Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Who's John ShinRa? ❯ All the President's Men ( Chapter 9 )

Note: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

Chapter 9: All the President's Men

 

“Did you know that your great-grandmother used to live in one of these houses? I can't believe they built Midgar over this ancient city,” Matilda King said reminiscing.

 

“Not now mother, I'm trying to iron out our plans,” Nicholas said while holding a PHS to his ear.

 

“Hmph, just like the young. They never appreciate the value of history.”

 

Nicholas rolled his eyes at his mother as he waited for the answer on the other line. “Hello? Yes, I'd like to issue an all points bulletin. State in there that the ShinRa-King Corporation will give over one million gil to whomever can bring the dead body of John ShinRa to Midgar. Who is this? Just the leader of the ShinRa-King Corporation, that's all you need to know. If your bulletin does work, then you'll be pleased to know you'll receive fifty thousand in gil for your services. I hope that that will convince you to broadcast my request. Oh no, thank you,” Nicholas smirked as he finished the conversation.

 

“Is it done?”

 

“Yes, it is, but there's one more thing I think we should do.”

 

“And what's that? We'll already have the other ShinRa out of our way with that bulletin,” Matilda questioned her son.

 

“I think we should make the current President aware that we mean business. It's time we start using our big guns,” Nicholas said coldly before dialing another set of numbers on his PHS.

 

Matilda King stared emotionlessly at her son. He was starting to act more and more like his father everyday. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that evil was inherited through the ShinRa genes and watching her son scheme was proof of that. If her son had his father's malice, she knew she would pay with her life if she ever betrayed him.

 

* * *

 

“Yo, dude-man!”

 

“The name's Thomas, Reno.”

 

“Yeah, whatever. But have you and your buddies found a way to get us all out of this little cave?”

 

“Well, other than the emergency shaft that an able-bodied individual can escape through, no, we haven't figured out another way. There's too much debris cluttered overtop an emergency evacuation route that was built over fifty years ago.”

 

“Yes, I calculate over a hundred tons of rubble need to be moved out before we can open the hatch up to the city, and once we've gotten that fixed, we'll have to figure out how to get everyone out of Midgar,” Eric added as he punched a few buttons on his calculator.

 

“Well, Einstein, I guess you guys have your work cut out for you. But aren't there any exits or emergency whatever-you-call-it out of the city? I'd think geniuses like you back in the day would have thought of things like that,” Reno asked while twirling his nightstick around.

 

“Chris is trying to find that out. The blueprints for Old Midgar are well . . . old. The paper's faded and they're using design techniques that haven't been used in ages,” Thomas said exasperated.

 

“That's cool with me. But make sure let me know once you find out,” Reno said before meandering off and whistling an offbeat tune.

 

He sauntered over to where Rude and Elena were busy staring at the screen to a hand-held computer. Reno smirked as he watched the pair huddled close together like a couple while their eyes were glued to the tiny screen.

 

“So what are you two lovebirds looking at? Porn?”

 

“Reno! Will you get your mind out of the gutter for just one minute!” Elena blushed.

 

“What, is it porn?” Reno said excitedly while trying to inch his way closer to the tiny screen.

 

“I wouldn't get excited. It's not good news,” Rude said while handing the hand-held console to his partner.

 

“Not good news? What porn wouldn't be good news? Oh wait, don't tell me you're looking at those guy on guy sites, are you?” Reno joked before letting his eyes fall on the screen.

 

Elena rolled her eyes as she waited for Reno to finally read the vital information she and Rude had been looked at earlier. She was at a loss of words for what to do with the new information they received. She hoped that Reno would take the news seriously and actually give out orders. Everything was much easier when Tseng was still around. At least she knew that things would get done without any wisecracks. Though she tried her best to hide it, she missed him.

 

“Well I'll be damned, someone's trying to pull a fast one on us,” Reno said with a snort.

 

“Who do you think issued the bulletin? I mean, I've never heard of the ShinRa-King Corporation,” Elena asked.

 

“I have two individuals in mind, but neither of which I can prove to be connected. What worries me the most isn't their threat to kill anyone named John ShinRa, but this second message, the one to Black Adder.”

 

“Well, what are we going to do about Rufus? I mean, if he is posing as John ShinRa, then his life is in danger,” Elena asked.

 

“We do nothing right now. I know Rufus and he can take care of himself. These two assassination targets though, cannot,” Reno said pointing to the tiny screen.

 

“But, isn't our job to protect the President?”

 

“It is Elena, but right now Reeve is the President and we have no idea where Rufus is. But I wouldn't worry about Rufus, Tseng trained him so he knows how to take care of himself,” Reno said his former leader's name softly.

 

He knew that Elena held a soft spot in her heart for the former Turk. He wasn't one to admit it, but Tseng was like a father figure to him and bringing back memories of him only hurt. But Reno and Elena were both Turks and they knew better than to give into their emotions. Reno watched Elena nod her head in compliance and felt relieved that she remembered her duties.

 

A Turk had to push aside all feelings so they could get the job done. Rude had mastered this ability and Elena was starting to find her cold demeanor. Even Reno had to muster a stoic face when necessary, though being a smart-ass was his main forte. Reno watched his partners satisfied that they were ready to start a new mission. Reno twitched his lip and stared at the tiny screen reading the name of the black market assassin who accepted the ShinRa-King Corporation's offer.

 

“Black Adder. I never thought we'd cross his path ever again,” Reno snorted.

 

Rude cracked his knuckles at the mention of that familiar name. “It's time to work.”

 

“I agree my hairless friend. Elena, it's time to do some real Turk work. Grab your guns and sunshades. We're heading out to the surface,” Reno said with a broad grin.

 

* * *

 

Reeve rubbed his temples slowly trying to calm his nerves and ease the pounding headache he was getting. It had been several hours since he last talked to Barret and he was getting worried. I hope that they haven't abandoned me after everything. I need their help. He released a heavy sigh and let his eyes wander around the dimly lit room.

 

A lamp started to flicker as the oil burned and popped under the heat of a small flame. The lamp did little to illuminate the room, but it was enough to let Reeve work. He could vaguely make out the shapes of old pots and pans for the extension of what was once a kitchen. All the food that had been stored in the pantry had long been eaten by rats or molded into new forms of life.

 

Reeve checked the battery on his PHS and scrunched his brow in frustration. The battery was getting low and there would be no way to recharge it until they could get out of the underground city of the small team of soldiers cam back with supplies, if they even wanted to return. He had been fortunate enough that a majority of Midgar had complied with his orders and evacuated, but there had been many who tried to brave Meteor. Reeve didn't even want to fathom the death and destruction that had been scattered about aboveground.

 

He refocused his attention on the thousands of civilians huddled together underground in the various abandoned houses and buildings. None of the buildings had any heat or light. The only thing that held the residents of Midgar together was hope, but that hope was slowly faded as each second ticked by and each hungry child cried for the comfort of their mother. Reeve had tried his best to maintain the patience of Midgar's citizens, but even he was starting to lose that precious hope.

 

“President Anderson.”

 

Reeve turned his attention to one of his assigned guards. “Yes, what is it?”

 

“The Turks told me that they were going on a reconnaissance mission above-ground. They said they would get in contact with you as soon as the mission is over and that the contents of the mission were to be held classified until further notice.”

 

“Classified? Did Reno indicate what prompted this mission?” Reeve asked confused.

 

“No, sir. All they said was that they would return as quickly as possible and assigned my troop to protect you,” the solider responded mechanically.

 

What are those three up to? Are they going to abandon me also? Reeve knew that the Turks always did things for the good of ShinRa, but had no inkling as to what they needed to do on the surface. He had no choice but to trust their decisions.

 

“Very well, any news from the fifth infantry division?”

 

“No sir. We should hear from them soon, but we don't know the status of the situation on the surface and whether or not they could find any supplies or aide. But I already called in the radio broadcast for help as you requested.”

 

“Good, then all we have to do is wait. You're dismissed, but please alert me immediately of any news from the fifth infantry division or the Turks,” Reeve said with authority.

 

Reeve watched the solider salute and leave the room. He breathed out in exhaustion and planted his head on the table to rest. He hadn't been able to sleep in over thirty hours and the fatigue was starting to catch up to him. Stress and anxiety have been the only things keeping the overtaxed man awake.

 

He let his eyes slowly close and was about to fall asleep with the loud buzzing of his PHS woke him up. Reeve nearly fell out of his chair as he clutched the end of the table. His heart beat rapidly from the sudden scare and his hands frantically reached for the PHS that lay on the table.

 

“Reeve here. Tifa, I'm glad to finally hear from you all. I'm sorry about Cloud. I know . . . he was a good man. But what's your situation? I see . . . Chaos will have to be dealt with, but I also have a predicament on my hands. Right now a majority of Midgar's citizens are all trapped under the city of Midgar. Yes, mostly everyone is alive and well, for now at least. I know there were some on the surface who tried to brave Meteor; I don't know if they made it. There is an escape passage, but you have to climb a ladder and it's apparently a small hole that can fit only one person at a time. I know we'll never be able to get all of Midgar out like that.”

 

Reeve paused as he listened to Tifa speak on the other end. She sounded like the same Tifa who took control of AVALANCHE during the short period when Cloud was missing. It was the cool collected Tifa who pushed aside all her feelings to get the job done. Reeve smiled knowing that he wasn't the only one struggling to keep their cool. I'm not alone in this fight.

 

“Right now my staff are working on trying to find another exit that can accommodate Midgar's citizens. There was a helicopter chute that was used to bring everyone underground during the evacuation, but tons of metal and rubble are blocking that exit. Where's the opening located? Sector 8. Do you think you all will be able to dig us out? At this time Tifa, any help would be greatly appreciated. I know. Do what you need to do, but just don't forget us. Thanks.”

 

Tifa's soft reassuring words `take care' were the last things he heard before he finally hung up. He breathed a soft sigh of relief knowing that AVALANCHE was going to see if they could get some help to dig them out. It was going to be an impossible task for the small group to do it themselves, but he had faith that they would find the means. If the group couldn't dig up Midgar by themselves, they had the charisma and spirit to lead an army to do it for them.

 

Reeve yawned and put his PHS back onto the table, hoping that it wouldn't ring again to disturb his much needed rest. Resting his head on the table once more, Reeve drifted off to a soundless sleep.

 

“President Anderson?” Thomas entered the small room where Reeve slept.

 

Chris and Eric followed closely behind as they watched Reeve's sleeping form.

 

“Should we wake him?” Chris whispered.

 

“No, let him get some rest. I think he's worked hard enough,” Eric replied.

 

“But what about telling him our plan? We've finally figured out how to get out of here,” Thomas asked while holding Old Midgar's blueprints in his hands.

 

“That can wait until tomorrow. I think we should follow Reeve's lead and get some rest. There's going to be a lot of work for us to do tomorrow,” Chris yawned while walking sluggishly out of the room.

 

Thomas merely nodded his head and followed Chris trying to keep his eyes open in the dimly lit room.

 

“Good night President Anderson, sleep well,” Eric whispered softly before making his own exit.

 

* * *

 

Tifa gazed absent-mindedly at the sunset as she clicked the PHS off. She felt a light breeze blow past her, tickling the back of her neck. She shivered slightly as the new sensation washed over her. Tifa hadn't felt the soft breeze on the back of her neck since she was five. Her hair had always been long and she had never thought to get it cut, but then she had always thought Cloud would be by her side.

 

She bit her lip musing over all the drastic changes in her life. She should feel happy for finally saving the world, but she lost her best friend in the process and nothing could lighten her mood. Pushing back the raw emotions, she turned around to face the other members of AVALANCHE. The pop and crackle of the funeral pyre still slowly burned behind her, giving her the much-needed warmth.

 

“Everyone, Reeve needs our help. He says that a majority of Midgar's citizens are safe in an underground city.”

 

“Underground city? Does he mean da slums?” Barret asked confused.

 

“No, he's referring to Old Midgar,” Rufus spoke.

 

“Old Midgar? Yeah mean the old town that Midgar was built over? My grandpappy used to tell me stories about it, but I didn't think it was true,” Cid said between a drag of his cigarette.

 

“They built a city on top of a city? Whoa, that's so cool!” Yuffie squealed.

 

“Well, now that we know that, Reeve has asked us to see if there's anyway we can clear the rubble over Sector 8. He says there's a helicopter shaft that needs to be opened so they can let everyone out. There is one escape hatch that they have, but it can only fit one person at a time and you have to climb a ladder to get out. Now I'm sure you all know that there are children and the elderly down there, so that one escape hatch isn't really much of an option. Do any of you have any ideas for how we're going to clear the rubble over Sector 8?” Tifa asked.

 

“If I had a good coal mining crew, like I did back `n Corel, I could do it,” Barret said with a nod.

 

“You'll also need some heavy machinery judging by the size of that huge dump pile. Might be able to find somethin' big in Kalm, but I'd put my money on Junon for equipment,” Cid said as he rubbed his chin.

 

“To get forces from Junon to Midgar would take too much time. There should be some equipment in the mountains along Kalm. It used to be a mining town before mako-reactors took over,” Rufus added.

 

“Don't forget Tifa that there's still the matter of Vincent. I suggest that we split into two groups: one to help Reeve dig out Sector 8 and another to search for Vincent. There's no telling what sort of destruction he may be causing if he hasn't or can't transformed back.”

 

“That's a good idea Nanaki. I'd hate to split the group up, but if Chaos has taken control of Vincent, then we have a pressing matter on our hands. Barret, do you think you can round up a group of miners in Kalm and set them to work?”

 

“You can count on me!” the large man responded with confidence.

 

“Cid, I want you to go with Barret and use your engineering skills to help out as much as you can. I know you probably don't want to, but ask Shera for help. She can bring a crew from Rocket Town and Junon if necessary.”

 

“Don't worry, I'll call and be nice and shit to her,” Cid said while rolling his eyes.

 

“I mean it Cid, you better start treating her like a lady!” Tifa glared the pilot down.

 

“Yes ma'am!” Cid mockingly saluted.

 

Tifa responded by kicking the pilot in the shins. Cid cursed loudly as he grabbed his injured leg and jumped up and down.

 

“What the hell was that for?” Cid spat.

 

“For not taking me seriously. Nanaki, I know you won't be able to dig, but I'll need you to stay with Barret and Cid. You're the only one who can sniff out exactly where all the survivors are and your agility will be useful to climb over all that rubble,” Tifa said while scratching behind his ear.

 

“I will certainly do my best. But what about Chaos?”

 

“Yuffie, John and I will take care of him. I trust Yuffie with her speed and John has proven himself with a gun. We'll need some firepower if we have to fight Chaos. I suggest we all head to Kalm to get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll all get to work,” Tifa ordered.

 

“Good, I'll finally see Marlene,” Barret said with a smile.

 

The members of AVALANCHE boarded the Highwind for the short journey to Kalm. Rufus felt agitated for not having any say in the orders that were given. He made his way towards Tifa who stood on the deck of the Highwind.

 

“Ms. Lockheart.”

 

“Please, just call me Tifa.”

 

“Tifa, I need to have a word with you,” Rufus asked coldly.

 

“What about?”

“I think I should go with Barret and Cid to help rescue the citizens in Midgar. I know a lot about the city that they don't and could help find the helicopter shaft better than your four-legged friend can sniff them out.”

 

“Are you questioning my orders?” Tifa asked with her eyebrow raised.

 

“Yes, I am. I believe it would be a much more viable option to have Nanaki and I switch places. I'm sure Nanaki is very capable in battle and I know the layout of Midgar probably better than any of you,” Rufus trying to intimidate Tifa.

 

“Have you ever seen Chaos kill before? Because if you haven't then I suggest you listen to my orders. Chaos is the King of Demons. He's faster than any of us and could easily rip us apart in hand-to-hand combat. Nanaki is a capable fighter, but between Yuffie, Nanaki and myself, none of us have any effective long-ranged attacks. You and Barret are the only ones with guns that can possibly injure Chaos before he gets into striking range. Now unless you have mining skills that I don't know about, my orders stay and you're coming with me,” Tifa said forcefully.

 

Rufus started at Tifa with his mouth slightly agape. He hadn't been talked sternly like that since his training days with Tseng. The fire in Tifa's eyes practically burned holes into his face as he tried to think of any logical argument that could help his position. He was tempted to reveal his true identity to her. That would be the best way to get him to stay close to Midgar so he could contact the Turks, but he knew of AVALANCHE's hate for the ShinRa name. There was nothing he could do to make her change her mind.

 

“I see your point. But there's one request that I'd like to make.”

 

“What's is that John?”

“Can I get your guarantee that Reeve will stop all the mako-reactors and get Midgar back on it's feet?”

 

“I know that if anyone can do it, Reeve can. I'll make sure that he gets the message. Now can I ask you a question?”

 

Rufus nodded his head and waited for Tifa's question.

 

“Why are you so adamant on shutting down the reactors. You seem to have a lot of knowledge about Midgar and ShinRa, almost like you work for them,” Tifa asked suspiciously.

 

Rufus stiffened as he listened to Tifa's question. He didn't realize that she was so perceptive.

 

“To answer your questions, yes I did work for them, but I don't right now. And let's just say that my mother taught me better to live for the planet than to reap its resources,” Rufus answered trying not to give out too much information.

 

Tifa giggled as she listened to his answer. Rufus stared at her bewildered at her sudden change in mood.

 

“I never pictured you as the type to listen to his own mother. Either way, I'm glad for your change of heart. Just expect me to read you bedtime stories or tuck you into bed like Mommy used to,” Tifa said with a wink.

 

Rufus blushed as Tifa slyly walked past him. He wasn't sure if she was joking or being serious. The image of the beautiful fighter feeding him milk and cookies brought a smile to his face. The rebel group that had killed many of his men were all normal humans. Rufus shook his head confused. He still held a grudge over the group for what they did to his company, but their actions paled in comparison to what ShinRa, Inc. did to the world.

 

He stayed on the deck while the Highwind made its short journey to the outskirts of Kalm. Rufus could see hundreds of tents being set-up as refugees walked here and there to find food or shelter. Watching the endless crowds of people gathering to watch the Highwind land, Rufus gripped the railing tighter. These people were all helpless and in need thanks to ShinRa. If his father were still alive, he would probably associate all the tiny dots of people as ants waiting to be crushed. But these people weren't ants: they were survivors.

 

They had their freedom and money taken from them courtesy of ShinRa, they also had a giant rock fall on their planet, again courtesy of ShinRa but they weren't crushed. The people Rufus saw scattered about in the tents and along the outskirts of Kalm were the living: striving to survive. These were his people and though ShinRa never made an oath to protect its citizens, things were going to change.

 

The Highwind made a soft landing on the grassy plains. Various people crowed up alongside the Highwind, hoping that the airship had some food or medical supplies to distribute to them. The other members of AVALANCHE came up on deck and were also greeted by the cries of help.

 

Cid stared at the crowd slightly baffled at what to say to them. The Highwind had some food and supplies, but not enough for the large crowd of people gathered around them. The other members were also at a loss for words as they disembarked from the vessel. Rufus knew that they needed to dig out Midgar's citizens and find Chaos, but these people needed to be fed. He made his way to Tifa's side who stared at the crowd in contemplation.

 

“Tifa, can the crew of the Highwind travel to Junon to get some supplies while everyone else carries out their missions?” Rufus asked softly so no one else could hear.

 

Tifa nodded her head. “I think we're going to have to do that. There are a few provisions we have on the ship right now. We should keep the ones that we'll need and hand out the extras.”

 

“I think that would be wise.”

 

“I never realized that there were so many people suffering. It's going to take a while before we can all pick up the pieces,” Tifa said sadly.

 

Rufus watched the fighter as her face scanned the crowd with empathy. He could see her heart pouring out to the men, women and children all starving. The other members of AVALANCHE wore the same expressions as they tried to tell the crowd that they didn't have any supplies for them.

 

“Do you think that your pilots can fly to Junon tonight?” Rufus asked Cid.

 

“Yeah, they probably can. What the fuck would they need to go to Junon for?”

 

“To get some supplies for these people.”

 

Cid merely nodded his head and he turned his face towards Tifa for any sign of her approval. When he looked around, he couldn't find Tifa with them in the crowd.

 

“Do you know where Tifa went?” Cid asked.

 

“No, she was standing right here a minute ago,” Rufus replied as he looked around him.

 

Their question was answered as Tifa came back up on the deck with a large box. She walked over to where Barret stood and whispered a few words to him. The large man nodded while trying to keep the box away from prying hands.

 

“Listen up people! We don't got much to give, but we's going to Junon to get some supplies and food for you all. What we do gots goes to all the women `n children,” Barret yelled at the top of his lungs.

 

The crowd slowly quieted down, relieved that they had been given some hope for more food. Silently, women holding babies and small children no older than twelve lined up in front of the large man. Barret handed out the little provisions they had to the needy and frowned when he got to the bottom of the box. There were still so many people who needed a decent meal.

 

As the man handed the last box to a woman with two children, the bright blue eyes of a little girl inched slowly towards him. She held her hands out hesitantly waiting for the box of food he had given all the women and children before her. Barret looked into her blue eyes and felt a pang of guilt as he looked inside the empty box. He didn't have the heart to tell her that there weren't any more provisions to hand out.

 

The little girl reminded him so much of his adopted daughter, Marlene. He still hadn't seen her yet and hoped that she and Elmyra were both safe. Staring back down at the girl, he asked himself if he could deny her a decent meal. He realized that the answer was no. He would never want Marlene to miss a meal or starve and this little girl was not going to starve tonight.

 

“Tifa, do we got any more?”

 

“If you don't count the food I reserved for us, no,” Tifa said sadly.

 

“Then get me one box. I'll skip out a meal,” Barret said satisfied he found a solution.

 

Tifa headed back below the deck and returned with one of Barret's rations. She smiled as she watched Barret hand the little girl the box.

 

“Here ya go. That woulda been my breakfast, but I think you need it more than me,” Barret said while patting the girl on the head.

 

The girl smiled shyly and nodded her head in appreciation. She hugged the box of food closely to her heart as her blue eyes sparkled with joy and hope. She started to run off to her tent but stopped halfway and turned back around to face Barret.

 

“Thank you mister!” the girl shouted before turning around again and running into the crowd.

 

Barret smiled at the simple bit of kindness he could offer to the small girl. He wished that he had more rations to hand out to everyone, but there weren't enough. Other members of AVALANCHE also sacrificed one of their rations to a few of the needy, but it still wasn't enough to save everyone.

 

Tifa put a comforting hand on Barret's arm, knowing what was going through the giant's mind.

 

“I know you want to help everyone, but this is all we can do for now. Let's go. I'm sure Marlene misses you and we need to tell Elmyra what happened to Aeris in person.”

 

Barret put his hand over hers and squeezed it tightly. He knew Tifa was right. There was so much that needed to be done that he had no power to do right now. He swore to himself that he would make sure that the citizens of Kalm and Midgar wouldn't have to suffer like this anymore. He blamed himself for North Corel's poverty but swore to end it as soon as he humanly could. Barret Wallace was on a mission to save.

 

The AVALANCHE crew watched the Highwind take off on its mission to Junon. The crowd waved tearfully at the airship, wishing for its safe return with the promised supplies. Rufus followed the rest of AVALANCHE as they weaved their way through the large crowds scattered about. They finally stopped at a small house where Barret knocked on the large wooden door.

 

An older woman answered the door as she eyed the large black man in front of her.

 

“You must be Mr. Wallace. Marlene has been waiting anxiously for you.”

 

“Thank you for taking care of my daughter,” Barret said shaking the woman's hand.

 

Elmyra would have said a few more words, but the high-pitched squeal of an excited five-year old interrupted their conversation.

 

“Daddy, Daddy!” Marlene ran past Elmyra to jump into Barret's arms

 

“Marlene! Oh, Daddy missed you so much sweetie,” Barret said as tears almost fell from his eyes. “Have you been a good girl and playin' nice with Ms. Gainsborough?”

 

“Yes, Daddy. Auntie Elmyra taught me how to draw,” Marlene said while clinging to Barret's neck.

 

“That's a good girl.”

 

“Want to see Daddy?” Marlene said excitedly as she jumped down to the ground and started to drag Barret into the house.

 

The other members watched as the little girl coerced the strongest member of AVALANCHE into the small house. They smiled sheepishly at Elmyra who still stood outside the door.

 

“You all can come in as well,” Elmyra politely said. “There are a lot of questions I want to ask and I'm sure you want to know how the world fared while you were fighting for it.”

 

They all crowded into the house as Elmyra started to boil some water over the stove for tea. Many of the members had never met Elmyra as they each greeted her with a warm smile. Cid made himself comfortable in one of the recliners in the corner while Nanaki sprawled out on the carpet next to the fireplace. The soft hum of classical music could be heard playing on the radio as everyone made themselves comfortable.

 

Tifa fidgeted with her gloves as she tried to find the right moment to talk to Elymra about their journey, their pitfalls and most importantly, Aeris's death. She watched as the older woman offered tea and cookies to everyone and felt her heart beat faster. Reeve had told her that he already visited Elmyra personally to inform her about Aeris's death, but Tifa had been there and she felt that Elmyra had a right to know exactly what happened.

 

Elmyra finished serving everyone some tea and walked over to Tifa who still stood uncomfortably.

 

“Tifa, where's Cloud? I just noticed that he's not here.”

 

“That's something I need to talk to you about. Is it alright if we talk in private?”

 

Elmyra nodded and the pair walked upstairs to the top floor. The older woman could tell that the news was not good. It saddened her to know that the great people were always the ones who died. Great people like Aeris. Elmyra didn't feel any resentment for the group after hearing about Aeris's death. Her only regret was not being there with her. She hoped that Tifa had some comforting words about her adopted-daughter's final moments. But Elmyra knew from Tifa's eyes that she was not the only one to experience a loss of someone dear to them.

 

Rufus watched the exchange with curiosity. He tried not to let that curiosity get the best of him as he returned to his tea and cookies. Barret and Marlene were busy drawing pictures in the corner while Yuffie tried to test her artistic abilities on the table. He eyed Cid who had fallen fast asleep on the recliner. Nanaki was almost asleep as the sentient creature yawned, letting his tongue curl up in his large muzzle.

 

Rufus closed his eyes imitating Cid. He was grateful for the quiet moment and the soft classical music in the background. It was certainly a better change than Casey's country music. He laughed as he wondered what the old man was doing right now. He would have to return to the Kalm clinic before they left to check on him and Donna.

 

Suddenly, the loud buzz of the emergency broadcast system blared over the radio. No one seemed to listen as Cid started to snore in the corner and the others were engrossed in the back of their eyelids or a drawing. Rufus kept his eyes closed as he listened to the announcement.

 

“We interrupt this program to bring you an updated bulletin. The ShinRa-King Corporation is offering a one million gil reward for the capture and death of John ShinRa. The body must be presented to the ShinRa-King Corporation in order to collect your reward. John ShinRa must be brought to them dead. This concludes this bulletin update.”

 

Rufus had to grip the handles of the chair to prevent himself from falling out of it. He shot his eyes open and was relieved to see that no one seemed to hear the announcement but him. He hoped that he could find Reeve and his Turks to let them know he was safe, but now that he heard that announcement, he wasn't even sure that they were on his side anymore.

 

The ShinRa-King Corporation? I need to find out who they are.

 

Slumping back in his chair, he slowly breathed in and out to calm himself. Fate was not working with him tonight. He had hoped to find the Turks after killing off Chaos with Tifa and Yuffie, but now with this announcement, he wasn't sure who was in control of ShinRa and whether or not they wanted him dead. Things were going to become much more complicated for Rufus and he hated that.

 

(continued…)