Final Fantasy VII 1. Play teaches fighting skills

_**Hello and welcome to what happens when National Geographic and the Turks get mixed up in my head. Most if not all of the stories will be based on facts about a certain predator with a bad reputation. I'm curious as to whether anyone will be able to guess the animal. The stories will follow the FFVII and FFVII AC timeline fairly faithfully most of the time but I won't promise that that will always be the case. Updates will happen sooner the more reviews I get, I need the guilt to motivate me. **_

_** As per usual, all characters are the property of Square Enix.**_

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**_1. Play teaches Fighting Skills

_-Others train their rookies with dead rounds. Not the Turks. They use live ammo. Otherwise, what's the point?_

Theme song – When Worlds Collide by Powerman 5000

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Elena's first thought after she heard the distinctive report of a gun being fired wasn't a thought really, but a reflex. Before her higher brain functions could kick in the hairs on the back of her neck were at full mast and she was dropping into a crouch. Not even a moment later she had found temporary cover behind a nearby car and took a precious second to breathe. He hadn't used a silencer, but in Wall Market on a Saturday night it was hardly necessary. It had been sheer luck that one of those rare split second silences had fallen right as he took the shot.

Elena assessed this information while straining for any sign of movement on the sniper's part. He was most likely on top of the hotel across the street. It was a squat ugly little building, but perfect for the purpose. Flat roofed, nondescript and filled with people who didn't care what the noises on the roof were, not to mention a commanding view of the street for at least a block in either direction. Not that the shooter would care if someone did report a disturbance, but still, why borrow trouble? Elena took a deep breath and scuttled into a nearby alley, pursued the entire way by carefully timed shots.

That must be Tseng.

Elena straightened as she ran through the alley, leaping over refuse and the occasional bum. There was a time when she would have wondered and worried about what was getting on her shoes, what that unique smell was and where she had lost her tie. At another time she might have listened to her bruised body's pleas for rest. But for now her concerns were as follows:

Staying alive.

Staying in one piece.

Avoiding the Turks for another… where the hell had her watch gone? Another half hour or so. However long it took to get to the safe house.

She came to an intersection and stopped abruptly. After peering at the dingy street signs and trying to cross reference those with what she knew about the area, Elena released a small sigh. Wall Market was a rat's nest best navigated by luck and landmarks to anyone not born and raised there. A person could wander around for hours, if not days, and never get where they wanted to go. Unfortunately Elena was running out of time. She cursed the murky light that made one rundown building look just like every other. Finally deciding to go west, she began a light jog in that direction. She wanted this over with. She wanted to go home, use the highest level Cure materia she could get her hands on and then take the longest shower in her life. Directly after that, she was going to sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and a piece of cheesecake. _Screw what Mama said about a lady's habits,_ she thought grimly, _tonight I eat in my bathrobe on the couch and with the TV blaring. _

She almost ran into several passersby, too tired and too distracted to do much more than swerve and make a noise that could have been construed as apologetic. There weren't many people out this late so it was easy to slip into autopilot. Her focus sharpened immediately when she found herself faced with a broad chest that she seemed unable to maneuver around. Elena was out of it, but not so far gone that she didn't recognize when someone was moving to intercept her. She glanced around and understood the situation right away. The man she had almost run into and was currently backing away from had bad breath, yellow teeth and worst of all, two equally nasty friends. None of the idiots were being particularly subtle in their perusal of her and Elena was confused for a moment. Didn't they have any idea…?

No, no they didn't. She'd been a Turk for all of a week or so and it was unlikely that the news had filtered down here. Even if it had, the plate dropping was no doubt the more interesting news in most people's minds. The blue suit should have been a clue, but it was dark as sin down here and she hardly looked her best.

Tseng had ordered her to accompany Rude on a simple assassination in Wall Market. The target was old and sick, no real threat. It was just this side of a mercy killing, really. Elena never turned down a chance to shadow Rude and get into the field. She'd been so eager that she didn't question it when Rude had asked her for her gun after they left the car. Elena had handed it over without a word and turned to look at the building where the target was located. Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she'd ducked instinctively.

She spun around to see Rude lining up for another punch. For a moment she stood frozen. It was enough for him to catch her in the stomach. She'd let the momentum carry her backwards in order to minimize the damage and then moved into a defensive stance and considered her options. Only two presented themselves. Fight or flight. After a couple of minutes she was down to one. Elena landed one hit right to his jaw and then turned and escaped through an alley, the first of many that night as it turned out.

It had taken him a few minutes, but Rude had somehow cornered her again, this time next to a bar. He told her that if she wanted to live she needed to get to an address she didn't recognize and go to apartment 27B. Elena wanted to stop and stare or ask him what the hell was going on but she didn't have time as Rude was still doing his level best to pound her into the wall. She bobbed and weaved as never before just prior to landing yet another haymaker on him, and took off running yet again.

Not ten minutes after that she'd dodged bullets fired from behind and to the left by ducking through yet another alley. Wall Market was a violent place, but Elena was not so hopeful as to assume anything but that those shots had been aimed at her. She decided it had to have been Tseng, and so it had gone for the last few hours. Rude, then Tseng, then Rude again, sometimes with barely a minute's pause in between. Sometimes she fought the Wutain hand to hand and Rude was the one shooting from rooftops or street corners. Generally though, each man had gone with their strengths. Rude all but turned her into a fine paste in close quarters, and Tseng took aim at her from a variety of roofs and corners.

Elena's world had shrunk to a series of fights and escapes in dank alleys, dodging passersby on narrow streets, and the sound of her own blood rushing in her ears. She was wet, tired and thirsty. She could literally feel bruises starting to form where Rude had landed hits, not to mention the flesh wounds in her shoulder and leg where Tseng almost didn't miss. In light of all this masculine attention, Elena felt she could be forgiven a lack of interest in the romantic prospects these drunkards had to offer.

She backed up slowly, shifting slightly so that her back was more or less against the flickering street light. Her admirers followed, moving into a loose ring and cutting off her chances for escape. Elena elected to start with the first man she had seen. He appeared to be the leader; if she could take him, it would hopefully throw the other two off.

"That's right, sweetie…" Her new suitor had evidently taken her silence for consent and chose that moment to lurch forward, arms wide. Too much thinking! Elena berated herself and swung into action. She lifted her arms and for a moment the man before her looked pathetically grateful. She caught a glimpse of his face as gratitude turned to confusion when, when a slight adjustment and twist to the side she sent him headfirst into the pole behind her.

She had no time to enjoy the rather satisfying clang as he made contact, because the man to her left was already aiming a fist at her head. She crouched and spun, aiming a foot at his knee. He was moving to fast for her to do much more then trip him, but that would have to do for the moment. She straightened up, facing the last man standing. He was about six feet away, having been the furthest from her in the first place. His face was twisted with anger and he held a switchblade in one hand. Elena watched him warily then glanced around briefly in order to take stock of the situation.

Lover boy number one was groaning, but showed no signs of imminent revival. Lover boy number two was rising slowly to his feet. Number three was calling her everything but a lady and advancing. Time for a bit of strategy.

She leapt forward and landed on the calf of number two's leg, driving her heel into the back of his knee as he braced himself to rise. There was a satisfying crunch as bone and tendon gave way and a pained shriek as number two went back down. Elena avoided a wild stab from number three and hauled ass down the street, her ears cocked for the sound of pursuing footsteps. None were evident, only pained cries. After a moment she dared a look back. Thank the Planet for back street loyalty. Number three was on his knees glaring after her as he held down a writhing number two. Number one had just sat up, holding his head.

Elena took the next available right. Number two was screwed unless one of his friends had a fairly high level materia on hand. Even if they did, she'd be at the safe house by the time they could collect the two wits they shared between them. She paused again at the next set of street signs, then took off again, trying to pace herself. _Not long now_.

Fifteen minutes later Elena was panting her way up a flight of stairs to the mysterious Apartment 27B that Rude had mentioned earlier, just before delivering a roundhouse that had damn near taken her head off. She made it to the second floor landing and paused for a moment to catch her breath …and the pain hit. She'd been struck just a minute or two after her would-be Romeos interfered.

She had an actual bullet hole in her, a couple inches over from her left shoulder. Four inches down and it would have been her heart. _So much for the faint hope that her teammates weren't shooting to kill_. Was it sick that she still found Tseng kinda cute, even though she was pretty sure he was the one that pulled the trigger?

Elena took a breath and moved forward, doing her best not to shamble. Having never been shot before, she could now say with certainty that it wasn't as bad as she'd feared. It wasn't the potential of the pain that had frightened her, but rather the idea that it would stop her in her tracks, that she would freeze up and become an easy target. Apparently the need to deny the shooter a second chance had outweighed the pain, and after a minute or two she could barely feel it. _Good ol' shock_, Elena thought and turned the doorknob of 27B.

The door squealed and Elena cast an annoyed glance at the hinges as she stepped in. She stopped immediately when she heard applause coming from the center of the room. Her eyes widened when she saw Reno sitting on a wooden chair in the middle of the room. A cigarette dangled from his lips and his EMR was balanced in the crook of one arm as he clapped. Elena's eyes automatically took in the little details of his appearance. The pale cast to his skin, the almost feverish look in his eerily green eyes and how close his smirk was to a grimace. Even his hair seemed somehow subdued. It was as weak as she'd ever seen him but Elena was in no way ready to write him off as harmless.

"Well hello there," Reno drawled, his voice rich with amusement. "Don't you look like hell, huh? Come in, shut the door. Rough night?"

Elena blinked. "You shouldn't be smoking," she said and then closed the door. She was tired and stressed so of course, the silliest, most trivial thing possible came out of her mouth. She found she couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed about it. She swayed for a moment as a wave of dizziness struck her, but she shook it off as best she could and turned back to find Reno watching her intently.

For a moment, Elena saw herself through his eyes. Covered in grime and her own blood, smelling of sweat and the back streets she'd been scurrying through for the past few hours. She looked at her hands and was faintly surprised at how truly filthy they were. Rude had gotten in a couple of glancing shots to her head, and the bruises were already blooming. She didn't even want to think about her hair.

"So, are we going to fight?" she asked, not bothering to mask her weariness. _If this is some elaborate way to get rid of me,_ she thought, _I hope it's quick; bleeding out seems a little anticlimactic after the rest of it._

"Do you want to?" Reno stood and cocked his head. He seemed to be genuinely curious about her answer. He took a step forward and Elena tensed, her hands clenching unconsciously into fists. Reno noticed and laughed softly. "You're just so cute…" he murmured and stepped closer. Elena backed up, keeping him directly in front of her. Reno smiled and made lazy motions in the air with his EMR. He seemed to be writing something. Elena eyes followed the fluid movements, losing her self in the loops and swirls. She shook her head to regain focus and found that Reno was only a couple of feet away. She pressed her back firmly against the door, hissing from the pressure on her wounds. _Alright, fists up, focus on his weak spots... I might go down but I'll rip that fright wig off him first_…

The menacing crackle of electricity broke the brief stillness. Elena looked from Reno's lazy grin to the electrified rod in his hand and back. His smile was indulgent but his eyes dared her to try something… anything. For a moment, she debated just having a go anyway, but then his eyes hardened. Elena sighed and dropped her hands.

"Where are Rude and Tseng?" she said as the redhead continued to advance. "I would have thought they'd want to be here after all the work they put in." Reno said nothing, just stopped less then a foot from her, the EMR held so close to her neck that she could feel her skin start to tingle unpleasantly and her hair defy gravity. "Then again," she said, her voice admirably calm, her eyes on his neck, "This could be all for you…" She lifted her brown eyes to his green.

"Oh Laney," he sighed, his voice little more then a low purr. "You never really shut up do you?" His lips parted and revealing surprisingly sharp-looking white teeth. "You think this is all some sort of 'welcome back' party for me? Silly, stupid rookie." His tone made the words sound something like an endearment. "If this was all about taking you out, why would we bother chasing you through Wall Market? It's not like Rude couldna just shot you in the back." The EMR suddenly switched off. Elena released a relieved breath only to inhale quickly as Reno came even closer. She was immediately inundated with the scent of cigarettes, sweat and hospital disinfectant.

"We weren't sayin' goodbye, rookie," he purred. "We were sayin' hello."

Then he was gone, backing up to the center of the room and halting between Tseng and Rude. Elena watched them watch her. _What had Reno meant, that they were saying hello? That this was… some sort of initiation?_ Her eyes widened as she looked from Rude to Reno and finally at Tseng, and focused her attention on him. He was completely impassive as usual; even Rude had seemed more welcoming.

"Sir?" Elena hated herself for allowing her voice to wobble. But she needed to know. To be sure. Tseng nodded once and Elena exhaled in relief, feeling the tension within her drain out in that one breath. Unfortunately, when the tension left, it took the adrenaline with it. Pain and exhaustion had been dancing around the edge of her consciousness for a while now and took this opportunity to come screaming to the fore. She dropped to her knees heavily, head bowed. Wasn't this the part where she was supposed to faint? She felt dizzy and nauseous and her shoulder hurt like hell, as if Reno was twisting his EMR into it… but not the slightest bit faint. _Lovely_.

She was only faintly aware of her teammates' approach. She brought her head up in time to see Tseng pull a potion from his pocket. He held it out, and after a moment's hesitation, Elena took it from him and drank it. A moment later she felt her flesh literally knitting itself back together. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation, just odd. The whole thing took less then a minute.

She gingerly shrugged and grimaced a little, testing herself. Her bruises were much less painful, if not outright gone, and the bullet hole in her chest seemed smaller. The only thing that hadn't changed was the fact that she was totally exhausted. Potions might heal the flesh but they didn't do a thing for overexertion. _Ah well, can't have everything_. Elena leaned forward, braced her hands in front of her and stood, then promptly fell back against the wall. She straightened as best she could and schooled her features into a calm expression; she was pleased that her voice came out steady. "Are we still on for the scheduled assassination, sir?"

Rude snorted and Tseng's lips quirked. Reno laughed as he reached out and ruffled her hair, nearly knocking Elena over in the process. "Feisty little thing, ain't ya?" he queried.

"Rude will handle the assignment tonight," Tseng said. "Neither you nor Reno are in any shape to continue; I'll drive you both to the medical center. No whining, Reno. I promised them I would have you back in three hours, and it has been close to five."

Elena blinked at that, Reno's vocal complaint barely penetrating her shock. She moved away from the door and followed her co-workers out of the building, feeling like she was walking in a haze. She'd evaded two senior Turks for over four hours?

Huh.

She'd navigated Wall Market by herself, in the dark, while being chased by two senior Turks.

Huh.

She'd gotten shot and still managed to keep going.

Huh…

"Close your mouth kid, you'll catch flies." Reno's sardonic comment snapped Elena out of her reverie. She sent him a dirty look, and he stuck his tongue out at her. She shook her head. He waggled his eyebrows. She sent him a scorching glare. She was so focused on Reno that she was taken completely by surprise when Tseng stopped in front of her, and she walked right into his back.

"Sorry sir," she muttered, shooting Reno another narrow-eyed glance. Resentment gave way to something like pity as she watched him slowly open the back door of Rude's sedan and crawl in. He more or less collapsed across the seats and lay still, only the faint movement of his back giving evidence that he still lived. Tseng moved around Elena and gently pushed Reno's legs the rest of the way into the car and closed the door, then moved to the driver's side. Elena carefully lowered herself into the passenger seat and exhaled.

"Sir?" she asked as Tseng started the engine. "How is Rude going to get back?"

"He has alternate means of transportation, Elena." Tseng said smoothly. "I'm sure you have some questions about tonight."

"No sir. It was a test. I understand sir." Elena's voice was soft. She was falling asleep.

"It wasn't just that, yo," Reno's voice drifted up from his prone figure; he sounded like Elena felt. _Drained_. "Tol' ya she never shuts up…" Apparently, he still had enough energy for a cute comment.

"Though it pains me to admit it, Reno is correct." Tseng's voice held a hint of something like amusement, but Elena didn't know him well enough to be sure. "Tonight was not just about testing your worthiness to be a Turk, although that was part of it. It was also a warning. Elena, are you listening to me?"

Elena jerked. She'd been just this side of sleep. Her body had stopped dumping adrenaline into her blood and the resulting weariness was overpowering. She found some reserve energy, took a deep breath and nodded in response to Tseng's question. The Wutain sighed softly.

"I'll keep this brief but you need to pay very close attention. Can you do that?" Tseng waited for Elena's nod before continuing. "Turks recruit other Turks. Heidegger may hire anyone he pleases, but you're not _really_ a Turk until you've been tested by the senior members of the team. You performed well. This is not the last time you'll be… _challenged_ by one, or all of us, but nothing like tonight. From now on anyone who attacks you like we did will be dealt with accordingly. We take care of our own. Any situation, any place, day or night. Remember that."

Elena decided she loved listening to her boss talk. His voice wasn't the deepest she had ever heard but it had richness to it and exuded calm. His next comment was delivered in the same almost conversational tone, so it took a moment for the full impact of what he was saying to penetrate her consciousness.

"Remember the feeling of being hunted by your own, Elena. Turks recruit other Turks, Turks test other Turks." Something infinitely deadly slipped into Tseng's tone and he took his eyes off the road just long enough to make eye contact. "Turks also end other Turks should the need arise."

Elena could only hold his eyes for a moment before she looked down at the armrest between them. She did not breathe again until she sensed that Tseng had swung his gaze away from her and back to the road a few seconds later. Elena faced forward and settled back into the plush upholstery with a soft exhalation. She felt a wave of pity for anyone who saw Tseng in full predator mode. There was no doubt that he was the alpha of this little band for a reason.

"Elena?" Tseng's voice held a hint of steel. Elena swallowed and looked at him. He wasn't facing her, but she had no doubt that he was aware of her every move.

"I understand sir. Thank you… I'll try not to disappoint you." She invested the quiet words with as much conviction as she could muster. They were the truth. She was committed, now more then ever.

"You won't Elena; I'm sure of it. Now get some rest. We'll be at our destination shortly." Tseng's voice was all smoothness again. Elena turned her face toward the window and watched the street lights go by. Before she knew it she was asleep.

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_**Please review!**_


	2. One of us

2. Pack Female

_**This one doesn't follow the animal theme very well. Well, I suppose it does from the standpoint that predators are very territorial. End of the day I tend to think of the boys as very… selfish. Any organization that you can't get out of alive would be full of possessive people. Then again, maybe it's less pack behavior and more the sort of thing you'd see out of a virus. We'll rewrite you and then send you out into the world. Hell, I don't know, tell me what you think**._

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Before the dropping of the plate Scarlett had paid very little attention to Elena. The younger woman was just another overeager young Shinra employee with passable looks, a tendency to talk too much and a distinct lack of fashion sense. The girl's older sister had been a Turk but that in and of itself did not make Elena particularly worthy of notice. Had it not been for the watchful eye Scarlett kept on all women who went anywhere near the rest of the board she wouldn't have been able to pick Elena out of a crowd.

After the plate dropped and Scarlett heard the child had been tapped to replace Reno during his convalescence she reassessed her previously dismissive stance. In the space of a day Elena seemed to gain a certain amount of confidence. Just a tad but every little bit counts when one is expected to represent the sometimes murderous will of Shinra. Scarlett had to grudgingly admit that Elena looked very good in dark blue. The newest Turk threw herself wholeheartedly into her new role, something Scarlett found positively cute. As long as the improvement in Elena's wardrobe and fortunes didn't give the little darling any ideas Scarlett saw no reason to worry. Besides, if her instincts were at all accurate Elena had already fallen for Tseng's cool and calm bit. The younger woman would be too busy breaking herself on the rock that was the Wutain's indefatigable exterior to pay attention to accumulating any sort of power. Even if Elena wasn't interested in Tseng he could be relied on to keep her in line and too busy to make any sort of play at Rufus and that was the important thing. Though Scarlett kept an eye on all her fellow board members she was by far more interested in the future president. Rufus was the true prize and Scarlett would brook no interference from some young chippy fresh from the secretarial pool.

Elena proved Scarlett's original assessment correct by spending her spare time chasing after an oblivious Tseng. Scarlett found other, more pressing matters to keep her attention and paid the girl little mind for about a month. When Scarlett thought to look again, she found herself intrigued by the changes that had occurred in that brief period. Elena had apparently continued to grow in confidence and looked even more at home in that suit. But the younger woman seemed to be missing something and it took a few days for Scarlett to identify the lack. Elena had once run with a pack of employees about her age. She'd even been dating one of them if their less then subtle smiles and closeness had been any indication. But now Elena either walked alone or with one of her fellow Turks. Elena's former associates all but shied away from her in the hallways and the little boyfriend seemed to have disappeared entirely.

A few clever questions to the right people and a few days of observation netted Scarlett some interesting information. Elena's little love interest had been transferred to some back water office in Cosmo Canyon about a week after Elena joined the Turks. Considering he was an up and comer in his department his apparent exile made no sense. Doubly odd was the fact that the directive could be traced, albeit with considerable difficulty, to the office of the Vice President. Scarlett looked for any evidence that the boy had insulted Rufus personally but as far as she was able to gather the two had never met. The only thing the unfortunate man had in common with the Vice President was a relationship with Elena.

Curiouser and curiouser Scarlett thought, her curiosity well and truly piqued. There was more here then met the eye. She decided to step up her surveillance on not only Elena but all the Turks. If there was a plot emerging from the office of the Vice President she wanted to know all about it as soon as possible. In the days that followed she was disappointed for the most part. Rufus, Rude and Tseng conducted themselves more or less normally which was to say they were boring as hell to watch. Elena continued to lurch between competence and idiocy. Reno continued to be a loudmouth pain in the ass.

The only thing odd about that was the sheer amount of time he spent being a pain _in _the office these days. Usually he had to be bribed or threatened to stay anywhere near his desk. Even when Rude or Tseng managed to corral him he made a break for freedom as soon as he could and had to be dragged back kicking and screaming, sometimes literally. But recently Reno stayed close to home as it were. He spent hours pestering his coworkers, specifically Elena. He played pranks on her, stuck her with his paperwork and generally consumed mass amounts of her time. Adding insult to injury, he also insisted on dragging her to the bar four nights out of five despite her sometimes vehement protests. This was in addition to the fact that Rufus and Tseng seemed to have noticed Elena's talent for organization and seemed determined to make the most of it by having her handle a series of small projects for Rufus as well. The newest Turk was beginning to look a bit frayed around the edges.

Things clicked into place the one night about three months after Elena's promotion. Scarlett left the office one balmy Tuesday night, headed for a dinner with the head of acquisitions. She stepped out the front doors of Shinra headquarters and watched incredulously as Elena was, for all intents and purposes, kidnapped by her fellow Turks. Rude sat patiently in the driver's seat keeping the motor running as Reno literally manhandled his teammate into the car. The girl was yelling something about needing sleep and it being a Tuesday anyway and that was not her arm so if Reno didn't move his hand so help her...

"Come on Laney," Reno said grinning and readjusting his grip, "listen to a superior officer will ya'? You gotta hang out with your team, yo! What kinda partners would we be if we left you to go home like the rest of the sheep? Besides, you know you like it. Get in, yo, and stop whining!" Reno managed to pry Elena's hand off the car door, pushed her into the backseat and shut the car door after her before hopping into the passenger's seat. Rude gunned the engine and off they went.

Scarlett blinked and then stepped into her limo. The chauffer closing the door gently after her and a moment later the car pulled away from the curb. Scarlett barely noticed, too engrossed in putting the pieces of this puzzle together once and for all. She sorted through the information she had, ticking off facts on her fingers as she went. Elena's love interest had suddenly been transferred to the wilds. Her former friends now ran from her like chocobos from a zolom. A few defections were to be expected, not very many people wanted to be friends with someone who might hunt them down later. But what was the likelihood of that they would cut her en masse? Someone would have stayed with her for the thrill if nothing else; either that or in hopes of currying favor. But Elena had become a pariah in a few short months. Next there was the fact that Reno was staying in the office, seemingly for the express purpose of bothering Elena. He followed her everywhere but the bathroom. No, wait, he'd done that about a week ago. The screams could be heard on the next floor.

Scarlett frowned as she ticked off the next bit of evidence, the image of Rude waiting patiently for Reno to shove a fellow Turk into his car an odd one. Normally the bald man was the one preventing Reno from doing whatever he liked to anyone he liked. Tseng had official responsibility for Reno's actions and even Rufus had been known to jerk the redhead's leash. But Rude was the point man when it came to Reno control, the one who made his partner at least pretend to be polite, especially to women. But tonight Rude had been a willing participant in Elena's kidnapping. Speaking of Tseng and Rufus, why were they allowing Reno to stalk Elena? Neither man seemed inclined to exercise whatever control they had over Reno. Truth to be told, Rufus and Tseng were for all intents and purposes, aiding Reno in exhausting Elena by deluging her in projects on top to her normal duties. Scarlett's brow furrowed as she turned the situation around in her head, sure that she was just this side of understanding…

Suddenly her eyes widened and Scarlett released a quiet curse. She had no particular sympathy for Elena; she was simply peeved to have not put it all together earlier. All the facts fit. Rufus, Tseng, Reno and Rude were assimilating Elena. The woman was already an orphan with no living relatives. No doubt it had been simplicity itself to frighten her friends, send away her boyfriend and set a schedule designed to wear down the hardiest mind. By now Elena was no doubt sleep deprived, barely eating and confused as she tried to cope with more stress then she had ever experienced before. Naturally she would seek comfort, someone to commiserate with. Knowing nothing of her superiors' treachery Elena no doubt thought that her former friends had just deserted her, an idea her new social set probably reinforced at every opportunity. They would then encourage her to turn to those who would be able to understand her, the people who had been there for her through the entire ordeal.

Scarlett smiled, deeply amused and quietly impressed. What better way to inspire loyalty then to make the Turks Elena's entire world? A starved animal becomes fiercely loyal to those who feed and pet it regularly, just look at how well Reno had performed over the years. No matter how many tantrums he threw or how he whined, no matter how many times he showed up to work hung over and missing his tie, Reno was utterly reliable. He would do anything at all for the simple pleasure of staying with his master and his pack. Scarlett wondered absently if he had been the one to suggest Elena's… extra level of training. Then again, it seemed too calculated for the redhead. Perhaps Rufus? The man was master manipulator and the Turks were his own private terrarium. But it seemed somehow to… visceral for the Vice President or for Tseng for that matter. Rude was so straightforward that most of the time he bordered on honest.

Perhaps… perhaps this was not a well thought out conspiracy but a natural reaction to circumstances. This little drama hadn't been played out with the other Turks. Back when the department was triple the size it was now it hadn't been necessary to forcibly separate a Turk from the outside relationships. The disconnect came naturally over the course of months if not years, usually at the individual Turks instigation. But that was then and this was now, when only three men kept the name and reputation of Shinra's most feared department alive. The Turks and their master had found something worthy in Elena and were now sparing no effort in ensuring that she entered the fold quickly and irrevocably. Her feelings were not part of the equation; then again, they probably thought they were doing her a favor. Scarlett was reminded of the speech the president made to the board the day he announced the plan to invade Wutai.

"**_It is imperative that they be made to understand that we're doing it for their own good. Once they're part of Shinra, they'll wonder how they ever got along without us."_**

The phrase had stuck with Scarlett. She'd marveled at the obvious subtext and at the fact that the old man actually seemed, for once in his life, to be sincere. _We break you because we care and by the time we're done you'll love us right back._ Scarlett smirked at herself in her compact. _That one sentence explains everything we do, everything that Rufus was raised to be. He in turn impressed it on his little band and lo and behold, they're programming it into that silly little girl. Hrmm… I wonder if her training will be purely mental or if they'll find more… physical ways to make her one of them. If so I wonder if it would just be Reno or if Rude would join in as well. Rufus and Tseng would probably just watch… _

She snapped the compact closed and shook her head, determined to save those images for another time. It was with some regret that Scarlett turned her mind to tonight's dinner and what concessions she would wring out of the man she would be dining with. She was pleased to be able to focus on something other then the goings on of Rufus and his pets but she would miss the thrill of unraveling a mystery. Some inquisitive and very reckless part of her wanted to keep the thrill alive by strolling into Rufus's office tomorrow and letting him and his Wutain shadow know that she was aware of their little game.

After a moment Scarlett discarded the idea as extremely foolhardy. Neither Rufus nor Tseng would give her the satisfaction of reacting with anything but a quirked eyebrow. They would coolly deny any idea what she could be referring to and then Rufus would raise his eyebrow in that infuriatingly superior way and ask if she had anything else to discuss with him, dismissal implicit in his tone. They would watch her as she left and the moment she closed the door behind her Tseng would look at Rufus, Rufus would look at Tseng and that would be it. The Turks and whatever power Rufus could bring to bear would be focused on her suffering if not outright annihilation. Rufus defended what little turf he had right now with vicious determination. Scarlett didn't doubt her ability to deal with whatever was thrown her way but why alienate the cold eyed brat? She would content herself with a few fantasies and never bring it up unless it provided her with some sort of leverage. _Poor little Elena,_ Scarlett thought as she exited the limo and smiled for the cameras that seemed to follow her everywhere. _I wonder if she has any idea what she's signed up for…_

**_A/N: The answer to that of course, is no. _**

**_Please review! _**


	3. Sleeping

_**All characters belong to Square Enix. **_

_**Behold my un-beta'd attempt at humor. If your eyes burn out I am deeply sorry but I felt the need to get this out quickly since I wrote it quickly. The idea is that animal packs sleep together for comfort and protection. I'm stating that up here because I don't think that it's as obvious as it could be in the story line.  
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_Song: Stars – Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma  
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Tseng stepped out of Rufus's room and shut the door soundlessly behind him. Ostensibly he was the picture of calm but anyone who knew him could read the lines of strain on his face. His lips were a little tighter, his expression almost too blank and his brow was furrowed almost imperceptibly. It was a testament to the pressure that he was under that even those hints made it through his façade. One did not become the leader of the Turks by broadcasting emotion and Tseng had raised indefatigability to a high art. Sephiroth hadn't fazed him, neither had WEAPON or Meteor or the task of finding his President in the ruin that was the Shinra building. His calm visage was what the other Turks turned to when decisions were to be made about Rufus's care and the one Rufus had seen when Tseng had explained to him that he was a President without a company. When the first weeping black bruise had appeared on Rufus's pale chest Tseng had simply called a trusted doctor, his movements measured though swift.

When the other Turks were informed of the situation after that late night doctor's visit their reactions were as might be expected. Rude grunted and adjusted his tie, Reno cursed and Elena stood mute and sorrowful, her brown eyes filling with tears. All of them had recovered quickly though, at least on the surface. They strove to mirror Tseng's unwavering poise or at least match him in determination. Only Reno voiced any complaints about hiding out in what he termed 'the land that fun forgot' and then never where Rufus might hear. Tseng could say with no small amount of pride that his team was handling the situation better then could be expected. All three of them were more efficient then ever, each striving to do their utmost for the man who elevated them above the dazed masses. Without Rufus they would still be a pack but no more then that. Extremely dangerous animals but animals none the less, doomed to be hunted down or forcibly tamed by AVALANCHE or someone else.

Tseng struggled to shake off his melancholy and hide the tell tale signs of his fatigue as he headed toward the kitchen. Rufus was alive against all the odds. The President had an uncanny knack for survival and there was no reason to believe that Geostigma would not eventually be another memory, another story for Reno to regale his latest love interest with. In the meantime it fell to Tseng to do as he had always done, namely keep things running smoothly behind the scene while his President rested, recuperated and issued directives designed to set the groundwork for the new Shinra.

Tseng entered the dimly lit kitchen and paused for a moment. Either Rude or Elena had obviously been through here earlier, the room was pristine. Reno, though not quite the slob everyone supposed him to be, did have a tendency to leave dishes until the next morning, a fact that Rude seemed resigned to but Elena complained about at length. She complained about a lot when it came to Reno and he returned the favor. She called him an unprofessional degenerate; he referred to her as a sexually frustrated harpy. He went out of his way to be crude around her, she pointed out every one of his failings at every opportunity.

Sometimes they even came to blows though generally the proximity of the Turks' shared quarters and Rufus's bedroom kept them from doing too much too each other. Tseng resisted the urge to sigh as he headed toward the common room, not looking forward to playing disapproving father yet again. In a very real sense that was the role he had accepted when he became the Head of the Administrative Research department but right now it was particularly trying. He understood that they were releasing their worry, tension and boredom by sniping at each other but it getting very tiresome to listen to. As it was now they argued until all hours making it hard to get a good night's sleep. At least tonight they were being quiet. Perhaps they were giving each other the silent treatment and he could get an hour or two before they started up again. One could only hope…

Tseng walked into the room expecting to see Reno and Elena glaring at each other while Rude read a book or practiced his knitting. Instead he was greeted by Rude alone. The taller man was sitting on the couch facing the doorway, sipping a cup of… tea? Rude looked up at Tseng and then gestured at the table where a teapot, a small container of sugar, a ramekin of lemon wedges and a miniature jug of cream waited. Curious as to the whereabouts of the rest of his team Tseng listened intently for a moment. He was able to make out the sound of Reno's soft snore coming from behind the couch Rude was sitting on and he arched a brow at Rude who said nothing at all. Eyebrow still raised Tseng crossed the room and looked behind the couch. The light was dim but he was able to make out the forms of both Reno and Elena lying next to each other. They were both on their backs and _very_ unconscious. Elena was drooling just a bit. Tseng fought down a wide grin as he moved back around the couch and took a seat. For a moment he just sat and listened to the wind and the crickets and all the lovely little night sounds that couldn't normally be heard over Reno and Elena's squabbling. A delicious scent wafted to him and he allowed himself a small smile.

"Is that oolong?" he asked Rude as he leaned forward to take the teacup next the lemons, noting that only one other cup was available. The other man nodded and Tseng made a pleased noise as he poured himself a cup. A little cream, a hint of sugar and Tseng settled back to enjoy this little slice of heaven courtesy of his favorite employee. For a minute silence reigned, only occasionally broken by Reno's snore. Tseng enjoyed it immensely but was finally compelled to ask.

"How?..."

"Elena's chocolate cake and Reno's leftover Wutain. The real trick was getting them to eat in sync at the right time. They should be out until tomorrow morning so if you wanted to get some sleep…" The bald man took another sip of his tea. Tseng followed suit. Another blissful minute passed.

"I love you Rude."

"You're welcome sir."

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_**What's a little drugging between friends? Please review!**_


	4. Favored

_**All the profitable ones belong to Square Enix.  
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**_It's a bit late for Halloween but… Welcome to a bit of the deep dark. I do believe this is the first story to actually require the elevated rating. Sorry for the delay and thank you for your patience._**

**_Theme for this installment/Mystery animal hint: Their unique gait allows them to stalk their prey for miles. They don't kill immediately but run the prey down until it can no longer mount a defense and then eat it alive. It's kinder and quicker then some of the other methods predators use, such as suffocation.  
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_How had it come to this?_

Roland Tomassi sighed softly and tried not to start at every small noise. There was little point to it now. He was miles away from any sort of settlement. He poked at the tiny fire desultorily and tried to focus on his plans for the next day. Pack up camp, destroy all evidence that he'd spent the night there and move on. It was unlikely he'd cover much ground tomorrow; what with his leg refusing to heal. When he'd headed out of Wutai and into the jungle he'd been worried about monsters and other large scale predators. He knew now that the real dangers came not just from big things with big obvious teeth but from smaller, more innocuous looking creatures. End of the day he wasn't sure what was worse, the wild life or the weather. The days were muggy and he sweated out water he couldn't afford to loose. Then the sun set and the sweat damn near froze to him. No one had ever told him to could get cold in a jungle.

Then again there were a lot of things he knew now. About how there were always more bugs and snakes and those creepy little monkeys that watched his every move. Even some of the fish were aggressively carnivorous. He absentmindedly scratched at the makeshift bandage on his leg. Three days ago something bit him or scratched him while he was fording a river and the wound was getting worse by the day. What he would have given for one basic Cure materia. Hell, he would've settled anything to add to the bottle of rum that served both a pain killer and a disinfectant. He wished he dared us it as a sleeping aid since the gash throbbed at night. More often then not it was enough to keep him from getting the few hours of sleep he allowed himself but he couldn't afford to let his guard down like that. There could still be worse things hunting him then jungle cats.

Roland looked over his few possessions in the faint light and grimaced. He was running out of prepackaged rations and it was harder then he'd thought to catch things out here in the wild. From what little he could remember from the books he'd read about the jungles of Wutai in his youth, the place had fruit and game just hanging off the trees, waiting to be plucked. That impression had been bolstered by what little he had been able to garner from the man who sold him his gear. The old merchant had made it sound like the jungle was just an overgrown backyard. Roland took a moment to curse the man and then his own pitiable understanding of Wutainese and of course, his miserable luck.

_Overgrown backyard my overgrown ass_, he thought testily and glared at the surrounding trees. The place was a backwater hellhole infested with insects and poisonous plants and rodents of unusual and terrifying size. The water was questionable even when boiled, a process that took entirely too long over the miniscule fires he allowed himself. The fruit, what little he could identify as not poisonous, was hard to get to. Hell, even the obvious herbivores were vicious. _A man my age should be sitting somewhere ordering a stiff drink not fighting sharp toothed little fuzz balls for worm infested fruit._ He was tired, too hot or too cold and uncomfortably moist from the moment he woke up until the moment he went to sleep, not that he slept for long. Every little noise awakened him. The constant state of readiness had proven occasionally useful but a week of it had worn on his already frazzled nerves. Adding insult to injury he had nightmares during the brief periods of rest he did get. Add in a spectacular case of boredom and a not so subtle feeling of isolation and Roland was no longer sure that he'd done himself a favor making it all the way out here.

He looked away from the fire and up the sky, trying to find some pleasure in the night. Out here, provided you found a break in the thick canopy overhead, you could see the stars. You couldn't get that in Midgar. There the clouds were too thick most nights and the lights were always too bright. Even in Kalm it had been hard to get a really good view of the stars most nights but occasionally a strong wind would come off the sea and clear the view. Graham had always loved those nights…

Roland shifted abruptly, his right hand searching for his gun as he scanned the area. He'd heard a sound, something that seemed out of place. His hand curled around the muzzle of his pistol and he pulled it toward him slowly. The sound hadn't come again but he thought it best to place the gun in his lap and keep scanning the area. After a few minutes he sighed and relaxed a little. The chill quickly resettled in his bones. He sighed and decided to go to sleep. He had a busy day ahead of him tomorrow, most of which would be spent running like a scared rabbit. _More like limping_ he sighed and wrapped himself up in his thin blanket.

"_Roland…"_

Graham was seven again and they were at the beach. His bitch of an ex-wife, Graham's mother was sharing an umbrella with Marla, his current mistress. Loni, his current wife, was making out with his long dead younger brother Orlando but for some reason it was ok. After all, they were all family…

"_Roooooland…" _

They were all at the beach, somewhere near the Gold Saucer. It would be a bit of hike to get back the amusement park but Graham had insisted on being taken to the beach. It was much colder then it should have been for this time of year but the sun was bright. Roland shielded his eyes with one hand and watched at his son caught little crabs and then methodically crushed them between two stones. Roland contemplated telling him to stop but thought better of it. No use telling him anything now, he was already dead after all…

"_Rolaaaand… wakey wakey… Come on you idiot, get up!"_

Roland looked at his ex-wife; sure she had to be the one calling him. It didn't sound like her but she was the only one who had ever had the balls to talk to him like that. The woman could flay the hide of a zolom with a few well chosen words and had been known to reduce hapless servants to tears when the mood struck her. But she saved her greatest shots for him. She'd never forgiven him one transgression. Not the time he forgot to bring her mother flowers, not the fact that he'd made his fortune toadying up to Shinra and not the fact that he didn't toady hard enough to, as she put it, 'really get somewhere'.

By the time Graham was ten he'd finally had enough. He'd dumped her for someone younger, sweeter and less inclined to point out his failings, true or otherwise. He could only imagine what she was saying about him now that Graham was dead. But she wasn't the one talking to him now. She was walking toward Graham, a bow and arrow in one hand and an apple in the other. He decided he'd better intervene since her aim was questionable at best. He tried to get up from his lounger but something was pressing on his chest. Roland gave up on doing anything about his family and concentrated on getting his core to shift upwards as commanded.

"_ROLAND!" _

Roland came out swinging, his arms flailing wildly in a quest to connect with whoever or whatever was on his chest. Roland's eyes snapped open and he got the impression of red and green and then black. For a split second the form on top of him had more arms then it should and white teeth gleamed. Next second he was throwing a man off of him. A strange looking man to be sure but still, he assured himself as he scrambled to the other side of the fire pit, still just a man. For a moment the dark shape that was the other man simply lay unmoving, just barely inside the circle of firelight which seemed to have expanded. Roland flicked a glance at the fire. It had definitely gotten bigger, due no doubt, to his 'guest'. Oh well, the increased visibility would be helpful. Then he suddenly sprang to his feet, his back to Roland. It was as if some trigger had been released. He shook himself, cocked his head as if listening and then spun around. Roland sucked in a breath. He knew this man.

"Reno…" he said softly, his voice hoarse from disuse. The other man's grin widened and he bowed, his baton dangling from his right wrist like some benign affectation. The bow lasted only a second; afterwards the Turk straightened and stood watching Roland, somehow managing to look as if he were leaning against a wall. He appeared to be in no hurry, something that comforted Roland not at all. Roland's thoughts were dividing between gibbering pleas and blank confusion. Finally he opened his mouth to plead, to coax, to somehow turn aside the doom this man was paid to deliver. "I… I can… pay you. You don't have to do anything, just leave me here and I can give you the codes…"

"Ah Roland," Reno sighed. "You're disappointing me. And after all I've done for you…" Reno's voice trailed off, his glowing eyes and broad grin giving lie to his mournful tone. Roland just blinked, his voice dying in his throat. _After all he's done for me? Killed my son and gods know who else not to mention chasing me for the last two weeks?_ Roland's hand's clenched and for a moment he indulged the vision of attacking the bastard, of using his superior weight to knock him down and then breaking those white teeth with a rock. Maybe he could have at one point in his life. When he was in his twenties and there was more muscle then fat on him. Hell, he might have even put up a fight two weeks ago when he first caught a glimpse of that hair and took off in the opposite direction. But his chances were so low now as to be nonexistent. The days of running too fast, sleeping too little had worn him down and even now his leg was protesting his sudden movements.

"Honestly Roland," Reno said in a conversational tone. He seemed to be inspecting his feet now but Roland wasn't fooled. If he made one move toward his gun or toward the forest, the Turk would be on him like white on rice and that would be the end of it. "Honestly." Reno continued, "What were you going to offer me? 'I can pay you'. Huh. You ain't got no money no more. Shinra cleaned out your accounts the day you disappeared. Your eminently fuckable little trophy wife was back at the Honeybee Inn within a couple days. I gotta thank you though. You obviously kept her in fighting trim. Bet she could suck the polish off a door handle. Little miss you had on the side was just as good." Reno's grin was ingratiating and his odd green eyes practically glowed. "Man, I had to cast Cure on myself after both of 'em. How did you cope at your age? Course, neither of 'em held a candle to Graham…"

Roland was faintly aware that he his mouth was open as he launched himself at the redheaded bastard who'd taken everything. He knew he was screaming and that it was as incoherent and pathetic as his attempts to land a solid punch on the laughing demon in front of him. Devony and Tanya didn't matter in and of themselves but the idea that they'd both panted for the same man who was going to murder him in some godsforsaken jungle was bad. But it was nothing compared to the idea that the same man that had fried his little boy like an egg had smiled at Graham and lied to him and _kissed_ him, knowing the entire time how things would end up…

When the pain came it made everything clear. He wasn't Roland Tomassi, former businessman, husband of Tanya, keeper of Devony and father of Graham. He wasn't the man who had found his son electrocuted in the sloppiest suicide set-up ever, an obvious message from Shinra to acquiesce on some idiot business deal. He wasn't the man who, in rage and grief, had tried to hire someone to take out Shinra's heir by whatever means necessary. He wasn't even the man who had spotted a shock of red hair one day and suddenly started running. He was an old man having a heart attack brought on by the stress of all the things he had been.

He hit the ground hard, ending up flat on his back with one hand clutching his chest. He was vaguely aware that the Turk was just watching him, a spiky blur on the edge of Roland's vision. After a moment the pain subsided a bit though breathing was still hard. The Turk approached slowly and stepped over Roland, straddling him. He gingerly sank down until he was just barely resting on Roland's stomach. Roland's vision cleared a little further and he saw that he was being watched intently. The Turk looked oddly serious.

"Ya done old man?" he said. He seemed honestly curious, his head tilted to the side and his narrow face strangely guileless. If he could have drawn the breath Roland would have laughed. Another minute passed, the pain settling into a dull if vicious ache and his breath slowly coming back. Finally he found enough air to push out a few syllables. It wouldn't be poetry and it wasn't original but it would have to do. "Fuck you… Shinra… dog…"

Reno's lips quirked and he rested a bit more weight on Roland's midsection. "You know," he said wryly. "you're not the first person to call me that. I always wondered why though…" The Turk grew pensive. "I can see how I'm like a dog. Loyal and retrieving shit and I'm kinda trained though I betcha Tseng would disagree… The thing is though; I figured I was kinda like a cat. I'm gonna dump your bloody, broken body in front of my masters and they're gonna wrinkle up their noses and yell at me and then their gonna reward me."

Roland grimaced. He was screaming at his body to move, to push this fuckwit off him after which he could have another go at him. _Come on,_ he thought. _Just one more go…_ His chest spasmed slightly and he gritted his teeth. "Let me guess… you get a pat on the head, maybe… some milk." His voice was regaining strength, maybe…

Reno smirked. "Nah. They just give me money. Then I go out and buy liquor and pretty little things to do the petting." He stroked his EMR in a suggestive manner and waggled his eyebrows. "I'll try it though. Curling up and purring in Tseng's lap. Nah, he'd have me spayed. Rude'd go for it though. Maybe. Stares at my ass enough…"

"Neutered, you… idiot. Females… get spayed. Males get neutered. Unless you're telling me something…"

Reno frowned. "Yeah, yeah old man, whatever. Maybe Rufus would go for it… Anyway, yeah, I'm kinda like a cat. Sex everywhere and plenty of time sleeping. But you're right; I'm like a dog too. I get shit done and cats don't protect anyone worth cold shit, 'cept themselves and maybe kittens and Rufus is no kitten." Reno's mouth stretched into a smarmy little grin. "Right, I'm gonna save that one for later if you know what I mean. Him with little ears and a fuzzy..."

Roland bucked with all his might and was rewarded with a punch to the chest, positioned to hit him just above his heart. He gasped and writhed a little, trying and failing to ride out the waves of pain. He wasn't sure if he was having another heart attack but he wouldn't have been at all surprised. Once again Reno waited patiently for the gasping to die down, for the reflexive spasms to cease and for Roland to come back to himself at least partially. Once he had calmed Reno sat on Roland again, this time resting what felt like his full weight on his victim's stomach.

"See," Reno said, sounding for all the world like a man scolding a child. "Its shit like that got you here in the first place."

"Wh…" Roland could feel himself drifting. He liked dry lips and tried again. "Why?" He couldn't manage the entire question. _Why did you let me run? Why am I on my back in this jungle instead of several weeks dead in Midgar? _

Reno considered him and then shrugged. "Why'd I hit you? Cause I don't feel like frying two members of the Tomassi family. Redundant ya know? Predictable." Roland shook his head and wheezed. He was having increasing trouble breathing. "Oh," Reno said. "Why'd I let ya run?" Roland nodded slowly. "Mmm…" Reno hummed for a moment. "Dunno… figured you deserved it. It takes guts to plot against Shinra's little golden boy, even more to drop everything and haul ass outta town with just the money in your pockets. You made it from Midgar to Junon to Mideel to the Gonaga to Cosmo Canyon to Rocket Town to Wutai, all on your wits and luck." Roland blinked. The Turk had been following him the whole time?  
"You're what, fifty something? You made it to damn near every continent, covering your tracks pretty freaking well for an amateur. I thought you were just gonna settle down in some back alley in Wutai but no, you just got some gear… you got fuckin' jacked by that old guy by the way… and then you hiked out into the wilderness. Bet you thought us Turks would just leave you alone if you came all the way out here, us being city creatures and all." Reno leaned in close and Roland's world was suddenly a pair of glowing green eyes and that wide grin. "All the shit I do to my body, you think I can't make it out here?" he laughed almost pleasantly. Roland just sighed. None of it mattered anymore. The weeks of worry, the fear, the grime he'd covered himself in just to blend in. The time he'd spent out here, cold and tired and too scared and depressed to enjoy the stars. None of it mattered because this little fiend had been trailing him, just waiting for the right time. Waiting until he was at his weakest.

He wasn't surprised by the gentleness in Reno's voice. "Like I said Roland, you got a gift. You got to run from your own death. You did pretty well at it too, you should be proud of yourself. Plus…" Roland heard the distinctive sound of a gun being cocked. "Plus, I'm even gonna use my gun on you Roland. Ain't I sweet?" Roland sighed again, not sure whether or not to nod. He ached. His only child was dead, his money was gone, his second wife was back to selling herself and he was on his back in the mud, his heart doing its best to give out. He gathered himself and asked for what he needed.

"Please."

Reno watched the old man come to a decision about it. Really, there was no other way to go but Reno was glad to see Roland got it. He grinned and stood, his gun steady in his left hand. "Say hi to Graham for me Roland." he said and shot his victim through the head. It was a clean shot; the old guy probably didn't even feel it. Reno lifted his face to the sky and took in a breath. Then he looked around, his eyes intent. He smiled when he saw the glint of metal sticking out of the threadbare pack Roland had left near the fire. Reno headed over to investigate and sure enough it was hunting knife. The thing wasn't the best quality, nor was it very sharp but it would do. He headed back over to Roland and set to work.

"Ya see Ro-ro," he said as he once again straddled the corpse. "I lied to ya a little. I'm badass and all but even I'm not quite badass enough to bring your whole body back to Midgar. So…" he grunted as he used his EMR to break a couple of his victim's ribs. "That's it… so anyway, Ro, I'm in a bit of trouble for taking the time to chase you so I have to have proof that I killed ya. My word won't do it, they want something solid. You know, the head of the infidel and all that. But heads are surprisingly hard to cut off ya know?" He was working mostly by feel now, his right hand searching for that distinctive bit of muscle. "A little to the right and… there we are. It's for the best that I take this Ro, it being broken and all." Reno laughed a bit at his own joke as he set about carefully severing his prize from the surrounding tissue. He looked around for a minute before shrugging and easing off his own jacket to wrap his trophy in. "They'll do a blood test on this and I'm home free. Think of it this way. Part of you is goin' to get back home. Provided I don't get hungry first of course…" Laughing, Reno headed out into the night, his prize cradled in his left hand, his EMR twirling in his right.

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**_Please review! _**


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