Days of Exile

Chapter 41 – Rescue

Previously on Days of Exile…

Meia's simple-minded escape plan worked, and she is on her way to rescuing Reeve out of his captivity too. She was surprised at the lack of security in the building. Where did everyone go?

No words could describe the joy and relief that Reno and Rude felt when they saw Tseng alive and safe. However, they could not rejoice for long – the President was still missing that they would not stop until he was found. Eventually they found Rufus unconscious in a bomb shelter, rescued by a mysterious 'L' switch…

Rufus was only five years old when it happened. His father was in an unusually good mood that night and he showed young Rufus the blueprint of the Shinra Building that we know today. It was a blueprint of the President's Office at Floor 70, the highest storey in the new Shinra Building.

Children being children who have read too many spy novels and thrillers, Rufus brought up what he thought was the most pressing matter.

"Father, where's the escape route?"

Leon Shinra could not understand what Rufus meant. So Rufus explained that there would be a need for an escape route, in case the enemy attacked. Leon Shinra had laughed at the ludicrous idea, but decided to listen to Rufus Shinra's idea.

"But let me make this clear, Rufus," said Leon Shinra as he made his last touches to the blueprint. "I won't use it. It will be for you once you become President. Of course, there's no guarantee you will take my place." Rufus, still distracted by his father's reaction to his idea earlier, paid little attention to what his father had said. "We will mark out the escape route with something that really stands out." Leon Shinra held his hands behind him and pondered the issue thoughtfully. "L." He decided eventually. "Don't forget it now. 'L', for 'Loser'."

And Rufus was thankful. Thankful for what he did when he was five years old.

13 January 0008

Sliding down a chute, seventy floors down, was not something that could be done quickly. In order to strike a balance between speed and safety, the long slide could take up to fifteen minutes. Rufus had all the time in the world to think of things in his life – all of them leading to his father. They were full of hopes and expectations, and full of crushed hopes and lowered expectations. However, they made Rufus who he was now. The irony of how everything turned out for him seemed to be hilarious. For the first time in a long time, Rufus laughed wholeheartedly.

The escape chute ended and Rufus slid into a bright room surrounded by white walls. He kept on sliding until he hit the wall. With a squeak, he crashed into the walls heavily. Rufus laughed at his pathetic squeak. He noticed that some of his ribs were broken and still he laughed. How did things end up this way? Just fifteen minutes ago, he was face to face with Death. Had he cheated Death this time around?

The fractures in his body pulled Rufus back into reality. He slowly sat up and glanced around the room. There was only a bed, a closet and a door. The door had no handles, only a panel to input one's password, and Rufus knew no password. Turning his attention to the closet now, Rufus staggered to the closet and found himself a stash of potions and a shelter. He ignored the expired medicine and settled for a shelter instead.

The shelter numbed the pain a little, but Rufus was far from recovery. He had to leave the room quickly, or else he would really be the loser in this 'L' room. He walked back to the door and tried various passwords on the door panel. Rufus lost count of the number of tries he made, but he persisted. He sure was relieved when the door not only opened, but also revealed the faces of people that he trusted. His escape was over.

Right before he fainted from the exhaustion, he reminded himself to give Reno and Rude a raise when this was all over.

Rude stood in the darkness, squinting against the rain and rain despite his sunglasses. They were at the Shinra Building's back door, with Rufus Shinra unconscious on Reno's back. There was rubble and crumbled concrete scattered everywhere, most likely from the Shinra Building when the Diamond WEAPON attacked it. In the short distance, emergency spotlights illuminated the area outside and a powerful search light from the helicopter hovered above them.

He looked around him, feeling unusually calm. Finding out both Rufus and Tseng were alive gave him courage. Tseng was a trustworthy person and someone whom Rude would not hesitate fighting for. Rufus himself was the Shinra Company. Whether for the good or bad, Shinra will live on. If Shinra lived on, so will the Turks. Thinking about life outside of being a Turk was painful and such a foreign concept to him. Rude joined the Turks when he was 14 years old, and had been a Turk for almost 16 years. If he had stopped being a Turk, would he be able to integrate himself back into society without backlash?

The helicopter descended onto the ground, sending such a strong wind that it sent a palm-sized splinter of wood bouncing off his forehead. Rude smirked – he secretly loved thrills. And Rufus Shinra always ensured that there was enough thrill for his Turks. Another incentive for him to stay in the job for so long.

Taking care of his steps, Rude walked towards the main entrance of the building. There was a group of people moving random pieces of debris. Many of them looked scared when they spotted Rude. His bald, shiny head, sunglasses and perpetual frown simply exuded violence. Not that Rude minded their responses. He was used to it, and like Reno, enjoyed being left alone when he was at work.

Rude grabbed one of the hospital staff and told him that he needed help. He did not know what their reaction would be if he mentioned Rufus' name. Thus, Rude wisely omitted the identity of his casualty.

"Is he a member of Shinra?" The hospital staff asked.

"Yeah."

"Then he has priority."

Rude suddenly thought of Meia. If she had heard of that, she would be so disgusted that the rescue team would, intentionally and without hesitation, put Shinra staff at a higher priority than the civilian folk. Good thing she was not here, if not Rude would not be able to finish his business as quickly. "I'm counting on you."

The man nodded and called for a stretcher towards the back door. Rude was about to follow them to lead them there, but someone caught his attention. It was a young woman speaking over a PHS.

Tifa…

Rude hesitated approaching her. Even though it was six years ago, the memory of Nibelheim was as fresh in his head as though it happened last year. The undercover mission to the town to check on their Mako Reactor. Sephiroth's destruction. The death of Tifa's father, who had been the most hospitable person to Reno and Rude during their stay.

What was once a cheerful, innocent, young waitress of a town bar, had changed into a woman of quiet determination and reservation. It saddened Rude to see the change; although he knew that it was not his fault. Tifa had held a grudge against them ever since Nibelheim. She did not blame them for the burning of the town or their secret identities, but for not helping her father.

How could they? Martin Lockhart was already dead, no amount of revival or Phoenix Downs could save him. Even if they wanted to, there was nothing they could do to stop the dead from joining the Lifestream. Besides, they had orders. They were to help Cassie and the other Turks, not save the citizens. Orders were orders, even if Rude did not see the rationale in them. He was long past arguing morals and "how-could"s. He was tired of 16 years of self-debates.

If he could even put all these feelings into words, he would explain to Tifa everything about them. The last thing he wanted was the young girl to always bear that grudge against them. Alas, it was not meant to be. Rude could not find the words nor the courage to talk to her. It was a shame that they could not… could never… expect anyone to understand the position they were in.

As of this moment, there was no reason to fight with her. The bigger priority was to ensure the President's safety. The Turks only fought when given the orders, or if their jobs were hindered. Rude did not want to fight her anyway. Maybe it would be for her best interest that they each keep to their own calling.

Rude quickly sidestepped into the shadows, watching the frantic Tifa rushing about.

About damn time, thought Reno when the rescue team came with a stretcher. He did not need to guess whether the rescue team knew that they were transporting the president of Shinra. If they knew, they would be more uptight and careful. As the men moved Rufus onto a stretcher, Reno asked, "Where are you going to take him?"

"We'll take him to the hospital first," replied one of the men. "But we can't say what happens afterwards."

"Can't say?" Reno felt annoyed with the man's answer. This is the freaking President we're talking about here! "What the hell does that mean?"

"I mean Meteor is on its way," explained the man with a shrug. "What can we do when the planet's about to be destroyed?"

Reno knew that he could not argue any further about that. "Well, that's true. Come on, this way."

He led the rescue team through the lobby and through a small door. From the back, he could hear a snide comment from another paramedic. "This place is really messed up. That skinhead could have told us about this shortcut."

"It's a passageway for executives only." Reno spun around and told them sharply. "Don't tell anyone."

"…Yes, sir."

Reno nodded, satisfied with the answer. No one dared to argue with the Turks. He led them towards the main entrance, and out into the open. The hospital staff made no further comments. Reno's sharp eyes spotted the back of a familiar figure, Yuffie. He stopped.

"Could I leave the rest to you guys? Something just came up," Reno said, turning round to the rescue team.

"Of course," replied the man, though he sounded less than willing. "He'll be in good hands. By the way, what is the patient's name?"

Reno hesitated, thinking of the best answer. "He'll tell you himself once he wakes up. Put him inside a good hospital room like you should."

There was a soft gasp. "Could he be… Rufus Shinra?" A man carrying the stretcher from the back muttered in shock.

Reno shushed the man before they could continue speculating. The men quickly bowed their heads and continued their way to a safer place. With Rufus Shinra away from danger, he had a new agenda. As soon as Reno spotted Rude, he waved him over. "Guess what I found, yo?" Reno asked. "I spotted Yuffie."

"I saw Tifa too," replied Rude.

"She went to the underground tunnels." The both of them said together.

Reno chuckled. "So… AVALANCHE is in Midgar. What now?"

"… Tseng did mention that we should eliminate AVALANCHE."

"Yeah, what a shame though." Reno checked his EMR. He did not elaborate his words, but Rude knew what Reno meant. The Turks shared a very unique relationship with AVALANCHE, unlike the AVALANCHE predecessors. They were still enemies, no doubt. However, both of them, more especially Reno, had respect towards AVALANCHE. They never admitted to anyone of course, not even to each other.

"… Let's call Elena."

Reno shrugged and returned the EMR back to its holster. "Yeah, we'll just… react with what happens, yo?" Rude did not answer, agreeing with Reno's statement. Rude usually preferred to plan so that he could have better control of his circumstances later. However, sometimes it was better to just jump in without a plan, especially when he was not too sure how he wanted the conclusion to turn out.

With her equipment and Materia re-equipped, Meia felt relief and security for the first time. I will not take my guns and Materia for granted from now on. She promised herself, running a finger across the diamond-paved bangle. She also promised herself to polish her guns as soon as she reached home.

The lack of human presence unsettled her. What exactly is happening, she thought uneasily, that warrants zero security on the restricted levels? She was not going to sit around to find out, even though curiosity was nagging inside. She needed to get Reeve out of his cells too. Thankfully, there were only three places that had room for keeping captives, and Meia remembered exactly where all of them were. Meia knew that she was the only captive in the cells on Floor 67, so Reeve could not be kept there.

Cait Sith's voice suddenly returned to her earpiece. "I've just gotten through the system. I'll modify it to unlock your door… Hang on… Just another… oh." Cait Sith stopped as he discovered the unlocked door of the cell. "You've escaped by yourself?" The robot spoke with undeniable surprise in his voice. "I didn't think that you could do it, since you've stayed in the cells for so many days. I thought you were unable to escape."

Meia pursed her lips. Cait Sith was half right; she did not think that she could do it either. Her escape plan was not brilliant or strategic. Her escape was only possible because of a stroke of luck that her guards were not sharp and alert. Hardly something to take credit for.

She could almost hear Cait Sith grinning. "If Reeve knew about this, he would be surprised too. Well, it doesn't matter anyway, pretty!" said Cait Sith brightly. "You're freed, that's what matters! Reeve is in the cells on Floor 39. Take the stairs down to Floor 60, and then the elevator down."

"Roger that," muttered Meia, checking her equipment one last time. She took a deep breath. Better to be caught armed and ready, than to be ambushed.

She reached the elevator without incident. There were not many people around, and she was not just referring to SOLDIER and the guards. Generally, the number of staff looked a lot lesser than she remembered. Still, Meia was sensible enough not to draw attention to herself. She punched a code in a panel, ensuring a one-trip elevator ride, and then the button leading her to Floor 39.

Despite the many security breaches, the security code in the panel had never changed. The security code was knowledge only known to the all top-management executives and Tseng. Rod sneaked a peek at it one time, and Meia had memorized it. You would think that they should change the code regularly.

Also, I seriously need a shower. Meia could swear that there was a funky smell around her. No one would be convinced with a girl smelling like a rotten Kalm Fang… okay, she was exaggerating, just a bit. Wearing the crumpled, damp office attire was one thing; it was the wig and the dangerously fading beauty mark that she had to worry about. After I get Mr. Tuesti out, it's the showers for me.

The elevator doors opened and Meia quickly assessed Floor 39. Two guards eyed her suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" They asked.

Immediately, Meia raised her arm and shouted loudly, "Aero!" Winds conjured from thin air, attacking the two men. The guards covered their faces from the gusts, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Meia twirled her guns from their holsters, and gave them clean shots at their legs and shoulders. There was no need to take their lives. "Sorry," she said apologetically as the guards dropped onto the floor, clutching their wounds. "I'm just going to get someone." She swiftly kicked their PHS and weapons away. "You can get your backup against us later," Meia muttered. "But first-"

Her words were cut off as one of the guards grabbed her ankle. With a roar, he pinned Meia onto the floor, strangling her. Guard Number Two grabbed her hands and held them onto the floor tightly. Meia choked as the pressure increased. "Won't… let you… get away…" The guard stuttered. The blood from his stomach dripped onto Meia's clothes. Meia persevered and refrained from struggling too hard.

Finally, Meia threw her head forward, knocking the guard on top of her on his head. The guard faltered – loosening his grip on her neck – giving Meia the chance to rasp, "Ice!"

Frost formed quickly and covered their faces. Guard One started in surprise, backing away to counter the magic. Guard Two held on strong, trying not to be bothered by the frost that was covering his face and chilling his spine. He didn't last long either. Soon, his grip on her released. Meia quickly rolled onto her feet and decided that she needed the guards to be completely incapacitated. Out came the prison warden's EMR, and in less than a minute, the guards were lying on the floor, unconscious.

Meia took deep breaths, clutching her throat fearfully. Not wanting to tarry further, she grabbed the keys from the guard's pocket and unlocked the door.

"Hello, Mr Tuesti," she grinned cheekily. "Fancy seeing you here."

Reeve shook his head in mild amusement. She was panting and had blood smears over her clothes and face, but Meia looked as excited as a child going on a school trip. "So you've come to my rescue. Thank you for coming." He said. He stood up and walked out of the cells unhurriedly, as if he was invited to leave the cells.

"I know you said that you needed my help to stand in the gap, should anything happen to you, but- oh wait…" Meia turned around and touched the two unconscious men. "Cure," she mumbled. Green flecks of light settled on them, ceasing blood flow and closing up their gunshot wounds. Meia stood up to admire her work. The men would survive, pretty easily too. Meia smiled to herself. It was the least she could do for these innocent people who were just carrying out their duties.

Behind her stood Reeve, who watched what she did without comment. "Thank you for helping me out, Matilda." He paused. "Or should I say…"

"Meia Etsky," finished Meia for him. She wiped her hand against her clothes and stretched her hand towards him. "Former Turk of Shinra."

Reeve gave the slightest of smiles as he shook her hand firmly. "Reeve Tuesti, not too sure if I'm still employed under Shinra. Creator of Cait Sith."

"I'm glad we can finally meet without pseudonyms and disguises." Meia grinned and shrugged at her attire. It was not much of a disguise now. "Mr. Tuesti, may I ask of you a favour?" She asked seriously.

Reeve's face matched hers. "What is it?"

"… Can I get a shower first?"

Hello readers! Happy New Year! May everyone be blessed with good health and awesome writing ideas! The rest of my rantings are in my blog, so I'll just leave you guys with less talk here!

Do read and review! It'll be such a great start to the year 2014!