****
Tifa Lockheart rested her elbows on the table in the bar while she watched
Barrett Wallace tiredly drink his sixth beer bottle for the night. He was
unquestionably exhausted after having a total of twenty fights in the forest;
all which followed on from each other under a minute. It was like an
endurance test for the AVALANCHE leader. Except he did survive each battle
against the monsters without losing consciousness and used enough X-potions to
heal himself in time for the next incoming fight. Cloud Strife was there
to help him to equalise the number of opponents yet was not worn out as he was.
Cloud was a mercenary with excellent stamina plus a high sword fighting
technique. Everyone agreed the ex-SOLDIER was born to be a skilled fighter
and gifted for leadership. Barrett was not the type to show his respect to
Cloud clearly but in his mind, he thought Cloud was a great person. The
defeat against Sephiroth was proof of his greatness. It was nearing one
o'clock in the morning. Tifa knew time was running late and that everyone should
be in bed.
"Is Marlene asleep?" Barrett drunkenly asked, his breath smelling of
alcohol heavily. Tifa motioned a gentle nod. "Good. She'd
freak if she saw me like this."
"It's 1AM in the morning, you know," Tifa said in deep concern.
Barrett juggled his hand with the empty beer bottle. His eyes half-opening
then closing briefly. Tifa helped him get up, jerking his arm upwards
<My God, he is really drunk. Why has he suddenly become addicted to
alcohol? He normally does not drink this much>.
The one possibility for Barrett's over-drinking was that Shinra had
disappeared into the light soon after Cloud's victory over Sephiroth. It
triggered real happiness and pride in Barrett's conscious. For many years
Barrett despised Shinra Inc. All they did was ruin the planet because of
that stupid thing they called 'The Mako Reactor.' The Mako Reactor made innocent
lives worsen because of its energy it released. Nothing improved.
During the present time, things turned out peacefully. There were monster
fights here and there in the forest, which Cloud took care of easily.
However in general, life was back to normal. Or wasn't it? Tifa always
brought that subject up when she spoke to Cloud of the future. Sometimes
she could tell he would think of Aeris. He once said, "I feel Aeris
sitting by my bedside. Watching me. What do you think this feeling
is, Tifa?"
<I wouldn't know. What I *do* know is that Aeris was a caring woman who
had a heart. Why did Sephiroth have to take her life? Cloud…he...loved
her. Didn't he? > Tifa allowed her long black hair to slide down the
front of her white shirt as she closed the door to Barrett's room.
Thinking about the long lasting fight two months ago gave Tifa goosebumps.
Couldn't she think of something nicer other than the last battle? <I have to
get some sleep. Tomorrow's another normal day for me> Tifa shifted her
body underneath the bed sheets and closed her eyes <have a nice dream>.
****
Rufus awakened underneath the rubble, pushing the broken glass off his dirtily
covered suit. How long had he been blacked out for? Was it a whole year?
Why hasn't anyone found him yet? <The police were too blind to find me> He
smothered his blonde hair to its usual slick style. At least the hair
didn't get ruined. Rufus picked up the phone set he noticed by his feet.
The dialling tone had a deep monotonous sound. Rufus placed the phone set
back in its place then picked it up again. It sounded normal now.
<I have to call Shinra HQ. See where the others went to> Rufus quick
dialled the phone number to Shinra Headquarters. The dialling tone stopped
when the operator answered.
"I'm sorry the number you have dialled does not exist. Please try
again."
<What the fuck is this? > Rufus slammed the phone set down angrily.
Great. Here he was trapped in a torn down building, nobody managed to find
him and the Shinra HQ phone number was no longer in the telephone books.
What the hell was going on? Things must have changed when Rufus was out cold.
He thought he died and gone to Hell. Or was it Heaven? He wasn't afraid to
admit that he was evil in some sense or another so he would have gone to Hell.
Did the Devil bring him back to life for a purpose? What purpose would he have?
People probably assumed the Shinra President was a dead man. Yet he was in
the flesh. Alive. <I have to return to Shinra HQ myself then.
Hopefully I will find my partners there>. Dusting off dirt on his grey
suit, Rufus walked out of the roofless abandoned building. It was time he
found out what the real situation was for him.
****
"Breakfast is ready!" Tifa called as she laid the table with plates of
buttered toast. Two doors opened side by side. A yawning Cloud
Strife stretched his muscular arms out and walked towards the dining table,
inhaling the delicious toast aroma. Barrett grabbed the side of the door
when he appeared at the doorway of his bedroom. Whoa, he definitely had
the pissed look from last night.
"Mornin' everyone," Barrett mumbled when he sat down. Tifa
smiled brightly and sat herself down to munch into her toast.
"Wow the bread is very fresh," Cloud complimented, chewing his food,
"I was hungry after coming back from battling but was also tired too.
I saved my appetite for this morning."
"Barrett, you should have done the same thing as Cloud," Tifa
suggested kindly. Barrett replied with a grumpy 'I guess.' "I
did warn you about drinking during the night. Look what you did to your
body." Cloud waved his hand in front Barrett's dizzy visual <he should
have stayed in bed>. Poor Barrett. He didn't want to drink
himself to death because he was happy to have survived the fight against
Sephiroth, did he? What for? There was no huge need to become overexcited and
celebrate your victory till you collapsed in a weakened state.
"Don't develop a drinking habit, ok?" Cloud advised seriously.
"Sure thing, *daddy.* I'll keep my promise," Barrett mockingly replied
in a little boy's voice. He scoffed down the last piece of toast, drank
his black coffee and marched back into his bedroom moodily as Tifa and Cloud
looked on apprehensively. The last time Barrett was this pissed off was
last year - when he had the intention of going after Shinra. For wrecking
his life. For intentionally getting close to destroying the planet.
Cloud looked at Tifa in concern.
"Why don't you talk to him? I'll clear the table," Tifa brought a sad
smile to her face. Cloud nodded and opened Barrett's bedroom door.
The stench of alcohol travelled quickly into the ex-SOLDIER'S nostrils when he
saw the scattered mess. Clothes draped loosely on the windows, empty beer
bottles were leaning on one side on the windowsill and the curtains were still
closed to give the dark environment. Barrett's overweight body drifted
over the bedside.
"Barrett, wanna tell me what's wrong?" Cloud leaned down to look up at
his friend's grumpy aspect.
"Sorry for gettin' mad first thing in the morning," Barrett guiltily
replied, "A bad dream must've affected my thinkin'."
"What was the dream about?"
Barrett rubbed his hands over his tired face. He could trust Cloud,
couldn't he? He was a good man <Would he kick my ass and think I was mad?>
"OK. It was about…Shinra." Barrett sounded like he was ashamed
to have dreamt of such a subject. Shinra was gone and why did he feel so
weird about it? It wasn't like he regretted seeing Shinra go down in public.
Man, he felt a sense of victory brewing inside. The HQ was practically
empty after the Shinra President didn't return. Everyone presupposed he
was dead. Even when Scarlet and Tseng didn't receive a phone call from
him.
"What about Shinra?" Cloud of course hated to hear that name as much
as Barrett did.
"I saw everyone there. Rufus and his pathetic posse. We haven't
seen that bastard for a while. When I was dreamin' it gave me this fishy
feelin' …he's watchin' us and *ain't* dead. Cloud, we don't know if he's
still living or if he's up there." Barrett pointed his left arm up,
"that's what is botherin' me."
Cloud had to admit he didn't pay attention to Shinra nor Rufus while he was
on course to find Sephiroth. All Shinra did was bump into him without
apologising, which usually is settled in a fight. The Turk members Reno,
Rude and Elena occasionally met Cloud and his friends everywhere (they still did
in matter of fact in the present). Of course they ended up losing each
time during battle. Their main excuse was the fact they were only doing
their job. Cloud never placed a finger-tipped thought on Shinra since
seeing Holy and the Lifestreams do their thing in saving the planet. On
that night, he only watched in wonderment and forgot everything that he had
encountered. When he spoke to Tifa about the possibility of Aeris having
helped Holy, Tifa just said she didn't know if his theory was true.
"Barrett, we're not exactly psychic," Cloud answered thoughtfully.
"Knew you wouldn't take it seriously…" Barrett walked to the
windowsill shamefully.
"WAIT. You're being misled about what I said. What I meant
was…sometimes dreams can be predictably true in reality. I believe what
you're saying." The ex-SOLDIER petted his arm on Barrett's butchy shoulder,
"If it makes you better, we can check out the status of Shinra HQ…or
what's left of it. That way we can tell if Rufus is still here."
"Are you okay with that?" Barrett asked sceptically. Cloud
approved in a nod.
"If you're out to do a little investigating on Shinra, count me in
too." Tifa leaned against the half ajar wooden door, overhearing the men's
conversation.
****
"Can I help?" The security officer, who had the nametag 'Harper' on
his shirt, enquired to the visitor. <He's new. The normal guard I
see isn't here. The guards always said hello whenever they saw me>
Rufus growled when he realised the officer failed to recognise him. This
was a good turnout. A month of being blacked out and the first person
Rufus greets doesn't know who the heck he is. What the hell was going to
come next?
"Don't you know who I am, officer?" Rufus roared and closed his fists
tightly in a tantrum, "I'm Rufus Shinra." He knew it wouldn't work by
saying who he was.
"Yeah and I'm Heidegger. Tch, get real, loser." The security
officer marched away from the so-called Shinra president, swinging his armed
baton dangerously at Rufus. Becoming twice as pissed off, Rufus tried
again and blocked the officer's way <Don't let me get bad luck PLEASE>.
"I *am* Rufus. Please get that into your rookie minded head. I
am *really* the Shinra President. I was missing for about a year while
keeping an eye on Diamond Weapon but that wretched monster attacked my
base…with me in it. The public must have already thought I died in the
explosion." Rufus searched the reception desk for a phone, "Are Tseng,
Scarlet or Heidegger here?"
"Tseng is in a meeting. We believe Scarlet and Heidegger is missing.
Is that enough sufficient information? I'm sorry, sir, you have to leave.
Unauthorised visitors can't pass this area." The security officer escorted
the unknown blond to the exit. < I gotta get to Tseng. Think.
You need to shut this guy up> Rufus struggled against the officer's violent
push as he neared the automatic doors. It was hard to believe that there
was one officer on duty. When he was in control, there were about ten
security officers guarding Shinra headquarters. This security officer
totally sucked. He showed no manners to the Shinra President.
Rufus unintentionally back kicked the guard's lower shin and elbowed his face,
grabbing the baton to mercilessly aim it to his nose. "Do you believe me
now, officer?"
"What is wrong, Harper?" A voice popped out of the justly arrived
lift.
<Finally> Rufus had never felt so pleased to see an old face since
recovering after that explosion. It had almost been like a millennium
since talking to a colleague. Tseng skidded on his loafers when he saw
Harper restrained on the ground. He nearly cursed out loud until he saw
the 'restrainer.'
"Rufus? Is that you?" Tseng asked astonishingly.
"Tseng, I'm glad you're still around. We have to catch up on old
times. This idiot here didn't believe it was me." Rufus shoved Harper
up onto his feet.
"He's new," Tseng whispered. <That shows> The Shinra
President thought. "Harper, open the meeting room again. The
President of Shinra needs to have a discussion with me." Harper shyly
obeyed and entered the lift. His expressions easily showing embarrassment.
<At last. I'm back> Rufus smirked amorally. The President was
back and so was Shinra. He didn't care about the Mako Reactor anymore.
One name had come to his mind. Cloud Strife. He was going to find
that mercenary and get him back for wrecking Shinra's wondrous plans. Oh
how delightful could revenge be these days?
****
Shinra's main entrance hadn't had any change over the year. The entire HQ
still appeared large and powerful. But where were the guards? Wasn't
anyone on watch? Cloud, Tifa and Barrett crouched awkwardly outside the
entrance, peeping through the double glazing glass. It seemed tranquil
enough to sneak in. Cloud pointed to the lift and his friends nodded
understandably. They had to go up. The incoming lift opened its
doors smoothly as the three AVALANCHE members quietly went in the square shaped
travelling object. The bell to the 67th floor dinged sharply. Cloud
had his hand behind his back to reach for Ultima Weapon. Barrett had his
gunned arm ready to fire and Tifa readied her knuckle-breaking gloves. It
may be peaceful in the entire HQ but they had to be ready to take any actions.
The lift door slid open. No sound vibrated down the long polished hallway.
"OK, Barrett you can check each room is either full or empty.
Restrain anyone if they suspect you. Tifa and I will find Rufus himself.
If you see any guards coming near by, buzz my phone," Cloud ordered.
Barrett nodded and silently tiptoed into an empty office. "We'll have
to find Rufus' office. Maybe he might be there."
"Right, let's go." Tifa paced Cloud's cautious footsteps while they
carefully leaned against the wall, avoiding the moving security cameras on the
ceilings. Loud footsteps emerged from the corner where Cloud and Tifa were
hiding. They struggled to push their bodies against the concrete wall as
the three Shinra guards walked past them swiftly. Not noticing two
uninvited visitors creeping past them. So far none of the empty rooms had
the familiar figure of the Shinra President.
Where the hell was that blond, arrogant brat? Was he freaking out in the
men's room? <Rufus is smarter and more cunning to do such a thing> Cloud
peeped through each office with one eye. There were some guys in suits
talking but they didn't have the resemblance of Rufus.
"Any luck?" Tifa asked with her head looking back from the lift they
had just used.
"Nothing. I can't understand how Shinra can continue being in power
without the President. Do you think there's a new Shinra President?"
Cloud opened the next double doors leading to the other end of the hall.
"I think he's alive. It's a hunch I can't get rid of," Tifa
said, "Barrett might be right in anticipating that Rufus is indeed here.
Who knows? He could be watching us on those cameras right now." Cloud
didn't seem to hear the last sentence Tifa just said. Too pre-occupied in
watching his forward steps. <I will make sure Rufus dies when I see him
face to face> Cloud thought with enraged opinions. His last fight
against Rufus resulted in the President fleeing the HQ. If only he stayed.
He would have finished him in no time and would have killed Sephiroth earlier.
Maybe Aeris wouldn't have died too in the process. <Aeris> Cloud
smothered the teardrop from his right eye. No point in crying now, Cloud
Strife. Tifa warned him to watch his step on the invisibly, thin metallic
rope near his feet. But it was of course too late for the ex-SOLDIER to
respond. His boots flew into the air and Cloud tripped to the ground.
A whirring alarm was triggered down the hallway. <Shit> Cloud
cursed.
"TIFA! CLOUD! GUARDS ARE ON THE…" Barrett's unclear voice horned
through Cloud's phone. Gunshots overpowered the sound waves and grunting
voiced in between punching sounds. Barrett was fighting some of the guards
off. After a long imaginative fighting scene, Barrett screamed painfully
and his voice was cut off.
"They got Barrett." Cloud lost the signal on his communicator.
"What now?" Tifa asked worriedly. The double doors opened
suddenly. More Shinra soldiers. Cloud warningly swayed his sword in
the air to push the soldiers away.
"Tifa, find Barrett," He said.
"Cloud?" Tifa hesitated.
"GO!" The soldiers fired their guns rapidly. Cloud somersaulted
in the air to naturally miss each bullet flying.
<I hope he's doing the right thing> Tifa kicked open the fire exit
doors and zoomed down the stairs like she was a professional sprinter.
Where could they have taken Barrett? Rufus had to be alive and wanted to kill
the good guys; namely the three AVALANCHE friends. Tifa's heavy boots
pressed hard against the wide steps going down. Her breathing wasn't
steady. She could hear Barrett's voice nearing her. Just a few more
steps and she'd be there. By the time she reached the bottom of the steps,
Tifa flew into the double doors in a rushing movement. The soldiers
carrying Barrett away jogged into a securely locked room. Tifa heaved
powerfully against the padlock. What were those guards gonna do to
Barrett? What about Cloud? Should she go back? There were two people who
were her friends and they were gonna die if she didn't act sooner.
"DAMMIT. OPEN UP YOU STUPID DOOR." Tifa searched around the hall
to find any long hard objects lying on the ground <why do I have to suffer
hard decisions?>.
"That room is strictly forbidden for non-visitors to enter."
A familiar voice jumped Tifa till her bones popped out. She readily turned
into a fighting stance to face the person. Tifa realised her speed was
outmatched as a cloth of chlorine was stifled on her face <oh crap>.
Her breathing and consciousness was losing control. Rufus gently caught
the young woman's unconscious body in his arms.
"President Rufus, we have the other two. What should we do with
them?" A guard's voice sounded in Rufus' walkie-talkie. Rufus fished
into his pocket and answered, "Throw them out of the premises."
"Sir?"
"Let them go. We have the bait. Once they come back, our fight
will be more challenging next time."
"Understood." The guard turned off his communicator. Rufus
looked down at the woman cradled in his arms. He never thought she was
this pretty. <I think I know what to do with you, my dear> Rufus
smiled cruelly. This might be fun for him - and he didn't even plan to use
bait in the form of Tifa.
TBC
What do you think? Is this okay? I will not go on if you hated it.
Go to Part 02
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