FicWad

Cloud took Genesis to the old Soldier area and lay him down with Ada and Leon's help. Ada took Tifa's hand as they wandered down and sighed. All of them in one way or another had become so hardened to the horrors of the worlds that they had forgotten to smile, to enjoy life and now they were watching someone who had come back from the dead struggle to survive a second time. Ada couldn't believe the world they were in, so much to learn and all of it was just beyond imagination to her.

“If he rests we might be able to keep him comfortable long enough to see if the mako will combat the virus.” Cloud leant down and tucked him in. “I can't believe he's alive...”

“And you're thinking of Zack aren't you?” Tifa said softly. “Why Genesis and not him?”

“Yes.” Cloud nodded, he looked down at Genesis. He felt guilty that he could think that way. Poor Genesis had also been nothing but a victim of Sephirtoth, Jenova... all of them. “I hope they don't just lock him up the second this is sorted out.”

“Rufus doesn't strike me as a person to do that.” Tifa interjected. “He's not his father Cloud.”

“Let's see.” He sat down and waited with Genesis.

Leon looked to Ada, there was little they could do here and so they headed past the main office where Rufus was sat going over reports as though nothing were wrong. This man had already survived Geostigma and seemed to take the idea of dying rather lightly on the face of things. Internally however Rufus was worried, this was something he'd done to himself and the more of the reports he'd read the less happy he had become with himself.

Reno went to his office, cleared the desk and put his head down. T-virus, zombies... it all sounded like a fucked up horror movie and boy had he watched a fair few of those! The redhead was dozing off when Rude put his apology on the desk in the form of a mug of steaming coffee. Reno nodded to him, it wasn't like he had to apologise and the redhead had been friends with him long enough that quibbles and bites would bounce after the moment.

“Boss okay?”

“Not really but you know Rufus, he'll not say.” Rude murmured.

“Yeah...” Reno smiled a little. “But Tseng's got the new toy and I wouldn't wanna even be the fly on the wall for that.”

“Second that motion.” Rude nodded.

They waited in silence after that, Reno nodded off on his desk and Elena sat with Rude. The Turks had seen a lot and trouble followed them around, but waiting was the part none of them liked. Reno drifted to sleep thinking of various pleasant things, mostly involving Ada and Tifa in his bed.

It turned into the early hours of the morning when Tseng surfaced from the holding cells, he had managed to extract a fair bit of information from Hojo. The Turk straightened his jacket and checked that his shirt was covered from the blood before heading down and stirring Rufus.

“Sir...” He watched the groggy response from the man at the desk. “We can start some work off. Here is what I can get from Hojo but they will need to check if it is close to what they are expecting. If he's provided you anything less than correct I will see to it the matter is addressed.”

“Thanks.” Rufus mumbled, he was about to stand up to go to wake the others when they heard a strange noise from behind them, Dark Nation had worked out how to move himself around and the smell coming off the beast made him feel sick. “What on Gaia is that... smell?”

“That's your hound sir.” Tseng moved cautiously forwards, he didn't want Rufus to get bitten or the strange mutation to have infected him and Rufus see it. He leant over and took Dark Nation by his collar. “Come on boy.” He dragged him off towards one of the cells in the med lab. “We can test this antidote on you.”

“No tests on Dark Nation.” Rufus said with his mouth covered over by his jacket sleeve.

“Then who? You? I don't think so. Rufus you have this unnerving knack of pissing me off at times. I'm covered in blood and I got what you needed. Let them do what they do best, if you don't then you may end up being gunned down as a rabid beast.” He took Dark Nation outside.

Rufus sat down again and looked at the notes Tseng had slapped on his desk, the writing from Hojo was scrawled, panicked and there were brown stains from where blood had been caught on the edges. For some people Rufus had genuine sorrow for the work the Turks exacted, sometimes they were too heavy handed but they were paid to protect the company image and he didn't ask how. Rufus had enough sin on his hands.

Tseng took Dark Nation down and then waited outside the cell watching him. Tseng really didn't care how the job got done as long as it did; impassive brown eyes watched the beast prowl around the cell and finally fall down on his side, breathing laboured and strained. Tseng checked his gun and waited, he'd been through enough to remain cynical that they would rescue the hound, really he wasn't bothered as long as the President survived.

“You never seem to say a lot.” Ada said appearing near him, she had taken a break from the watch on Genesis. “Do you have anything outside of Shinra that interests you?”

“Cars.” Tseng told her bluntly, without too much elaboration on them.

“Fast cars? Classic...” She had to know something about him, what an enigma.

“Fast, anything that drifts. I like drifting.” He watched her, she was a beautiful woman, she'd loose that grace one day, unlike Aerith, she hadn't even been given that chance. He looked away from her.

“You're thinking of someone aren't you? Not Rufus I mean... those aren't just cold eyes, you're dead inside.” Ada stood up. “I feel sorry for you all, tired and worn out. You need something to be passionate about Tseng.”

“You made a judgement on a short few interactions. Don't define me by my suit.” He stood up. “Watch Dark Nation, I need to shower.”

“I don't work for you Tseng.” Ada scoffed, he needed to loosen up she was sure.

“Not yet.” He let out a wry grin and headed to clean up.