Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Ashen Skies ❯ Chapter 18

“Ashen Skies”

Chapter 18

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Warnings: Yaoi (very mild-hurt/comfort)

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*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters. *

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"He's awake now and he's lucid," explained Lazard to Cloud and Angeal. "You can visit him."

 

"How much does he remember?" Cloud asked, his eyes going to the iron door of Sephiroth's cell.

 

"All of it, unfortunately," Lazard sighed. "I suspect Hojo arranged it that way to torture him as well as Vincent, in the event that the trigger went off. His hatred has never been more apparent."

 

Angeal frowned pensively and shifted the book in his hands. "When do you think they can start reversing the damage?"

 

"He's already had one hypnosis session," explained the director, "but it's going to take several to undo what Hojo did. The suggestion was implanted deep in his subconscious and like Genesis, Hojo took great pains to guard it." He looked Cloud up and down. "How are you feeling, Mr. Strife? No adverse affects from your own sessions, I hope? Is your shoulder troubling you?"

 

Cloud shook his head. "I'm feeling fine. The shoulder's a little stiff but the doctor said that was normal for the first few days."

 

Lazard nodded. "Good. Just shout out when you're ready to leave and the guard will let you out of the cell. I doubt Sephiroth would attack you but if he begins to act strange, don't wait to call for someone."

 

Angeal exchanged a grim look with Cloud and he reached out and patted the blond on his uninjured shoulder supportively. "I'm sure it's going to be fine," insisted Angeal.

 

Together, the two of them approached the cell door and one of the guards unlocked the heavy bolts and opened it for them. Sephiroth was sitting on the sleeping cot against the wall when they entered the cell. He had his head bowed and he seemed to be staring at his hands as if they belonged to someone else.

 

"Sephiroth?" Cloud murmured, approaching him warily.

 

The silver head lifted and Sephiroth regarded him with shadowed green eyes. Cloud saw the veiled confusion and pain in his lover's gaze and he immediately forgave him. He sat down beside him on the cot and bit his lip, reaching out to him. To his surprise and angst, Sephiroth jerked away from him as if his touch burned.

 

"Don't touch me."

 

Cloud swallowed and looked helplessly at Angeal before responding to the whispered demand. "Why not, Sephiroth?"

 

The general looked at him again and uncertainty flashed across his features. "Why would you want to?"

 

"Stop this," Angeal said firmly. "It wasn't your fault, Sephiroth. Cloud understands and you're only punishing him by pushing him away. I took the liberty of getting your favorite book from your den." He handed the hardback book to Sephiroth, who mutely took it and held it absently in his hands. Angeal cleared his throat and shot another look at Cloud. "I'll come back to visit later. You two need some privacy."

 

"Perhaps you should stay," Sephiroth suggested with a sidelong glance at Cloud.

 

Angeal hesitated but Cloud gave him a nod. "No," he declined, "whatever you think is going to happen, I know you, Sephiroth. You won't hurt him. Spend some time together." With that said, Angeal walked to the door and called out for the guards.

 

When he was gone, Cloud again tried to touch Sephiroth. This time he allowed it, though he tensed as the blond rested a hand on his leather-clad knee. "You weren't yourself," Cloud said softly, "the only reason you stabbed me is because I got in the way. I know you wouldn't have done any of that if it weren't for Hojo's influence."

 

"It changes nothing," Sephiroth replied in a bare whisper. "I'm a living weapon. I was created to destroy."

 

Cloud shook his head. "That's not true. Hojo stole you from your parents. He experimented on you and tried to control you but if you were just a weapon, why would he have to go through so much trouble to make sure you wouldn't get in his way? He was afraid of you. People aren't afraid of things they can control, Sephiroth."

 

Sephiroth regarded him thoughtfully. "You really believe that?"

 

"I believe what I see. I'm not a scientist but I saw your face after it happened. It wasn't you."

 

Sephiroth looked as though he wanted to believe him but there was uncertainty visible in his eyes. Assured now that the madness had passed, Cloud leaned in close and kissed him on the mouth. It took a moment but Sephiroth responded-hesitantly at first and then with greater feeling. Neither of them were particularly inclined to voice endearments aloud but Cloud knew he wasn't the only one putting love into the kiss.

 

~**********************************~

 

When Cloud left to get something to eat, he ran into Zack and Genesis on his way out of the rarely used prison area. Zack smiled and waved at him, jogging over to him while Genesis approached at a more reserved pace.

 

"Hey kid. How's he doing?"

 

Cloud sighed and cast a look back over his shoulder. "He's okay, I guess. He's beating himself up over what happened, though."

 

Zack ran his fingers through his sooty hair and shrugged. "I figured as much. He just needs some pep talk from his buds."

 

"I know you're known for your golden tongue," Genesis reminded Zack, "but this time that might not be enough."

 

"Won't know if I don't try, will I?" Zack was undaunted by Genesis' grim attitude. "Let's go in and see him. Cloud? Try not to worry, all right? We won't let Seph do anything stupid."

 

Cloud nodded, comforted by the certainty in his expression. "I'm going to go and get something to eat, but I'll be back to visit him later." He had permission from Lazard to spend the night with Sephiroth if he wished and that was exactly what he intended to do. He wanted to be at his side as much as possible and it wasn't just because he wanted to support him through the ordeal. Cloud was afraid Sephiroth would try to hurt himself or worse.

 

~********************************~

 

"Wow. When was the last time we saw him looking like that, Gen?"

 

Sephiroth looked up from the floor at Zack and Genesis, who stood over him and discussed him as if it was a day at the market.

 

"I believe it was back when we discovered what Hojo had done to us," Genesis answered. He may as well have been commenting on a piece of fruit.

 

"If the two of you have nothing useful to say," Sephiroth said archly, "then make yourselves scarce."

 

"Hmm, he's grumpy after taking a dirt-nap." Zack didn't seem the least bit intimidated and he grinned at Sephiroth playfully. "I guess the cots in here aren't too comfortable, though. Think we ought to send for an extra mattress for him?"

 

"Only if he stops being a dick," Genesis answered bluntly.

 

"Did you come here just to harass me?" Sephiroth growled.

 

Zack sobered and closed the distance, laying a familiar hand over Sephiroth's left shoulder as he looked him in the eye. "We came here to talk some sense into you, man. You're falling back into that pit again and we don't want to see you disappear in there for good. Know what I mean?"

 

"Zackary, I...this is different. I acted before anyone could stop me this time."

 

Zack shared a look with Genesis, who had crossed his arms over his chest and was gazing at Sephiroth with brooding aqua eyes.

 

"Yeah, I get that. What you don't seem to get is that your friends aren't going to give up on you. Things suck right now but our people are trying to fix that. You'll be good as new in no time if you keep working with the doctors and we can put this all behind us."

 

"The fact that he was able to influence me so strongly-" Sephiroth tried to say, but Genesis scoffed and interrupted him.

 

"Oh, get over yourself. From what I understand, you fought against it for a few moments. That's more than the rest of us could do. Me, I just went on a rampage like that-" he snapped his fingers-"Your lover immediately turns into a little ball-joint doll when his trigger word is spoken and everyone else Hojo influenced becomes slack-jawed idiots. If being hypnotized by Hojo makes you a weak-minded pussy, then what does that make me? Be careful how you answer that."

 

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows and struggled to think of a rebuttal to the rant. Before he could even form a coherent reply, Zack spoke up again.

 

"Look Seph, I don't take monsters as my best men and I don't trust monsters to take care of my kid. If-Gaia forbid-something ever happens to Aerith or I, you're one of the guys I'm counting on to keep our son or daughter safe. Understand?"

 

Sephiroth nodded slowly. Zack's unwavering gaze and expression of faith in him had an impact, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Genesis' observations were less kind but nonetheless meaningful. Angeal's non-judgmental, quiet support was comforting and Cloud's relentless loyalty bolstered his confidence in himself. They were all of them fools for putting so much trust in him, he thought. Regardless, he was thankful for it.

 

Zack smiled and winked at him, patting his shoulder before straightening up. "We're with you, so buck up, pal."

 

~******************************~

 

Modeoheim, three days later:

 

"With a few more sessions, the process should be complete."

 

Cloud looked past the scientist at the cell door. "Do you know how many more?"

 

The man shrugged and gave him and Reeve an apologetic look. "I wish I could tell you but we've had to scan deep with him. We can't know for certain that we've purged it until we've tested it, at any rate."

 

"Which means you'll need Vincent to pay him a visit," sighed Reeve.

 

Cloud gave the engineer an alarmed look. "That's risky."

 

"It's the only way we can be sure," countered the older man grimly. "We'll keep them separated. I'm sure if the trigger is still active, he will react to the sight of Vincent looking in through the window at him."

 

Cloud shuddered and wondered how far Sephiroth would go under the influence of the suggestion to get to Vincent. He pictured him throwing himself against the heavy iron door like a madman. "Can I visit him now?"

 

"Of course," agreed the scientist.

 

Reeve was about to join Cloud, if only for a brief visit, but his tracking alarm began to beep rapidly. He stopped in his tracks and pulled it out, flipping the device open and studying it with a frown.

 

"Excuse me, Cloud. I have to go and check on my equipment. Say 'hello' for me, will you?"

 

"Okay." Cloud went into the cell and Reeve heard him speak softly to the general.

 

With a sigh, the engineer left the holding cell area and went to his workshop. Vincent was in there, reclined on the cot and reading through Reeve's journal.

 

"Am I a good author or what?" Reeve questioned with a smile as he got his scanning monitor out of one of the cabinets and set it on his desk.

 

Vincent shrugged. "I suppose I've read worse."

 

Reeve winced. "Ouch. You could have been a little less brutally honest."

 

Vincent favored him with a brief smile. "I thought it was a compliment."

 

Reeve powered up the device on his desk and noticed that Vincent was more than halfway through the journal already. "So has it helped explain everything you've missed?"

 

Vincent nodded. "It does." He looked at the engineer thoughtfully. "I didn't realize you've felt this way for so long. I wish you had told me."

 

Reeve felt his face heating up and he swore softly. "Is it that damned obvious in my writing?" He'd never intended to write a bloody sonnet to Vincent every time he mentioned him in the journal but apparently, it came out that way against his will.

 

"If you hadn't told me how you felt after I awoke, I might not have noticed it," Vincent informed him. "I suppose anyone else reading this would just assume you had fond feelings of friendship for me."

 

Reeve relaxed a bit. "As long as I don't sound like a lovesick fool through the entire thing, I suppose it's all right." He was about to say he was writing the journal to preserve history, not to write a smut saga. The activated screen of his scanner caught his attention though, and he narrowed his eyes at the digital map image.

 

"That shouldn't be possible."

 

Vincent put the journal down and got up to come to his side. "What?"

 

"This thing's trying to tell me there are life readings in Midgar." He tapped the screen dubiously. He'd programmed the satellite scanner to do a broad sweep of each continent every few hours. Sometimes it took more than one pass to pick up any human life signs but he thought this would have shown up long before now.

 

Vincent looked at the screen with a frown. Indeed, the satellite map image on the screen showed perhaps a half-dozen blips of light within the confines of Midgar. They flickered off briefly before returning. "Could it be a glitch?"

 

Reeve pressed his lips together and restarted the device, wondering the same thing. "If it isn't, then it means there were still survivors there when we evacuated and we left them behind. Why didn't I get life readings before then?"

 

"Couldn't the old Mako reactors be interfering with it?"

 

The scanner powered up again and Reeve pressed a sequence of buttons to hone in on the signals it was still getting. "You have a good point," he conceded. The blips were still there. "Oh god, we abandoned them."

 

"You had to evacuate Midgar in a hurry," reminded Vincent, "and from what I understand, you didn't have these scanners at the time."

 

"It doesn't matter how they got there or how long they've been there," Reeve sighed. "I'll send the word out for a search and rescue."

 

~**************************************~

 

"But my trigger isn't a problem unless I'm near Sephiroth," Genesis argued as Angeal dressed himself in body armor and checked his weapons. "You may need me."

 

"Genesis, if someone triggers you, you could drop whatever you're doing and go wandering off looking for Sephiroth," pointed out the bigger Soldier. "I can't spend this mission worrying about your sense of awareness. It's just a rescue mission so Shiva willing, there won't even be any combat."

 

"Exactly!" Genesis was clearly growing more frustrated by the moment. "We're just picking up a few stragglers, so what harm is there in my going with?"

 

Angeal looked at him and fought a smile. "I just told you."

 

"For the love of… who's going to say Sephiroth's name backwards? You're being paranoid."

 

Angeal sheathed his buster sword and reached out to put his hands on the other man's shoulders. "I know you're feeling stir crazy right now, but until your trigger is purged, orders are for you to stay under observation, like Sephiroth. You know you two are a special case and it's going to take more to put you in the clear again."

 

Genesis sighed. "Fine. I'll sit here in this dank cave like a bat."

 

Angeal's smile broke free and he caressed Genesis' jaw with his fingers. "I'm sorry. When the problem is rectified, you and I can go on a flight together... just the two of us, okay?"

 

Genesis shrugged, somewhat pacified by the promise. "Watch your ass or I'll kick it for you."

 

~*********************************~

 

"I have to go on a rescue mission." Cloud felt like he was rubbing it in Sephiroth's face but he wasn't about to lie to the man. "Reeve found some life signs in Midgar. So far he hasn't picked up any signals from WEAPONS near the area so with any luck, it'll go smoothly and quickly."

 

Sephiroth nodded. "No need to look so uncomfortable, Cloud. It isn't as if I'll go anywhere while you're away." His lips twitched with a brief, dry smirk.

 

Cloud relaxed a little; glad to see his lover was trying to indulge in a sense of humor. He'd been so moody and withdrawn at first but that was improving day by day. He didn't like to toot his own horn but Cloud liked to think his presence had something to do with it.

 

"Do you need me to bring you anything when I come back?"

 

"No," answered Sephiroth, "just... be careful."

 

Cloud smiled softly. It wasn't exactly a passionate endearment but it was enough for him.

 

~******************************~

 

"I can't believe there's still people there," Zack said with a shake of his head as he boarded the aircraft and took a seat between Cloud and Angeal. "I wonder what happened? I mean, could they be leftover Deepground operatives? Maybe they were trapped and couldn't join the evacuation after those freaks started coming up from under the city. What do you guys think?"

 

Cloud shrugged helplessly. "I don't know anything about Midgar except what I read in books when I was looking into joining SOLDIER. I wasn't there, remember?"

 

"I think there's a possibility we could be going to retrieve old enemies," Angeal said with a set jaw. "In which case, they'll probably stand trial for crimes against the planet and humanity."

 

"Like Hojo, Scarlet and Hollander did?" Zack said with an ironic lift of his brows.

 

Angeal grimaced. "They were indirectly responsible true, but Deepground were the main antagonists that put the world in the state that it's currently in. Scarlet is the only one still alive of the three of them, and she's President Shinra's problem now."

 

"Guess that makes sense," Zack sighed grudgingly. "I sure would have liked to see them pay for their part in it though. Hojo should have been stuck in a cell this whole time, like Sephiroth is now." It seemed even the light-hearted lieutenant had learned to take things personally, after what nearly happened to Aerith.

 

"He got what was coming to him in the end," Cloud reminded.

 

Zack grinned sharply and nodded. "He sure as hell did. So Cloud, you sure you're head's all cleared up? No more trigger?"

 

"That's what the science team said," shrugged Cloud.

 

"Hmm. Metamorphosis."

 

Cloud glared at him. "They've already tested it. The trigger's gone."

 

Zack chuckled and ruffled the blond's hair. "Don't get mad, kid. I just wanted to be sure, in case things get hairy when we pick these people up. Can't have you zoning out on us, you know?"

 

Cloud sighed and looked out the window as their chopper began to lift off. The sister chopper accompanying them finished loading passengers and soon followed. "I hope it isn't Deepground members," he said.

 

"Agreed," Angeal said. "I'd rather not waste the fuel and man-power rescuing those animals, let alone put our people at risk in the process. They could have regular civilians with them though, so we can't ignore the life signs."

 

"I'm going to go check on Reeve and see how many blips he's picking up," Zack said once they were in the air.

 

He unbuckled his safety belt and got out of his seat. He found Reeve in the back of the craft with Vincent. The scanner monitor was in his lap and the two of them were speaking softly to one another. Zack hesitated, noting how intimately close their heads were to each other's as they spoke. By now, he was aware of the nature of their relationship and he felt like he was intruding. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat as he approached and they both looked up at him inquisitively.

 

"Sorry to bug you," apologized Zack, "I just wanted to check on the scanner. Reeve, I don't suppose you've got any way of telling the difference between normal humans and uh... enhanced ones with that thing, do you?"

 

"No, I haven't perfected it to the point where I can do that yet," answered the engineer. "What would I need..." he trailed off with a look of dawning comprehension. "Deepground. Of course! Why didn't I think of that possibility?"

 

"Maybe because you didn't want to," Zack suggested. "I don't want to think about it either but we could be on our way to rescue some of them, right? How long could normal civilians survive on their own in Midgar, after how trashed it was?"

 

"Normal civilians have been rescued from other 'trashed' communities," Reeve argued.

 

"But how many of them had a bunch of broken Mako reactors surrounding them?" Vincent spoke up. "The conditions in Midgar aren't likely to be conducive to a regular human's survival for long."

 

"I'll grant you that," Reeve sighed. "But considering that this is the first time I've gotten any life readings from Midgar since I began scanning all of the cities and communities, I wonder if some wandering survivors recently stopped in there for shelter. They could have come out of the wilderness."

 

"How likely is that?" Vincent inquired. "You said yourself that the few times you've found signs of human life outside of cities, they've been quickly snuffed out."

 

"I don't often scan the wilderness areas, for that exact reason," Reeve explained, "but that doesn't mean that a group of survivors couldn't have made it from one town to another before being found by a WEAPON; especially if they had vehicles to travel in."

 

Zack felt pity for the engineer. Reeve was clinging to any possibilities that wouldn't mean Deepground activity and he really couldn't blame him. "Maybe," he agreed slowly, "but we need a plan of action if you're wrong."

 

Reeve rubbed a hand over his eyes and nodded. "Yes, we do. I'll contact Lazard at the base and discuss the matter with him."

 

~**********************************~

 

"Director, there's a possibility that we could find surviving Deepground operatives when we touch down in Midgar."

 

Lazard was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment. "You're sure?"

 

Reeve glanced sidelong at Vincent, who waited in polite silence. Zack had already gone back to his seat near the front of the cabin. "Yes, we can't rule it out. With any luck, we'll only find normal civilians but we have to be prepared."

 

There was a heavy sigh. "If the life signs you're picking up are indeed coming from Deepground operatives, your orders are to have them executed right away."

 

Reeve pressed the satellite phone harder against his ear and frowned. "Could you repeat that last sentence, Director?"

 

"They are to be executed," obliged Lazard without hesitation. "The planet is angry enough as it is, without leaving the ones responsible for waking Omega alive to plot further. Exterminating them might even put humanity back in Gaia's good graces."

 

Reeve could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Or Gaia might throw in the towel on humanity altogether, if we resort to culling our own kind without so much as a trial."

 

"Those creatures aren't 'our own kind', Mr. Tuesti. They are abominations and we have to be rid of them."

 

"Abominations like our Soldiers?" countered Reeve. "I don't exactly harbor warm fuzzy feelings for Deepground either, but the process that created them was a jacked-up version of what was done to members of SOLDIER, if you recall. If we kill them, where does it end? Will we have to move on to kill our own operatives?"

 

"Members of SOLDIER aren't the same," Lazard said stubbornly. "The Deepground insurgents are twisted and desire only to end all life on the planet. You know this, Reeve. My order stands firm. I won't have the risk of another incident making life even more abysmal for the survivors of this world. Remember Reeve, there are thousands of innocent people to think of."

 

Reeve closed his eyes and nodded. "Understood. I'll contact you with an update as soon as we can assess the situation." He ended the call abruptly and stared straight ahead, aware that he had a dumbstruck look on his face but unable to conceal it. He felt Vincent's eyes on him and he turned to look at the other man, struggling for words.

 

Vincent evidently heard enough of the conversation to guess why Reeve looked so devastated. His eyes held the engineer's as he spoke. "Wait until we know the situation. You can decide then."

 

"I can't murder people in cold blood," Reeve said. "Vincent, I've done things in the course of my employment with ShinRa that I'm not proud of, but murder has never been one of them."

 

"You only have to give the order," reasoned the gunman.

 

"It would be the same as shooting them myself."

 

Vincent considered the dilemma for a moment. "Then I'll do it. I'll make their deaths quick and clean. You don't have to have any part of it."

 

Reeve stared at him. "I can't use you as an assassin, Vincent."

 

"Are you forgetting that I was once a Turk?" Vincent's pale lips quirked, "and in those days, dark dealings were commonplace for the organization. Better that I take on an old role than allow you to be forced into one that doesn't suit you."

 

"So you can have fresh blood on your hands?" argued Reeve with a shake of his head, "I won't do it."

 

"You may have no choice." Vincent's tone was dark. "Do you really believe you can give the order?"

 

"That depends on what we find when we get there," Reeve sighed. "It's far easier to order the death of aggressors than it is to execute someone who's not a threat."

 

Vincent sat back in his chair and looked ahead. "We'll see."

 

~************************************~

 

"I'm loathe to do it, but I'm afraid we'll need to split up," Reeve informed his teams after touching down just outside Midgar and disembarking from the aircraft. "The life readings aren't all concentrated in one sector, so we'll divide our forces and search individually, where I'm getting the readings. Remember to keep communication open and if anything goes wrong, everyone is to meet back at the gate."

 

"What's the order if we find Deepground operatives?" Angeal queried.

 

Reeve hesitated for a moment, sharing a silent look with Vincent. "Capture them and bring them back here to await further orders. Bring all survivors here to the gate, while we're on the subject. We want to board them onto the transportation fast, before a WEAPON comes poking around."

 

Angeal nodded and the teams assembled. Zack gave Reeve a concerned look as he led his team away and the engineer knew he could read the anxiety on his face. He could only hope the lieutenant couldn't guess why he was anxious. Zack Fair was great in a fight but he was too honorable to slay a helpless opponent. Most of the Soldiers were, in fact. Reeve sighed heavily and a part of him hoped that if there were Deepground operatives in the ruins, they'd put up a fight just so nobody would have to act as executioner.

 

~***************************************~

 

Cloud hopped over more rubble and motioned the others to follow. He was torn between a feeling of pride and anxiety over the decision to allow him to lead his own team and he wanted to be sure he didn't screw up. They were in the remains of Sector six, tracking down one of the life-signs detected by the scanners. He looked around in bemusement at the shadowy ruins. It appeared that there was once a playground here. There was a broken swing set to the west and closer to the far exit to the next sector was a slide made to look somewhat like a cat's head with the tongue lolling out of its mouth.

 

"I'm getting the reading up ahead and to the right," announced one of the scientists in a hushed voice.

 

Cloud nodded and drew his sword. He motioned the other fighters in the group to follow him and cautioned the medics and science team to stay behind and wait. Taking up the lead, he peered ahead for signs of movement and carefully made his way through the smattering of rubble and shrapnel. He picked what he thought was the easiest route, more for the sake of the MPs in the group that didn't have the benefit of Mako enhancements to aid their senses. He saw movement near a big pile of scrap metal and he decided to take the risk of calling out. He didn't want to alarm a civilian by pouncing on them, after all.

 

"We're here to help," Cloud called to the unknown person. "Don't be afraid, all right?"

 

There was a faint shuffle but he received no answer. Cloud turned to look at his fellow soldiers and he whispered an order for them to cover him but hang back. They drew guns and complied, waiting while he crept further in towards the source of the movement. Cloud saw another flash of motion as he circled around behind the pile of debris and he wielded his blade quickly, bringing it out before him in a defensive maneuver as someone cried out and rushed at him. There was a clang as something metallic struck his sword and Cloud was surprised to see that the object was brandished by a boy-perhaps twelve or thirteen years of age.

 

Hazel eyes stared up at him with fear and the boy lifted the object again. Cloud recognized it as a pipe and the blond quickly blocked the next attempted attack and knocked the makeshift weapon out of the boy's grip. Tangled, disheveled brown hair fell partially over the kid's eyes as he stumbled backwards. He tried to turn and run but he suddenly swayed on his feet and moaned. Cloud dropped his sword and lunged for the boy, catching him before he could fall to the ground.

 

"Hey, you okay?" Cloud asked as he lifted him into his arms. The boy's eyes were glazed with hunger, fear, and weakness as he struggled to focus them on his face. Cloud could feel how slight his frame was and he immediately lowered him to the ground and turned to whistle at his companions, motioning them over.

 

"Here," Cloud offered as he reached for his canteen and freed it from his belt. "Not too fast. Try to drink slow."

 

The boy reached for the container with trembling hands as Cloud unscrewed the cap and offered it to him. Despite his warning to take it slow, the kid gulped at the water desperately and he ended up gagging. Cloud helped him sit up and he patted him on the back as he coughed.

 

"That's not drinking slow," he chastised with a little smile. "Try sipping it."

 

The MPs stood aside for the two medics as they hurried forward to look at the civilian. Cloud assured the boy softly that they wouldn't hurt him as he looked up at the man and woman warily. The kid cooperated, possibly because he was simply too weak to put up a fight as they checked his pulse and temperature. The lady medic cleaned his dirty face and hands off as best she could with some sterile wipes from her kit and the man felt around his glandular areas for swelling.

 

"He's malnourished and dehydrated, but there's no sign of injury or fever," reported the woman. "We should take him back to the gate and give him something to eat."

 

Cloud nodded and when the boy shrank away from them and shook his head, he tried to soothe him. "Nobody's going to hurt you. We're here to take you and the other survivors here to a secure shelter."

 

The boy looked at him for a moment, studying his face. He finally nodded and when Cloud tried to lift him and carry him, he shook his head. "I can walk," he insisted in a ragged voice.

 

Cloud gave him a dubious look but he had to admire his determination. He nodded and retrieved his sword, ready to help the boy if he looked like he might collapse again. "You keep it," he offered when the boy tried to hand his canteen back to him. "I'll bet you haven't had fresh water in a long time."

 

"Thanks," the boy said softly. He took another drink.

 

"What's your name?" Cloud asked, solicitously slowing his steps as the kid struggled through the rubble.

 

"D-Denzel," the civilian answered. He tripped and blurted a soft curse as he started to fall. Cloud caught him by the arm long enough to help him regain his balance and he gave the blond a sheepish look of gratitude.

 

"I'm Cloud," offered the blond. "We have other Soldiers and MPs searching for the rest of you. We'll get you all fed, cleaned up, given medical attention. You're safe, now."

 

Denzel blinked at him. "Soldiers? Like the special force kind?"

 

Cloud smiled a little and nodded. "That's right." He saw a bit of himself in the boy and remembered having a similar reaction when Sephiroth and the others rescued the survivors in Nibelheim.

 

"You've got a funny accent," Denzel observed. "Where are you from?"

 

A couple of the MPs chuckled softly and Cloud smiled again, un-offended. "Nibelheim, originally. It was a village at the base of Mount Nibel."

 

"Oh," Denzel nodded, "I've heard of it in geography class. I mean, before all this happened."

 

"How many of there are you?"

 

"Only six, now." Denzel looked up at him. "There used to be nine."

 

"Where are your parents?"

 

Denzel lowered his head and grimaced. The action answered Cloud's question without the need for words and he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder sympathetically.

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"They were crushed in a building," Denzel sighed. "I guess they're better off."

 

Cloud had no answer for that. It was a more merciful death than most but that didn't make it less tragic.

 

~**********************************~

 

Reeve was already there with his team when Cloud and his group returned to the gates of Midgar. There were three civilians there with the engineer's group. One of them was a middle-aged man, who might have once been portly, but he'd lost weight rapidly and now his skin sagged in places. He had a yellowish tint to his complexion and one of the medics was shaking her head as she examined him. Cloud's sharp ears heard the word "jaundice" whispered from her mouth.

 

The other two survivors were female; one adult with chestnut hair that fell to her mid-back and was gathered away from her face in a high, thick ponytail. The other was a girl with collar-length, layered hair of the same color. The younger one didn't look like she could be much older than ten and she lay in the arms of the older woman. Cloud guessed them to be siblings, judging by the similarity in their looks and coloring. The adult wore a pair of wire-framed glasses and there was something wrong with her left eye. She held it shut as she stroked the younger one's hair gently. Cloud frowned when he saw that her left arm appeared to be made entirely of metal and he wondered if it could transform into a gun like Barret's.

 

"She's one of them," Vincent said with a nod at the young girl.

 

Reeve stared at her and shook his head. "She's only a child."

 

Denzel hurried over to his fellow civilians and the woman greeted him with relief and reached out to take his hand. While he sat down with the others, Cloud approached Reeve and Vincent with a question in his eyes.

 

"How long have they been here?"

 

"It seems they were prisoners of Deepground," answered Vincent, his eyes staying on the little girl. "They were meant to be sacrifices to Omega like the other civilians rounded up, but the Awakening occurred before their turn came around. They were forgotten and after the fall of Omega, they were trapped in Sector Zero until they dug their way out. The woman seems to be their leader."

 

"What did you mean when you said 'she's one of them'?" Cloud asked, his eyes straying to the girl in question. She was wearing an odd sort of uniform that appeared to be made of some stretchy, black material. Three neon-blue strips of glowing material ran parallel of each other down the torso and her shoes likewise had the same luminescent spots on it.

 

"She's a Deepground operative," clarified Vincent. "A Tsviet, if her uniform pattern is any indication."

 

"What's a 'Tsviet'?" Cloud frowned in confusion.

 

"High ranking members of the operation," answered Reeve. He was still staring doubtfully at the girl. "Much like Soldiers First Class. They advance through combat to the death. Vincent, I think you're wrong about this one. A child like this couldn't possibly be an agent, let alone a Tsviet."

 

"Then explain the uniform," argued the gunman, "and the power signature I'm sensing from her."

 

"She doesn't look very powerful to me," Cloud murmured with a studious glance at the girl. "She's barely conscious."

 

"She may be weakened, but there's power within her," insisted Vincent. His ruby eyes shot to Reeve. "The question is: what will we do?"

 

Reeve shook his head. "Do? Against a little girl who happens to be wearing a Tsviet uniform and gives you a vibe? How do you know she isn't just suffering from Mako poisoning? What if her clothing is borrowed?"

 

"How would they alter it to fit a child, if it weren't already made for her?" countered Vincent. "You need to make a decision, Reeve. If the order is to be carried out, it must be done quickly and mercifully."

 

Cloud stared at both of them. "What order?" He had a dreadful feeling in his bones but he didn't want to believe his suspicions. At that moment, Angeal returned with another civilian and he helped him over to the others before approaching Cloud and the others to join the discussion.

 

"I haven't found signs of any further activity," he reported. "If there's another survivor out there, they must be in the sectors Zack and his group are searching." He noticed the tension between the three of them and he frowned. "Is something the matter?"

 

Reeve began to look quite world-weary and he ran his fingers through his dark hair before answering. "I have direct orders from Lazard to execute any Deepground agents we find here."

 

Cloud's mouth fell open and Angeal looked mildly surprised. "I admit I wasn't expecting something so abrupt, but a criminal's life isn't worth the risk of more innocents being lost."

 

"Speaking of 'innocents'," Reeve said tersely, nodding in the direction of the alleged Tsviet, "there's the culprit we're supposed to execute."

 

Angeal turned to look at the subject and he quickly looked back at Reeve with disbelief stamped on his chiseled features. "The little girl? No, there has to be a mistake. Deepground never recruited children to fight for them."

 

"Test her bio signature then," Vincent suggested, "you have the equipment for it."

 

Reeve grimaced and waved one of the scientists over, murmuring and order in his ear and nodding at the girl. The man nodded and opened his kit, digging around for a Mako detection scanner before approaching the girl and the woman who held her. The woman and the other civilians looked at him warily as he activated it and hovered it back and forth over the girl. The lights on the device lit up brightly and he looked over his shoulder to give Reeve a grim nod.

 

"It can't be," Reeve muttered, shaking his head. "Someone that young... why would they--“

 

"You know they had no compunctions over getting whatever edge they needed," Vincent reminded him. "The only thing left to do is decide whether to carry out the order. If you can't do it, we could abandon her here to fend for herself and she'll likely eventually die. I doubt she's in the condition to recover on her own."

 

Reeve stared at him as if he didn't recognize him and Angeal pressed his lips together, obviously troubled. Cloud could hardly believe what he was hearing. He purposely drew his sword and stabbed it into the ground before crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. He gave them each a level stare as they looked at him.

 

"I won't do it. Find someone else."

 

Reeve averted his gaze, looking ashamed. "Angeal?"

 

Angeal turned to consider the girl before shaking his head and likewise relinquishing his Buster Sword. "I agree with Cloud. This isn't a casualty of war; it's a helpless prisoner. She at least deserves a trial."

 

Reeve nodded as if he expected no less of either of them. Zack returned with the last civilian and while the medical team nursed the woman's head injury, he jogged over to the group. His lighthearted expression faded when he noticed that both Cloud and Angeal's swords were impaling the dirt. He looked at Reeve's stricken face and Vincent's grim one and he scratched his chin.

 

"Okay, I give up. What's with the game of 'stare down' you guys have going?"

 

"The Director wants us to kill that girl," Cloud said with an angry gesture towards the potential murder victim. "I won't do it and neither will Angeal."

 

Zack raised his eyebrows. "That teeny little kid? What the hell for?"

 

"She's a Tsviet," answered Vincent impassively.

 

Zack stared at him as if he'd sprouted the heads of all his demons at once. "Bullshit."

 

"I don't like it anymore than you do," Reeve said in a tired voice, "but whatever their reasons for recruiting someone so young, the... the child is... one of them."

 

"But look at her!" Zack waved his arm in the girl's direction and the civilians huddled closer together and whispered to each other, beginning to understand that one of them was in danger. "She couldn't hurt a fly in her condition! You're just going to kill her, without a trial?"

 

"Listen to me, all of you," Vincent hissed, commanding their attention. They quieted down as he went on. "Callous though it may seem, Director Lazard is thinking with his head and putting the safety of thousands of survivors above the fate of one individual. It would be kinder to end it quickly. Otherwise, you can cover it up and leave her to die a slow death, alone. Which is the better option?"

 

Reeve swallowed. "I've heard your son say something quite similar about the fate of civilians before," he informed the gunman, "it's even harder to hear it coming from you."

 

"The truth is often brutal, ugly, and unfair," Vincent replied, "but nevertheless the truth. Would you risk the entire colony for the sake of one person, Reeve? Would any of you?" His eyes swept the group and he didn't seem to hear the frightened whimpers from the civilians behind him.

 

Reeve's face spasmed with pain before he lowered his head and nodded. He began to reach into his coat for his gun and his hand trembled. "I can't ask any of you to do my dirty work."

 

Vincent reached out and caught his arm quickly, before he could complete the gesture. The gunman shook his head and his eyes flashed amber for a moment. "No. You won't be the one to do this, Reeve." He briefly caressed the engineer's arm in silent support before letting go of it and drawing Cerberus from its holster.

 

Reeve stared after him speechlessly, his throat working. Cloud was frozen to the spot and Angeal seemed just as stunned as Vincent approached the civilians purposefully. Zack regained his wits first and he shouted in protest.

 

"No! It can't be allowed! This is murder, dammit!" Zack started forward and Reeve snapped an order to the other MPs through stiff lips. They surrounded Zack and restrained him as best they could. His adrenaline combined with his enhancements made it impossible for ordinary men to measure up to the task and Zack stubbornly pressed forward, dragging five grown men along with him. "Stop it, Vincent! You don't want to do this!"

 

Denzel tried to intervene and when other MPs held him back, he screamed accusingly at Cloud in his parched voice. "You said we could trust you! Why won't you do something?"

 

Cloud felt himself slowly reaching for his sword. Could he stand by and watch an ally kill a helpless girl? He noticed Angeal tensing beside him and Zack was still valiantly struggling against the growing pile of bodies trying to hamper his movements.

 

~***********************************~

 

Vincent ignored the sounds of the struggle behind him and he blocked out the frightened faces of the civilians as he took aim at the girl's head. The woman cradling her stared up at her with one eye and before he could pull the trigger, her bio-mechanic arm lifted and a panel opened with blurring speed, flicking something into the metallic hand. Vincent narrowed his eyes as the woman aimed her own gun between his eyes. The weapon was evidently part of her arm and they'd failed to notice it when they retrieved her.

 

"I'll kill you if you try to fire on my sister," the woman warned.

 

The girl opened her eyes at that moment. "Sh-Shalua?" Her voice was soft and confused. She looked up at Vincent and he froze, his lips parting. Her expression of confusion grew. "I... think I know you," she murmured to him.

 

Vincent's arm felt like a lead weight and he lowered Cerberus slowly, tilting his head. It couldn't be... but he saw it. There was no mistaking the recognition in her eyes, nor the familiar expression on her youthful face. He found it difficult to breathe suddenly and he holstered his gun and whirled away. He lost his nerve completely and he knew nobody else would take his place in the role of executioner.

 

"Find another way," he said roughly to Reeve as he stalked past him and the others without a glance. His feet moved mechanically toward the city exit, where the helicopters waited outside.

 

~********************************~

 

Everything seemed to freeze for a moment. Zack stopped struggling abruptly to watch Vincent go by, with a comical look of confusion on his face. Cloud and Angeal both stood as still as statues, also watching the gunman's retreat. Denzel broke free of his confounded captors and dove toward the girl Vincent nearly shot, covering her body protectively with his own. Reeve stared between his retreating lover and the woman who kept her gun trained on his back with grim determination.

 

"What was that about?" Zack asked, breaking the spell, "I didn't think that guy could get any paler but he looks like a ghost."

 

"I've got no idea," Reeve said sincerely. It was the strangest behavior he'd ever seen from Vincent-and that was saying something. He looked at the woman and sighed. "Do you know what your sister is?"

 

"She's a victim of circumstance," answered the woman. "Deepground kidnapped her when she was a child. She's not one of them anymore and it isn't her fault."

 

Reeve pondered the woman's words. "How can you be sure?"

 

"I know my sister. Yes, she's been altered but she's not a threat! She has to have Mako infusions just to live. You can't kill her over something she can't help."

 

Reeve looked at the others and saw agreement on most faces and uncertainty on others. He felt a weight lifting from his shoulders but he didn't dare relax too soon. He reached for his satellite phone and the woman took aim at him.

 

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

 

Reeve shook his head at the MPs who had trained their guns on her, silently ordering them to stand down. He slowly produced the phone and showed it to her. "I'm finding another way. Shalua, is it? I'm just going to make a phone call and explain the situation to the man in charge. He's reasonable. I'm sure something can be worked out that won't result in anyone being killed."

 

She gestured with the gun but kept it trained on him, her one open eye suspicious behind the frames of her glasses. "Go ahead."

 

Reeve dialed the correct number sequence and put the phone to his ear. "It's Reeve," he said when Lazard answered.

 

"What did you find?"

 

"Six civilians," answered the engineer. "One of them is a former Deepground agent."

 

"I see. Did you get rid of the threat?"

 

Reeve shook his head. "There isn't one. It's a child, Lazard. Just a young girl, no older than ten, perhaps. She can hardly lift her head, let alone harm anyone or damage the planet. Nobody is willing to carry out the order."

 

Lazard sighed. "Whether it looks like a child or not, you know as well as I do what those Deepground operatives are capable of. Have the medics ease her out with drugs, if it's easier on you."

 

"I can't do that, Director. There are apparently circumstances to be considered and I'd rather err on the side of caution than harm an innocent. We'll bring her in and post surveillance until we're certain, but don't ask me or anyone else to end a child's life." He almost told Lazard that if he wanted her dead, he could pull the trigger himself. He didn't want to tempt the man though. While more of a humanitarian than his brother, Lazard had a ruthless streak too.

 

"You risk the lives of everyone we're trying to protect in your sympathy for this girl," Lazard said stiffly. "You realize that, don't you? If you bring her here and we lose the colony, the blood will be on your hands."

 

Reeve shut his eyes, finally allowing relief to wash over him. "Then you'll allow it?"

 

"Only under twenty-four hour observation," agreed Lazard. "You'll be held fully responsible for anything that goes wrong."

 

"I understand. We'll pack up and leave now. Thank you, Director."

 

Reeve hung up and started toward Shalua and her sister. The gun pointed at him warningly and he stopped, holding his hands up. "We're going to take you all to a safe location," he explained. "The order has been withdrawn. Your sister is safe unless she tries anything."

 

Shalua didn't waver and he sighed. "Listen, you have two choices. You can either come with us or be taken. That's it. You might get a shot off at me but the moment you fire, my people will shoot you dead and the deal is off. What's it going to be, Shalua?"

 

She narrowed her eyes at him, calculating. Denzel looked up at Cloud and bit his lip, still hovering over the girl protectively. "I don't want her near that man," Shalua finally demanded with a meaningful nod in the direction Vincent had gone. "Or you, for that matter. As long as nobody threatens her, I'll cooperate."

 

"You can ride in a different chopper," offered Reeve. "I do have to assign a couple of SOLDIER operatives to guard you, however."

 

Shalua considered Cloud and the others. Denzel whispered in her ear and she asked him if he was sure. He nodded and she pointed at Cloud. "That one." She considered Angeal and Zack. "And that one," she insisted, pointing at Zack. "Those two, we'll trust."

 

Reeve nodded, unsurprised. Cloud was after all the first of them to outright refuse to have anything to do with it and Zack had a conniption when Vincent made his move. Angeal had also refused but the big man could be rather intimidating. Reeve thought he might have made the same choice, if he were in her situation.

 

"Very well." Reeve felt a headache coming on and he rubbed his temples. "Everyone, please gather your things and come with us. You'll be fed on board and our medical teams will give you further treatment if required."

 

"Wait, she needs her Mako infusion," Shalua said when Cloud approached to help her with her sister. "It's in my bag, over there." She nodded toward a rusty old trashcan where a threadbare backpack lay.

 

"I'll get it," Cloud offered, shooting an apologetic look at Denzel. He retrieved the bag and checked inside, reaching for something. He held it up for Reeve's inspection and the engineer nodded when he recognized the glow of Mako. "There's some sort of gun in here," reported the blond. He held the device up.

 

"It's okay," one of the medics said, "it's an injection gun."

 

"Speaking of guns, I'm afraid we'll need to relieve you of yours," Reeve said to the woman.

 

She shrugged. "Good luck. It's grafted into my arm. I'm outnumbered, however." She opened the chamber of the gun and tipped the bullets out into the palm of her hand, offering them to Reeve. He took them and she flexed her prosthetic arm. The grafted weapon flipped out of her hand and settled smoothly back into its hiding spot before the panel closed over it.

 

"Might I ask how you came to have such an interesting limb?" Reeve inquired with fascination.

 

"You might," she said coolly, "but I'm not telling you another thing about myself or my sister until I know we're safe."

 

Reeve shrugged. "Fair enough."

 

Cloud brought the bag over to Shalua and she filled a dose of Mako into a vial, loaded the injection gun with it and quickly administered the infusion into her sister's arm. The girl winced and Shalua stroked her hair soothingly. "We can go now."

 

"Uh, guys?" Zack was still surrounded and restrained by several regular militia. "I think you can let go of me, now."

 

~*****************************************~

 

-To be continued