Chapter 21

Despite how it seemed, Senna didn't have much, so it was not long before everything was packed to move. She was grateful that Rude had brought a second cart with a bar so her clothes could be hung instead of boxed to prevent wrinkles. Not that they had far to go.

It was still morning as the trio left Rufus's apartment and headed toward the elevator. Surprisingly, they didn't have far to go. Senna lifted one brow when they stopped on the 54th floor but didn't bother asking as it wasn't as important as the two men standing outside the elevator doors, apparently waiting for them.

Tseng was as impossible to read as each time Senna had seen him. Not that his blank face made her feel any less nervous than the other man's frown. She didn't recognize him, but between the gun grafted to his arm and the way Reno suddenly straightened, it was a safe bet to assume she was face to face with the Turk's number one—Veld.

It didn't take long for her guess to be verified. As soon as the elevator doors closed behind them, the man stepped forward with a hand out. His frown was nowhere to be seen as he shook Senna's hand and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rhodes. Please call me Veld. I am the head of our Department of Administrative Research.

"I understand you will be staying with us for now. While that poses no problem, there are a few things you need to be aware of." Veld then gestured toward Tseng.

The Turk's second-in-command stepped forward and held out a manilla envelope. Once Senna took it from him, Veld continued. "You will find everything you need in that envelope. At Rufus's request, we have set up a city ID, a bank account, and an employee ID card that will allow you limited access up to the 64th floor. Your first week's pay is included as well. Please remember that the remaining amounts will be deposited directly into your account going forward. You will not be able to access the funds without your ID, so do be mindful not to misplace it."

So much of that was unexpected that it took Senna a moment to respond. "I understand. And thank you for your assistance." Once she wrapped her head around everything, her mood instantly improved. She had not anticipated a paycheck or the ability to save it. Rufus may have set it up as a cover for the story they gave his father, but it also provided her with a level of independence she had not been expecting.

Her smile was genuine as she said, "I am aware this may be unusual, but you have my thanks for all the arrangements."

Something hard flashed through Veld's eyes as he responded. "Save your thanks, Miss Rhodes. I will be blunt. You are an employee of Shinra Power and Electric on paper only. I do not know what arrangement you may have with Rufus, but I will not tolerate anything that may be detrimental to the company. You will be watched, and you are not to leave the building without prior approval and an escort. Do we understand each other?"

Ice ran down Senna's spine, causing her smile to instantly drop into the face she used in the courtroom. Of course, it had been too much to ask for the Turks to not treat her like the prisoner she was. Her tone was clipped and just as cold as Veld's had been when she answered, "Perfectly. Although, I will state that despite what you may believe, I have no interest in anything other than assisting Rufus. I am no threat to this company."

Veld's lips tilted up in a mocking smile. "And would a threat announce themselves? No, Miss Rhodes, your words hold little meaning. Only time will tell, so don't make this harder on yourself than it needs to be."

Senna gritted her teeth but nodded. If she thought about it logically, her position hadn't changed from when she was in Rufus's apartment. If anything, she could celebrate that she had more privacy. The situation was still better than the alternative. "Understood."

With that, Veld gave her a curt nod as he said, "If that is settled, then I have work I must get back to. Good day, Miss Rhodes." He did not wait for a response before he turned and headed toward the elevator.

Unfortunately, Tseng did not follow. The Turk second-in-command gestured toward the hall opposite the way Veld had gone. "Miss Rhodes, if you would follow me. Your rooms have already been prepared."

Senna kept her growing frustration to herself as she followed Tseng with Reno and Rude trailing behind them with the two carts. The sound of hard wheels running through the plush carpet of the new hallway was the only sound. Tension was thick enough to make the situation more awkward than it needed to be, but Senna had no plans to be the one to break it.

Unfortunately, her will in the matter meant little. They had not made it more than a few feet down the hall when an explosion of sound nearly brought Senna to her knees. It was so vast that even her vision turned white as she flailed for the nearest surface to keep from falling.

Senna could feel her chest heaving as she gasped for air and the slam of her heart against her ribcage but could hear nothing more than the cacophony. It wasn't until her palm slapped against the cool marble of a wall that any other sensation infiltrated her consciousness.

She stumbled closer to the hard surface to lean against it heavily. Her face pressed against the wall between her palms. The cold finally penetrated the racket enough for her to realize the noise was voices. Understanding what was happening did nothing to alleviate the growing pressure and pain, but it did allow her enough clarity to see Tseng standing next to her with a frown.

Fear joined confusion as Senna tried to get herself under control enough to appear normal. The last thing she needed was for the Turks to start asking unnecessary questions. It was bad enough that Rufus had a hold on her fate.

Senna's legs were still shaky as she stood from the wall. Part of her wanted to wave off Rude on her other side, but she had to admit his hand on her arm was probably the only thing keeping her on her feet. Instead of worrying about it, she swallowed twice and focused on the most dangerous person—Tseng.

"I apologize. It seems that a migraine has hit quite hard and unexpectedly. It was just a bout of dizziness."

The frown on Tseng's face melted back into his blank mask, but his eyes still watched Senna's movements sharply. Disbelief was audible in his voice as well. "Is this a continuing symptom of your earlier illness? Do you need us to contact Dr. Eugene?"

It was clear that Tseng's question was nothing more than a polite veneer, but it gave Senna the perfect excuse to cling to. "I don't think there is any need to bother the doctor. I should be fine with a bit of rest. Are we close to my assigned room?"

Tseng's pause was barely discernable before he took Senna's other arm as he focused on Reno and Rude. "I will ensure Ms. Rhodes is settled. The two of you can put her things away."

Senna's head was still pounding with the harsh sound of voices, but she held up a hand anyway. "I can put them away myself later. I just need to rest first."

Something hard flashed through Tseng's eyes before he nodded curtly. Nothing else was said as the group continued down the hall, if a bit slower than before. Thankfully, it wasn't that far. Less than halfway down the hall, Tseng stopped and opened a door on the right side.

Once they were all inside, Tseng waved the other two Turks off as they parked the carts. He did not wait for them to leave before he continued to a door on the other side of the large living area.

It led to a bedroom, and Senna gratefully sank onto the bed. One hand cupped the side of her head as if that could somehow block out the noise. It took all her effort to focus on Tseng as he said, "If you change your mind or need anything, please use the PHS left for you in the other room. My number is already programmed into it."

Terror and pain were so thick in Senna's mind that she barely mustered enough strength to say, "Thank you."

For a moment, it looked like Tseng might say more, but he only dipped his chin once as he said, "Please get some rest. I will ensure Rufus is aware that you will be unavailable."

Thinking of Rufus and his response to the debacle only added to Senna's fear, but it seemed that she held it in well enough to satisfy Tseng. She could barely hear anything over the voices in her head, but she concentrated on the sound of footsteps. Once she heard the outer door close, she waited for a few more seconds of silence to ensure he was gone before she gave in and flopped back onto the bed.

Minerva had said that the voices wouldn't be held back forever, but their breakthrough couldn't have happened at a worse time. Part of Senna's mind focused on the potential fallout, but only a tiny part. Most of her focus was on how to lessen the volume, or else she would not be able to do anything else.

Time was a warped concept as Senna lay there trying to focus past the multitude of voices that had hardly lessened since they broke through whatever barrier Minerva had them behind. Her concentration was broken when a loud, obnoxious ring cut through the noise.

A curse slipped past her lips as she sat up. Thankfully, the pain was no more than a dull ache. Not that it was enough to keep her from stumbling as she made her way back into the main room. She leaned against the doorframe momentarily as she looked around for the first time. The room was large and open. The furnishings were basic but looked comfortable enough, and the kitchen/dining area had a small table.

Senna was in no mood to care about more than a cursory glance—long enough to locate the PHS that was the most likely source of the unpleasant ringing. By the time she picked it up, the sound had stopped. A large part of her wished to drop the device and return to bed. Unfortunately, she had a feeling that if she did that, she would have an irate Turk following up, which would be worse.

It took her a moment to locate the button on the side of the device to light up the screen. She squinted with a frown at the brightness. When her vision cleared, she saw a missed call from Rufus. Apparently, Tseng's number wasn't the only one preprogrammed in the PHS.

Senna debated for a moment whether she should call back or not. The choice was made for her when a ding heralded a message arriving. She touched the picture of the envelope, and it opened a text from Rufus. Call me immediately.

Many unpleasant adjectives flowed through Senna's mind, but in the end, she had no desire to start a fight, so she did as he asked. She was grateful that he only let it ring once before he answered. His first words made Senna rethink her unwillingness to fight.

"Why did you not pick up when I called?"

A deep breath later, Senna answered, "Because I was lying down, and I didn't make it in time. I doubt that my current status has not reached your desk."

There was a brief pause before Rufus said, "Yes, I was told you were unwell but that it wasn't serious. You declined a follow-up visit from Dr. Eugene. If that is the case, I expected you to be working on the information you still have yet to share with me."

Senna almost wished the voices in her head were enough to drown out Rufus and his high-handed expectations. Since that was not the case, she answered through gritted teeth. "I do not need the doctor because all I need is time to rest. Don't worry; I'll get to your tasks as soon as I can sit up without the world spinning."

Rufus's voice dipped low enough to almost sound concerned as he said, "Are you certain you do not need to be examined? It has not been that long since you were diagnosed with mako poisoning."

Senna sighed as she rubbed her temple. For once, she hoped her voice sounded as tired as she felt. "I'll be fine with time."

Another pause, and then Rufus said, "Let me know as soon as you are well enough to get back to work."

The best Senna could muster was a hum of acknowledgment. It seemed to be enough. As soon as the call ended, she dropped to the couch. The bed was too far away to bother with.

The worry that had been drowned by the voices earlier returned as Senna tried to figure out what to do. She could barely concentrate, but something had to change. Not only would she go insane if she couldn't get the noise under control, but there was no way to complete what she promised under the circumstances. That was not an option when her life could be in the balance.

One of her arms covered her eyes as she leaned back. The random thought that the couch was as comfortable as it had looked passed through as she grappled with the ongoing assault on her mind. Desperation was beginning to coat every thought until one finally stuck.

Senna realized she only had one option—one person who might be able to help. Someone that she would never have tried to reach out to otherwise. Just approaching Aerith would put the girl in more danger than she was already in, but what choice did Senna have? Minerva had already said she was at her limit of holding the voices from the lifestream back.

A sigh escaped as Senna sat forward and put her face in her hands; her elbows rested on her knees. A debate was raging alongside the voices. Would it be better to call Rufus and ask permission or not? It had been made clear that she shouldn't leave without it, but letting him know where she wanted to go made her sick to consider.

Was there any possibility she could leave and not be noticed? Doubtful, but maybe…. Senna's thoughts trailed off as she considered the possibility that she might not have to do it alone. After all, she wouldn't be the first 'cetra' to escape the Shinra building. As the idea blossomed, she tried her best to block everything and concentrate on sending a question. There was no guarantee that it would work, but she had to try.

Relief rushed through her as the swell of voices momentarily lowered in volume. Senna thought she heard Minerva's voice, but it was quickly swallowed by the noise as it snapped back to full volume. The sudden increase caused Senna to grimace, but the expression morphed into a tight smile. Minerva had answered.

A bitter laugh escaped as Senna stood. It seemed her life was now one desperate choice after another, but she didn't have time to doubt. She needed help.

Senna did her best to ignore the voices as she put her ear to the door. She wasn't sure if there was no noise or if the volume in her head blocked the rest out. Either way, she wouldn't know for sure until she opened the door. It took her a few seconds to work up the nerve as she tried to appear normal while doing so. No point in looking suspicious if there was a guard.

She almost sagged in relief when the open door exposed an empty hallway. Senna stepped out and closed it quietly behind her. Now came the hard part. Could she make it to the elevator without being seen? If she could, then the crowd in the lobby should hide her as she slipped out of the building.

With that plan in mind, Senna steeled her resolve and headed back the way they had come that morning. She had not reached the end of the hall when she felt a sudden urge to hide. It wasn't exactly the voices, or Minerva's voice, to be more precise, but the compulsion was strong and undeniable. Not that she had anywhere to hide.

The best Senna could do was dart toward the wall and try to make herself as small as possible. She barely made it when she heard footsteps quickly followed by two men in dark suits heading past the intersection at the end of the hall. By some miracle, neither of them glanced in her direction.

Senna felt almost boneless as the footsteps faded. Though she only gave herself a moment to relax. The success buoyed her hopes as she pushed away from the wall and continued toward the elevator.

Much to her relief, she had not seen another soul and could not repress a smile as the doors slid closed behind her. Senna was well aware that it was too early to celebrate, but her smile grew as the elevator started moving.

Tension returned when the elevator stopped on the next floor, but Senna tried to appear nonchalant as two people joined her. They were clearly Shinra employees, but not Turks. They ignored her as they continued their quiet conversation.

A few floors down, the elevator stopped again, but this time, Senna crossed her arms and focused on the wall. Maybe if she pretended to be invisible, she would at least be forgettable.

Her first clue that something was not right was the way the conversation of the other two occupants stuttered to a halt, followed by a rush of footsteps. Against her better judgment, Senna turned to see what was happening and almost wished she hadn't.

Reno stood in the doorway, keeping them from closing, wearing a sharp grin directed her way. Rude was right behind him.

Reno's voice was deceptively happy-go-lucky, but Senna did not miss the hard undercurrent as he said, "Hey there, Dollface. You coulda just said you wanted a tour. We'd be happy to guide ya."

Senna sighed as she stood straighter. So much for the voices in her head actually being helpful. She didn't bother saying anything as she followed the Turk off the elevator, her mind whirring despite how full it was. Giving up was not an option, but now came the hard part. How in the hell was she supposed to get away?

A/N: Hello again! It has been so long, but as you can see, this has not been forgotten. I still have no idea about a regular schedule, but I will whittle away at it until I finish, promise. Now, as for the chapter(s), I hope you enjoyed them and are looking forward to where this goes. I have so much left to get to, and I am actually pretty excited about it. I wish I had more time. Ah well. Thank you to anyone who still has patience with me; I love you all!