He never thought he would die like this. It was an honor, of course, to die in a fight, but still, it was death, nothing else.
The only thing that was keeping the young Turk awake, through the pain, the horror, the blood loss, the cold and the fear, was his partner. He was dying, if not already dead. Reno couldn't say what that noise was, friendly fire, enemies, who the fuck cares, he thought.
Reno made an enormous effort to turn left, where the other man was laying, no sign of life in him. Red haired tried to lift his arm in which choulder were two bullets, when something lifted him from the ground. World became blurry, he was trying to talk and fight, not sure if a sound came out of his mouth. His other hand was also bleeding, bullet made a hole in it. He had to fight, he had to…
At some far moment Reno woke up in a clean and bright place. There were people around him, he realized, or hoped he was alive and remembered how to use his limbs.
"Wow, easy!"
Tseng was the one who got him, Reno tried to put his feet down and walk, but he fell like a cut tree and his colleague got him.
His left arm from the shoulder to the elbow was bandaged, his chest too, his other arm, he was like a damn mummy.
"Take it easy, you got enough for one night."
"Where is Rude, is he dead? Is he dead?!"
Light was poisonous now and the same hands, Tseng's, as it turned out, put him to sit back on the black couch.
"You kidding me?" he heard the familiar voice and looked around.
Reno needed some time to realize he was at Shinra castle, Rude was limping toward him, supported by a crutch. Tseng was there, Rufus was there, even Cloud and Tifa were there. And some other people he couldn't focus on right now.
"Thank your lucky star, boy, none of you died tonight."
He turned right, seeing the huge silhouette of Barret, even his kid, Marlene.
"What is this, a family reunion?"
Reno tried to stand up and lost balance, he was heavily drugged, probably.
"You scared the shit out of me, "partner." Marlene said, standing next to ridiculously huge compared to her Barret. "I thought you were dead. Who would lead my lessons?"
"Language!" Barret scolded her, some laughed.
"Genesis managed to turn half of our army against us for one night" Rufus came out, he was extremely serious. "We lost three of the sectors."
Reno's jaw dropped. He felt the pain too late and raised hand to touch it, which caused pain in his arm too.
"We are with almost 700 people absence. Four choppers down already, two of the reactors are captured. Half of the city is without light, he is trying to take us over."
Reno passed fingers through his hair in an impasse.
"What are we going to do?"
"We will fight" Tifa said, standing beside Cloud, supporting him, yet taking over. "I remember you told me this is your battle. And that I am too soft. This is our battle, our home."
He was still dizzy and tried to focus to find her face. She was determined. Cloud was grumpy, as always.
"Any fight of Midgar is my fight. I live here, whoever wants to take it away, my family, my friends, I fight him."
"We may have to" Tseng looked at her. "198 more civilians are missing. Genesis is drying up the city. He will use people against us, copies or not."
"What will we do?" Reno tried to stand up again and he felt weakness, fell back, trying to hide the pain.
"You go to take a rest" Rufus told him. "I've sent messages to all of our old proselytes, all friends, all we can pay to fight with us."
Rufus seemed worried, even, if that was possible, aged.
"Don't worry, boss" Rude interrupted. "I'll take him to bed and secure the exit.
"You too have some rest.
"I will."
Both Reno and Rude were literally crawling in the corridor, passing the security guy, Rude with a stitched leg, Reno inadequate and all in bandages.
He opened his door and fell in his bed, anesthetic was still in his blood and after the adrenaline awakening, he was about to collapse.
"You want me to call the nurse? You ok?"
"What nurse…" Reno was half adequate, like after a great drinking.
"You got three bullets for me, man, some other shit too, you are barely alive."
"I am the worst partner in the world" Reno was talking to the ceiling he couldn't see. "I saved a freaking owl and couldn't save my own buddy. I suck."
"One more word and I will hit you with the crutch."
"Go ahead. You will do me a favor. I failed."
"Really?" Rude raised his voice, which came like a vertigo for Reno.
He was wondering why his bed was moving, was he in a boаt in the water instead? Since he remembered, beds were supposed to stand still and not move around the room.
"I am alive, here, because you stand up for me, what else do you need?"
"Painkillers." Reno said. "Sedatives. New head."
He felt terrible pain in his left shoulder and right forearm, his ribs were killing him.
"You stupid, stupid man" Rude sighed. "Sleep well, my friend. Tomorrow is going to be the worst day of our life. If we live, we will tell about it."
"Reno to base, we are at sector 5, there are…"
"Hello? Reno? Do you copy? Reno?"
Cissnei was answering the calls at the base, all the lines were open, connecting and it was such a mess.
"Sir" she entered Rufus' office running. "Reno called but we lost connection. He is not answering, nor Rude. He said they are in sector 5."
Girl looked worried.
"Where the betrayers are" he finished, grabbing the radio station. "Rufus is speaking. We don't have an answer from Reno and Rude, they are at sector 5. Who is closer?"
"We are" an unfamiliar voice answered.
"Cloud?"
"We are going."
"There are at least a hundred corrupted Soldiers there." Rufus warned him.
"I am going too" door just opened, Tseng, followed by the trainees Turks.
"Tseng? Aren't you supposed to be with your family?"
"I brought them here, as you suggested, boss. They are safe, and Reno and Rude may be in trouble."
"Permission granted. Go. And be careful."
"It won't be easy to deal with so many Soldiers" Tifa was saying, holding Cloud, rushing on his bike to sector 5.
"No. But we are not going alone. Barret is on his way too. Plus Rufus will send his people."
Tifa smiled, didn't say more but his actions were enough.
"Can you see them?" Tseng was already in the air but too far from the place, rain stopped, still no electricity in many places, chopper's lights were the only help right now.
"I am in the northern part, no sign of them" Elena reported.
"No gps connection, still no answer from both of them, I don't like that."
Group of Soldiers arrived with a third chopper and started searching on foot.
"Be careful not to hit our own people" Tseng warned them. "Betrayers are still wearing their armor…"
"I see them" Cloud called. "Point 168, 3 593."
You know what a good thing is?" He stopped the bike and they both with Tifa jumped, him bringing his sword and her – modified foldable rod.
"Tell me" she rushed after him and hid behind the corner, she could see a group of Soldiers, not looking very friendly.
"I don't need Rufus permission to do this."
Cloud came out and attacked, taking down a few of them before they realized.
"Surprise is always a good tactic." Tifa agreed and hit one of them in the back of the head, he fell on the ground. "Oops, sorry."
Air was cold, stinging their skin. Darkness was thick, like the mud under their feet. Now their old enemies were their allies. Cloud didn't know if Shinra changed, but he wouldn't stay and watch his city and his friends being endangered.
"I see them, they are surrounded" Elena arrived by air.
"Let's give them a warm welcome." Tseng also entered the perimeter and opened fire, Soldiers answered.
"The hell happened here?" Cloud was taking down them, one after another, and could see both Turks were disarmed and on the ground. "Tifa, check them."
The leader came to answer the ambush, Cloud was going to entertain him till Tifa took care of Reno and Rude.
"Hey, wake up, can you hear me, yo?" She kneeled, checking red haired pulse. "There is a lot of blood here, and they are unconscious. Come on, Reno, wake up!"
Cloud was giving his best but they were too many. Tseng ceased the fire so as not to hit one of them, he and Elena landed their machines and joined by foot.
"What is going on?" he asked.
"He lost so much blood" Elena ran to Rude, noticing the injury on his leg. Tifa was still trying to wake Reno.
"Medics, take them to the base immediately! Go with them" Tseng ordered Elena. "I will stay here and clean."
"You sure?"
"You kidding" he smiled. "I can't wait."
Tseng got his weapon and started shooting. There were many, too many. The moment one was down, a few more appeared. Tseng abandoned the gun, their armor was bulletproof anyway, and got into a fight with fists. Tifa was attacking and he covered her when one of the Soldiers tried to shoot her. She wasn't fighting too bad, he noticed.
"You start the fun without me, again" Barret parked his truck literally on top of a few Soldiers, and he and Marlene came out, joining the fun.
"Are you insane, old man?" Tseng scolded him. "Get the kid out of here!"
"I'm not old" Barret frowned.
"And I'm not a kid" Marlene got her own weapon, an electric rod, which spinned and hit one of the Soldiers. "I am a trainee."
"Rufus must be very desperate" Tseng mumbled.
Barret started laughing and missed one enemy who hit him in the back. "Come at me, you stupid rat!" he got him on the neck and started hitting him with his cannon gun.
A few steps back Cloud was fighting Soldier's ex leader, there was something twisted about this man.
"At least I will fight someone real" unpleasant smile came on his square face, marked by wrinkles. "Can you imagine, they sent me two Turk faggots."
Cloud hit and Soldier parried his attack, he was good.
"You shouldn't bring your chick here, boy. Damn, she's fine. You know what real men do with such pretty girls, right?"
Cloud's teeth clenched.
"Don't worry, I'll kill you so you won't have to watch."
Cloud got enough of this arrogant ass. Kidnapping civilians was one, killing them, twisting Soldier where he used to serve and it was almost sacred to Zack, attacking Reno and Rude, who were not even to him and his army, and now talking like this about Tifa.
"You pick your last words carefully."
Soldier laughed, but he didn't know one thing. When Cloud was done with the bullshit, he was really done. His sword's parts united, he spun it and the first hit sent the leader back. Second cut his weapon with his arm, third made him in two. Blood spilled when the torso aparted and fell on the ground.
"Next time think before you talk about Tifa like this."
"Rufus called" Tseng was wiping blood from his face and ran to Cloud. "Soldiers are taking from here, we are going back to the base. He would like you to come too. All of you."
Rest of the choppers got in the air, heading to Shinra castle.
