CHAPTER 3: More Developments
Reeve’s Office, Eden Inc. Headquarters, Junon, 19 July 1AM, 9:00am
Reno sat across the table from Reeve, twirling a pen between his fingers.
"Reno! Pay attention!"
Reno dropped the pen.
"What?"
"This Project Fusion thing is very important, pay attention!"
"Ugh, sorry. I have a lot on my mind."
"I understand, but this Project Fusion could mean the end of Eden Inc."
"And how is that?"
"You have to remember this is strictly, and I mean strictly confidential information. Don’t tell anybody."
"Uh huh. Come on, spill it."
"Okay... Project Fusion, put simply, was Rufus’ back up plan. He knew that Shinra was going under. He knew WEAPON was coming. I don’t know how that son of a bitch knew, but he knew."
Reeve took a small diskette from his jacket pocket.
"At the moment, this is the most important piece of data in the world. It’s the key, it’s the formula, it’s the center of Project Fusion. Without it, Rufus can’t do shit..."
"So you think Rufus is still alive?"
"Yes. I don’t know how, but that writing is awfully hard to hoax. Nobody can write that messy."
"Yeah, that’s true. I remember trying to fake it on an, er, inflated paycheck I wrote for myself. I got busted big time by Rufus... so what are we going to do?"
"Well, if Rufus IS alive, and I think he is, somehow, he’ll need this disk."
"How did you get the disk in the first place?"
"It was in the ruins of Shinra HQ. I thought there’d be stuff like that in the rubble, so I rushed in before Meteor."
"Okay. So what’s on there exactly, Rufus’ personal files?"
"Personal files? Besides the Project Fusion info, it’s porn," Reeve laughed, "The Project Fusion info is insubstantial anyway. We can’t get in to the main stuff. I have about 10 hackers in a room a couple of floors beneath us working furiously to get in there using an imitation of the disk with a copied security system, so when they break that, they break this. But if something fucks up the disk is gone.
Damn that bastard. He knew computers a lot better than I thought. That stupid security system has put us on false trails, dead ends, and information on the mating habits of Mu’s."
"Classic Rufus behavior."
"Uh huh. He always was a smartarse."
"You mean he still is a smartarse. He’s still alive."
"Yeah... anyway, the little bit of data we did recover from the disk was this... maybe you’ll find something familiar, because I think you know more about this than you’re letting on..."
Reeve handed a piece of paper over the table.
It said ‘Project Fusion’ then below that, ‘Shinra backup plan’ the below that ‘Midgar 2’ then ‘Eden Inc.’ then below that, ‘WEAPON’ then below that, ‘Tseng’.
Reno looked up sharply.
"Keep reading, it gets... more interesting."
Below ‘Tseng’ it read ‘Reeve’ then ‘Rude’ then ‘Elena’ then ‘Reno’.
"I still don’t get it... why are we on there? Why is Elena and Rude on there? I don’t even know where Elena is... and Tseng is dead..."
"Don’t worry, we’ll find out sooner or later."
"And how do you propose we’ll do that?"
"You mean how I propose YOU’LL do that?"
Reno sighed.
"That’s Reeve, always there to help. And how do you propose I’ll do that?"
"We’re sending you to Midgar, where you were supposed to be three days ago!"
"Sorry, I got... off track."
"Whatever, just go to Midgar, act mostly as if, and do a little for real too, looking for signs of life and suitable foundations for buildings and the like, but I want you to look for anything, and I mean anything that might have something to do with Project Fusion, okay?"
"Sure. And what about Tseng?"
"There’s a memorial in 2 days."
"I meant who do you think murdered him?"
"Rufus."
"So you’re sure he’s still alive."
"As sure as Rude is drunk."
"Okay."
"Remember, this is top priority. If it has anything to do with WEAPONS I think it’s pretty dangerous, and with Rufus out there somewhere, God knows what he’s doing."
A knock came on the door.
"Come in," said Reno.
"Hey!!" That’s what I say!!"
"Hehehehehe. I’m sorry."
It was Cloud. He looked older and maybe even wiser than Reno remembered him, when they fought in the Midgar tunnels. After Meteor they’d shared little words, just a ‘no hard feelings’ from Cloud and a handshake, and it was left at that.
"What’s up Cloud?"
"Tseng’s body was stolen."
"Aw shit..."
"Reno... go to Midgar. Now. I’ll have a chopper waiting outside for you in half an hour. Hurry up, pack lightly. Bring some weapons."
Reno touched the nightstick hanging from his belt.
"I’m on my way. Bye Reeve, Cloud."
Cloud nodded his head slightly and Reeve waved.
"Rufus, it’s time to meet again..."
Chapter 4
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