"Yes, it will be delivered in a couple of days. As we agreed. Of course it's at our expense, don't worry."
Rufus closed the phone, his old ribs trauma called. He sent a few emails to remind his allies from around Shinra needed help in a short time, when some guy from the building company came with documents he needed to sign.
"You could give that to some of the Turks." Rufus showed his impatience.
"You signed with our company, you should sign this too. Sir." He added when Rufus looked at him coldly.
President was just preparing himself to call his old friend who lived in Chicago now, to tell him he may still need some support. He was a stubborn old man, not giving anything easily, but he had access to excellent weapons, ex military, when the door opened again.
"Sir, I'm sorry I'm bothering you, sir, can I have a few minutes of your time?"
It was a man Rufus didn't recognize, but he was wearing a white medical gown and he decided it was one of the physicists.
"What is it?"
Man would probably ask for more money for supplies about the new laboratory.
"I beg you to understand" he started. Short, with grown grey hair, full, nervous. "An hour ago your guys stole my monkey."
Rufus actually blinked at that.
"What?" his voice was calm and cold. Yet.
"The one with the tattoos under his eyes, he and a little girl broke into my laboratory, and stole my experimental monkey!"
Rufus took a deep breath and put his pen away, he was about to check some documents.
"Reno?" he asked.
"I don't know his name" man became more and more nervous. "He had strange hair, was one of the Turks, there was a little girl with him, his sister, his daughter… I don't know! He used her card to open one of the containers and stole my training monkey!"
Rufus breathes in and then out, pressing the space between his eyes with fingers.
"It's very important monkey, sir! I was testing my new medicine on it, and the girl took it, I…"
"Are you coming here, wasting my time with some futility my employee did again?"
Rufus was so fearsome picture right now that the other man trembled before him.
"Find yourself a rat and get out of my sight!"
Dressed all in white, too young for a president of such huge company, still holding everything since Shinra came back to life again, Rufus was trying not to lose it today. Reno and Rude's vandalism wasn't something he was about to deal with right now. The creation of the weapon against Genesis was slowed down by the ruined reactors. They needed more power, still not leaving the city without electricity. Another one, at sector 4 was invaded, most likely by Genesis allies, the power was noticeable down.
Tseng asked for a break, he had to take care of his family, Elena was doing research among people around sector 6 and 9, still untouched by the Genesis army, the only one capable of checking the reactor were Reno and Rude. He called them.
At the same moment the phone rang and he just threw it toward the wall, the device crashed into pieces.
"I need a secretary." Rufus told himself and sat back in his chair.
In half an hour Turks arrived, Reno was acting not like usual, but Rufus had no time to investigate his behavior right now.
"I need you to check the reactor at sector 4" he told them. "There is leakage. Get yourselves protective costumes; radiation is dangerous enough to turn you into Godzila vs King Kong."
Rude burst into laughter, Reno frowned.
"Who would be the King Kong?"
"Understood!" Rude at least was trying to look professional, they both turned back."
"A few Soldiers are also coming with you. I don't want to see the last time mess. Come home in one piece."
After Turks left Rufus allowed himself a few moments to rest, sitting in his chair, looking tired. He made himself a coffee and drinking it start signing documents and checking the results from last month. There was loss of money and energy, of course, it could be expected. Three of the sectors were already taken, day and night Soldiers were fighting the intruders, with no result. They needed new tactics.
To leave the sectors unprotected? That would allow the twisted army to get even more space and people from the city. But losing units wasn't an option either. He already hired troops to fill the Soldiers' places taken away. He needed advice, but now all of his people were busy. He could call Tseng, of course, but he didn't want to bother him, it wasn't an emergency. Tseng has the right to take care of his family now.
Rufus smiled at the irony, he wouldn't have thought all the employees would be so busy that he would have nobody around to talk with.
An hour later he had a meeting with water supply agency, Rufus knew Reno sent someone to destroy the water tower at sector 8 to prevent a poisoning, and he was obviously right, thousands of complaints registered from people finding strange substance in the water, many in hospital with stomach pain and vomiting, luckily nobody dead.
A new source of water should be made quickly, which was dangerous considering enemy armies being all over the city. Rufus offered portable water containers for now, delivered for every household and refilled daily.
"Thank you for understanding, mister" the man almost bowed, he expected Rufus would send him away without listening to his problems.
"I am trying to work for the good of the city."
He realized his coffee was already cold, and another meeting was awaiting him at the big hall.
No sign of Reno and Rude yet, nor from Elena. Rufus was going to the meeting hall, escorted by three of his bodyguards, when something made the entire building shake. Floor under their feet became unstable.
"Sir, get down!" One of the men pushed him on the ground and covered him with his body, while the other two got their weapons ready, looking around.
Rufus himself could see something huge coming through the window, before he managed to cover his face it blew away the windows, glass pieces literally slaughtered the two men and they fell at his sides, dead. The man keeping him safe was in the same condition.
Rufus got on his feet and far from the windows, and ran in the corridor. Projectiles were following him, bursting the windows one after another on the entire row of the floor. Reaching the supporting column he hid behind it and managed to take a breath and look around, bringing his weapon out.
People were running and screaming, more dead on the floor, the alarm system turned on and in the entire corridor spilled red light.
Rufus turned right, 100 metres from here was the main hall and the exit, if they were to come from there, he better lock it. Rufus doubted this would stop them. He still ran and reaching the control panel locked the doors, nobody could get in or out.
Another attack, an explosion made dust fall from the ceiling, and one of the walls started cracking.
"I'm sick of fixing this building again and again!" Rufus sent an automatic defence that striked back, but couldn't see if it hit anything.
Security must be down, he couldn't turn on the shield from here, had to think of something else.
"Well, at least I missed the meeting."
All around was chaos, screams, and hurt people. Still a few available men of the security rushed to help him.
"Take the people at safe" he ordered.
"Sir, you are hurt!"
His right sleeve of his coat was all red, he didn't know if it's his blood or of the men, died to protect him.
"Do what I said!"
Rufus got on the next floor using stairs and one of the outside cameras showed him what he needed to know. He rather never saw this.
Dozens of flying objects, drones probably, opened fire against the building, people lying dead at the main alley, many of them hurt deadly. He had no doubt who was behind that.
"Rufus!" someone grabbed his shoulder and he almost shot at the man.
"Tseng. Where is your family?"
"To the safe room. They are attacking us."
"Genesis" his face rarely could be seen expressing such disgust. "Half of the security is down."
"I'll tell them to turn the Shield on."
"No" Rufus stopped him. "Reno, Rude and Elena are out here. See if they are ok."
Another window burst and he hid behind some decoration.
"You really start annoying me." Rufus left his cover and also opened fire.