyance as he regained his balance. Everyone knew you let people get off elevators before trying to get on yourself.

"Hey, have any of you seen a kid, short, blond spiky hair, blue eyes? I've been looking for him everywhere but I just can't-"

"Zack?"

Zack turned around, his face lighting up when he saw Cloud there. "Spiky! I've been looking everywhere for you!" the Soldier shouted, sweeping him up into a hug.

"I heard," Cloud mumbled into his friend's shoulder, very much relieved when the boy put him down. "Why were you looking for me?"

Zack's grin fell, and Cloud shifted uncomfortably when the boy's eyes got incredibly wide. "Angeal told me you were going to quit. Don't quit, okay? I would miss you."

Cloud nodded absentmindedly, already thinking about other things. "Angeal?" he murmured, "How would he know?"

Zack shrugged, looking happy again. "Angeal knows everything. It's kind of scary, because if I do anything fun he always finds out about it."

Cloud considered this. Angeal: honor obsessed Soldier First was actually Angeal: Turk extraordinaire? Not likely. But still, if the man was actually keeping an eye on him, he would have to be extra careful. It was clear that anything or anyone who Angeal thought put his student in danger had a much shorter life expectancy.

"But seriously, Cloud, where have you been this whole time?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow. Apparently it was very serious if Zack was using his actual name. "In the elevator," he said, nodding to the now closed doors.

Zack stared at him like his head was on fire. "You spent an hour in an elevator?

Cloud smiled slightly and was rewarded with a shining grin from Zack. "Well, just because I had decided not to quit doesn't mean that I wanted to go to Shinra History."

Tseng frowned. "This 'Cloud Strife' doesn't happen to be the one Sephiroth asked me about, does he?"

Reno nodded violently. "Yeah, yo. Sephiroth and Zack and 'Geal and Genesis had a whole conference thing about him. They have all sorts of stuff on the kid, like his Phs and what he said when he woke up and how he reacted to Zack and whatever, yo. Cloudy has somethin' goin' on besides amnesia, and it's totally suspicious, yo. You should let me investigate."

Tseng sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You like him, don't you."

"Hey now, he's cool. He was all suspicious like, so I was like 'yo, what's up with you?' and he's all 'whatever' but then this kid totally insulted me to him. He told the kid off but then later he's just like 'forgive and forget' and there's no way that's happenin', yo! But still, he's cool. Zack likes him too."

Tseng stared at Reno. "You want to stay in the Soldier program."

"Not forever, yo! Just 'till I figure out Cloudy." Reno waved his arms frantically, showing just how much he really didn't want to become a Soldier. "If I had to get all those enhancements or whatever, I would explode! No greasy scientist guy is getting' his hands on my eyes, I'm not glowin'. Not in a billion years."

Tseng considered. If this Cloud Strife really was an insurgent or just hiding something potentially important, he didn't want Soldier to be the ones to figure it out. Turk was Turk, and Soldier was Soldier. However, if a Turk was involved, it would be seen as an attempt made by the Turks to lessen resentment between the two groups. "Fine."

Reno cheered.

Dreams of the Morrow, Chapter 18: In the Know. 2,084 words. Updated July 27, 2012.

It hasn't been two months. Amazing right? Yeah, if I hadn't had a writing camp in which I finished what the person was actually looking at early, you wouldn't be getting this right now.

Also, I know that Cloud seemed a little Out Of Character in the end of last chapter, but along with a reason that will be discovered in the next chapter, I was trying to make it a little more realistic. I know, making a character more realistic in a world where people sprout one wing and manage to fly off with it not in circles? Crazy. Anyway, there's a book called The Long Walk : A Story of War and the Life That Follows. It's about a member of an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) unit in the Middle East. It's very good, but it doesn't sugar coat things. If you don't like gore, I wouldn't suggest it.

The reason this chapter is so split up is because It was nearly impossible for me to write. I ended up having to delete half of it because it was so, well, you'll see. Sorry for it making the page so long. You were probably hoping for a longer chapter.

Everyone's disappearing and I can't do anything about it and soon you're going to disappear too and I don't want to be alone!"

They all stared at him.

Reeve spoke slowly and softly, not making any fast movements. "Zack, did anything traumatic happen to you as a child, anything that would cause abandonment issues?"

Zack thought for a moment, then nodded eagerly. "I brought a Toad into the house as a pet, but when I woke up the next morning my parents weren't in the house. All I found were some more Toads, so I put them back out in the jungle. Since I couldn't ask my parents how to take care of one, I didn't want to accidentally feed them something that would kill them. But I was sad though, because my parents were gone, but then I went to join Soldier so it was all okay!"

Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Angeal had a recording of cricket noises for occasions such as these.

"… Angeal? Can I adopt him?"

"No."

"But you have your puppy, can't I have a director?"

"No. Be quiet."

"But he knows Loveless."

"Lots of people do. Go adopt someone in your fanclub, they'd explode with joy."

"But they're scary."

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess; the wandering soul knows no rest."

"We get it, Genesis."

"Um, guys?"

"My friend do you fly away now, to a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow."

"Genesis, shut up."

"Guys?"

"Sephiroth, stop implying insult to Genesis's precious."

"Hero of dawn, healer of worlds-"

"And Genesis, stop with the quoting. Seriously."

"People!"

"What?" The three Soldiers shouted, turning to glare Reeve.

"Is anyone going to explain to me what's going on?"