Ill Wind
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Final Fantasy Anime › Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
Rating:
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Category:
Final Fantasy Anime › Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
22
Views:
866
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter Six
“Kerri, why don't you go find Reno and set his mind at ease? I'm sure he has been worried.” Rufus suggested once they returned to the offices. The rookie nodded, and Rufus was amused to see the irritation in the gesture. She had been full of questions for most of the ride back, and had lapsed into a morose silence when he steadfastly refused to answer her. She hung back a moment, expecting him to precede her down the hall, but he gestured for her to go on. Rufus waited until he saw her enter Reno's office before starting down the hall to his own, followed by Tseng.
“Sir, what Darkin was referring to--” the dark haired Turk began, but broke off at the boss's curt gesture.
“Wait,” he ordered, and Tseng kept his silence until they entered the president's office. Rufus sat down behind his desk, leaning back in his chair. Tseng took the seat across from him. “The solar reactor in Kalm,” Rufus mused.
“It goes online next month,” Tseng finished for him. “GALEFORCE must plan to destoy it.”
“I had thought as much, but it is always good to have confirmation, don't you agree, Tseng?” Rufus said. “Now, who knew that the reactor goes online next week?”
“I assumed that only you and a few of your executives,” Tseng answered. “The other Turks don't even know as of yet.”
“You assume correctly,” Rufus replied. “We have a traitor, Tseng. The only question is whether we wait for him to reveal himself, or do we force him out of hiding?”
“I prefer action, sir,” Tseng said.
Rufus raised his eyebrows. “And you will have it. You will choose two of your colleagues to accompany you to the Kalm reactor, along with as many members of the military as you think you will need. There you will go over the site with a fine tooth comb.”
“That isn't exactly what I meant, sir,” Tseng said with wry amusement.
“Nevertheless, it is what you will be doing. I want to be certain that the site is safe. There has been enough loss of innocent life already. Rousting out the spy can wait.”
Tseng nodded. “Understood. Will that be all, sir?”
“There is one more thing. A matter that is a bit closer to home.” Rufus leaned back in his seat, tapping the arm of his chair. “This relationship between Reno and Kerri—it seems to be more serious than most of Reno's dalliances.”
“It seems to be, yes,” Tseng agreed.
“I am not certain it is a wise idea to allow it to continue, to allow it to become more serious. I understand that they are practically living together.”
“Reno's work hasn't been affected,” Tseng pointed out.
“Has it not? You told me that he broke cover at Darkin's hideout without waiting for orders. You also told me that during the search for Kerri, Reno was barely holding on to his control.” Rufus fell silent for a moment, thinking. “Perhaps it would be best if they were separated for a time—allow this affair to cool down.”
“What do you suggest?” Tseng asked.
“Take one of them to Kalm with you. My suggestion would be to choose Kerri. She is the least experienced, and if anything happened, her loss would not be as great a blow as Reno's. Not,” Rufus continued, “that I would want to lose either of them, but...” He shrugged, the gesture speaking volumes. Better Kerri than Reno, it said.
Though he wasn't happy about it, Tseng knew better than to question Rufus's orders, however politely they were expressed. Privately, however, he thought that separating the lovers would be a waste of time. He had been closer to the developing relationship between the two than Rufus, he had seen the look of fear in Reno's eyes while they had been searching for Kerri. Tseng couldn't recall seeing the redhead afraid of anything before, but on that day he had definitely been afraid that they would be too late to save her.
At least, thought Tseng, he didn't order her to be eliminated. Though knowing Rufus, that could change at any time. However sincere he was now about rebuilding their world and atoning for his past sins, there was still a cold streak in him that would never change. It was that streak that allowed him to order the death of not only enemies, but anyone that he considered to be a threat or obstacle to what he wanted. And while Tseng would carry out the president's orders, he prayed that the order to kill the newest Turk would never be uttered. Kerri, though a rookie, was a Turk, and one of his now. Tseng still carried the pain and regret of losing each of his former comrades. The blood of some of them was on his own hands. He did not want to add another to the list of names of the lost.
“Sir, what Darkin was referring to--” the dark haired Turk began, but broke off at the boss's curt gesture.
“Wait,” he ordered, and Tseng kept his silence until they entered the president's office. Rufus sat down behind his desk, leaning back in his chair. Tseng took the seat across from him. “The solar reactor in Kalm,” Rufus mused.
“It goes online next month,” Tseng finished for him. “GALEFORCE must plan to destoy it.”
“I had thought as much, but it is always good to have confirmation, don't you agree, Tseng?” Rufus said. “Now, who knew that the reactor goes online next week?”
“I assumed that only you and a few of your executives,” Tseng answered. “The other Turks don't even know as of yet.”
“You assume correctly,” Rufus replied. “We have a traitor, Tseng. The only question is whether we wait for him to reveal himself, or do we force him out of hiding?”
“I prefer action, sir,” Tseng said.
Rufus raised his eyebrows. “And you will have it. You will choose two of your colleagues to accompany you to the Kalm reactor, along with as many members of the military as you think you will need. There you will go over the site with a fine tooth comb.”
“That isn't exactly what I meant, sir,” Tseng said with wry amusement.
“Nevertheless, it is what you will be doing. I want to be certain that the site is safe. There has been enough loss of innocent life already. Rousting out the spy can wait.”
Tseng nodded. “Understood. Will that be all, sir?”
“There is one more thing. A matter that is a bit closer to home.” Rufus leaned back in his seat, tapping the arm of his chair. “This relationship between Reno and Kerri—it seems to be more serious than most of Reno's dalliances.”
“It seems to be, yes,” Tseng agreed.
“I am not certain it is a wise idea to allow it to continue, to allow it to become more serious. I understand that they are practically living together.”
“Reno's work hasn't been affected,” Tseng pointed out.
“Has it not? You told me that he broke cover at Darkin's hideout without waiting for orders. You also told me that during the search for Kerri, Reno was barely holding on to his control.” Rufus fell silent for a moment, thinking. “Perhaps it would be best if they were separated for a time—allow this affair to cool down.”
“What do you suggest?” Tseng asked.
“Take one of them to Kalm with you. My suggestion would be to choose Kerri. She is the least experienced, and if anything happened, her loss would not be as great a blow as Reno's. Not,” Rufus continued, “that I would want to lose either of them, but...” He shrugged, the gesture speaking volumes. Better Kerri than Reno, it said.
Though he wasn't happy about it, Tseng knew better than to question Rufus's orders, however politely they were expressed. Privately, however, he thought that separating the lovers would be a waste of time. He had been closer to the developing relationship between the two than Rufus, he had seen the look of fear in Reno's eyes while they had been searching for Kerri. Tseng couldn't recall seeing the redhead afraid of anything before, but on that day he had definitely been afraid that they would be too late to save her.
At least, thought Tseng, he didn't order her to be eliminated. Though knowing Rufus, that could change at any time. However sincere he was now about rebuilding their world and atoning for his past sins, there was still a cold streak in him that would never change. It was that streak that allowed him to order the death of not only enemies, but anyone that he considered to be a threat or obstacle to what he wanted. And while Tseng would carry out the president's orders, he prayed that the order to kill the newest Turk would never be uttered. Kerri, though a rookie, was a Turk, and one of his now. Tseng still carried the pain and regret of losing each of his former comrades. The blood of some of them was on his own hands. He did not want to add another to the list of names of the lost.