"It's . . . a horrific list, to be sure, but I need you to focus on the plate-side girls. That's the assignment I was given, and the assignment I have delegated to you. There's a higher chance of finding those two girls alive."

"But, sir, if I could just—"

"Just what?" Veld asked me, uncaring. He was a cold man and oftentimes I forgot that, especially with him being so unusually warm towards me at times. "I will file the list away for now if it makes you feel better, but I need you to start with the investigation into these two girls before we lose more time."

"No, I—I need the list, sir." I flushed, afraid of what Veld might say to see me so nervous. "I told her I'd bring it back to her. She was . . . adamant about getting it back."

There was a beat of silence, and then Veld sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If this is about that whore, Tseng . . ."

"It's not like that—"

"I thought you, of all people, might be less susceptible to a whore's charm—"

"I'm sorry?"

Veld lowered his hands back to his desk and smiled weakly, like he was bestowing nothing but pity upon me, albeit slightly understanding. "Do I need to remind you that it's all an act? Whatever promises you made to her in that post-coital bliss—"

"No, we didn't—"

"Those girls down there are smarter than most people give them credit for. They're survivors. Survivors who have learned their trade well and exchange a few moments of pleasure for the valuable currency that are secrets. And once their prey are vulnerable and naked and crying on their pillow, it's easy enough for those girls to whisper the right words into someone's ear to get what they want. Though I'll admit it's surprising that this particular girl wanted an investigation. A big ask, if I'm being honest, and far bolder than I would expect of a little girl."

"Someone might have information about—"

"These names will not be made public, do you understand me?" Veld said in a low voice, raising his eyebrows. I felt as if I was being scolded by a parent. "If people find out that dozens of girls have gone missing in Midgar . . . well, it's not pretty, but you understand what it may do to Shinra's reputation? We must consider the public's view of the company."

"I understand, but—"

"If Director Heidegger chooses to move forward with the investigation in the slums, I will let you know. Until that time, you must do what you're told. Such is the duty of a Turk."

I had nothing to say to such a thing. It was almost uncomfortable to hear coming from my superior's mouth. It was so unforgiving and cynical, even for me. I refused to believe that Noa had only been trying to exploit me. She was just an angry girl who had been rebuffed by Shinra again and again while more and more of her friends went missing.

Because I didn't want to sour Veld's feelings towards me, I immediately left Headquarters after that conversation to interview the families of the two missing plate-side girls.

Thankfully, he had given Noa's list back to me, but had warned me again to cease whatever private investigation I was plotting in regards to the slum girls. I gave him my word that I would pay no more mind to it, but it was all I could think about all day, and I had dreamed about it only the night before, hardly able to sleep following my conversation with Noa.

The first family had little for me to go off. The mother claimed that her daughter had gone out with two school friends and simply never returned home. The school friends proved rather useless, as they had all parted ways at an arcade near the center of the sector, walking home alone, but I was able to confirm they last saw her around 9:30 that night.

I did choose to show the family the list of names. I did not explain the context surrounding these girls, but I did ask if any names sounded familiar, but the family could not recall knowing anyone that Noa had written down.

The second family gave me little information, as well. The fifteen-year-old had gone out with some friends to the festival. There were several people that the father had phoned who confirmed they did see the girl in town.

The friends were sobbing messes, teenage girls who could barely form a sentence without breaking down into more tears. One of them told me that the missing girl had spoken of a new job she was looking forward to starting the following day, but neither of them could tell me what the job was or who might have been expecting her at work.

Neither the family nor the friends could not identify any names on Noa's list, as well.

With my lackluster investigation giving me little to no leads, I decided to stay late at Headquarters that night, wanting to run Noa's names through the database. Unfortunately, as a rookie, I was unable to access the files and needed someone's clearances to help me.

I decided to ask Crisis, and not just because he was the last Turk to leave Headquarters that particular evening. I had hoped that perhaps Crisis might have a little sympathy within him for these slum girls, given that he was so fond of prostitutes, but I was met with a chilly and cavalier response from him.

"What do you need my security clearance for?"

"I have a few names I need to run. Names of missing girls, I mean."

"Oh, yeah. The two girls. I heard about that case."

"It's not just the two girls," I tried to tell him. Crisis cocked his eyebrow. I hated the smug way he always looked, like he knew he was better than everyone else. His hair was always a disheveled mess and looked like he always just rolled out of bed. "I have a list of thirty-six slum girls—"

"Slum girls?" Crisis snorted, pulling on his jacket and moving slowly towards the door, attempting to go home for the night. "Don't be stupid, Tseng. Thirty-six slum girls go missing in . . . what? A few weeks?"

"Six months—"

"Six months," he repeated. "You know none of them are alive."

"Well, it's just . . . we don't know that."

"Why do you even care so much about this?" Crisis asked me, smiling at me like I was the one acting ridiculous. "Did you ask Veld for permission to run these names? I don't want my fingerprints on this shit, you know?"

"Crisis, please," I begged. I hated begging. "This is more just out of curiosity, that's all. I might be able to find some links between them and the Sector Seven girls. I just want to see if any of them have been logged in the system."

In the end, he relented, and logged me into the database with only a little bit of grumbling. I even received a 'good-bye' from him as he finally left the office, leaving me all alone to do my work.

Sitting in a dark room with the computer screen nearly blinding me, making my eyes strain and ache, I typed in every name that Noa had given me to see what sort of record we had on file.

Most of the names yielded nothing. I expected as much. If they never lived above the plate, they wouldn't be registered with the company at all. If they were born below the plate, or runaways from another town or city, I could not even confirm that the names Noa gave me were their true names at all.

Some did come up, however. A few girls had been arrested once or twice for prostitution above the plate. Some had spent a few days in a cell, while others had paid a fine. The photographs taken during their arrest showed girls around Noa's own age, gaunt and exhausted, but still displaying some sort of defiance in their pictures.

When I reached the end of the list, I still had no new leads. There were no proper connections between all of the girls and I would have to start conducting a sector-wide search if I had any hope of finding some trace of these girls. By myself, I could hardly do anything.

Out of complete curiosity, I decided to type in Noa's name last. I had no idea of her surname, but her first name was certainly unique, and upon searching for it, I found that there were only five people named Noa in all of Midgar.

One was an old woman who had recently died of a heart attack in her home. The second was a six-year-old girl. The third was a business owner in her forties. The fourth was the lead actress in the most recent production of LOVELESS, and the fifth was the retired wife of a Shinra middle manager.

When I finally returned home to my modest apartment in Sector Two, I sat awake for a long while, thinking about everything I had learned in the past two days. I couldn't shake the feeling that whoever took the plate-side girls were certainly the same people who were abducting slum girls. And if that were the case, I was afraid that more girls would go missing very soon as these anonymous abductors grew bolder. Soon, it would be impossible for Shinra to ignore such an outrageous number such as thirty-six.

I privately disapproved of Veld's lack of care towards the list I had presented him. It was difficult to ignore the truth in front of me, that thirty-six girls were likely defiled and murdered beneath the plate and no one cared enough to investigate it. Why shouldn't such a thing be pursued?

I could understand why Shinra would be so reluctant to dip its hands into Wall Market, for all of its flaws and horrors. The main reason people lived down there was to avoid Shinra's influence, was it not? The people down there knew the risks of being their own self-governed town, didn't they? Horrible things were bound to happen in the dark, and the Turks weren't obligated to be involved . . . right?

Perhaps I should have trusted the word of my superior on the matter, but I did not. I could not.

Part of my thought process was indeed selfish. I kept wondering what my colleagues might think of me if I was the one to find all those girls. What would Veld think of me? If I succeeded in my mission, Veld could not possibly be too angry with me for disobeying him. Surely I might be hailed a hero, and it would be the exact thing I needed in order to truly be considered a Turk, and not just a rookie. I wanted to prove myself to the others, and I wanted to prove to myself that I was just as capable as my seniors.

I decided to return to Wall Market the following evening, heading straight for the brothel once again. Veld could not stop me from going. I wasn't the only Turk now taking advantage of the brothel's 'services' now, even if my services were quite different from those of my colleagues'.

The brothel was quite busy when I entered, but it was just as quiet as it was when I last came. No one paid me any mind as I approached the desk, where I was greeted by the same woman that had shown me to Noa the first time. She still wore fine jewelry, but replaced gold with silver this time, her earrings embedded with crimson rubies. I thought it passing odd that an employer of such an establishment would be the owner of such rich earrings, but I explained my doubts away by assuming the brothel probably made far more income than I initially thought, judging by the amount of people squeezed into the waiting room.

"I'm pleased that you enjoyed your experience with Noa so much," the woman told me, "but I'm afraid she isn't working tonight. Might I interest you in another girl? They share a look, but . . . well, they'll feel the same in the darkness, I suspect."

I couldn't help but flush at the implication. "No, I . . . I'll come another night, then."

"Shall I put you in the books? For a small fee, I could schedule you with her ahead of time. It would be worth the cost, sir, for Noa is one of our more popular girls."

"There's no need to shake him down, Lyla. I'm here."

Her voice had appeared from nowhere, but it instantly caught my attention. When I looked away from the woman standing before me, I found Noa standing at the doorway that led to the back rooms. It was quite odd seeing her in relatively normal clothing instead of that childish bee lingerie, but it was easier for me to keep eyes on her without so much revealed skin.

When she crossed the room to join our conversation, I took notice of how much cleaner she seemed than the other night. I still wish she would have run a comb through her hair, but it appeared freshly washed and still slightly damp. Her plain v-neck shirt and fraying shorts gave her a boyish appearance, hiding the slight curves of her body that were so accentuated in the lingerie.

With her so close to me this time, I was even able to spot a few light freckles dappled across her cheeks and nose that gave her something of a youthful look. I hadn't truly realized how much makeup she was really wearing the first time I saw her, but I thought the more natural look Noa chose to adopt on her off day made her a little prettier, and made her look a little more her age.

"I charge triple on my day off, you know."

"I'll pay."

She smiled at me. "Of course you will."

I did not protest when Noa gestured for me to follow her to the back. This time, we didn't go into a bedroom, but stood in the center of the empty square room. I was painfully aware of the noises floating through the air from behind the several doors, high-pitched moans and the squeaking of old mattresses. Noa seemed completely oblivious to the obscene sounds that were making my entire body hot.

In order to attempt to block the sounds out, I initiated conversation quite quickly, pulling the list of names out of my inner pocket. "I brought this back for you. I made a copy for myself. I hope you don't mind, but it's important information."

Noa had taken it carefully, as if afraid I was playing a trick on her. "So did you find anything?"

"That's why I'm here, actually." I straightened myself up to my full height. She was almost as tall as I was. "Truthfully, I'm glad you're not working tonight. I was wondering if you might be able to show me around Wall Market?"

Noa hummed, raising her eyebrows. "A date, huh?"

"How much extra do you charge for a sightseeing tour?"

"Oh!" She seemed delighted and even graced me with a small laugh. "You're catching on."

She agreed readily, though I suspect she was more motivated by the prospect of hearing about my investigation than anything else. I was never really considered very fun company, and Noa seemed like a girl who always wanted to have fun. She was always smiling, never breaking character, teasing and prodding and able to read me like an open book.

"How long have you been here?" I asked her as we made our way back towards Wall Market proper, towards the music and flashing lights and low chatter and the smell of charcoal and meat.

"A few years," she answered, hands held behind her back as she walked by my side. Before I could ask her a follow-up question, she added, "Are you hungry? I could really go for something to eat. You stole me away before dinner could be served, though I'm not complaining. Cook has been taking his resentment out on his cooking after being denied a raise."

"My apologies." I checked my watch. Every second I wasn't looking for these girls was a second wasted, but Noa could likely have important information that she didn't even realize was important, and I needed to somehow extract it from her. "Dare I ask what's on the menu?"

"Don't worry, we don't actually eat rats down here."

There was a small building near the entrance to Wall Market, just off the station. Several mismatched tables and chairs had been set up outside, where customers ate off metal plates and drank from chipped cups. The smell surrounding the 'restaurant' was atrocious, but I was willing to give it a chance so as not to appear impolite.

Noa and I sat down at a table furthest away from the other diners, allowing us slightly more privacy. We were not given menus to order off of, but had to read our three choices off a chalkboard propped against the front of the building.

"The sushi is good," she told me, "but if you're used to that top-side stuff, this sushi might make you sick."

Before she could press me for details about my failed investigation, a fat old man came out of the building. A dirty apron was wrapped around his wide waist and he was almost completely bald. Though he looked mean, his eyes lit up at the sight of Noa and he nearly ran to our table.

"It's so good of you to come visit again, Lena," the man said, his eyes flicking towards me for a split second. If anything, he seemed surprised that she had company. "A client of yours?"

"A tourist," she joked, and both she and the man chuckled. "And he's been sitting here absolutely salivating over the thought of your sushi. Do you mind?"

"I'll have it out for you in a moment, my dear."

The second that it was only Noa and myself again, I leaned forward and lowered my voice. I believe it was my very confused expression that caused her to smile the way she did in that moment. "He called you Lena," I said.

"That's very perceptive of you, Tseng," she replied simply.

"That's not your name."

Noa laughed again. "Isn't it?"

"I mean—it's—your name is Noa, I thought."

"Are you sure about that?" she answered.

"I . . ." I couldn't keep up with her, and it was frustrating. She was so nonchalant and casual and carefree, and I was none of those things. "I don't know. I thought it was. You told me your name was Noa."

"Noa is my name," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Judging by the way her smile fell slightly, I think she understood that I wasn't up to playing along with her. "Or rather, it's my name while I'm working."

I leaned back in my chair. I should have known that Noa was not her real name. It was common sense, if she wanted to avoid trouble, and now it made sense as to why she didn't show up in the company database. "So . . . what should I call you now, then?"

"Let me ask you something, Tseng. Is it because I'm a prostitute that you're so nervous, or is it because I'm a woman?"

I blushed so hard it hurt. My cheeks were on fire. There was nothing off-limits to this girl, and I had a horrible feeling that her poking and prodding would be worse than just having sex with her. "Perhaps we could discuss something else," I pleaded quietly, before adding, "Lena."

"Sure," she nodded. "What did you find out about the top-side girls?"

"Er—"

"Nothing?"

"I don't quite think I'm at liberty to discuss such . . . confidential information with you. This is an open and ongoing case and, when details are made publicly available, then I'll provide you with a copy of my report." I felt almost sorry for not being able to tell her anything, and I could see very clearly that she did not like my answer. "I can tell you that neither of the victims' families knew any of the names you had provided."

"Of course they didn't. Why would they? There's no reason they would have known about some slum girls," Lena asked, scrunching her nose like a child. "Why weren't the names made public? Why weren't they published?"

I remained quiet. I didn't want to anger her any further.

But again, she understood quite easily. "I see," she said with a frown. "Shinra doesn't want the public to know that thirty-six slum girls have gone missing, do they? It wouldn't be a good look for people to find out they've chosen to ignore the situation, I'm sure. It would be a huge setback in their effort to promote their humanitarianism."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that she had hit the nail on the head, but I knew that Lena understood her assumption was correct.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but . . ." I sighed. I wasn't certain whether or not Lena should know about this at all, but I felt it was owed to her. "My superior has asked me not to proceed with an investigation regarding the missing girls you have informed me of."

Lena was quiet for a moment. I couldn't bear to be looked at the way she was looking at me. She was more than disappointed. She was hurt. I thought she might start crying like those little girls I had interviewed previously for information, but not a single tear sprang to life in her eyes. I should have given her fortitude more credit.

"So what are you doing down here, then?" There it was, the flicker of hope stirring within her. "Surely you didn't come all this way just to spend a few hours sightseeing around Wall Market with me. It doesn't quite seem like your idea of fun."

I had to smile, even if it was a forced and subtle thing. "No, not quite," I said. "Actually, I have decided to pursue the investigation anyway."

I expected her to smile at that, to be pleased about being in on something so scandalous, but she didn't smile at all. Instead, Lena exhaled quietly, looking too stunned to be able to formulate some witty response that might push my buttons.

I started to grow uncomfortable with her silence, and after a few moments of us not being able to meet each other's eyes, she asked me, "Does this make us partners?"

"I'm—? Partners? As in . . . the investigation?"

Truthfully, I was hesitant to include her beyond vital things such as an intimate walkthrough of Wall Market in order to become familiar with even the shadiest alleyways. It was going to be dangerous, surely, and I did not want Lena to become the thirty-ninth missing girl in Midgar.

Thankfully, I was spared giving her an answer as our food was brought out before I could properly formulate one.

The sushi was just as intimidating as the girl sitting across from me, but she began to eat happily, proving me wrong that she was likely malnourished. She was finished and asking for seconds before I made it halfway through my own plate.

Every bite was agony. I had to force myself to swallow, so used to the fresh fish served above the plate, always bought the same morning from the local market. I could tell that Noa was paying very close attention to my personal dining experience, and I was afraid of offending her and severing my only connection to Wall Market and the missing girls I was so keen on finding.

"Tell me about the brothel," I suggested, hoping it might give me some time to avoid eating another piece of half-rotten fish.

"Right, well, you can start by not calling it a brothel," she had snapped at me, but her irritation only lasted for as long as there wasn't new sushi in front of her. Once another plate was set on the table, her tired delight returned. "We call it the Honeybee Inn. Well . . . that's what we're going to call it when it's all finished."

"I'm sorry, I'm . . . learning." I felt embarrassed. I didn't think I was making a very good impression, and the last thing I wanted was to be disrespectful.

"Really, it's a temporary home for displaced children until it becomes the Honeybee Inn in truth," she went on to explain. "The matron, Lyla, she works the reception desk. The boys are contracted out to do labor work, like construction around here and the like. The girls do most of the domestic things around the inn, like the cooking and cleaning and washing. Once the kids turn sixteen, they age out."

"But you're still there."

"I've chosen to continue on with the business. It's an option for the older girls, and Lyla gives us room and board for doing so. Most girls make the same choice. There isn't much work around here for girls my age, and the work that they can find doesn't pay half as much. It's safer to live there, as well, otherwise I'd be on my own."

I couldn't understand. Surely Lena could find work somewhere around Wall Market. She was charming and charismatic and pretty. It baffled me that she might reduce herself to such a degrading career. "But why . . . ? I mean, how can you enjoy . . . ?"

Lena smiled at me, revealing that gap between her teeth again. "It's just a job, Tseng. People pay me well for it. Here, to prove it, I'll buy your dinner. I don't think you liked it anyway."

I blushed, looking down at my plate. "I ate before I came."

"Of course you did."

She insisted on paying, even after I offered to cover it, so I let her. It made her happy enough, and I still needed her to show me around Wall Market. I needed to become familiar with this underground cesspool. I needed to know every alleyway, every gap, every hiding place.

Lena was able to help me more than I could have asked for. She knew everyone and everyone knew her. Whenever we walked into a shop, she was met with enthusiastic greetings, being offered free samples or coupons, making small talk with the locals. Some of them looked slightly nervous upon making eye contact with me, others assumed I was nothing more than a client. I tried to say as little as possible, unsure as to what I might have in common with any of these people, and Lena talked enough for the both of us.

"Everyone likes you," I noted as we continued to tour the streets of Wall Market.

Lena shrugged. "It's safer that way. No one will want to kidnap me if they know all of Wall Market will notice right away."

I had to admit it was smart. I even told her so.

"Are you so surprised?" she had asked me, frowning. "Just because I'm a sex worker doesn't mean that I'm stupid."

The more we explored Wall Market, the more I was surprised that it seemed like a perfectly functioning, economically sustainable place. There was a gym filled with old machines that still worked just fine, clothing stores and a densely-packed bar. Lena showed me where bets could be placed for dog fights, and she showed me the empty chain-link ring up close where I had seen the men fighting during my first visit.

There was a weapon shop that sold old Shinra materials, things so out of date it was like stepping back in time. Another shop sold perfumes and fragrances made by the owner with local fauna that grew at a dilapidated church in the neighboring sector, something that shocked me, as I had never seen flowers growing anywhere in Midgar. Though none of the perfumes smelled very good, and I became doubtful that he was telling the entire truth about the ingredients.

As we continued down the earthen streets of this little shanty town that I still held in such disdain, I was beginning to understand the draw of that place. It seemed to me that most people in Wall Market were quite happy to be there, living with barely functional roofs over their heads, working their bartering jobs and haggling for ten to twelve hours a day.

Above the plate, Midgar was known as an advanced city unlike any other in the world, modernized and sleek and filled with opportunity, but Wall Market had what the top-side lacked, which was culture. Everyone knew everyone there, and everyone looked out for each other (so long as there was something in it for them). Part of me wondered what might happen to this place if Shinra did decide to take Wall Market into its own hands instead of letting it be self-governed by some anonymous figure that I had yet to meet.

I could only imagine Wall Market being turned into some type of tourist trap, where upper class men and women could pay for a culture shock without having to leave the city.

Just as Lena was wrapping up our tour, I noticed that she had conveniently left out the one building that I was most curious about.

I pointed towards the gaudy red-and-gold building towards the back of Wall Market, and asked what was inside.

"That's where Don Corneo lives. Or rather, where he's going to live permanently when the construction is finished."

"Don Corneo?" I had never heard the name, no matter how many times I repeated it, hoping to have recalled it from some mundane conversation I'd had before.

"He funds the inn. He's been funding a majority of the construction here, as well. A percentage of our income goes to him, and he keeps the inn open and running and makes sure we have food. He offers us protection, too. If a client gets too violent or entitled, all we have to do is tell the Don and he'll take care of it."

"'Take care of it'?"

"Sure."

"Meaning?"

"I don't know. I've never asked."

"He kills them?" I asked, shocked with her casual manner.

"Not always. Maybe. I'm not sure what he does. I've never actually met him before. He's very private, and most of his business is conducted through his employees."

"Where does he get his money from?"

"I don't know. Some people say he was born into money, other people say he blackmailed Shinra, and even others say that he just . . . pulled himself up by his bootstraps and worked hard. There's all sorts of rumors, but no one really knows the truth. His money is precious to us and our town, so no one really cares."

I cared. I was more than interested. "What do you believe?"

Lena thought for a moment. I found it difficult to believe she didn't really have an opinion on the matter. "It doesn't really matter how he got his money," she finally told me. "Everyone comes here to Wall Market for a fresh start, especially those of us with unsavory pasts. Why should Don Corneo be any different?"

I hummed, but made a mental note to check out the mansion without Lena another time. If those lackeys were so involved in the town's governance, it might be that they would have information on these missing girls, or at least be well aware of them.

"Let me ask you something else, Lena," I said before we parted ways for the evening. "What do you think happened to those girls?"

She smiled nervously, scoffing as if the answer were quite obvious. "Look, I don't mean to sound . . . harsh, but . . . I understand the reality of things." Her smile faded, and it was apparent that the notion disturbed her. "I'm not optimistic about finding them alive."

"And there's no one you might suspect?"

"Me?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and sighing heavily. Her eyebrows knitted together as she thought. "I don't know, really. I mean, I don't have any evidence, but . . ."

"But?"

"There's a man who comes round the inn quite often," she told me in a quiet voice. "He's been warned several times about his . . . roughness, I guess. I saw him arguing with a few of the girls who had gone missing. He liked them younger."

"What did they argue about?"

"They wanted more money from him. I don't know what he asked them to do, but they seemed to feel that they weren't being compensated fairly for it."

I hesitated for a moment. I didn't want Lena to think that I was allowing her to partner with me on this investigation. If I wanted to be alone while confronting this man, I would have to do it tomorrow. It made me feel guilty, thinking that I was wasting precious time, but I have to admit, I was about as optimistic as Lena was about finding these women.

"Could you tell me where to find this man?" I asked.

"Lyla might. There's a girl he's fond of that I can introduce you to, as well."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "That would be much appreciated, but Lena, with all due respect, I would prefer you not to be involved in this."

That made her laugh. "Why? You worried about me?"

No, I wanted to tell her. I wasn't worried about her at all. She seemed like a girl who could hold her own far better than I could myself. "You're an outsider. If my superior catches wind of you—"

"Me?" Lena put her hands on her hips. "I thought your superior told you not to go through with this at all. So . . . if he catches wind of your little investigation, we'll both be in trouble, won't we?"

Things were getting worse and worse and I was finding it difficult to be blunt with her. I didn't want to disappoint her, but I also knew that whatever excuses I gave would just be shrugged off by Lena. And besides . . . she knew Wall Market better than I did, and there was no denying she could be of use. And if she wasn't, how hard would it be to shake off some nineteen-year-old girl?

"Yes," I agreed, praying to whatever gods above that Veld would not find out about my recklessness and disobedience. "So I suppose we'll have to work quietly."

She beamed at me with her gap-toothed smile. She looked so innocent that I couldn't help but almost immediately regret my decision.