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Description
The Phoenix Eye
Chapter 6
Ultimatum

-- Nebelhiem, 14 Years Ago:

She could feel him.  She could feel all of them, but this one was different, stronger, more distinct, and she could feel him coming closer.  A few years had passed by mortal reckoning since her puppet had failed to acquire the Phoenix Eye, and at the time she had almost lost faith in his competence.  But now she had a new plan, already well under way, and her puppet would be here soon.

Jenova waited patiently.  She had already waited for thousands of mortal years, mere moments in the unending life of the cosmos; she could wait a little longer.  She felt her puppets frustration.  Yes, he was learning about the nature of his… birth.  It would not be long before his sanity was broken, relinquishing to herself absolute control over his every whim and emotion.

Realizing that her plan was now moving forward on its own momentum, Jenova cast her mind beyond the localization of her puppet’s drama.  With delight she counted all the beings over which she had claimed a measure of influence, a measure of dominion.  Most of them were members of a military organization the mortals called SOLDIER.  It had been all too easy to convince the fickle scientists to extract her tissue and infuse it into the bodies of other humans.  Scientists indeed!  By the mortals own admission these men of knowledge and logic where always supposed to ask why.  How few of them had asked why when her essence gave men strength and power!  How few of them had asked why her body had been entombed so deep in the northern ice!  Why it had appeared to be dead!  Why… it was still somehow alive!

They had not asked why.  When they saw the power – the superhuman power than could be granted to a man, the power that be obtained by a man willing to use superhuman warriors – none of them asked why.  And now there where many mortals, walking complacently across the warm skin of this infant planet, unknowingly doing the will of an ancient parasite.  Jenova.  That’s what the old ones had named her.  Usurper god, in their forgotten tongue.

But her reverie was interrupted, she could feel her puppet approaching closer now and she focused her concentration on him.  He was very unique.  She herself had whispered into the mind of a mortal how to create this one.  The mortal had been a scientist named Professor Gast, one of the more stubborn of his kind with an uncanny ability to resist her more sinister suggestions.  In the end, he had distanced himself from her physical body until she could influence him no more.  He had not, despite her temptings, integrated her flesh with his own.

Jenova searched through the mind of her puppet, she wanted no mistakes this time.  Yes, the mortal settlement he left behind was burning, there would be little chance of intervention.  “Come to the mountains.” she called to his mind.  “I am here, your answers are here.”  Her puppet obeyed.  He was coming closer to finding her, to completing her plan for her.  Eager anticipation rippled through her disembodied consciousness.  It would happen soon.  It would have been quicker with the aid of the Phoenix eye, but if she gave her puppet enough power, if she made him a god, like herself, then he could do it.  He would do it.

Soon the reunion would be complete.  Soon, she would be fully reunited with her inert physical body, able to claim her rightful place as destroyer of this wretched world that had for so long imprisoned her.

“Mother, I'm here to see you.” her puppet called, close enough now that she could hear his voice through her long dead body.  “Please, open this door.”

She complied, exercising her will; she extended her life force to manipulate the electronic door sealing off her body from the outside world.  Foolish humans, thinking that material barriers mattered.

“Mother, let's take this planet back together…”

Mother, so that’s how her puppet thought of her.  Fitting, she mused, as it had been her intelligence that was exclusively responsible for his creation.

“Those worthless creatures are stealing the planet from Mother.” her puppet called once again.  “But now I'm here with you, so don't worry…”

“Yes my… son.” she encouraged.  Her puppet was so very close now.  “Together, we will take back the world… my beloved Sephiroth.”

--------------------

-- Edge, Present Day:

“The local police have reported no suspicious characters or criminal activities.” Reeve briefed, as the hummer containing him and Cloud pulled up in front of the Gainesboro house.

“Well I suppose that’s good in some ways” Cloud said distractedly.  “It’s good that he doesn’t seem to be causing a ruckus like Kadaj’s gang did, but…”

Reeve read what the warrior was thinking.  “…But you’d rather know what he was up to.  Right Cloud?”

“Yeah…”  He paused for a moment, the hummer idling in the street, while the other vehicles where pulling up behind carrying more of his friends and miscellaneous military escort.  Cloud then opened his door and tossed himself down to the pavement.  Reeve followed behind as the others unloaded from their respective vehicles.  Cloud looked around, studying the transportation that had brought them here.  Most of the vehicles had readied machine gun turrets on top or on back, with alert WRO operatives manning each one, all in full combat readiness.  Cloud wondered to himself just how useful they would be if this new remnant was anywhere close to as dangerous as the last few had been.

Tifa came up beside Cloud, filling in the gap in himself that had been missing beside him.  “You look so worried Cloud.  Come on!  You’ll feel better once you see that everything is still alright.”

Cloud sighed, and let his sweetheart lead him towards the door.  It opened before they reached it, revealing a smiling old lady and behind her, the warm gentle glow of a dimly lit room.

“You two are back late, the kids are already asleep and… oh my!” the lady’s eyes widened as she took in the line of combat trucks parked on the street and the many people standing in or around them.  “I see you’ve brought the whole circus!  I don’t think I have enough beds!”

Tifa laughed, instantly lightening Cloud’s mood with the sound he loved so much.  “No Mrs. Gainesboro, they’re not all staying, just a few of them, if you have the room.  Also, Reeve wants to leave a truck or two outside for surveillance, in case of emergency.”

“Call me Elmyra, please!  We’ve known each other for long enough.”

“Sorry Elmyra.” Cloud apologized for Tifa, scratching the back of his head in light embarrassment.  “It’s just what the children always call you and we get used to it that way.”

“So who’s staying?” the lady asked smiling.  “I’ve always got a few beds to spare.  I assume Zack, Aeris, and Marlene are still sticking around until this is over, anyone else?”

“Barret wants to stay, of course” Tifa explained.  “And Yuffie is already here isn’t she?”

“Oh yes…” Elmyra began with a sudden mischievous smile.  “Come inside, you have to see this!”

She beckoned them to follow and withdrew into the house.  Cloud and Tifa tagged along, exchanging puzzled glances as they came through the door and into the main living area.  Sprawled across the couch and fast asleep lay Yuffie Kisaragi, her right hand draping limply down to where a book lay bent open against the varnished wood floor.  Snuggled on top of the ninja and across her abdomen lay the also-sleeping form of the almost-two-year-old Aeris, while propped up against a pillow at the ninja’s feet sat the four-year-old Zack, sound asleep as well.  Tifa sighed, grabbing cloud’s hand and leaning her head against him.  They both smiled.

“So, that is the great ninja Yuffie, Lord of Wutai.” Cloud whispered.

Tifa caught herself from snorting too loudly.  “You know the only reason you can get away with calling her ‘lord’ is because she is sleeping.” she quietly reminded her husband.  “Besides, you shouldn’t make fun.  She will be a good mother someday.”

“Isn’t she still a bit young though?” Cloud asked.

“Cloud…” Tifa began their voices still barely a whisper.  “She is twenty five as of last November, a year older than I was when I married you.”  Elmyra chuckled softly.

Cloud looked at his wife in surprise.  “Really!”  He shook his head in disbelief.  “I guess I just always think of her as the young one in the group.  Well I guess Shelke has inherited that title…” Tifa was staring at Cloud in shocked indignation.  “…What?” he said defensively

“Cloud!  You know that Shelke only APEARS to be nine-years-old right?” Tifa said incredulously.

“Yeah, of course I know that!” Cloud countered.

“And did you also know that Shelke too is twenty five?  Only younger than Yuffie by a month-and-a-half?”

Cloud stared.  “You’re kidding right?” he said, looking carefully at his wife’s expression.  She wasn’t kidding.

“You can be pretty clueless sometimes Cloud.” she scolded him with a smile.

Cloud lowered his gaze and scratched the back of his head, the way he always did when he felt embarrassed.  Tifa let him do this for only a moment, however, before she ducked in and kissed him.  Elmyra sighed, wistfully remembering her younger years before her husband had been lost in the war.

“Come Cloud.” Tifa said quietly.  “We should probably get the little ones to bed before it gets too noisy down here.”  Cloud nodded in agreement.  “I’ll take Zack.” she informed him, moving to the far end of the Couch.

With the extreme care and gentleness of a loving father, Cloud picked up his daughter Aeris, brushing the exposed abdominal skin of the sleeping ninja only slightly as he did so.  Yuffie cracked one eye open the slightest sliver, her ninja training assessing the situation with no other movement of her body.  Finding only her trusted friend Cloud, however, the ninja closed her eye once again and was swallowed instantly in sleep.  There were few people aside from Cloud who would have even noticed the deadly warrior had stirred, they had indeed left their children safe in capable hands.

Cloud pulled up his daughter into his cradling arms in one fluid motion, her breath barely stirring from the change in position.  Tifa was already half up the stairs with a dead-to-the-world Zack hanging limply across her shoulder when Cloud turned himself to follow.  He smiled inwardly at the thought that they could probably have used a diesel-powered fork lift to carry their son to bed and he wouldn’t have noticed.  Aeris, on the other hand, had always been a fitful sleeper, waking to almost anything.  Tifa had learned very early to always let Cloud carry their daughter when she was sleeping, him having some seemingly supernatural ability to move the baby without waking her.

By the time Cloud and Tifa returned downstairs both Reeve and Barret had entered the small house.  Barret seemed unable to tone down his voice to a proper whisper and Yuffie was consequently sitting up on the couch, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  Cloud and Tifa smiled in unison as they descended the stairs, infinitely grateful that they had moved their children, especially Aeris, before the large man had had the chance to wake them.  Barret had been mildly disappointed that his teenage daughter Marlene was already asleep upstairs, but cheered up quickly at Elmyra’s suggestion that he surprise her in the morning.  Reeve, on the other hand, was busy trying to sort out how to keep as much of the group together and protected as humanly possible.  Elmyra, as usual, was completely self-sacrificing, and willing to lay out mats on the floor as long as there was still floor visible.  Not wanting to impose too much on their friend’s hospitality, however, Tifa offered her own home, which arguably had plenty of space.  Initially they rejected the idea, due to the possible danger of the unknown remnant.  But Cloud pointed out that with Vincent’s eyes and Nanaki’s nose on watch, there was little chance of anything surprising them during the night.

After some discussion, Barret, Shelke, and Yuffie agreed to stay at the Gainesboro residence, while Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Cid, Reeve, and Nanaki took two hummers to the Strife home, just a few blocks away.  They had to travel three to a seat now, instead of two, though the military vehicles were more than wide enough to accommodate.  Cloud, Tifa and Reeve took the leading vehicle, discussing the possibilities of the elusive remnant.  Their conversation paused for a moment, however, as they approached their intended destination to find a car parked out front by the curb.  Silence anxiously dominated the inside of the hummer for a few instants until the hummer’s sweeping headlights illuminated the black on white lettering ‘Edge PD’ painted on the back of the parked car.  Everyone relaxed.

Two policemen came out to great the entourage as soon as it was apparent that this was there stop.  “Can I help you?” one of the policemen called warily before recognizing the Reeve and the others.  “Oh, president Tsuesti!  I’m sorry; we didn’t know you were coming.”

“Don’t address me so formally, I’m only president of the WRO, not the Edge Police Department.  Just call me Reeve.” he told them flatly.  “How long have you two been parked here?  Is anything wrong?”

“The PD has been on shifts since early this morning – or yesterday by now technically – ever since we got the Strifes’ warning about the death threat and a possible remnant on the loose.” the second office explained calmly.  “We didn’t want anything to happen to our famous heroes on our watch.”

The first policeman was taking note of the full military complement behind the new arrivals, eyeing the mounted gun emplacements on top of the hummers and the armored jackets, automatic rifles, and numerous spare magazines sported by the WRO operatives.  “Wow, did you guys bring in the whole military?  I’m starting to feel unprepared.  Just how dangerous is this guy?” he asked nervously.

“You probably have nothing to worry about.” Reeve reassured the officer, though Cloud looked as if he had been about to say otherwise.  “The real problem is that we don’t know much about his intentions, and we want to be ready to move as soon as he shows his head.”

Cid, Vincent, and Nanaki were approaching the group now, Cid talking loudly about how he could out-drink the stoic red-cloaked gunman, while Vincent, on the other hand, had not seem to have noticed that Cid was even talking to him.  Suddenly Nanaki froze in his tracks, his muscles tensing, his claws digging into the hard pavement, his fiery fur standing straight on end, and a low wolf like growl reverberating from his throat.

“What is it Nanaki?” Tifa asked, who had noticed his reaction first.  Everyone now turned to the old warrior.

“He’s been here. I recognize his scent from the mountain.” the words hissing softly between his bared teeth.

“Samuru the remnant?” Cloud asked in growing concern.  “How long ago?”

“He passed this spot not more than a few hours past.” the old predator explained.  Tifa turned to the policemen with an inquisitive expression.

“It’s been quiet.” one of the officers defended before anyone could accuse.  “We’ve been on shift for almost six hours and we haven’t seen a thing.”

“Is he still here?” Reeve asked Nanaki, bringing the attention once again to their four-legged companion.

“…I can’t be sure,” he said after a pause.  “But I don’t think so.”

Vincent stepped forward in a flash which startled only the two policemen.  “I’ll check the house.” he said simply, reaching out his hand towards Cloud and Tifa.  Cloud stared at the outstretched hand uncomprehendingly, until Tifa finally gave Vincent her set of house keys.  Vincent grasped the keys quickly before addressing the group as a whole.  “Give me thirty seconds.”

All but the keenest eyes present saw nothing more than a blur of Vincent’s red cloak before the gunman was through the front door to the house.  Less than half a minute later he returned, his expression revealing nothing of his findings, something small and white lying clutched in his left gauntlet.

“He was in the house but is now gone.” Vincent explained without waiting for questions.  “He used a low-level bolt spell to fry the alarm system and a low level ice spell to mask his entry through one of the second story windows.  He vandalized much, slashing walls, curtains, and pillows with some kind of knife or small blade.”  Tifa flinched at the callous description, but said nothing.  “I don’t think he was searching for anything, just trying to make it look bad with minimal effort.  He couldn’t have been inside for more than twenty minutes.  He also left this,” he said, pulling forth his left hand and the piece of paper in it.  “…fastened to the master bedroom door.”

Cid swore.  Tifa turned her head and buried it in her husband’s shoulder.  His hand was around her comfortingly, though he did not recall consciously deciding to do that.  Cloud then took the paper and read it silently.

“To the betrayer, Cloud Strife.” the note began.

“You may consider the destruction of your property to be malicious and petty, and you would probably be right, but I needed to make sure that my message was taken seriously.

“You could have helped Mother you know.  And yet you were always the one to make her unhappy.  I will never understand how you could have betrayed Jenova, our Mother and the rightful ruler of the planet.  But that does not matter now.  I have something I wish to show you Cloud, come see me in Midgar.  You won’t of course bring any police or those flunkies from the WRO; I would hate to have to make my point more clearly by endangering those close to you.

“Oh and bring your friends, you know which ones, who helped defy Mother.  But no one else.  I’ll see for you in the Sector six slums, tomorrow.  Don’t make me wait.”

Cloud’s blood boiled in rage, and he passed the note to Reeve before he could be overcome by the desire to destroy it.  The note was handed around until all but Tifa had read it.  She shook her head when it was offered to her, she had learned enough from feeling Cloud’s emotions.

Reeve then handed the note to the nearest officer.  “I don’t think we need to worry about the remnant doing anything more tonight.” he explained to the policemen.  “Why don’t you call in the forensics and look this place over.” he said, being careful to ask, instead of order, the men who were not under his command.  “Go ahead and keep the note as evidence, though I’d appreciate an electronic copy as soon as possible, if it’s not too much to ask.”

“Anything to help Reeve, Mr. and Mrs. Strife.” one of the policeman responded courteously.  “I only wish we had somehow been able to prevent this.  I don’t know how he got in there and did all that without us noticing.”

“Do not blame yourself” Nanaki’s Quiet falsetto-like voice interrupted.  “This is the third time I have caught Samuru’s trail, and while he hasn’t showed himself to be a great warrior like Kadaj or Sephiroth, he has proved to be quite sly and elusive.”

Both policemen relaxed, as they realized they were not being blamed for the break in.  “Right.” one of them responded.  “We’ll do what we can here.  If you need anything else, consider the Edge PD at your full disposal.”

“Thank you” Reeve responded graciously before turning back to Cloud and Tifa.  “I think perhaps we should return to Mrs. Gainesboro’s house,” he offered to the unsettled couple.  “My men can set up some tents for sleeping, I think that I will stay up though and go through possible scenarios with the troops.”

“No.” Vincent interrupted, surprising everyone.  “I’m the only one who doesn’t need sleep, and you said yourself Reeve that the remnant was unlikely to do anything more tonight.”  The head of the WRO started to respond but Vincent continued.  “I’ll keep watch with the soldiers; all of you need to get as much sleep as possible before the confrontation tomorrow.”

“But I need to go over tactics with my men.” Reeve complained.

“I’m a former Turk,” the gunman responded.  “…and I am familiar enough with tactics to know that here is only one scenario open to us now.  Our small group goes in as the remnant requested, while your troops remain on standby outside the city waiting for the signal to engage.”  Reeve was silent, the gunman was right of course.  “Your troops are already trained for this Reeve; I’ll brief them on the situation.  You need your sleep too president.”

A sigh spread among the group, the seriousness of the next day’s schedule sinking in.  After a moment the silence was broken by a frustrated curse from Cid.

Description
The Phoenix Eye
Chapter 6
Ultimatum

-- Nebelhiem, 14 Years Ago:

She could feel him.  She could feel all of them, but this one was different, stronger, more distinct, and she could feel him coming closer.  A few years had passed by mortal reckoning since her puppet had failed to acquire the Phoenix Eye, and at the time she had almost lost faith in his competence.  But now she had a new plan, already well under way, and her puppet would be here soon.

Jenova waited patiently.  She had already waited for thousands of mortal years, mere moments in the unending life of the cosmos; she could wait a little longer.  She felt her puppets frustration.  Yes, he was learning about the nature of his… birth.  It would not be long before his sanity was broken, relinquishing to herself absolute control over his every whim and emotion.

Realizing that her plan was now moving forward on its own momentum, Jenova cast her mind beyond the localization of her puppet’s drama.  With delight she counted all the beings over which she had claimed a measure of influence, a measure of dominion.  Most of them were members of a military organization the mortals called SOLDIER.  It had been all too easy to convince the fickle scientists to extract her tissue and infuse it into the bodies of other humans.  Scientists indeed!  By the mortals own admission these men of knowledge and logic where always supposed to ask why.  How few of them had asked why when her essence gave men strength and power!  How few of them had asked why her body had been entombed so deep in the northern ice!  Why it had appeared to be dead!  Why… it was still somehow alive!

They had not asked why.  When they saw the power – the superhuman power than could be granted to a man, the power that be obtained by a man willing to use superhuman warriors – none of them asked why.  And now there where many mortals, walking complacently across the warm skin of this infant planet, unknowingly doing the will of an ancient parasite.  Jenova.  That’s what the old ones had named her.  Usurper god, in their forgotten tongue.

But her reverie was interrupted, she could feel her puppet approaching closer now and she focused her concentration on him.  He was very unique.  She herself had whispered into the mind of a mortal how to create this one.  The mortal had been a scientist named Professor Gast, one of the more stubborn of his kind with an uncanny ability to resist her more sinister suggestions.  In the end, he had distanced himself from her physical body until she could influence him no more.  He had not, despite her temptings, integrated her flesh with his own.

Jenova searched through the mind of her puppet, she wanted no mistakes this time.  Yes, the mortal settlement he left behind was burning, there would be little chance of intervention.  “Come to the mountains.” she called to his mind.  “I am here, your answers are here.”  Her puppet obeyed.  He was coming closer to finding her, to completing her plan for her.  Eager anticipation rippled through her disembodied consciousness.  It would happen soon.  It would have been quicker with the aid of the Phoenix eye, but if she gave her puppet enough power, if she made him a god, like herself, then he could do it.  He would do it.

Soon the reunion would be complete.  Soon, she would be fully reunited with her inert physical body, able to claim her rightful place as destroyer of this wretched world that had for so long imprisoned her.

“Mother, I'm here to see you.” her puppet called, close enough now that she could hear his voice through her long dead body.  “Please, open this door.”

She complied, exercising her will; she extended her life force to manipulate the electronic door sealing off her body from the outside world.  Foolish humans, thinking that material barriers mattered.

“Mother, let's take this planet back together…”

Mother, so that’s how her puppet thought of her.  Fitting, she mused, as it had been her intelligence that was exclusively responsible for his creation.

“Those worthless creatures are stealing the planet from Mother.” her puppet called once again.  “But now I'm here with you, so don't worry…”

“Yes my… son.” she encouraged.  Her puppet was so very close now.  “Together, we will take back the world… my beloved Sephiroth.”

--------------------

-- Edge, Present Day:

“The local police have reported no suspicious characters or criminal activities.” Reeve briefed, as the hummer containing him and Cloud pulled up in front of the Gainesboro house.

“Well I suppose that’s good in some ways” Cloud said distractedly.  “It’s good that he doesn’t seem to be causing a ruckus like Kadaj’s gang did, but…”

Reeve read what the warrior was thinking.  “…But you’d rather know what he was up to.  Right Cloud?”

“Yeah…”  He paused for a moment, the hummer idling in the street, while the other vehicles where pulling up behind carrying more of his friends and miscellaneous military escort.  Cloud then opened his door and tossed himself down to the pavement.  Reeve followed behind as the others unloaded from their respective vehicles.  Cloud looked around, studying the transportation that had brought them here.  Most of the vehicles had readied machine gun turrets on top or on back, with alert WRO operatives manning each one, all in full combat readiness.  Cloud wondered to himself just how useful they would be if this new remnant was anywhere close to as dangerous as the last few had been.

Tifa came up beside Cloud, filling in the gap in himself that had been missing beside him.  “You look so worried Cloud.  Come on!  You’ll feel better once you see that everything is still alright.”

Cloud sighed, and let his sweetheart lead him towards the door.  It opened before they reached it, revealing a smiling old lady and behind her, the warm gentle glow of a dimly lit room.

“You two are back late, the kids are already asleep and… oh my!” the lady’s eyes widened as she took in the line of combat trucks parked on the street and the many people standing in or around them.  “I see you’ve brought the whole circus!  I don’t think I have enough beds!”

Tifa laughed, instantly lightening Cloud’s mood with the sound he loved so much.  “No Mrs. Gainesboro, they’re not all staying, just a few of them, if you have the room.  Also, Reeve wants to leave a truck or two outside for surveillance, in case of emergency.”

“Call me Elmyra, please!  We’ve known each other for long enough.”

“Sorry Elmyra.” Cloud apologized for Tifa, scratching the back of his head in light embarrassment.  “It’s just what the children always call you and we get used to it that way.”

“So who’s staying?” the lady asked smiling.  “I’ve always got a few beds to spare.  I assume Zack, Aeris, and Marlene are still sticking around until this is over, anyone else?”

“Barret wants to stay, of course” Tifa explained.  “And Yuffie is already here isn’t she?”

“Oh yes…” Elmyra began with a sudden mischievous smile.  “Come inside, you have to see this!”

She beckoned them to follow and withdrew into the house.  Cloud and Tifa tagged along, exchanging puzzled glances as they came through the door and into the main living area.  Sprawled across the couch and fast asleep lay Yuffie Kisaragi, her right hand draping limply down to where a book lay bent open against the varnished wood floor.  Snuggled on top of the ninja and across her abdomen lay the also-sleeping form of the almost-two-year-old Aeris, while propped up against a pillow at the ninja’s feet sat the four-year-old Zack, sound asleep as well.  Tifa sighed, grabbing cloud’s hand and leaning her head against him.  They both smiled.

“So, that is the great ninja Yuffie, Lord of Wutai.” Cloud whispered.

Tifa caught herself from snorting too loudly.  “You know the only reason you can get away with calling her ‘lord’ is because she is sleeping.” she quietly reminded her husband.  “Besides, you shouldn’t make fun.  She will be a good mother someday.”

“Isn’t she still a bit young though?” Cloud asked.

“Cloud…” Tifa began their voices still barely a whisper.  “She is twenty five as of last November, a year older than I was when I married you.”  Elmyra chuckled softly.

Cloud looked at his wife in surprise.  “Really!”  He shook his head in disbelief.  “I guess I just always think of her as the young one in the group.  Well I guess Shelke has inherited that title…” Tifa was staring at Cloud in shocked indignation.  “…What?” he said defensively

“Cloud!  You know that Shelke only APEARS to be nine-years-old right?” Tifa said incredulously.

“Yeah, of course I know that!” Cloud countered.

“And did you also know that Shelke too is twenty five?  Only younger than Yuffie by a month-and-a-half?”

Cloud stared.  “You’re kidding right?” he said, looking carefully at his wife’s expression.  She wasn’t kidding.

“You can be pretty clueless sometimes Cloud.” she scolded him with a smile.

Cloud lowered his gaze and scratched the back of his head, the way he always did when he felt embarrassed.  Tifa let him do this for only a moment, however, before she ducked in and kissed him.  Elmyra sighed, wistfully remembering her younger years before her husband had been lost in the war.

“Come Cloud.” Tifa said quietly.  “We should probably get the little ones to bed before it gets too noisy down here.”  Cloud nodded in agreement.  “I’ll take Zack.” she informed him, moving to the far end of the Couch.

With the extreme care and gentleness of a loving father, Cloud picked up his daughter Aeris, brushing the exposed abdominal skin of the sleeping ninja only slightly as he did so.  Yuffie cracked one eye open the slightest sliver, her ninja training assessing the situation with no other movement of her body.  Finding only her trusted friend Cloud, however, the ninja closed her eye once again and was swallowed instantly in sleep.  There were few people aside from Cloud who would have even noticed the deadly warrior had stirred, they had indeed left their children safe in capable hands.

Cloud pulled up his daughter into his cradling arms in one fluid motion, her breath barely stirring from the change in position.  Tifa was already half up the stairs with a dead-to-the-world Zack hanging limply across her shoulder when Cloud turned himself to follow.  He smiled inwardly at the thought that they could probably have used a diesel-powered fork lift to carry their son to bed and he wouldn’t have noticed.  Aeris, on the other hand, had always been a fitful sleeper, waking to almost anything.  Tifa had learned very early to always let Cloud carry their daughter when she was sleeping, him having some seemingly supernatural ability to move the baby without waking her.

By the time Cloud and Tifa returned downstairs both Reeve and Barret had entered the small house.  Barret seemed unable to tone down his voice to a proper whisper and Yuffie was consequently sitting up on the couch, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  Cloud and Tifa smiled in unison as they descended the stairs, infinitely grateful that they had moved their children, especially Aeris, before the large man had had the chance to wake them.  Barret had been mildly disappointed that his teenage daughter Marlene was already asleep upstairs, but cheered up quickly at Elmyra’s suggestion that he surprise her in the morning.  Reeve, on the other hand, was busy trying to sort out how to keep as much of the group together and protected as humanly possible.  Elmyra, as usual, was completely self-sacrificing, and willing to lay out mats on the floor as long as there was still floor visible.  Not wanting to impose too much on their friend’s hospitality, however, Tifa offered her own home, which arguably had plenty of space.  Initially they rejected the idea, due to the possible danger of the unknown remnant.  But Cloud pointed out that with Vincent’s eyes and Nanaki’s nose on watch, there was little chance of anything surprising them during the night.

After some discussion, Barret, Shelke, and Yuffie agreed to stay at the Gainesboro residence, while Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Cid, Reeve, and Nanaki took two hummers to the Strife home, just a few blocks away.  They had to travel three to a seat now, instead of two, though the military vehicles were more than wide enough to accommodate.  Cloud, Tifa and Reeve took the leading vehicle, discussing the possibilities of the elusive remnant.  Their conversation paused for a moment, however, as they approached their intended destination to find a car parked out front by the curb.  Silence anxiously dominated the inside of the hummer for a few instants until the hummer’s sweeping headlights illuminated the black on white lettering ‘Edge PD’ painted on the back of the parked car.  Everyone relaxed.

Two policemen came out to great the entourage as soon as it was apparent that this was there stop.  “Can I help you?” one of the policemen called warily before recognizing the Reeve and the others.  “Oh, president Tsuesti!  I’m sorry; we didn’t know you were coming.”

“Don’t address me so formally, I’m only president of the WRO, not the Edge Police Department.  Just call me Reeve.” he told them flatly.  “How long have you two been parked here?  Is anything wrong?”

“The PD has been on shifts since early this morning – or yesterday by now technically – ever since we got the Strifes’ warning about the death threat and a possible remnant on the loose.” the second office explained calmly.  “We didn’t want anything to happen to our famous heroes on our watch.”

The first policeman was taking note of the full military complement behind the new arrivals, eyeing the mounted gun emplacements on top of the hummers and the armored jackets, automatic rifles, and numerous spare magazines sported by the WRO operatives.  “Wow, did you guys bring in the whole military?  I’m starting to feel unprepared.  Just how dangerous is this guy?” he asked nervously.

“You probably have nothing to worry about.” Reeve reassured the officer, though Cloud looked as if he had been about to say otherwise.  “The real problem is that we don’t know much about his intentions, and we want to be ready to move as soon as he shows his head.”

Cid, Vincent, and Nanaki were approaching the group now, Cid talking loudly about how he could out-drink the stoic red-cloaked gunman, while Vincent, on the other hand, had not seem to have noticed that Cid was even talking to him.  Suddenly Nanaki froze in his tracks, his muscles tensing, his claws digging into the hard pavement, his fiery fur standing straight on end, and a low wolf like growl reverberating from his throat.

“What is it Nanaki?” Tifa asked, who had noticed his reaction first.  Everyone now turned to the old warrior.

“He’s been here. I recognize his scent from the mountain.” the words hissing softly between his bared teeth.

“Samuru the remnant?” Cloud asked in growing concern.  “How long ago?”

“He passed this spot not more than a few hours past.” the old predator explained.  Tifa turned to the policemen with an inquisitive expression.

“It’s been quiet.” one of the officers defended before anyone could accuse.  “We’ve been on shift for almost six hours and we haven’t seen a thing.”

“Is he still here?” Reeve asked Nanaki, bringing the attention once again to their four-legged companion.

“…I can’t be sure,” he said after a pause.  “But I don’t think so.”

Vincent stepped forward in a flash which startled only the two policemen.  “I’ll check the house.” he said simply, reaching out his hand towards Cloud and Tifa.  Cloud stared at the outstretched hand uncomprehendingly, until Tifa finally gave Vincent her set of house keys.  Vincent grasped the keys quickly before addressing the group as a whole.  “Give me thirty seconds.”

All but the keenest eyes present saw nothing more than a blur of Vincent’s red cloak before the gunman was through the front door to the house.  Less than half a minute later he returned, his expression revealing nothing of his findings, something small and white lying clutched in his left gauntlet.

“He was in the house but is now gone.” Vincent explained without waiting for questions.  “He used a low-level bolt spell to fry the alarm system and a low level ice spell to mask his entry through one of the second story windows.  He vandalized much, slashing walls, curtains, and pillows with some kind of knife or small blade.”  Tifa flinched at the callous description, but said nothing.  “I don’t think he was searching for anything, just trying to make it look bad with minimal effort.  He couldn’t have been inside for more than twenty minutes.  He also left this,” he said, pulling forth his left hand and the piece of paper in it.  “…fastened to the master bedroom door.”

Cid swore.  Tifa turned her head and buried it in her husband’s shoulder.  His hand was around her comfortingly, though he did not recall consciously deciding to do that.  Cloud then took the paper and read it silently.

“To the betrayer, Cloud Strife.” the note began.

“You may consider the destruction of your property to be malicious and petty, and you would probably be right, but I needed to make sure that my message was taken seriously.

“You could have helped Mother you know.  And yet you were always the one to make her unhappy.  I will never understand how you could have betrayed Jenova, our Mother and the rightful ruler of the planet.  But that does not matter now.  I have something I wish to show you Cloud, come see me in Midgar.  You won’t of course bring any police or those flunkies from the WRO; I would hate to have to make my point more clearly by endangering those close to you.

“Oh and bring your friends, you know which ones, who helped defy Mother.  But no one else.  I’ll see for you in the Sector six slums, tomorrow.  Don’t make me wait.”

Cloud’s blood boiled in rage, and he passed the note to Reeve before he could be overcome by the desire to destroy it.  The note was handed around until all but Tifa had read it.  She shook her head when it was offered to her, she had learned enough from feeling Cloud’s emotions.

Reeve then handed the note to the nearest officer.  “I don’t think we need to worry about the remnant doing anything more tonight.” he explained to the policemen.  “Why don’t you call in the forensics and look this place over.” he said, being careful to ask, instead of order, the men who were not under his command.  “Go ahead and keep the note as evidence, though I’d appreciate an electronic copy as soon as possible, if it’s not too much to ask.”

“Anything to help Reeve, Mr. and Mrs. Strife.” one of the policeman responded courteously.  “I only wish we had somehow been able to prevent this.  I don’t know how he got in there and did all that without us noticing.”

“Do not blame yourself” Nanaki’s Quiet falsetto-like voice interrupted.  “This is the third time I have caught Samuru’s trail, and while he hasn’t showed himself to be a great warrior like Kadaj or Sephiroth, he has proved to be quite sly and elusive.”

Both policemen relaxed, as they realized they were not being blamed for the break in.  “Right.” one of them responded.  “We’ll do what we can here.  If you need anything else, consider the Edge PD at your full disposal.”

“Thank you” Reeve responded graciously before turning back to Cloud and Tifa.  “I think perhaps we should return to Mrs. Gainesboro’s house,” he offered to the unsettled couple.  “My men can set up some tents for sleeping, I think that I will stay up though and go through possible scenarios with the troops.”

“No.” Vincent interrupted, surprising everyone.  “I’m the only one who doesn’t need sleep, and you said yourself Reeve that the remnant was unlikely to do anything more tonight.”  The head of the WRO started to respond but Vincent continued.  “I’ll keep watch with the soldiers; all of you need to get as much sleep as possible before the confrontation tomorrow.”

“But I need to go over tactics with my men.” Reeve complained.

“I’m a former Turk,” the gunman responded.  “…and I am familiar enough with tactics to know that here is only one scenario open to us now.  Our small group goes in as the remnant requested, while your troops remain on standby outside the city waiting for the signal to engage.”  Reeve was silent, the gunman was right of course.  “Your troops are already trained for this Reeve; I’ll brief them on the situation.  You need your sleep too president.”

A sigh spread among the group, the seriousness of the next day’s schedule sinking in.  After a moment the silence was broken by a frustrated curse from Cid.