[Breaking News]
An explosion went off at the Shinra Tower today a little after noon. Reviewing the footage, it is believed that a primary explosion around the fiftieth floor may have led to a secondary explosion of some kind elsewhere in the building.
[Video of shattered glass. Grainy video zooming in, angle suggesting it was taken from street level.]
We are now in front of the main doors. We have started to see Shinra personnel evacuate from the building. Just pour from the building. This is the middle of the day, most people are just getting to their lunch break.
[Video cut to live footage in front of the Shinra building. Most people leaving are in business dress but many appear drenched and some seem to have light injuries. Significant portions of the view are blocked by emergency vehicles and Shinra troopers corralling the evacuees.]
Currently, there are no updates on who might still be in the building and whether there is anyone injured. While Shinra has provided no information about whether this was an accident, sabotage, or external attack, in recent months there has been no shortage of groups who publicly declared Shinra a major target.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected and the families still waiting to hear about the fate of their loved ones.
Joining us now-
"Proof the mission was a success. Now the other part of the deal."
VI. Recovery Efforts
"This is my workshop," Reeve gestured. Cloud's eyes were wide as he looked around the mess of a bedroom filled with bits of circuitry, wires, and parts. "It isn't much yet. I haven't had time to tinker these days."
True to his word, Reeve invited Cloud back to his home, though calling it that would be generous. He may officially live and receive mail at the location, but he spent so little time there that it contained barely anything sentimental. Rather, it was a large but drab condo inside a corporate styled high rise with the only appeal being its walking distance to the Tower.
At least his kitchen is stocked, Reeve ruefully thought, as he heated up leftovers from his mother.
Checking over his missed messages, he took a moment to message his mother before turning his attention to work. The building was still evacuated of all nonmilitary personnel and they were still providing temporary barracks to anyone quartered in the building until all floors could be checked. With not much else to do and not wanting to kick the kid out into the street or into a temporary shelter, Reeve offered his home for the evening.
"This is brilliant," Cloud complimented, looking around the room.
"Thank you," Reeve said, a little embarrassed.
It was a second bedroom he turned into a workspace after his divorce years ago. He imagined turning it into a nursery, but the stresses of work at Shinra ruined his marriage before it even began. Now, several mechanical drawings for potential projects were plastered to the walls, a work desk sat facing the window, and a monstrosity of bare wires and composite board sat in one corner. Reeve saw Cloud looking at the last item in puzzlement.
"That's a CNC mill," Reeve explained hastily, "I salvaged it when the Weapons Department did a complete upgrade of the machine shop last year."
Cloud nodded, "I've seen one."
"You have?"
"Ja, I worked for a mechanic when I was a kid. It was the only way to earn enough to pay for passage to Midgar." Cloud explained. "We mostly fixed up old buggies and the occasional motorbike."
"Well, this one doesn't work yet. It was broken when I salvaged it," Reeve explained, "And we are going to have to move it off the bed to get you any room to sleep tonight."
Cloud nodded as he rolled up his sleeves.
As they cleared out the room, Cloud helped Reeve sort parts back into boxes. The boy's knowledge proved useful as they labeled boxes for their contents. An hour later, the room was put to rights again, a path from the door to the bed cleared, the carpet now visible. As Reeve lifted a few boxes into the closet, Cloud ducked under the bed with the broom. When he came back up again, dust turning the tips of his hair grey, he was holding a dusty stuffed toy.
"A cat?" Reeve turned and when he saw it, he flushed.
"Oh, that old thing," He held open his hand and Cloud passed the toy to him, "I was working on an animatronic toy. Something …for a child." He patted the cloth down, a cloud of dust shaking off to reveal a white cat under the grime. Then, he sat the cat on his work desk, facing the rest of the room.
"Hmm…" Cloud leaned in for a closer look, "It looks familiar." Reeve laughed.
"You may have seen it. The old children's show. Cait Sith's Nine Lives. I used the stuffed animal for an outer shell." Cloud shook his head. Reeve ran a hand through his hair, realizing how greasy it had gotten. "Must be before your time. Come on, we both could do with a shower. I'll show you to the bathroom and find you some spare clothes."
"Reno is stable and is still being seen to in the infirmary," Tseng reported as he looked over the latest messages on his phone.
Lucky son of a bitch with nine lives. Tseng thought, with no small amount of relief.
Morning found the Turks still working. Veld and Rod spent the night securing the top floors. Tseng joined the president, checking in on the guard around the man, though it didn't appear the suspect was targeting the president directly. Gun, and anyone uninjured were called back and immediately started cordoning off the area and collecting evidence.
Reno, who was closest to the blast, thankfully reacted in time, putting a heavy door and a barrier spell up between himself and the now vaporized suspect. The force of blast still threw him through a wall but kept him from being charred. Even so, he is badly injured and will be out of commission.
"And the president?" Veld asked.
"We relocated him safely to a temporary location. We have seen to it that he is comfortable and has a round-the-clock security detail."
Tseng winced inwardly as he made his report. Both the Turks and Public Security were stretched thin already. When the president demanded to be moved out of the building, Turks had to split resources even more. As it was, Cissnei, Katana, and Shotgun were being called back from their missions and it would be days before they were back on the continent. With Reno out for now, there weren't many Tseng would put at his back.
Veld sighed tiredly, dark circles under his eyes as he nursed a dark cup of steaming black coffee, tie for once half untied and slung over one shoulder. His typically pristine jacket was slung over his chair, and the white shirt underneath was crumpled, sleeves rolled up to display scarred forearms.
"Six deaths and fourteen injuries and we are damn lucky it wasn't worse. Hojo wasn't in, but he's been sending nasty emails about his ruined research." How Hojo had convinced the President to put the lab so close to the executive floors Tseng will never understand, though documents recovered from the good general's computer gave him a clue. Veld continued, "Do we know what caused the lab explosion and the loss of containment?"
Tseng shook his head. "Currently, that looks like an unrelated incident. The initial shaking may have triggered chemical reactions of highly volatile substances inside the lab but anyone immediately in the area is dead. Fire marshals have ruled it an accident right now."
"Dig into it," Veld ordered. Veld glanced at the clock and then finished his coffee with great gulps. Then, he grabbed his jacket and threw it over his shoulders. Both men stepped back out as Veld straightened his tie. They stopped in front of the closed conference door guarded by Gun.
"Boss," Gun greeted at the door and stepped aside, "Everyone is present."
She had a white bandage at the corner of her mouth, and her normally crisp suit had seen better days. One hand was also wrapped, and there were dark smudges under her eyes. But despite all this, she carried herself with a straight back and quiet confidence that Gun always seemed to have.
"Good," Veld walked in with a nod to Tseng. "Go get some rest." Gun returned to her position guarding the door as it slid shut at her back.
"- suspect detained succeeded in transporting a powerful bomb into our facility. We have not collected enough pieces of him to reconstruct the events-"
Scarlet huffed and shrilled, "Yes, tell us how you can let an armed suspected terrorist walk into the most secure-"
"The terrorist had the explosive device sewed into his own body-" Veld was interrupted.
"What?" Heidegger, "Why do we not have metal detectors at every entrance-"
"To do what? Every Soldier, trooper, and Turk is going to disarm just to get in-"
"You are obviously to blame, Heidegger," Scarlet snorted, "Remember how you asked for funding. Funding that was promised to me last year for weapons development to station more troops in Costa del Sol? Where's that money gone? You bought a beach house with it, didn't you? I could have added metal detectors instead!"
"No, you would have spent it getting-"
"Well, obviously we all know how Scarlet would have spent it," Rufus commented snidely from a seat next to the empty one beside his father, "Certainly not for developing metal detectors."
"Enough. You too, Rufus." President Shinra finally said, his face displaying on a large screen facing the conference room table. The room was more cramped than normal, and the boardroom was still evacuated. Instead, the group piled into a smaller conference room on the fifty-fifth floor.
Reeve stared blankly down at his coffee. They had been arguing in circles most of the morning. If he weren't so exhausted, he would have been wishing for some popcorn right about now. A glance at Palmer and Reeve suspected the man might be doing exactly that.
Morning found Reeve's phone ringing before it was completely light out. It was a call from his assistant, letting him know that they started letting people back into the building. After making sure they would send a structural engineering team to assess the damage, Reeve was preparing to make breakfast when a second message came in, calling an emergency board meeting first thing. Reeve groaned then scrolled down the rest of his inbox.
He was responding to one of his engineering managers when Cloud stumbled in, hair even more mussed from sleep.
The blond took in Reeve's expression, and Reeve didn't know what Cloud saw but the boy immediately nodded. "Going then?"
Reeve slumped, running a hand through his own messed hair, pushing it back into some semblance of his typical slicked-back style. "I'll leave the ingredients out. You are welcome to the kitchen, make something for yourself." he offered. Cloud's mouth turned down in a frown, but he simply nodded. Reeve continued, "Not sure yet if the dorms are open. I'll leave a spare key out. Door locks automatically."
Seeing that Cloud turned to the stove, Reeve walked out of the kitchen toward the bathroom, phone in hand. It was about to be a long day.
The morning board meeting confirmed Reeve's expectations.
Stealing a look at General Sephiroth, who so far has said not a word and whose body language said he wanted to be there even less than Reeve despite the man's emotionless expression, Reeve thought, Well, at least misery has company.
Genesis shut his PHS as Cloud walked into his office. Genesis used the space so rarely that the room was mostly bare besides a bookshelf, his desk, and a couch where he often lounged to read in between missions. Once again the young cadet was out of uniform, but at least he came.
There was grime on his shirt, though it was a different one from the one he wore the previous day and hung on his frame, and a light mako smell clung to him. At Genesis's look, Cloud looked down and groaned.
"Sorry, sir," Cloud explained as he patted down the front, smearing the stain instead, "I was in the materia lab all morning. One of the monsters got in and left a mess. We are still cataloging the damage."
Genesis sniffed but didn't say more. He might not act like it, but he's been a rank-and-file soldier once. Instead, he pulled out a form and placed it on the desk, beckoning Cloud closer as he did.
"A…job offer?" Cloud asked as he read the top without touching the form. Genesis knew what was written there.
Dear [Candidate Name],
Shinra Company is pleased to extend an offer of part-time employment for the position of Administrative Assistant, contingent upon standard background checks and drug screening procedures. (See Form C for Information Release Waiver). Your date of employment will begin [Fill in date].
You will report directly to [Cmdr. Genesis Rhapsodos]…
Cloud looked as bewildered as a chocobo chick being shown a riding tack. At Genesis's expectant look, Cloud protested, "I already work here. And study at -"
Genesis waved off the rest of the protest, "Yes, yes. I won't take you away from the military academy. Hence why I'm offering a part-time spot." He gestured at the form and explained further. "I don't find you as irritating as the many other assistants I've had. Besides, I'm sure the cadet program pays a pittance."
"I," Cloud said, then after a beat changed his mind about what he was going to say, instead asking "What do you want me to do?" Genesis leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded hands.
"On paper at least, you are handling my paperwork, but what I'm offering you is mentorship and you are being paid for it. Don't tell me you think you'd learn less from me than those incompetents you call instructors." Genesis stared at Cloud, who opened his mouth and then closed it, deep in thought.
Genesis leaned back again, one hand sweeping hair out of his eyes. After a long silence, he huffed, disappointed Cloud wasn't jumping at the opportunity.
Then again, Genesis wouldn't have tolerated it so well if Cloud had done so. He wasn't looking for a fan after all.
Genesis in fact doubted Cloud even knew about the fan clubs. Dear goddess, the fan clubs.
"Take some time to think about it," Genesis said instead, then narrowed his eyes. "Just not too long. My patience is limited." Cloud sighed as he wiped his hands on his pants instead and picked up the papers from Genesis's desk before dismissing himself.
"Ahahaha - So he still doesn't know you aren't in the military?" Elena asked, cackling.
Cloud shrugged helplessly beside her, looking a little exasperated that Elena wasn't commiserating with him. Why should she? Most would jump at the chance to work for the Crimson Commander and she was certain the Red Leather club would be speculating about the Commander's new cutie for weeks.
On second thought, she side-eyed Cloud who now had a hand buried in his hair, possibly best not to fill the poor boy in on all the fan clubs. Groupies could be vicious and it was a strange strange world. Too much for Cloud's innocent ears.
Classes were canceled while everything was getting sorted and Cloud agreed to meet with Elena at the Tower. It was not the first time Elena ended up on the Soldier floor but it was the first time she had been in the materia lab, and saw Cloud don his actual uniform - a lab coat.
The door slid open, and another scientist walked in, an older man with thick glasses that had protective side shields clipped in. His dark hair was mussed and frown lines and laugh lines both crisscrossed his face.
"Here we are," he said with a smile, bearing a tray with three steaming mugs, "Tea and a hot chocolate for the young lady."
Dr. Zalinka reminded Elena of a kindly uncle. She had arrived earlier than their agreed upon rendezvous time and the older man welcomed her simply with "Ah you are young Cloud's friend."
Cloud bursted into the lab just after the two already made introductions and Elena was explaining her studies, expression flabbergasted as he explained the situation.
Gratefully taking the offered mug, Elena took a sip as the scientist handed Cloud his tea, then continued the conversation where they had left off.
"I'd say you should consider it."
"Dr. Zalinka," Cloud pleaded, exasperated.
"No, hear me out," the man continued with the air of someone practiced at placating young chocobos. "Materia fusion is certainly interesting and I wouldn't understand why people don't want to study it. If it were up to me the application line for the lab would be a mile long." The older scientist winked at Elena, who giggled.
"But the fact of the matter is the lab is not well funded," the scientist continued, "And Rayleigh and I can cover things here. I will certainly appreciate the help when you can spare it, but an opportunity to change and grow is for your own good at this age. Seems like that commander will offer it to you."
When Cloud looked at Elena, she smiled and nodded. Cloud sighed and looked back down at the forms he slapped down on the desk when he first walked in.
"Thanks Dr. Zalinka." The doctor just smiled.
Reno regained consciousness and swiftly wished he didn't.
He was very familiar with the inside of Shinra's drab medical ward. And, he was a Turk long enough to recognize the high dose of painkillers he was pumped full off while unconscious and also the world of pain he would be in when he was weaned off. Must have been bad to get the good stuff. He opened his eyes and was met with a blue gaze.
"Why hello, nurse," Reno purred and tried to push himself up, despite the protest his chest gave, "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
Blond brows furrowed in confusion, even as his visitor moved forward to help him sit up. One arm wrapped behind his shoulder to lift him with ease while the other stuffed another pillow behind him. Reno looked down as a colorful blanket tumbled from his shoulders to crumble on his lap.
He watched as the blond (sadly not in a spicy nurse uniform) poured water from a plastic pitcher at his bedside. Reno could hear the clank of ice cubes against sides but the blond filled the clear plastic cup with only water, lightly fogged by condensation.
"Doctors said you need to stay hydrated," the man explained.
Reno smiled as sweetly as he could, "I'll drink whatever you tell me to, hon." The blond cocked his head as he stared back at Reno, silently puzzled. Okay, maybe that line could use some work.
"Reno…do you recognize me?"
"...of course…"
The blond rolled his eyes and tipped the cup to Reno's lips then exasperatedly demanded, "Just drink the water." The water was pleasantly cool on his lips and Reno wanted to have a bit more fun, but his eyelids grew heavy and he drifted back off. As he did, he could hear the man mutter to himself, "Drugged up to the gills."
The second time Reno woke up and still wished he hadn't.
The good stuff clearly wore off and he felt as if every bone in his body had broken, even though he knew a strong Curaga would have set most things already. Cloud was still there, fussing around with a poster of all things. Reno could see the back of his head with the ridiculous locks of blond hair and barely make out the poster as it went up. The Happy Turtle?
Cloud stepped back and checked the alignment. Seemingly satisfied, he turned around and met Reno's eyes.
"You're awake!"
"Cloud," Reno greeted, "How long have I been out?" He tried to push himself up again but the stabbing pain told him it was a bad idea. Cloud drew closer to his bedside, one hand fiddling with the blanket that again laid over Reno.
"Do you remember the first time you woke up?" Cloud asked. Reno blinked and blithely lied.
"Nope." Cloud laughed.
"No surprise. You were high on painkillers." He reached and pulled over a button on a wire. "More if you need it, but it's on a timer." Reno nodded gratefully but didn't reach for it. Instead, he looked around with curiousity.
"Blankets and posters?" Cloud flushed.
"Ma used to say people healed faster where they were comfortable. Didn't know what you liked but the poster was a collectible." Reno smiled, strangely touched. Sentiment was rare for Turks, rarer in the slums.
"Your ma?"
"Yeah," Cloud nodded, "She worked as a nurse back in Nibelheim." Cloud fussed around more with Reno's pillows then asked, "Anything else you need?"
"Thirsty. Some water?"
Zack wiped monster blood off his face as the trooper beside him discharged his rifle into another monster. Day two of patrols and there hadn't been much more progress besides the monsters. They had loaded up a few to ship back to Midgar to be examined, but other than that it's been a total boondoggle.
Kunsel's message mentioned something big happened at the Tower, and that monsters attacked as far up as the sixty-seventh floor. Zack pouted at the thought that just when he finally got his mission, the action was instead back at home. Hearing footsteps, Zack turned to the direction of the sound to see Corporal Lee return with two others in tow.
"Sir, scouts reported several sea caves to the south with recent signs of activity."
"Excellent work, Lee!" Zack complimented boisterously, "Report in once you can secure the entrances. We will go in when the other team is in position."
"Yes, sir." The helmeted corporal nodded. Zack watched him walk over to converse with a scout, then bent down to examine a downed monster.
Since they ventured further past the first beach, the monsters got larger. This one, Zack could see, had a rapidly fading mako glow to its eyes. Where was the mako coming from? This was too far from Junon to be from a reactor leak.
The sea cliffs surrounding them housed a network of labyrinthine caverns formed by the continuous pounding of waves against rock. Most were dangerous to navigate because they flood at high tide and cave-ins were frequent. The ones that stayed mostly dry gave birth to many old pirate legends in the past. One set indeed housed an outpost two hundred years ago. Rumors that some of the caves led right into the bottom of Fort Condor were (probably) false though.
"Sir," the corporal said into the radio amongst static from the interference of the cliff walls, "We have secured the entrance."
"Excellent, corporal. Right behind you."
"Yes, sir."
Zack's black combat boots crunched against the wet sand as he waded through the shallow tide pools formed on the cavern floor. Other than the mouth of the cave, most of it did not flood at high tide, since the elevation of the cave actually sloped upwards.
He gestured his hand over his head and his men fell into a nervous formation as they advanced, the beams of the flashlights bouncing off the glistening cave walls. The sound of waves beating at their back grew more distant as they advanced into the caves.
Something about this seemed fishy, and it wasn't the sea. They found a recently abandoned fire and abandoned lean-tos early in the cave, but no signs of human life outside of that. Probably fishermen, but that didn't seem right either. This coast, dotted with rock far into the sea, wasn't exactly friendly to fishermen, and most needed to launch out either from Junon or Costa del Sol. No signs of shipwreck.
But beyond the strangeness, Zack felt simply a sense of uneasiness. The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. There was a faint smell of mako mixed in with the smell of stagnant seawater and old rot.
"Corporal? Blue team? Come in," Zack spoke into his radio. There was static on the other end. Either something was jamming the signal, or something happened to the corporal. Zack was hoping for the former. Caves don't exactly bounce signals well. And, he had gotten to really like the reliable infantryman that was essentially his second in command.
"Come with me," Zack gestured to the private on his right, "I'm going in. Follow close but don't shoot. Bullets ricochet in here."
Soldiers were better at seeing in the dark than most men. The mako treatments mutated most of them to have an extra membrane in the back of the eye to reflect light and concentrate it, much like a cat. That was in part what gave Soldiers their characteristic "glowing" eyes, though mako itself was a visible ring for many higher-ranked Soldiers.
No one knew why they developed the physical modification and if the scientists knew, they weren't sharing either. Most saw it as an added benefit, a packaged deal: enhanced strength, healing, and sight. However, the ability came at a cost, since the glowing eyes could give away a Soldier's position in the dark and their peripheral vision is almost nonexistent in the dark.
Sephiroth once said to Zack that it was because Soldiers were made to be predators. Eyes in front of the head- on the prey. No predators to fear. And Zack believed it looking at the man's cat like pupils.
Right now though, Zack was not too sure their hunting party were the predators.
"Sir," a private said from behind as they walked deeper into the cave, "The tide will be coming in soon."
"I know. But we've lost Corporal Lee and his team, and it would be wrong to leave them," Zack looked back and smiled amicably at the private, "And none of you either, 'kay? Angeal would have my hide." He thought for a minute. "Entrance team. Has anyone come out of the caves? Come in, entrance team." Static on that end too.
"Yes sir," the private nodded.
"It's strange though," Zack murmured as he walked forward again, "We haven't seen a single monster. The beach was crawling with them. Why are the caves empty?"
This team stopped in front of the first fork they had come across. Zack frowned. Should sea caves even extend this far back?
"Sir, should we split up to search?" Zack shook his head.
"No, there seems to be some problems with our radio. We don't want to lose any more people down here." He tilted his head in thought. "Private, turn off the lights. I want to see something."
Zack's orders were passed to the back of their ten-man group. As the flashlights beams dies one by one, Zack's eyes adjusted to the dimness. He trained them on each of the forks. Small amounts of light reflected back to him.
"Anders, these tunnels don't surface do they?"
"Not that I know of sir. Shinra maps report that none of the sea caves have a land terminus."
"We'll take the right fork then. I saw some light. Might be blue team, but keep your wits about you."
The flashlights came back on. In front of them, the caverns opened up to a large chamber that seemed to be under a layer of mist. Toward the back of the cave, Shinra backpacks and flashlights lie on the ground, shining beams through the cavern. The corporal's radio played static.
"Shit. Where could they be?"
"Sleeping gas!" Someone cried out behind Zack. Zack turned around but his vision doubled. Zack realized with a sinking feeling that no one was equipped for status ailments. There weren't many monsters in the area that had been a cause for concern.
Leaning onto the cave wall, he called, "Fall back." Ahead of him his team was stumbling. Some already succumbed to its effects. "Stay awa-" Before he could finish, he was seeing the inside of his eyelids and knew nothing else.