New Blood

Tseng wasted no time when he found out Reno was well enough to return to work.  Elena and Rude had reason to believe they had found one of the hideouts used by GALEFORCE, and Tseng immediately put Reno and Rude on stakeout duty in an abandoned house close by.  Reno hated stakeouts, hated the long, tedious hours of waiting.  This time it was doubly irritating.  He missed Kerri, wanted to be with her.  He'd intended to make love to her for the first time soon, but Tseng had put a kink into those plans.



“Give that thing a rest before I make you wear it,” Rude said.



“Shut up,” Reno replied, still nuzzling his cheek against the handful of silky fabric, smiling as he remembered that morning.  Kerri had caught up with them in the lobby as they were leaving and thrown her arms around him.  “Be careful,” she'd whispered and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek while stuffing something into his pocket.  Now he held the camisole against his face, inhaling the scent of her perfume it still held.  Suddenly he came completely alert, absently stuffing the garment back into his pocket.  “Hey, partner.  I think this is what we're waiting for.”



Rude joined him at the window, peering out the dirty pane of glass at the shabby truck that had just pulled up to the building they were watching, joined almost immediately by three other vehicles.  All of them had been running with no headlights.  The driver of the truck jumped out and ran around to open the passenger side door, and a man wearing dark clothes got out.  The passengers from the other cars joined them, a total of nineteen people, ten men, nine women.  They stood together talking for a few minutes, then walked into the building together.



“The second man that got out of the truck must be the leader.  He fits the description,” Rude said.    



Reno pulled out his cell phone and dialed Tseng's number.  It was answered on the first ring.  “Tseng here.”



“Reno here.  We just got some activity.”



“How many?” Tseng asked.



“Nineteen.  Orders?”



“Stay put.  I will be on my way with Kerri shortly.  You, Rude, and myself are her safety.  She will be wearing a wire that will transmit to all of our phones.  Keep your phones on from the second she leaves us.” Tseng informed him.  “If there's even an inkling that she's in danger, we move in.”



“Got it.  Tseng?”



“Yes, Reno?”



“Tell her to be careful for me, willya?”



“You will be able to tell her that for yourself.  She and I will be at your position within three hours.  Goodbye.”  With that, Tseng hung up.



Reno flipped his phone closed and shoved it back into his pocket.  “Tseng and Kerri are on their way,” he told Rude.



His friend nodded.  “Do you think she can handle this?”



Reno sighed helplessly.  “Hell, I don't know.  You and Elena are the ones that have been training her.  I just know this is one hell of a first assignment for a rookie.”



“Is your worry for her going to be a problem?” Rude asked.



Reno shot him an angry look.  “I can't let it be, can I?  If I fuck something up because I'm worried, I could be the one to get her killed.”



“Just remember that.  I'd hate to lose her after all the effort I've put in.”



Reno snorted.  “Yeah, so would I, yo.”  





Almost exactly three hours later, the door of the shack where Reno and Rude were holed up opened.  The two of them automatically drew their weapons, then relaxed as Tseng and Kerri entered.  Tseng looked as composed as ever.  Kerri had a slightly nervous but determined expression, and looked very young to Reno in the ragged jeans and old t-shirt she was wearing instead of a Turk uniform.  She looked first at Reno and gave him a little smile.  The redhead couldn't help himself, he went to her and took her in his arms.  “You better fucking be careful in there, you stubborn little bitch,” he whispered.  



“Just watch my back, jerk,” she answered.  He laughed softly and stepped back from her.  “Don't worry about that.  You got three of us behind you.”



Tseng was using the binoculars to study the building they had been staking out.  “Rude!  They're coming out.  Is the man in black fatigues the one we believe is the leader?”



Rude took the binoculars from his superior.  “Yes, that's the one.”



Tseng nodded.  “I thought so.  If our information is correct, there's to be a very large meeting this morning.  We obtained a car for Kerri, not a Shin-Ra vehicle, and we hope she will be able to blend in with the crowd and get inside.  Kerri!  Get over here and have a look at the suspect.”



She moved to the window and took the binoculars from Tseng.  “The one in black, you said?  I see him.”  Suddenly she dropped her hands.  The binoculars would have fallen to the floor if not for Tseng's quick reflexes.  She turned, and all three men saw the stricken look on her face.  “I can't go in there,” she whispered.



“This is no time for a case of nerves!  You are a Turk now, and you will follow orders, Kerri!” Tseng told her impatiently.



“It's not that.”  She looked at Tseng, tears standing in her eyes.  “If I go in there, he'll know why I'm there.  Tseng, that man is my father.”  She laughed bitterly.  “My father is the head of GALEFORCE.  You know, that really explains a lot.”



The three men were silent for a moment in shock.  Finally, Rude spoke up.  “So what now?”



Tseng threw up his hands.  “What do you think?  We abort the mission.  I cannot send one of my Turks in just to be taken or killed.”



The four Turks waited until all activity had died down in front of the building that was serving as a meeting place for GALEFORCE before leaving their own hideout.  They silently made their way back to where Tseng had left the clunker he had procured.  Rude and Reno had of course been dropped off by him, so had no vehicle to worry about.  Tseng got behind the wheel while Rude rode shotgun, leaving the back for Reno and Kerri.  Reno studied her profile as they drove back to Shin-Ra headquarters.  She looked furious, but there was a touch of fear underlying that, which her anger couldn't quite hide.  "Kerri," he whispered.  She looked at him, and he held out one arm, wordlessly inviting her to slide over.  She came to him as if she'd only been waiting for permission and laid her head on his shoulder.  "Why are you scared?" he asked her.



She laughed, a short humorless sound.  "Why do you think?" she said in a low voice.  "My loyalty is now in question, don't you think?  The rookie's father is the head of the group who wants to destroy Shin-Ra."  She reached for his hand and squeezed it hard.  "Tseng would have every reason to stop the car and shoot me, leave me out here."  Though she spoke softly, Tseng had sharp ears and Reno saw him cast a glance back over his shoulder, though the dark haired Wutain said nothing.  



"That's not going to happen, babe," Reno tried to reassure her.



"But it could.  How does he know...how do any of you know that I'm not in league with my father?" she countered.



Tseng spoke up then.  "Are you?"



"No," she said with simple dignity.  "I haven't seen him in years.  He was never much of a father even before my mother died.  I barely know the man.  He was always gone on business.  Now I know what his business was."  She uttered another brittle laugh.  "And you know what the really ironic part is?  I joined the Academy hoping to finally impress him!"



"Was he angry that you joined?" Rude asked.



"No, not angry, not happy, just...indifferent.  It didn't matter to him one way or another." she answered.  "He never..."



"Enough," Tseng interrupted.  "For what it is worth, Kerri, I do not believe you have a hidden agenda.  However, it will be up to President Rufus to decide what to do about this matter."



Reno felt Kerri stiffen in fear and held her tighter.  "It will be all right, babe," he told her.  "Rufus is fair when it comes to us, and he's smart, yo.  Besides, you still have all three of us behind you."  She didn't answer him, but nestled closer to him, trying, he knew, to draw comfort from his nearness.  Comfort he tried his best to give.  



In the front seat, Tseng was now on the phone with Rufus, filling him in on the details of tonight's events.  In the back, neither Kerri nor Reno could hear his words, but his tone was calm enough.  He hung up, glanced into the rearview and said, "President Rufus will be waiting for us in his office."



"Yes, Tseng," Kerri answered, and squeezed Reno's hand once again.  Reno brushed his lips against her forehead and rested his cheek on top of her head.  He was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she remained a Turk, not to mention remained alive.



***



When they reached Rufus's outer office, Tseng had to put out a hand to stop Reno, who showed every intention of marching into the boss's office with Kerri.  "No, Reno.  Only Kerri and I, at least for now."



"Wait just a minute, Tseng," he began hotly, and Kerri placed a placating hand on his chest.  



"It's all right," she said.  "I'll be fine.  I have to be fine; I have nothing to hide."



He looked at her a moment, then nodded.  "I'll wait right here."



"You can go home, Reno.  I'll stop by your place after...if I can," she added, dropping her eyes.



"Fuck that.  I'm staying here." he insisted.  Kerri nodded as if she had expected nothing else.  Suddenly, not caring that Tseng and Rude were watching, he drew her into his arms and kissed her lips hard.  "For luck," he told her, letting her go.  She gave him a small but genuine smile.  He saw her square her shoulders as Tseng opened the door, and the gesture went straight to his heart.  Good girl, he thought.  Don't go in looking scared; go in looking like a Turk.  He crossed to the desk where Rufus's secretary usually sat and sank into the chair, propping his feet on the desktop.



"You want some company?" Rude asked him.



Reno looked at him gratefully.  "That'd be cool, partner," he answered.



Rude sat down in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk.  "Forgive me for asking, but what exactly is there between the two of you?"



Reno shook his head.  "Not much yet.  I just kissed her for the second time...we slept together once, and I mean we slept together.  That's it, other than the longest case of blue balls I've ever had, yo."



It was hard to tell, but Rude might have been trying to hold back a smile.  "Tseng is right.  Most of what you say should be ended one sentence earlier."



***



Rufus Shinra listened silently as Kerri told him everything she knew about her father and her relationship with him.  There wasn't all that much to tell.  After her mother died when Kerri was twelve, Kerri had been left in her father's care.  What that actually meant was that she was left home alone quite often.  Her father came and went, made sure that his daughter had food, clothing, and a roof over her head, and left her to her own devices other than that.  Kerri had begun learning to fight around that time, from a retired Academy teacher, an older woman who felt sorry for the young girl, hoping that it would impress her father if she learned martial arts like him.  He'd barely seemed to notice.  By the time she was fifteen, she'd nearly given up on winning her father's love, but she'd learned to love practicing martial arts.  She'd joined the Shin-Ra Military Academy partly as a last ditch effort to impress her father, but mainly to see if she was good enough.  She had been good enough, but her father remained unimpressed and uninterested.  Over the next four years, she had lost whatever daughterly feelings she had left for the man.  He wrote twice, maybe three times a year, letters that she read once and tossed in the trash.  She knew nothing about his life other than he lived in Kalm, or at least that was where the letters came from, and didn't care to know anything else.  If he had stopped writing altogether, she barely would have noticed.



Rufus and Tseng listened attentively to all this, and when she was finished, Rufus sat studying her for so long that she felt even more uncomfortable.  She hid it well, though, calmly meeting his eyes and resisting the urge to begin talking again to fill the silence.  At last, he spoke.  "Is there any way your father would know that you are now a Turk?"



"I don't know, sir," she answered.  "I haven't written him to tell him, and there haven't been any letters from him forwarded by the Academy."  



"Hmmm.  And you say that there was no reaction from him to you joining the Academy in the first place?  He didn't try to discourage you from joining?"



"No, sir.  As I remember, he didn't even adknowledge it in any of his letters, other than changing the address he sent them to," she answered.



"When was the last time you saw him?"



"Two years ago.  He wrote saying that he would be in town, and if I wanted to see him I should meet him at the memorial to Aeris in front of the church ruins.  I saw him for only ten minutes or so, long enough for him to ask me how I was and offer me some money, which I refused."



Rufus leaned forward.  "These letters always came from Kalm."



"Yes, sir."



"Do you have an exact address?" Rufus continued.



"Of course.  I have it written down in my notebook in my apartment." she said.



Rufus's eyes flashed for a moment.  "Would you be willing to travel to Kalm for a little 'family reunion'?"



Kerri's eyes grew cold.  "Yes, sir, I would."



"I want you to be sure of this.  After all, he is your father.  Would you see this as a betrayal of him?"



Kerri thought of the things GALEFORCE was responsible for.  The bombing of the orphanage Rufus Shinra had had built.  Twelve children and seven teachers killed.  Innocent blood spilled to send a message to Shin-Ra.  A soup kitchen torched at night.  No one killed in that incident, but a haven for Edge's poor and hungry was gone.  A gunman had opened fire during a dedication of a hospital because it was rumored that President Rufus would be there.  He wasn't, but seven people had been killed, dozens more injured.  And of course, Reno had been shot with bullets intended for Rufus.  She now knew that her father was behind all of that and more.  



Kerri looked Rufus squarely in the eyes and said, "No, I would not see it as a betrayal.  I would see it as justice, sir, and I will do anything you need me to do."



Rufus inclined his head.  "Then I will take you at your word.  For now, go home and get some rest."  He looked out the window where dawn was just lightening the sky.  "None of you have had any sleep tonight.  I want the four of you to take today off.  Tomorrow is soon enough to begin making plans."  



Kerri felt as if a stone had been lifted off her chest.  She rose from her chair.  "Thank you, sir.  Thank you so much."  



Rufus gave her a half smile.  "You're welcome, Kerri.  Good night.  Tseng, if you will remain a moment, please."



***



Kerri was surprised to see Reno and Rude still in the outer office.  Both jumped to their feet as soon as she opened the door.  "How'd it go?" Reno asked.



Kerri's smile was answer enough.  Reno grinned, swept her into his arms and twirled around with her.  Kerri laughed as he set her back on her feet.  



"I'm glad you're still with us, Kerri," Rude said, looking relieved.



"Thank you, Rude."  She was so elated that she couldn't resist stepping forward and kissing the quiet man on the cheek.  He looked surprised, and she saw what might have been a blush beneath his dark complexion.



"What do I get for waiting?" Reno teased, taking her arm to pull her back to his side.



"You get to hear everything that happened, if you want," Kerri said.  "We all have the day off, so if...if I can come back to your place with you, I'll tell you about it," she said shyly.



Before Reno could answer, Rude said, "If we have today off, I'm going to bed now.  You can fill me in later, Kerri, if you would.  Goodnight, you two."  With that, he left the office.



"He's got the right idea, yo," Reno said.  "We need some sleep.  Would you sleep with me again, babe?"  She looked at him skeptically, and he laughed before saying, "I do mean just sleep.  For now, anyway."  He reached out and traced the dark circles under her eyes.  "I think you're too worn out to fully enjoy anything else right now.  But I don't want you to be alone."



"I don't want to be alone, either, Reno," she admitted.



"Then come on, let's get to bed.  Oh, and Kerri?"



"What, Reno?"



"No feeling me up while I'm asleep this time.  It's demeaning."  He ducked as she aimed a punch at his head.