By Liana Michelle

People will never understand eachother. No matter how hard we try, there will always be a barrier between one person and another. Understanding is pure illusion; confusion is the true feeling that binds society together. We all search and search, attempting to understand what we feel and what we think. Nobody knows who he is, and nobody will find the answer. We all try to find ourselves, and in that search we bond together. But we don't "understand". No one "understands".

These thoughts and more danced through my mind as I looked upon Reno, lying on a cot in a helpless heap. Reno wasn't my best soldier; he was too emotional, too young. Which would be the exact reason I hired Elena. I want him to see someone who was even more childish then himself. He'll discover himself through Elena, and Elena's subconscious will listen to his insults and reprimands. Eventually, they will both change to suit eachother and me.

That's why I hire clients with flaws. There is no such thing as a "perfect soldier". A true perfect soldier would be a robotic drone of a human who has no individual thoughts. Inability to feel any sort of empathy in a human is a flaw I cannot contend with. No, a living, breathing organism will never be a perfect hitman. The sniper with the sharpest aim will still feel a small amount of sadness for its target.

So we have to create "perfect soldiers" though imperfections. Everyone has some sort of bad habit, something that ruins chances at perfection. But what we can do is create a team of hitmen who work together, side by side with people whose personalities oppose and complement their own. As these soldiers learn to live and work with eachother, they mold eachother's character to suit there own. Soon, you have a warrior who is almost what we call "perfect", but is still humane. They still have feelings and inner conflicts, but have a personality that suits their job.

That's why I was chosen to be the leader of the Turks. I have an eye for people who will balance and contradict one another. Elena's insolence and opposition will infuriate Reno so that he realizes that her behavior is a shadow of his own. Elena will also upsurge Rude's assurance in himself. Rude seems to think that he is higher then everyone else. His silence is both a ploy to frighten his victims and his way of saying that he is better then you. Rude is a very formidable person. Too formidable. That's why I want Elena and Reno with him. Their ignorance and inability to be effected with Rude's silence will slowly break down Rude's wall of confidence. In turn, Rude and Reno will make Elena feel inferior. Reno will reassert himself because Elena and Rude will make him realize that he is a child, even though he pretends to be an adult. Each person will strip themselves of their confidence, and then rebuild it through eachother.

"Perfect Soldiers".

The Turks.

I laughed softly thinking of that name. When President Shinra first introduced the idea of a special unit who would capture the Cetra, he let me name the unit. So I named it after a group of people in ancient history. At one time, this Planet had a country named Israel. Israel was considered to be a "Holy Land" by a group called the Christians. This group, the Seljuk Turks, conquered the Holy Land and forbid the Christians from visiting this sacred place.

Isn't that our mission? To capture Aerith, the Cetra, the key to the Holy Land?

Aerith . . .

Reno stirred. His movement brought me out of my reverie, and I looked upon him. He had bruises and scratches all over his body. AVALANCHE truly did a number to him.

The red-haired man groaned. He was waking up. I decided to watch the process instead of interrupting it. It might be slightly amusing to watch him struggle and stretch, putting himself through all sorts of unflattering motions until he saw his boss watching him and stopped abruptly. Or maybe Reno would not stop his morning rituals. One could never know with Reno.

I began to walk towards the wall, meaning to lean against it. But Reno heard my footsteps, and he laboriously turned his head to face me.

"AVALANCE's a bitch . . ." He muttered. His lips made only the motions that where necessary for speech; obviously, the slightest movement was hurting him greatly. I felt some sympathy for the man. I, too, have been in situations were the actions of speech nauseated me.

I didn't show any of my feeling to Reno, though. All I did was lean against the wall, cross my arms, and utter an inquisitive "Hmm . . ."

Reno laughed the sardonic, regretful chuckle that only a sick or hurting man can produce. "God, Tseng . . . What's the point of it all? I mean . . . Why get up in the morning?"

I blinked. Why was he asking me such things? I knew Reno would never try to make friends with me. I was his boss, and if he said the wrong thing he would get fired. Reno was no fool; no money, no food. He also knew that no one would hire him for anything as well paying as his job now. He was too impertinent, too bold. No one (other then myself) wants a man like that.

I didn't reply to him. He noticed that, and continued his speech. "Yeah, Tseng. Just don't say anything. I know your plan, Tseng. Me, Rude, Elena, we're just all playthings to you. Not humans! Employees that can be manipulated. Send Reno on a mission that would inevitably end up with a fight against AVALANCHE. He'll get hurt, and he'll have time to think about himself. Maybe then he'll calm down a little."

He paused, as if waiting for me to reply. I didn't, though. Reno has so much anesthetic in his system, he didn't know what he was saying. Answering back would be wasting words.

Reno laughed again, that pitiful laugh of a man who wants to be someone else. "You didn't expect me to figure it out, didja, Tseng? You horrible little bastard . . . Just send your military to war without any thought of the individuals. I hate you. I hate you, I hate Shinra, I hate the goddamn money you send to me. It's tainted. It's all tainted!"

I knew Reno was delirious. Yet I couldn't help the fact that the words hit me as hard has a bullet. We are tainted. I am tainted. Everything is tainted.

"The only reason I stay living is because of . . . God, I don't know! I don't . . ."

His voice was fading. He was falling asleep again, and his rant was becoming incoherent. I shouldn't have cared. But I did. I wanted him to go back to his drugged sleep! I wanted him to shut up!

It wasn't Reno speaking. It was delirium. But his words were still true.

Why DO I get up in the morning?