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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
- 6
- 7
- 8
The machinery wheeled past him in
the hands of a nurse seemed reminiscent of the monstrosities that he had seen
in the Shin-Ra labs. Though the nurse looked nothing like Hojo, a flashback
taunted his mind.
Lost in the depths of memories, Reno was jolted when the
hypnotizing hum of the flat green line exchanged for several sporadic beeps of
a twitching score. The arcs of the report steadied as much as could be expected
from an unpredictable heart and the medical staff seemed to settle for a
moment, signaling that the boy had been resuscitated. The young criminal had
cheated death, for now.
As one of the staff began to make
way toward the exit, Reno
flushed his arm outward to brush the door jamb with his fingers. The makeshift
blockade kept the fair woman at bay, and she shot him a curious glance. Her
lips lacked any notion of disapproval, but kept straight and tight as if to
prove serious beneath the charming stare of turquoise irises.
�He�s fine?� Reno asked, observing the way she stiffened
beneath the confines of a sterile white coat.
�Oh, he�s far from fine. To be
perfectly honest, it would surprise me if he regains consciousness. Anything is
possible, though,� she replied. He noticed her accent was much more subdued
than her striking appearance. He had thought her a native of Wutai, but perhaps
she held only the heritage, for her mannerisms and tone betrayed such
upbringing. In a fleeting moment, he felt ridiculous for using the wording
�fine.� In all reality, he�d meant alive.
�Great,� he managed to say as he
allowed his arm to fall against his side, providing exit for the physician. Just
why had this kid slipped into a coma, anyhow? Perhaps the head trauma of
falling to the ground and having a couple hundred pounds smashed over his body.
Suffering blood loss or being left to suffer for nearly a half an hour? The
state was likely due to a combination of the aforementioned, along with
internal injury and a punctured lung. Reno
never did ask the precise reason; he simply accepted that he wouldn�t be
gaining any information from this boy.
Reno glanced briefly at Ava, who appeared
distant. Her eyes seemed empty as she stared toward the sterile bed while the
nurses slowly dispersed. Something was weighting her down, dominating her
thoughts. Reno
shook his head, calmly approaching her and resting a hand against the crook of
her elbow to draw her attention.
�We should get back, I don�t think
we�ll be gaining any intelligence from this kid,� he said quietly.
For a moment, he thought he�d have
to repeat his words. As a slow minute ticked by, she slowly raised her chin and
looked to him with darkened blue eyes. �I suppose you�re right�� she agreed,
nodding and secretly gathering composure.
�Are you going to be able to deal
with the dirty side of this� line of work?� he asked, honestly doubting her
ability to kill or even harm.
�It�s not the violence, Reno. It�s nothing,
really,� she sighed, turning to exit the room.
�Doesn�t seem like nothing,� he
argued, perhaps only for the sake of arguing.
�I just hate to see young lives
wasted, that�s really all it is. Come on,� she paused beyond the door and
waited until he caught up before taking up the path toward the clinic exit.
Outside the sun crept upward,
highlighting the horizon in faint pink hues. Dawn was fast approaching, so it provided
the illusion that the night had flown by without a hindrance. Beside the walkway,
Ava noticed several willows, the silvery outline of their leaves cascading
toward a green lawn. Wisteria hung in clusters from vines trailed delicately
across the outer walls enclosing this spec of nature. The sweet scent of
blossoms drifted thick in the heavy morning air, and she breathed a deep breath
of the scent. She wondered if the clinic had kept the garden to entice the
healing of patients.
�Enjoying the scenery?� Reno asked, breaking her
appreciation.
�I haven�t been to Wutai before,�
she replied, slowing her pace to observe the sparkle of dew dappled on the
flowering trees lined along the way.
�Really?� he inquired.
�Really.
I�ve read of Wutai, studied some of the culture� but never visited until now,�
she explained. �I think it�d be nice to spend time here on leave,�
�Maybe�� he answered idly, as if
bored with the idea.
The better part of the retreat to
the Inn went with silence, both lost in their
own thoughts and ideas until they reached their destination. Just beyond the
door, Reno
stretched and yawned exaggeratedly. The yawn caused a chain reaction, for Ava
stifled her own yawn as she closed the door to the room. Reeve happened to be
sitting at the kitchen table, peering curiously at the two as they stood in the
living room looking like zombies.
�You stayed at that bar all night
long?� he asked, rather incredulously.
�Well, no. Long story, Reeve�� Reno answered, vaguely
distracted by Ava as she began rummaging through her suitcase.
�Ah, interesting,� Reeve
concluded, returning to reading a newspaper.
Ava had already disappeared into
the bathroom when Rufus emerged from the bedroom, glancing at Reno with distaste. �So you stayed out all
night to drink, before escorting us to the meeting?� he questioned.
�No, Rufus. I nearly had my head
blown off by an obviously amateur
sniper. Then we had an unexpected visitor. I decided to check up on the only
lead we have thus far, and he happened flat line and be revived in front of our
very eyes,� Reno mocked surprise, clearly displaying his short nerves and
frustration in a most unprofessional manner.
�Oh� well I guess that wouldn�t
point to irresponsibility. Where did the sniper target you?� Rufus asked, ignorant
to the bite of Reno�s
tone.
�The bar,� Reno answered. He realized that he was
slightly glad that the piece about the unexpected visitor had slid right over
Rufus� head.
�You�ve told Tseng, I trust?� A
blonde brow arched in a look of question.
�I let him know.� The air about
the room was nothing short of normal, but for some reason he as though his head
might explode. He couldn�t quite place the blame, but he suspected sleep
deprivation.
�Right.
Well, I guess we�ll have to be more discreet in our travel plans. However, we
won�t be hiding like cowards,� Rufus said. �Be ready to head to the meeting in
an hour. We need to be there by seven-thirty.�
�Good, good, good�� Reno repeated, cursing
silently at the idea of sitting and waiting in such a tired state.
While Rufus and Reeve prepped for
the meeting by running over notes and such, Reno began to unpack his uniform from the dry
cleaning plastics. As he pulled the pins from various spots and observed the
creases and folds, he suddenly found the scent of lilies and notes of camellia
stirring. A glance toward the bathroom yielded an explanation. Ava was walking
toward the living room with a refreshed look, her long waves of brown hair
sticking against her skin in their wet condition. He noticed that she wore the
standard uniform today, and it suited her well just as it flattered Elena.
While Ava busied herself with the
task of blotting her wet hair in a white towel, he realized his opportunity and
made for the kitchen with his uniform in tow. Just as he locked the door, he
heard Ava yell something about not being finished.
�Then you shouldn�t have taken so
damn long out there. You lost,� he laughed and turned to cleaning up. It was
her fault for meandering around and airing that sweet scent throughout the
suite.
The cold waters pouring from the
shower head served to awaken every inch of his skin, but did nothing for his
mind. Reno could have sworn in that moment that he was growing old, since he
used to spend many nights out far too late and simply work a full shift the
following day. Choosing to ignore any such notion, he proceeded to wash beneath
the constant artificial rain.
After perfecting his daily attire
and look, he emerged to find quite a mess of things strewn about the kitchen.
Rufus was standing near the counter with a finger pressed against his chin in
thought, and looking quite dismayed.
�Where the hell did I put that��
he trailed in question, shaking his head.
�What?� Reno asked.
�Just a notebook I usually keep,�
Rufus replied, utterly stunned at the object�s disappearance.
�It�s only a notebook, get another
one.� With that, Reno
began to return to the living room.
�It has my schedule and notes, I
can�t buy those.� Delicate hands ruffled through lengths of blonde as he heaved
a frustrated sigh and swept up the mess he�d created, shoving the papers and
books into a canvas bag.
�Mr. Organization,� Reno remarked beneath his
breath.
�At least he doesn�t live in total
disarray,� a feminine voice chimed from the couch.
Reno hadn�t a reason to glance at Ava; he
knew her voice well enough. But where would the fun be in simply ignoring her?
He sought her as she sat on the couch, finding a rather unusual thing. Since
he�d stolen the bathroom, she obviously had no opportunity to style her hair.
The long waves cascaded in a mess, falling soft and curling to form a frame
about her face.
�You should wear your hair that
way more often,� he noted.
Ava�s nose scrunched and her brows
became low, taken aback by the sudden compliment. How odd a thing it was to be
sincerely complimented by Reno,
especially in a setting where climbing in bed simply would not be a
possibility. The lack of response alone gave him a sense of self satisfaction,
since he�d done more damage than if he�d dealt a childish comment. The lithe
brunette simply tossed her hands dismissively and began to pack her things into
a leather travel bag.
Once the idle task of packing had
been finished, the luggage was arranged to be taken to the helicopter while the
meeting took place. Rufus had complained several times about the fact that he�d
been unable to find his notebook, but no one paid him any mind. The item might
turn up when they unpack. If worse came to worst, a journal could be rewritten,
he could certainly purchase a notebook and fill it on the way to the other
destinations.
Thus the meeting commenced,
leaving Reno
and Ava quite bored in the waiting room once more.
---x---
Miles away from Wutai, a tall man
fitted in a dark suit stood beside a pillar of white marble, leaned against the
cool stone in distant thought. The cigarette held betwixt fingers found solace
between pale lips as a drag was taken. Poison fled from his lungs as he exhaled
just half a minute later, contemplating all that was taking place.
Careful footsteps broke this man�s
reverie, bringing his eyes toward the courtyard where another walked toward
him. The light tap of her raised heels resounded throughout the outer halls of
the villa, until she found her path obstructed by a guard holding a rather
threatening pistol toward her temple. Every inch of finely sculpted muscle
tensed beneath the cold touch of the muzzle as it grazed her pallid skin. Dark
irises pinned into the corner of her eyes, sizing up her enemy with a quick
mind. A chilling breeze swept across the property, lifting threads of long
black hair and whipping them about without regard. Hot breath trickled past
parted lips, a soft hiss accompanied by the swish of the silk fabric encasing
her slender frame. The hefty guard glanced toward the location of his boss, all
the distraction she needed to render him useless. A quick movement sent the
pistol clattering across the concrete while she put the guard under with a well
practiced maneuver.
�Enough,� said the man by the
pillar, waving a dismissive hand.
�Then call off your dogs before they taint my oxygen,� the woman
snapped, her tone as cold as the silk which bound her.
�You shouldn�t speak so freely in
my presence. You missed the target, failed the mission. What gives you this
sense of righteousness?� he challenged, stepping the cherry out as the
cigarette touched the ground.
�I told you that sniping was not
my forte. You chose not to hire someone better trained in that field,� she
said, sauntering closer with calculated steps.
�I put far too much trust in you,
in your knowledge of your homeland and the skills you acquired through
training. It seems I have been blinded by your� other assets,� he drew out the final words and drank her in with
his eyes, causing a slight shiver to traverse the woman�s spine.
�You, sir, are spoken for. What
interest would you have in a dangerous woman? Go bed your serene wife.� A pitch
of jealousy strained the undertones of her voice, and he knew he�d backed her
into a corner. He�d known her for several weeks now, and their game of
seduction had started almost immediately.
�She is not my wife, yet,� he
called, watching the prowl of her feline steps as she closed the distance
between them to a mere inch or two.
�But you love her,� came her wispy
voice, the sway of her breath against his lips tantalizing in the chilled air.
�She is a pawn. A toy, if you
will. She serves purposes in my life, but I have no intention of tossing out my
fun in the name of fidelity.� With the confession, he brushed his lips against
hers until fire ignited between them, locking them in the throes of passion.
Only the cloudy sky bore witness to the lewd pleasures that transpired in the
courtyard of the villa.
---x---
Within the monstrous steel
structure known as headquarters to those who embraced Shin-Ra, Rude was finally
allowed to climb out of his temporary prison and don the familiar black suit he
so longed to wear. He hadn�t ever realized just how naked he felt without its
embrace.
Outside, the grey clouds loomed
and the rain drizzled onto the streets. Inside, he felt whole again, finally
free of that ridiculous hospital bed and gown. Elena gave him an encouraging
smile, watching as he finished with his tie.
�Now that�s the Rude I know,� she
said.
�It feels better to get back to
normal,� he replied, picking up a few possessions in the clear container by the
bed.
�Shall we, then?� she asked,
gesturing toward the door.
Rude said nothing, only nodded and
followed Elena beyond the doors of a room he never wished to revisit. She drove
hastily back to his apartment, where she dropped him off and promised to update
him on the bit of work that she and Tseng would be doing later on. Even though
he was removed from bed rest, he was forbidden to work until mid-week.
Upon arriving back at
headquarters, Elena hurried through security and up to meet Tseng in the
computer database room. As she met the steel door of the CDR, she swiped her
identification through the slot beside the lock and waited for the green light.
As the beep chimed, she entered the room and felt the cool air nip at her skin
even beneath her uniform. The room was kept icy most times, and she felt a
shiver scrape over her.
Tseng inhabited a large leather
chair at one of several computers, idly watching the screen as he read various
reports. With silent grace, she slipped up behind him and wound her fingers
through long strands of midnight. Her unprofessional behaviour would certainly
set him back a couple steps, but the room held no cameras and no one would know
of anything that happened behind the door.
�Elena,� his cool voice swept over
the mechanical hum of the computers.
�Are you checking on the lead Reno sent?� she asked,
placing a hand on his shoulder as she hovered behind him. She was disappointed
to see no reaction to her feminine games, but what else might one expect from
such a collected individual. Even still, she was always trying to break his
shell in the oddest places, a game they�d started unofficially once feelings
were realized.
�Barely.
It appears he is quite a secretive man, this Slater Cross. Hold up in a villa
with servants and a staff of bodyguards. He is very wealthy, to say the least.
The profile is fitting, but there�s nothing here that points to any sort of
discrepancy. The man hasn�t so much as jay walked on a deserted road. I think Reno�s a little too
worried about the fact that he came after Ava,� Tseng explained.
�So basically, he�s a wealthy ass
with nothing to do aside from chasing his fianc� when she takes on a new job,�
Elena finalized.
�The evidence points that way.
Until we find anything further, I�d say he�s a waste of time.� A click of the
mouse sent the screen into a blank state as Tseng turned half-circle in the
chair to face Elena.
�I have a bad feeling about him,
Tseng,� Elena admitted, chasing a strand of blonde hair from her face with a
stiffened finger.
�That is because you have a
weakness for Ava, and you want to protect her from whatever this Slater could
do to her,� he said, watching her brows furrow. �You think him similar to
Rufus. I can see it. Since he has money and power, you assume he�ll be ruthless
or play a field of women in his left hand while slipping a diamond on Ava�s
finger with the right.�
�Well, I hadn�t thought of it that
way,� she remarked, feeling as though he had insight to her thoughts that even
she did not have.
�Subconscious assumptions and
thoughts bleeding into your conscious reactions, but the feeling is entirely
understandable, Elena.�
�I don�t know. I still have this�
inexplicable feeling in the pit of my stomach,� she wrenched her fist as if to
show what her stomach might feel.
�As do I, but until we find
something circumstantial there is not much to be done. One also must not seek a
scapegoat to ease their sorrows. We cannot blame just anyone for the sake of
false comfort.� Upon his statement of truth, Elena brushed his cheek with the
tips of her fingers. The feather light touch sent a crashing sense of elation
throughout him, but Tseng would never admit to such.
�I guess you�re probably right,�
she avowed with no reluctance. What really grasped her mind was the idea that
he came within inches of cracking beneath her touch. One day, she�d break that
shell. One day.
---x---
�I�m sooo bored,� Reno drawled, sighing exaggeratedly while
sprawling on the leather chair he�d claimed upon finding the waiting room.
�They have been in there for six
hours,� Ava agreed, glancing heavily at her wristwatch.
�No shit? How long can a meeting
possibly take?� Reno
questioned more out of making a point.
�I�ve seen meetings run nine hours
before,� she said with a smile, watching his face fall into a discontented
expression.
�Ridiculous,� he stated.
�Then bring something to do so you
won�t get so bored,� Ava suggested, following his gaze as it fell on a deck of
cards lying on the coffee stand. �Don�t look at me� poker is not my game.�
�You can�t play?� he asked, a brow
cocked in surprise.
�Not to save my life,� she nodded.
�I�ll have to teach you someday,
it�s a requirement of the trade. Even Elena can play a decent game,� he strained the word decent as if to say she was a
novice and he an expert.
�Someday,� she agreed, hoping that
someday would be a long time from the present.
So many questions burned Reno�s mind like wild
fire set ablaze in a forest of dry pine trees. Tseng hadn�t called with news on
this shady character Ava brought into their world, and that worried him. He was
impatient, if nothing else and he wanted to know just what Slater Cross meant
to the Turks and to Shin-Ra. The task of lifting such information from Ava
would be difficult without raising an alarm. What would she think if he had a
sudden interest in her fianc�? But this is what he trained for. Extracting
information shouldn�t be beyond his realm of various skills.
�Ava,� he began, calculating a
very bored expression and lacking eyes. �Where did you meet Slater?�
The question did not surprise her.
After Slater had shown his face at the inn, she was quite sure things would be
stirred. She thought a moment, and answered truthfully, �My father and his were
friends for a long time, and they constantly brought us together. I guess
things clicked once at a banquet. My father saw Slater as the hope to pull his
father out of the sour dealings I spoke of. Slater had always made it known
that he did not appreciate his father�s resentment of Shin-Ra, and my father wanted
nothing more than to keep his friend from crossing lines that he would not come
back from.�
�Sounds like there�s more agenda
than love,� Reno
observed, picking at a piece if lint on his slacks.
�At times, I guess our
relationship has benefits beyond Slater and me, but we have something. I can�t
explain it, but it�s there,� she said as if convincing herself rather than Reno.
�So Slater was playing peacemaker
between his father and Shin-Ra?� he asked.
�He was trying. I think he wanted
to save his father just as my father wanted to. There was a time, during the
crisis and all, that they felt Shin-Ra might have been pushing serious
boundaries. I think him and his father both kind of snapped then� but once
things changed, they suddenly went into silence about everything. I haven�t
heard so much as the beginnings of the word Shin-Ra since. My father has been
happy about that, since he�s always admired Shin-Ra. When I left for Edge, he
practically told me I was his pride.� A glint of light through the slats of
blinds distracted her attention. She was feeling quite long winded, with the
story and the twisted history that befell the Cross name.
�So you set aside your fianc�s
feelings to live for your father?� he asked, wondering precisely why she would
go to work for the company it seemed her �love� and his father despised.
�For myself, Reno. Think about
why you do what you do. There�s no firm explanation, just a desire to be this
job. I knew kids who dreamed of being a part of this organization, of this
enigmatic occupation that puts some in awe and others in hatred. I sometimes
wish I�d come in sooner�� she drew out a breath, glancing at the floor.
�It was pretty exciting before
Rufus began this streak of mild behaviour. I�m not
even entirely sure what he has planned, but I know he wants to be back in
power. Whether he�ll do good, or bad� or somewhere in between, I don�t have the
slightest clue. I just love what I do, even though this shit we�re going
through now is boring. There�s a loyalty I can�t seem to shake.�
�I can�t see Shin-Ra
fighting crime alongside the rebuilding of the world�� she commented, nearly
laughing at the thought.
�That is an odd thought... leave
that to Tifa and her friends.�
�The woman from the bar?� she
asked, remembering the name.
�Yeah, that�s her. They�re always
around to save the day,� he said with a grunt of a laugh. He�d learned more
about Ava than he had intended, and much less about Slater. With the subject
changed, he didn�t feel the need to rehash old points.
�That�s nice�� she said, not
entirely sure what to say. There were few times when she drew blanks in
conversation, but lately she�d felt herself stumble over words several times.
Perhaps the man across from her had some sway on this odd revelation? If she
were to be completely honest with herself, she might have been running scared
for the fact that his charm had been wearing on her since their truce.
�Well, I need to piss,� he
announced with a grin.
�Isn�t that pleasant,� Ava
replied, rolling her eyes and settling on insanity for the thought of his
�charm.� Clearly she was not thinking straight.
Reno got to his feet, wandering over toward
the hall and leaving Ava to her own devices. He walked toward the direction of
the men�s room, but veered the opposite direction into an abandoned office. The
door was closed silently behind him, the lights clicked on. The halogen bulbs
flickered several times before coming to life, flooding the empty room in white
light. He came to lean against the grey walls, bringing his phone from his
pocket and dialing Tseng.
The phone rang a total of five
rings before voicemail picked up the call, and Reno gave a heavy sigh. As the tone sounded,
he left a brief message, �Tseng, Reno
calling to check in on that report�� a loud beep interrupted his message and he
jerked the phone down to see the call waiting signal. A quick flash over
revealed a short greeting.
�Reno,� he answered.
�Sorry, Reno,�
Tseng�s voice came, sounding almost winded.
�And what were you up to?� Reno asked, almost
accusing Tseng of some sin.
�I don�t think that is any of your business. I�m going to venture a
guess. You�re calling about Cross?� Tseng asked.
�How did you know?� Reno mocked surprise.
�Well, he�s clean. Not a speck on
his record, the only way to find evidence would be to launch an investigation
on him,� Tseng said, but in the tinny sound of the phone, Reno almost thought he could hear a feminine
voice. Good for Tseng, he thought.
�So why don�t we investigate him?�
Reno asked.
�We�d have to devote a lot of resources. He�s almost untouchable, but
there would be ways. Do you have any reason to be suspicious aside from what
we�ve already gone over?� Tseng asked.
�Just the way he tracked Ava and
the fact that he was here during two attempts,� Reno explained.
�Think about that. If he were the one behind all of this, do you think
he�d risk being seen near the attacks simply to bother Ava about �attention�? Especially when he�s infamous for being a playboy?�
Tseng queried.
�Actually, wouldn�t it play in his
favour? Act as an alibi of sorts?�
�That�s possible. And I�d bet he has access to private jets and such. He
can probably travel on a whim.�
�So he comes here to give himself
an alibi and hurries back to pull the strings from� do we know where he lives?�
�Yes, a villa quite south of Junon, almost
closer to the Temple.�
�It�s plausible,�
�I�ll see what I can do with Rufus to begin gathering information. Try
to get some out of Ava, if you can.�
�Will do,� Reno said, despite the fact that it meant
carrying more personal conversations. And the conversation ended.
Reno stood a moment, staring at the heavy
door. This whole situation gave him a feeling of unease. There was always
something to be paranoid about when such mystery shrouds each day. The hunted
always find a hunter in every person or object they pass throughout their times
of paranoia. Perhaps he was jumping the gun on this Slater Cross, but better to
be trigger happy than to freeze and fall at the hands of an enemy.
-----------
No cliff hanger this time! I
figured a break was deserved :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and have an
interest to see where the story will go. Is Slater behind all of the attacks,
or perhaps someone else is pulling the strings? The answer might surprise you
>) Until chapter eight �
�
- 6
- 7
- 8
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Diversification