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Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 53
- 54
- 55
Chapter 54: The Woman in Leather
4:00 p.m.
The elevator dinged as it stopped on the twenty-third floor of the Shinra Headquarters, and the doors opened. Out came Reno and Rude with their prisoner, marching her down the hallway. Eventually, they came to a door, whereupon Reno pressed a button on an intercom.
"Yes?" they heard Palmer's voice greet.
"We got her," Reno announced.
The three of them heard the clicking sound. Rude opened the door and continued the march.
Inside, there were stars glittered on a black ceiling. Framed pictures of planets decorated the walls. A refrigerator was in the corner. The floor was littered with wrappers and crumbs. Yuffie could tell right away whose office this was.
Palmer was sitting at his desk.
"You little sneak," he taunted. "I heard you want to go to school and get a good education."
"Bite me," Yuffie retorted, although she realized it was probably not the best response for a glutton.
"What were you really doing there?" he demanded.
"None of your beeswax, mister," Yuffie replied scornfully.
"Really," he inquired. "Then why were you following Scarlet's daughter around all day?" He paused. "With a knife in your backpack, no less?"
Yuffie was silent. She had difficulty thinking of a reasonable explanation, considering that Palmer was right about her original intention.
"You know," Palmer continued, "you and Scarlet might have your differences, but breaking her heart like that is something even Rufus wouldn't do." He paused. "Did you know Scarlet had a son who died at four?"
Yuffie was silent. She had planned what she had planned with the best of intentions. She wanted to save everyone. But she had failed to considered that Bestla was more than a one-dimensional killing machine.
"Giving that poor woman more heartbreak is beyond disgusting," Palmer continued. "And it certainly can't go unpunished."
"What should we do to her?" asked Reno.
"Please say a one-way trip into space," pleaded Rude.
Palmer grinned. "I say we leave her to Hojo!"
Both of the Turks were surprised and somewhat uneasy.
"I heard he went nuts," Rude warned. "And that he wants to do some pretty wild experiments that don't exactly have Rufus' blessing."
"Your point being?" asked Palmer.
Yuffie groaned. It would be a strain getting out of this one.
OUTSIDE THE CITY...
4:30 p.m.
The Urchin sat grounded in a field outside of Midgar. There were minimal battle scars here and there, but now there was a gaping hole that stood out like a sore thumb.
Bestla and Nara stood outside, assessing the damage.
"It's still flyable," Nara said, hoping to lift Bestla's spirits.
"I'm not doubting that," Bestla replied. "I don't care how it looks, either. After tonight, the Urchin will have outlived its usefulness."
"Pardon?" asked Nara. That came as a surprise. The Urchin had been what carried them to the past. As usual, she did not feel good about it.
"All we need to do is drop a sphere on the barrier over the Northen Crater," Bestla replied. "We'll go into the planet's core and take out Sephiroth. We'll climb out again. We won't need the Urchin for that. A goddess doesn't need any kind of vessel."
"Wait a minute," Nara said. "You're not going to stay there and absorb the Lifestream?"
"Not there," Bestla replied.
"Not there?"
"Meteor's not going to strike the Northern Crater," Bestla explained. "That was one thing Sephiroth got wrong. Even if Cloud hadn't stopped him, he still would have been in for one hell of a disappointment." She paused. "You're old enough to remember, aren't you?"
"I was twelve," Nara replied. "I remember pretty well. It struck Midgar head on."
"Exactly," Bestla replied. "Midgar was ground zero. I'll be waiting where Midgar was."
"But there will be others there," Nara said. "Anyone can absorb the energy." And then, she shriveled. "Was?!"
"Not if I wipe them all out," Bestla replied.
"What?!" Nara exclaimed. She was shocked, but not surprised. She had been able to tell Bestla was up to something, but she had been praying she was mistaken.
"I still have two spheres left," Bestla said. "And I'm dropping one on Midgar! Everything and everyone will be reduced to dust!"
Nara almost wanted to vomit.
"Bestla, you've gone way too far!" she protested.
"Am I now?" Bestla replied. "I can't have anyone else become a god or a goddess. Not only that, but Cloud and his friends are supposed to parachute into the city around this time. I can wipe them all out in one shot!"
"But you destroyed the cannon!" Nara protested. "There's no longer any reason for them to arrive."
"On the contrary," Bestla dismissed. "Yuffie Kisaragi was reported captured just a few moments ago. They'll no doubt come to rescue her." She then opened the mechanical door to the Urchin with her keycard. "And when they do, it's going to be one hell of a dust party."
Bestla stepped into the doorway. She then turned and looked at Nara.
"Coming?" she asked.
"Bestla," began Nara, "it's my opinion that you've lost all sense of humanity that you ever had!"
Bestla gave her a neutral look.
"Well," replied Bestla, "you know what they say. Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one, and they all smell like shit."
With that, Bestla entered the Urchin, and, to Nara's surprise, closed the door behind her. A minute later, the ground began to rumble, followed by the Urchin lifting off of the ground.
"You're mad, Bestla!" shouted Nara in the direction of departing Urchin. "You're maaaad!"
The Urchin continued to distance itself from Nara and grow closer to Midgar.
"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!"
MEANWHILE, IN THE BOARDROOM...
5:00 p.m.
"Strange," Heidegger announced. "I haven't been able to detect Diamond Weapon in hours."
"I'll tell you what happened," Reeve began. "It was that Bestla impersonator. She turned it to dust the same way she destroyed Junon."
"Reeve," began Rufus, "I'm interested in facts, not speculation."
Scarlet sighed. "Why does she want to besmirch my daughter's name?"
"God only knows," Reeve answered.
"She has no idea who she's messing with, that's for sure," Scarlet said.
Just then, Reeve's cell phone began to buzz. He took a look.
"My God," he muttered.
"What the hell's going on?" Rufus demanded.
"An alert from the cannon tower's security camera," Reeve answered. "We got her."
"Who?" asked Heidegger.
"Yuffie Kisaragi," Reeve answered. "She was captured and handed over to Hojo. He's got her at the tower. She looks tied up."
"And?" asked Heidegger apathetically.
"Suspended by a crane over the ledge. It looks like he's preparing some kind of experiment," Reeve continued. "We need to send troops to stop him!"
"Whoa!" exclaimed Rufus. "Who died and made you in charge? Sure as shit wasn't me!"
Unknown to anyone in the board room, Reeve also sent the image to Cloud.
MEANWHILE, AT THE TOWER...
5:30 p.m.
"Don't worry," Hojo began. "This should be painless."
"I don't care!" Yuffie protested. "Let me the fuck go!"
She was tied up by a rope that was attached to what seemed to be some kind of crane. She was held beyond the guardrail, suspended four hundred or so feet above the ground.
"You need to watch your mouth!" Hojo taunted. "I'm a respected biologist."
"You're insane!" Yuffie retorted. "Why'd you being me up here?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" he replied. "So nobody can rescue you."
"Then why not safely inside the Shinra Building with all the security guards?"
Hojo ignored her and tended to his work.
"Wait a minute," Yuffie said. "This experiment isn't authorized by Shinra, isn't it?"
Hojo gave her a close look.
"Wait a minute," he said. "I know you. You're Tomoko Kisaragi's daughter!"
Yuffie's mouth dropped open. "How do you know my mother?"
"She's your mother," Hojo replied, "and my daughter."
Yuffie gasped. She tried to say something, but no words would come from her mouth.
"Don't give me that look," Hojo continued. "I've got more bastard kids than President Shinra did. I could tell one of mine spawned you off the moment I saw you. Tomoko was just a lucky guess."
Yuffie continued to struggle. She tried to free herself from the rope that bound her, but it was no use.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you," Hojo warned. "The drop will kill you for sure." He then produced a remote. "Your life depends on this little box, so I suggest you do as I say. Killing you would mean little to me. I don't care if my daughter gave birth to you. My son is my top priority now."
"You have a son?"
"I have several," Hojo replied. "But I have big plans for this one in particular. I was going to use the cannon to power him, but it so happened to be turned to dust. So I had to come up with an alternate plan."
"What plan?" demanded Yuffie. And then she realized. "How could doing experiments on me possibly help your son?" she demanded. "Is he sick? Does he have some incurable disease?"
Hojo cackled. "No. He just has some people who want to kill him."
"And doing experiments on me stops that how?" Yuffie demanded.
"It lures them to their deaths, Hojo replied. "That's how."
Just then, static sounded the console, followed by a familiar voice.
"Hojo!" called Cait Sith. "Cease your experiments at once! You're endangering the whole city!"
"One or two Midgars?" Hojo said to himself. "It's a small price to pay."
And then, Yuffie realized whom the trap was for.
"Cloud!" she exclaimed.
ON THE HIGHWIND...
6:00 p.m.
"Yo!" shouted Barret. "You big fat pussy! Get up offa your lazy ass and do somethin' about it!"
"We're sunk," Cait Sith replied. "Hojo's doing this on his own. I don't like this."
"And now he's gonna do God knows what to Yuffie!"
"We have to save her," Cloud said. "She might have disobeyed orders, but she doesn't deserve to die. Or something worse."
"This wont be as easy as it looks," warned the cat.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Barret demanded.
"She's being held at the cannon tower," Cait Sith replied.
"Cannon tower?" Barret asked.
"Where the cannon would've gone if it was ever moved to Midgar," Cait Sith replied. "In order to get there, you have to pass Shinra Headquarters. You'll be caught for sure."
"We'll have to take that chance," Cloud said.
IN THE BOARDROOM...
6:15 p.m.
"Looks like Cloud and the others are on their way," Reeve announced. "Stay out of the way!"
"Reeve!" shouted Rufus. "You seem to have an authority problem. You'll be getting your final written warning."
"If they're going to save their little ninja friend," Heidegger said, "Hojo will kill them. If we don't first, that is."
"You can't underestimate these guys," Reeve insisted.
"We have it under control," Heidegger insisted. "The Turks have been dispatched to intercept them. Orders are shoot to kill."
"And if that doesn't work," Scarlet added, "we'll try the new weapon."
Reeve sighed. "Not the Prod Clod!" he objected. "That thing's defective! It has a leaking-"
"Reeve!" shouted Rufus. "You know what, fuck the final written warning. You're fired!"
Almost on cue, two soldiers entered the boardroom. Each took an arm and prepared to escort Reeve from the building.
"Hey!" called Reeve. "Wait! Cloud! Everybody! Sorry! But..."
ON THE HIGHWIND...
6:30 p.m.
"...you'll come, won't you?" asked Cait Sith.
"I'm not leaving her to die," Cloud answered. "Let alone have her turned into a monster to wreck havoc on the city. Of course, one of us will have to stay behind and man the Highwind."
"I'll do it," Barret offered. "If I go down there, I'll probably get distracted and go for Marlene."
"Fair enough," Cid agreed. "I'm leaving the ship in your hands!"
"Let's go save Yuffie," Tifa added, "and try not to kick her butt too hard."
"Emphasize on 'try,'" Cloud said.
Red XIII, meanwhile, seemed troubled.
"I wonder why Hojo performed so many of these experiments?" he asked. "Why couldn't he content himself with quiet research?"
"His sanity's been questioned," Cait Sith replied. "He's got a few loose screws up there."
At that point, Midgar came into view.
"Aw shit!" Cid shouted suddenly.
Nobody needed to question the expletive. Everyone could see the Urchin hovering over Sector Four.
"We'll have to enter through Sector Eight," Cid announced. "It's the furthest from the Urchin."
"And another thing," Cait Sith added. "Ever since Meteor was summoned, Rufus has had Midgar under martial law. We can't just enter or leave."
"Now you tell us!" Barret shouted angrily.
"Hey, hey, whaddya think we have Highwind for?" Cid asked. Where are we now? If land's no go, we'll go by air!"
"By air?" asked Cloud.
"Yes, indeedy!" Cait Sith replied. "We have parachutes on this thing."
SOMEWHERE ELSE...
6:45 p.m.
Heidegger and Scarlet boarded the elevator, which soon began to descend.
The trip down began with an awkward silence. They had a love/hate relationship over the years. Heidegger was often jealous how President Shinra, and later Rufus, seemed to favor Scarlet over him. Rufus would always listen to her more, and would reprimand him for his horse laugh, despite ignoring the fact that she had a similar one herself.
Scarlet believed that Heidegger had the lowest intelligence of any Shinra executive; even lower than Palmer. She also hated how he took his failures out on others, but that was also what set the sparks off between them.
It had happened when one of these failures was bestowed on him, but there were no men around him to punch or throw. There had only been Scarlet nearby, so he resolved to give her a spanking. He initially regretted that, expecting a termination or a lawsuit, but instead, a minute later, they found themselves in the closet, ripping each others clothes off. Bestla was conceived, changing their lives forever, but, since that incident, sparks would randomly fly between them.
And it was happening again right now.
"Your fly's down," Scarlet observed.
She then stopped the elevator.
"And I'm not wearing any panties. Let's get this over quick."
And she kissed him.
MEANWHILE, ABOARD THE HIGHWIND...
7:00 p.m.
"Sector Eight's below us!" Barret announced.
Cloud, Tifa, Red XIII, Cait Sith, and Cid were mounted with parachutes as they all stood at the guardrail. The ground was nearly a mile below them, but none were at all bothered.
"Last chance to back out," Barret warned.
Nobody responded. Everyone was prepared.
"You sure you can pull your chord?" Barret asked.
"I'll be fine," Red XIII answered as he climbed up the guardrail. "I can land on my feet anyway!" With that, he was gone.
"I can, too!" shouted Cait Sith before climbing the guardrail himself and disappearing overboard.
Cloud and Tifa were next.
Tifa looked at Cloud in the eyes and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Look up my skirt and you're a dead man, okay?
Cloud nodded.
She kissed him and sent him on his way. She followed moments later.
Vincent was the next to climb.
"It's time for payback," he quietly said before jumping.
Cid was the last to jump. "Don't crash the ship!" he warned as he departed.
The six of them free-fell for several minutes. Then one parachute opened after another. The six of them slowly drifted for a few minutes until they each landed, one by one, of Eighth Street in Sector Eight.
Once again, Cloud found himself in Midgar at nighttime, surrounded by illuminated buildings. It reminded him of the time they had first invaded Reactor Number One.
As everyone shed their parachutes, the cat was the first to speak.
"Heidegger is going after you all," warned Cait Sith. "That's why it's dangerous out here. We better go underground."
Nobody found Cait Sith completely trustworthy, but there was no time to argue. Every moment counted.
The cat quickly led everyone to a back alley. The six of them soon found themselves surrounded by walls on three sides, signaling that they could go no further.
"Great!" muttered Cid. "A fucking dead end!"
"Look down, you fool!" ordered Cait Sith.
On the ground was a trapdoor. It was heavy-looking, made of metal, and had a handle on one side.
"This is where we go in," he announced as he pulled open the trapdoor, revealing a ladder that led to the depths below. "I'm not gonna lie, the Turks may be down here. But we've gotta save Yuffie!"
"We have to take that chance," Cloud acknowledged.
One by one, the six of them climbed down the ladder. At the bottom, Cloud could see an endless maze of platforms and stairwells. It did not bother him; he had been through worse. But time was running out for Yuffie.
The longest stairwell was right in front of him. And at the bottom of the stairwell, stood a woman dressed in black leather.
"Hello?" Cloud called.
The woman did not respond. Her back was turned to them, and nobody could see her face.
"Who's side are you on?" called Cid.
In response, the woman began to run.
"After her!" shouted Tifa. "She might be a spy!"
Everyone obliged. The woman's hair was brown, and thus she certainly could not be Bestla, Scarlet nor Elena, but no stranger in Midgar was trustworthy.
This woman in leather was fast and slick. As the six of them pursued her, she slid down ladders and dashed around corners without revealing her face. She did not seem to possess any special skills, but this woman seemed to be able to run like the wind.
Of course, more than a face can identify someone. Cloud took a careful look at her features as he chased her, and, as he analyzed them, his heart began to accelerate.
Her body shape matched hers. And her hair was the exact same color. If only he could see her face.
Turn around, Cloud thought. Just please, turn around.
And then, he wanted to punch himself for such wishful thinking. The was no way it could be her.
The woman kept fleeing, but the distance was not widening.
"Hello?" Tifa called again.
Finally, the woman suddenly turned, and disappeared headfirst into what appeared to be a vent.
Cloud skidded to a stop, as did everyone behind him.
"What's wrong?" asked Cait Sith. "It looks like you've seen a ghost."
"I just might have," Cloud replied in a whisper.
"That was no ghost," Tifa said. "I saw her, too. And, yes, I'm thinking what you're probably thinking."
"What?" asked Cait Sith.
"Let me check," Cloud said as he ignored Cait Sith and climbed into the vent.
"There's only one way to find out," Tifa added before following him.
"Hey!" shouted Cid. "Where the fuck are you going?"
"BRB," Tifa announced as she disappeared into the vent.
The four of them stood there, dumbfounded.
"What the hell's going on?" Cid demanded.
"That woman in leather," Vincent said. "Who is she?"
"I recognize her scent," Red XIII added. "She does seem familiar."
"She's definitely not Shinra, that's for sure," Cait Sith replied.
For a moment, the four of them stood there in silence.
"Fuck it," Cid then announced. "I'm going after them!"
Cait Sith, Red XIII, and Vincent stood in silence.
Red XIII analyzed the scent again, and thought of the empty grave.
BEYOND THE VENT...
7:15 p.m.
Cloud exited the vent to find himself in some sort of tunnel. Below his feet were two sets of train tracks, and he quickly realized he was in the subway. He did not concern himself about any trains; he knew the service was suspended.
He then turned to see that the woman in leather was several yards in front of him. Her back was still turned, but she was much closer to him. Her body shape was even more recognizable now. Once again, Cloud had to fight the urge for wishful thinking. Still, he needed to be sure. There was always the outside chance he could be right.
"Aerith?" he called.
The woman in leather immediately began to run again.
At that moment, Tifa reached the end of the vent and exited, only to see the woman in leather disappear around the corner.
"Where did she go?" she asked.
"Down there," Cloud replied, pointing in the direction in which she disappeared.
Both of them began to pursue her, when they were halted by a voice.
"Oh no!" the voice shouted. "There here!"
It was indeed a female voice, but it most certainly did not belong to the woman in leather; it had, in fact, come from behind them.
Cloud and Tifa turned to see Elena approaching, followed by Reno and Rude.
"Time for our last meeting," announced Reno. "For real this time. You won't be walking away from this alive."
Strangely, one of the Turks no longer seemed interested in fighting.
"What are we going to do?" asked Elena. "That Bestla impersonator is about to attack the city. I think it's okay for us to ignore our orders now."
"Elena!" snapped Reno. "Don't act so weak."
"We're Turks, Elena," Rude reminded her.
"Yes, sir," replied the defeated Elena. "You're right."
"Come on," ordered Rude. "We've got work to do."
Now it was Reno's turn to be honest.
"I'm not really up for it, either," he said.
"Our orders were to seek you out and kill you," Elena informed Cloud. "Our company may be in turmoil, but an order's an order. That's the will and spirit of the Turks! Believe it!"
The Turks raised their fists, expecting their opponents to draw on them.
But Cloud did not draw. He stood there, looking Elena in the eyes.
"What are you doing?" taunted Elena. "Let's go!"
"I know we have a weird relationship," added Reno, but we have to end this like Turks!"
Elena suddenly produced a lit cherry bomb.
"Try this on for size!" she shouted as she hurled the bomb in Cloud's direction.
Cloud easily dodged the bomb in time to avoid the explosion.
Meanwhile, Cid exited the vent in time to see what was going on. He quietly snuck up several yards behind the Turks, and quickly retaliated by flicking his lit cigarette at Elena, with it landing in her blond hair.
"Yeow!" shrieked Elena as she struggled to brush it out. "That hurts!" She then produced another lit cherry bomb and hurled it at Cid.
"Take that!" she shouted.
Cid easily dodged the bomb, allowing it to explode harmlessly several feet away from him.
"STOP IT!" shouted Tifa suddenly.
To her surprise, everyone stopped and began to look directly at her.
None of them expected her to shout like that, let alone know she was even capable of doing so.
"Jesus!" Tifa continued. "What is wrong with you all? This isn't necessary anymore."
"You showing pity?" taunted Elena. "Don't take the Turks for fools!"
"Wait, Elena," insisted Reno. "Maybe she's right."
"Reno!" Elena exclaimed. "You're not violating the order are you?"
"Everybody violates orders, Tifa said. "We're even here now because someone violated hers. But that's not the point. Don't you realize that Rufus doesn't care what happens to you?"
"Bullshit," Elena dismissed.
"Is it now?" Tifa continued. "He sent the three of you against the six of us. What did you expect to happen?"
The three Turks looked at each other.
"And Tseng," Tifa finally said. "Cloud didn't do him in at the Temple; it was Sephiroth. But Rufus was the one who sent him there, along with you guys. Do you think he was fully expecting you to come back from that mission?"
Reno and Rude were silent. Elena let her head down.
"But he's not dead," Tifa announced.
Elena's head immediately went up again.
"I know it," Tifa continued. "And so do you. I've seen you together."
Elena glared at Tifa. "Where?"
"The beach," Tifa replied. "Just a couple of days ago."
Elena began to blush. "Not that beach, right?"
"Yes," Tifa replied. "That beach."
"How much did you see?"
"Everything," Tifa answered.
"Oh, God," sighed Elena as she dropped to her knees and buried her head under her arms in embarrassment.
"That wasn't the point," Tifa said. "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, but the fact of the matter is, I know you have Tseng to go home to. You're madly in love with him, and he feels the way about you. What do you think he'd do if he got the word that you were never coming back?"
Elena stood up and kicked the ground.
"Fuck it," she said. "You're right. I can't do it anymore." She slowly took her badge out of her pant pocket and threw it to the ground. "I quit."
She turned to face Reno and Rude, expecting them to beg her to stay, or possibly lash out.
But instead, Rude pulled out his own badge and threw it beside Elena's.
"Shinra's finished," said Reno as he followed suit. "It's come down to this." He then looked at his former co-worker. "Elena, you were a great Turk!"
The three of them then turned to face Cloud one last time.
"Farewell," Reno said. "If we both survive, if we can save our lives, we'll be forever grateful."
With that, he turned and began to walk away.
"Our mission's finished," Rude added as he did the same.
"Hey Cloud?" called Elena. "Good luck."
She then turned and followed Reno and Rude down the tunnel.
A moment later, the ex-Turks were gone.
"In-fucking-credible," Cid acknowledged. "You got rid of the Turks just by talking."
"Hey," added Cloud, "you think that's the last we'll see of them?"
Tifa shook her head. "They'll be back. But not as enemies."
The three of them then turned to face the tunnel ahead of them.
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Premonitions: Uncut