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Diversification	By : RandiLynne Category: Final Fantasy VII > Het - Male/Female Views: 798 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Ava had barely made the next
building when the shattering of glass drew her attention. She whirled around,
peering back at the bar where she saw two bystanders ducking low to the ground.
The calculations were none too difficult. The barely audible slice of the
bullet as it traveled through the air, the shattering of glass and the people
huddled in terror told her of the gunshot. Wasting no time, she darted back for
the bar, not quite considering her own vulnerability as she ran through the
shattered doors. Stopping just shy of the counter beyond the line of fire, she
found her heart skipping several beats as she saw the unruly mess of blazing
hair. Reno was
standing several stools down from where he had been sitting when she left,
peering aimlessly down at the shattered glass of vodka and tracing the line to
where the bullet had sunk down into the wall behind the bar. The expression
that overtook his features yelled anger and fear all in the swirl of a blank
stare and emotionless lips. For once, he wore no smirk.
Ava quickly ushered Reno away from the bar
and into a nook where they would be safe from another attempt. The patrons in
the bar had all disappeared beneath the tables, and were just beginning to
resurface with fear struck in their eyes. Reno
glanced at the brunette as she shook his shoulders, begging his attention. The
ringing in his ears slowly faded into the feminine questioning, �How did this
go down, Reno?
I need to know what happened.�
He shook off the wave of emotion,
hiding the turmoil beneath his insatiable smirk. �Cat-like reflexes,� he
confessed.
�The truth, Reno. You�ve already
confessed to being human,� Ava insisted.
�Good catch, McCall. Really,� he
paused, considering the events that had placed him in this position, �I got up
to piss. I turned for the bathroom and heard the door shattering, and then my
glass. Eventually the damn thing went into the wall. If I�d been sitting there,
I�d have a bullet in my head.� His composure had fully returned, not a lick of
the discomfort previously felt. In fact, he wasn�t sure why he�d been so
stirred. He�d faced death before, but perhaps the mystery in this all was really getting to him.
�I suppose you ought to be glad
you�ve the bladder of a two year old.� Ava displayed her own smirk, the sly
little dig taking brief moments to settle over the redhead.
�Hey! I�ve been drinking; it
doesn�t mean a damn thing,� he countered.
�Oh, that�s right. And you�re
likely drunk ninety percent of your waking hours. Forgive me,� she said,
displaying an open hand in a gesture that begged no forgiveness.
�Not two seconds after an attempt
on my life and here you are cracking jokes and teasing me,� Reno said. The serious face he wore almost
had her convinced, but as the minutes droned on, he eventually smirked and let
on to the fact that he really didn�t care what was said about him.
�Think this is connected with the
men from the alley? Or just the attempt on Rude? I mean, it�s an awful lot like
the way he was shot. A little more public, though. Perhaps they�re slipping up
in desperate attempts.� Ava leaned against one of the stools, tucking strands
of hair behind her ear.
�They sure are trigger happy. I�ll
update Tseng on the situation. But� how the hell do we get out of here?�� Reno
glanced around the bar, as if looking for some way to sneak out. Ava was
already on the solution, and found the trembling bartender beneath the counter
where she gave him a polite smile and gradually lifted him from his huddled
position.
�Might there be a back entrance or
even a cellar that happens to lead to the alley out back?� She asked.
�Sure. Follow me�� the bartender replied
and hesitantly began the trek through the kitchen. Reno caught up momentarily, careful not to
stray within the general line of fire. Once beyond the stainless steel kitchen,
the bartender held a plain steel door open. The door led straight into the back
alley, and both Ava and Reno
nodded thanks as they strode into the dark atmosphere.
�Keep low,� he reminded her, as
they snuck through the passages.
Somehow the two made it safely
back to the hotel room, where they found no sign of Reeve or Rufus. Despite a
bit of wear, the room appeared to be in perfect shape and held no sign of
trouble. Reno
opted to leave his superior to whatever it was he did behind closed doors,
instead putting in a call to Tseng where he told the story of the supposed
sniper and near miss. The escape sounded quite exaggerated to Ava, but this
only brought a small giggle as she watched the lanky man describe the scenery
in all his antics. Come to think of it, he could be quite animated at times, never
boring in the least.
�All right� I hope we can figure
this shit out soon. I don�t want to end up in hiding again, waiting it out,� Reno spoke into the phone
late in the conversation, once all the happenings had been explained.
�I�ll do my best. Call if anything comes up. Hopefully the boy will regain
consciousness before you leave,� Tseng answered.
�I�ll call in the morning and see
what the deal is,� Reno
said, listening as Tseng agreed and ended the call.
�The boy?� Ava questioned, running
her hand over the cushion of the couch where she sat.
�Yeah, little shit had better wake
up�� Reno was
worried, though not outwardly. The kid could be crucial to their case, and he
was lying in a bed doped up on pain killers.
�We can only hope. You look like
you�re about to explode,� she said, in an observational tone.
�I narrowly missed being shot and
my partner was shot. I can just feel
the fuckin� knots forming in my shoulders�� he paused, displaying a devious
smile. He pivoted, sharing his back while she gazed on with her hands upon her
hips, �Would you?� he asked, gesturing precisely what she thought he might.
�Reno!� she scolded, glaring daggers through
his skull.
�I�m serious, yo. Knots aren�t
good for my job performance,� he said as he peered over his shoulder with
feigned innocence. Her glare faded and was traded in for a more pleasant look.
It was as if she had the cheapest brakes, waning away to nothing whenever he
begged or teased her.
�Sit down,� she instructed,
suggesting he sit on couch. When he took a seat, she perched on the arm rest
behind him, the bony points of her knees lightly brushing against his sides as
she moved in close. The touch sent a shrill shake through his spine, but he
shoved it away with a snide remark.
�Watch those skeleton knees of
yours,� he smirked, and she could hear it in his voice.
�I can go to bed, if you�re going
to whine.� She wore a smirk of her own, this time, as he shook his head in
protest.
�No, I�ll behave,� he replied,
crossing his fingers invisibly. When did he ever behave? He really could use a
quick work over on those knots. They were played up to gain an advantage, but
they really were there. He needed a little relief.
Ava didn�t reply, opting to ignore
the tone he used on the last sentence. Instead, she brought her fingers against
the fabric of his shirt and began to massage his shoulders in circular motion.
Her hands felt rather strong, he thought, as he relaxed into her kneading
fingers. With caution, she ran deeply pointed fingers down his back on either
side of his spine until she found the first of countless knots wrenched in the
muscle tissue. When she began to work out the knot, he gasped and shifted
beneath her finger tips.
�That one hurts like hell,� he
groaned, arching further away.
�It won�t come out unless I work
at it, and I can�t do that without inflicting a little pain,� she explained,
wrenching deeply at the knot while he squirmed.
�You�re enjoying this, aren�t
you?� He exclaimed, finally finding a way to keep his back still while she
loosened the tissue.
�Maybe just a little,� she gave a
slight laugh while using the points of her fingers to relax the muscles beneath
his skin.
Just as the knot began to fade,
her phone vibrated against the coffee table and much to Reno�s dismay, she darted over and flicked it
open.
�McCall,� she barked, but at once
bit her lip for the nasty tone.
Nosey as ever, Reno moved closer to her to gain a glimpse of
the caller identification which read out �Slater� in small lettering. �Thanks
for the massage, doll,� he called, drifting off into the bathroom with hasty
steps to avoid whatever she might throw at him.
Reno clicked the door shut just as an
unidentified object slammed against the door with a distinct clunk. With a hand placed on either side
of the sink, he leaned over and observed himself in the mirror. His usual
brilliant turquoise had faded an odd green due to the redness that surrounded
his irises. Lack of sleep, he guessed, since he tossed all night and was rudely
awakened by Rufus. Not to mention the stress that had accumulated with the
given circumstances. He snorted and turned the faucet on, watching the cool
water flood into the basin of the sink. His hands cupped beneath the flow of
the water, catching a fair amount before splashing his face with cold
refreshment.
With his face washed, he turned
the water off and reached for a towel. His fingers froze mid-reach when he
heard rather discreet yelling, but it was yelling none the less. The towel made
haste for his face and he dried his skin, tossing the towel onto the counter
when he finished. Not wanting to burst forth from the doors as if his legs were
on fire, he pushed his ear against the wooden door and listened intently.
�You can be such a pompous ass.
I�m so tired of this, Slater. I really am. I cannot believe you,� he heard Ava
snap at her fianc�, smirking at the thought that he�d caused the little spat.
�Oh, come on. I heard that sly
voice he used. You didn�t bother calling all day, nor have you even called
twice since leaving for Edge,� came the voice of a man, clearly within the
room. This wasn�t a telephone call; this Slater was actually in the room.
Reno instantly swiped at the knob and threw
the door wide, slipping through the opening and grinning at the man he knew as
Slater. Slater was near Rufus� height, with black slicked back hair and blue
leering eyes. The tailored business suit he wore screamed wealth and pedigree,
and it made Reno�s
stomach churn. Slater was standing in a cocky stance just inches from Ava, and
the look on his face was pure evil. Ava, however, displayed no emotion.
�What the fuck are you doing
here?� Reno
growled. This was violation, to say the least. Bringing a stranger into a hotel
room occupied by Rufus and Reeve during this late crisis was simply stupid. It
didn�t matter who it was, or why he or she was there, it simply was not done.
�I came because Miss Avery thinks
it okay to mistreat me.� Slater stated, his voice was regal and yet sheepish
all in the same.
Ava grimaced at the use of her
full name, but Reno
paid no attention. �Are you kidding me? She�s on an assignment. Don�t you
fucking get that? Or are you so loaded that you don�t understand the concept of
work?� Reno
snapped, relishing in the feeling of belittling another man. Just the thing you need after a long day.
�Ava, you know better. Take it outside� I don�t care. Just get the fuck out of
here, Rufus will shit himself.�
Ava nodded, and discreetly made
her exit with reddened cheeks. She was clearly quite embarrassed by the entire
ordeal. Slater, however, took a full minute to glare at Reno before disappearing into the darkness.
With an indignant shake of his head, Reno
crashed down into the couch with a sigh. At least Elena hadn�t ever done
something this ridiculous. This Slater shouldn�t have even known their
location, let alone come to their hotel room.
When Ava drifted through the door
a half hour later, Reno
shot her a cold stare. �He�s not even supposed to know your location during
times like these,� he stated in a matter of fact tone. �Why did you tell him?�
�That�s the thing. I didn�t tell
him, he called as he got to the hall and was at the door right after you went
into the bathroom,� Ava stated.
�He must have some connections. Ava, do you realize how dangerous that is? You
and Elena squawk about my professionalism all the time, and here you are with
your fianc�. Not to mention Elena�s constant habit of leaking information. Ya�
never catch me doing that shit.� Me,
lecturing someone? What a thought.
�I apologize. I really didn�t
think he�d be able to track everything. He probably used my phone�� she sighed,
and seated herself opposite Reno.
�He�s really somethin�. Whining
about you �mistreating� him�� he chuckled, leaning against the arm rest.
�He can�t deal with my occupation�
his family used to be involved with Shin-Ra, but it went sour. He hates that I
work with Rufus and he hates that I don�t bend to his every whim now that I�ve
been away,� she confessed.
�He�ll just have to suck it up,
won�t he?� Reno
grinned widely, but mulled over her statement in his mind. Sour? Just how sour had that business gone? He made a mental note
to have Tseng check Slater out via the database. They could access files of
citizens depending on the security measures, but he doubted they�d even have to
go that far. If the Cross family had run-ins with Shin-Ra, their information
was likely to be on file at headquarters.
�I swear we�ve done nothing but
argue since I decided to take up this job�� Ava continued speaking about her
and Slater�s arguments, but Reno
drowned the trivial information in thoughts of more important things. Every
once in a while, he�d nod and agree to something he really hadn�t fully heard.
Some might call it typical human behaviour, but those who knew him knew it to
be typical Reno
behaviour. The way he nodded and carried along could convince many he was
listening intently. Elena would have called him on it, but to his advantage,
Ava was none the wiser. Eventually, she began to tire of spilling these
details, and slowed her story.
�I�m sorry to hear that,� he said.
Of course, what he was sorry to hear was an utter mystery to him. It sounded
good, and that�s what counted. �Listen, I need to go down to the clinic. I want
to see if that damn kid came to,� he announced, rising from the couch and
throwing his blazer over his casual clothing.
�I�ll come along,� she replied,
coming to her feet.
Reno swore into the silence of his mind,
finding that this would hinder his plans. However, he had no good excuse for
telling her to stay behi�wait a minute.
�You can�t. Who�ll watch the door?�
�Who watches the door when we�re
sleeping?� she countered.
Ah, good point, �Tonight�s worse. One of us needs to be alert at
all times, especially after the hit,� he argued.
�All the more reason you need
someone with you, they didn�t put a hit on Rufus or Reeve,� she took a staunch
position, hips tilted and her hands perched atop the bones bound beneath the
fabric of black pants. It was clear she had every intention of going with,
which caused him to wonder. Why was she insisting on coming along?
�Okay, why do you want to go so
bad?� he asked, taking his own firm stance.
�I need to get my hands� wet, so
to speak. I can�t just sit back while everyone else does the work. It�s my
first case, Reno.
If I don�t help out, I risk being set back,� she seemed to plead with her eyes,
using a bona fide pout.
�You can be really annoying,
McCall,� he heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes defiantly.
�That mean I can come?� she
smirked, sharpening to that snippy tone that would be sure to annoy his ears.
�Whatever,� not no, not yes� whatever. The hell is wrong with me? �Get your
damn coat,� he began to head for the door, regretting his decision as soon as
she smiled that crazy grin.
The brisk walk to the clinic
proved silent but that was a blessing, considering they hadn�t encountered
anymore attacks. Having gotten her way, Ava seemed relatively content to civil.
Reno was caught
in the catacombs of his mind, scheming a plan to hold her up while he took care
of the urgent matters that pressed him. When they arrived at the clinic desk,
he noticed Ava�s scrunched nose and glanced toward her to find quite the
disgusted look upon her face.
�What�s the matter, McCall?� he
said in a teasing accent, half smirking while tending to the clip board of
papers that needed to be signed to visit.
�Nothing I can�t handle,� she
nearly shivered beneath the scrutiny, obviously hiding whatever she was feeling
beneath the awkward smile she held.
�You look like you�re about to
pass the fuck out,� he stated, scribbling a signature on the papers while the
nurse behind the desk admitted them to the second door.
�I just� hate these places. The
smell, the sickness� the,� this time she did shudder as they passed through the
white swinging doors, �the germs.�
Reno simply snorted a slight laugh, shaking
his head while they followed the nurse down the long corridor to the boy�s
room. The nurse left upon arrival, leaving Reno and Ava standing on either side of the
teenager�s bed. Ava appeared soft as she peered down at this enemy; almost
unbelieving that someone so young could be so involved in this thickening
danger.
�He�s so young,� she mentioned.
�Yep, they�re starting them young
these days,� he swayed, watching her nose scrunch again.
�That�s ridiculous. They should
have childhoods and enjoy that while they can, rather than being forced into
adulthood before they�re able to even comprehend their actions.� Ava turned her
head away from the boy, biting her lip in quite pronounced disgust.
�Not the kind of world we live in,
McCall�� he glanced at the monitors with their blinking green glow, realizing
the boy was no where near consciousness, �I need to update Tseng. I don�t want
a nurse or someone to overhear, so I�m going out. Stay with him,� Reno ordered, reading the
nod Ava replied with and leaving the room promptly.
The original plan was to head out
and find a spot to question Tseng about Slater, but with Ava�s persistence,
they ended up at the hospital anyhow. With silent footfalls, he found an
unoccupied room and slipped in unnoticed. Placing the call to Tseng, Reno explained the
happenings with Slater.
�What in Holy was she thinking?� Tseng sounded angry beneath the
cool pitch of his voice.
�Well, she claims he tracked her
down. Showed up out of nowhere,� Reno
replied, finding that the explanation sounded weak. �Have we got a mole?� It
never occurred to him before, but that would be a logical explanation.
�Reno, you know the sort of background checks
they run. Ava McCall is not a mole, think about the consequences. If she was,
she would not flaunt it so readily, less she craves to wind up in a cell
awaiting her ill fate,� Tseng shot back.
�Right, right� well, I gave her
hell about it. She seemed pretty damn embarrassed. That leads to my next
question. This Slater must have connections if he can track us so quickly. Run
a report on him, and I bet we�ll find some insight to the attacks,� Reno paused, awaiting
Tseng�s input.
�The fact that someone has money and connections does not incriminate
them, is there something else?� Tseng queried.
Reno had to think for a moment, but it all
dawned on him at once, �Fuck. Well, not only did Reeve notice something strange
about the Cross family on the way here, but Ava herself told me that they had
some sour blood with Shin-Ra.� Reno
tapped his foot against the linoleum impatiently; trying to recall what else it
was he wanted to say. It was on the tip of his tongue, but the concept simply
eluded him.
�I knew of the Cross family. We quieted them down quite convincingly.
Although, I suppose it wouldn�t hurt to run a profile on Slater. It was his
father and the prior generation that we kept close watch over, perhaps he�s
managed to slip below the radar. Maybe Ava gave him the fuel he needed to begin
acting against us,� Tseng sounded almost inquisitive. Their leader usually
got excited�as much as the serious demeanor would permit�about investigations
and new leads.
�That makes a hell of a lot of
sense,� Reno
agreed.
�I�ll call you back with the intel,� Tseng remarked before the electronic
click sounded.
Reno replaced the phone in his pocket, before
noticing a loud crash sounding outside in the hall. Several nurses flew by the
small peep window in the door, leaving a fluttering in his stomach. Creeping
toward the door, he slowly propped the door open and peered around the corner
to see the nurses round the corner into the room where the boy slept beneath
Ava�s watch. Anger burned through him and he slammed a fist against the metal
door jamb, flinging himself into the hall and running for the door. What now?
As he drew near the door, a
distinct sound caught his ears. The shrill blare of the equipment signaled a
flat line and when he rounded the corner, he saw the nurses desperately working
on the boy while the green line ran flat across the monitor. Ava had ended up
sunken back in the corner with a frown, watching the staff attempt to
resuscitate the kid.
�Move!� the voice behind him
shouted, and he stumbled away as a male nurse carted through a creepy machine. What the fuck is that for?
--------------------
A less adventurous chapter, but
there�s a lot of information packed into this piece. So, is it Slater?
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Diversification