Betaed by; erestorjunkie
Summary: Rufus has a plan.
You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we're falling apart
You'll say the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don't care.
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."
Deep blue something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s
4 - Well that's the one thing we've got.
-1 week later-
Reno had to consider the possibility that Rufus had not been entirely honest in his reasons for sending Tseng and him to the Midgar police this time. PR sure, but it had to be much more than that, they had been briefed and worked as a part of the investigation team that was supposed to capture this guy who robbed stores and banks, he would probably would have robbed a morgue if he thought it held money. He struck randomly and violently, leaving many dead in his wake. But, Reno still found it odd that the police would ask for help from Shinra because of some strung out robber. However, they both did as they were told, they dutifully worked on the case, and Reno tried his hardest to forget all about Cloud or his growing attraction to Tseng, he didn’t even know where the hell it came from. But, he kept finding himself looking at his new partner, wondering if his skin would be just as soft as it looked, inwardly cursing himself for being drunk the only time he had had the chance to feel it.
This afternoon, the damn robber struck again, a bar close to Tifa’s. He and Tseng went there, Reno didn’t know if it was out of courtesy towards him that Tseng drove the long way around, not to drive past Tifa’s. As They arrived, there was nothing much left to do, the robber was gone, and the people in the bar had met their final moment in the form of a bullet, Reno stepped over a body of a young man, and into the middle of the room. “This guy’s got some issues man,” he grumbled, and raked a hand through his hair.
“He just wants to be known,” Tseng said dryly. “When he is caught, everyone will ask why, and wonder how such an apparently nice guy could be responsible for such massive massacres of innocent people, and maybe he will answer or he will keep quiet, whatever he dose, his name will be in every newspaper and in every household, if he’s lucky he will even get some nickname, like the ‘blood-red killer’ or whatever.”
“Thank you so much for the profiling, Tseng,” Reno mumbled as he shook his head. “I don’t care what the hell he wants, I just want this fucking over and done with, I am tired of chasing this guy, and I don’t care if he turns out to be Satan himself man, I want him caught, booked and processed.”
“You have to catch him first,” Tseng remarked, stating the obvious, as he pushed a corpse with his newly polished shoe, rolling it over, so he could see that this had been a woman, twenty tops. “I don’t think there is much we can do except pick up bullet casings.”
Reno sighed. “Leave that to the police,” he said as he brushed past Tseng and out into the air again, Reno looked up at the sky, and heavy grey clouds were hanging over their heads, “Don’t tell me it is going to rain again,” he whispered, “I have a report to write man, let’s just go,” he yelled to Tseng, who just in that moment emerged from the bar.
“You’re right,” Tseng said and walked after Reno to the car. Suddenly Reno’s phone rang, he looked at the caller ID, it was the dispatch, and in the moment he pushed the receiver button, the sky gave in and the rain poured down. Both Tseng and Reno got into the car quickly as the dispatch woman explained to him that the chief of police wanted to speak with him, and that she’d patch him through.
Sitting in the car, Reno listened to the little click in the phone as the line was transferred to another telephone, and to the sound of the rain drumming on the car. “Mister Vaughan?” a deep voice said.
“Yes,” Reno said, lighting a cigarette as he glared over at Tseng who frowned, hating smoking in his car. “I was informed that officer .. uhm... Raiden Vaughan is a relative of yours,” the voice said flatly.
“Yes, He’s my brother,” Reno said, feeling a slight chill by the sound of the police chiefs voice, and he wondered if that should turn out to be a problem, if Raiden would loose his job now, he didn’t really know what the policy was on family in the Midgar police.
“Then I’m very sorry mister Vaughan, but it seems like your brother has been in an accident and...” the chief of police didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Reno yelled “what? Accident? Where? How?”
“Earlier today, there was a squad sent out to a possible terrorist threat, and your brother was one of them, I am most sorry, I offer my condolences mister Vaughan, but.. Your brother tried to disarm the bomb, and didn’t succeed,” the police chief said.
“No..” Reno whispered, there was a ton of things he wanted to know, like why the hell Rai had been sent to disarm a bomb, he did not have any prior experience with bombs, why had they not called in a bomb technician? But right now there was only one question there was important really “Where is he?” Reno said with a thick voice.
“Your colleagues from Shinra came and collected him, mister Vaughan.”
“What?” Reno spat.
“Your Coll..”
“I heard you the first time man.. “ Reno groaned as he hung up the phone and looked at Tseng, “My brother, he.. I have to talk to Rufus.” When Tseng looked confused, Reno screamed “NOW!” and without thinking Tseng just started the car and stepped on the gas, driving like a mad man to the Shinra tower.
Outside the tower Tseng parked but before Reno could open the door and leave the car, Tseng grabbed his arm and pushed him back in the seat. “Reno,” he said insisting, “Before you go and make a complete idiot out of yourself, I suggest you relax for a second and tell me what this is all about.”
Reno glared up at Tseng with murder in his eyes, but Tseng just looked at him with his very rare compassionate expression, Reno sighed and relaxed in the seat. “I need a fag, man,” he whispered. But Tseng didn’t really reply, nor did he move away, Reno could feel Tseng’s breath on his skin, but it didn’t excite him the least, instead it just made his eyes fill with tears he didn’t want to shed, why the hell had he been crying so much lately? He never cried! “Raiden,” he finally said “He had been sent to disarm some bomb,” he turned his head and looked directly into Tseng’s brown eyes “What was he doing there? Can you tell me that? What the hell was my brother doing disarming a fucking bomb? He had never dealt with anything worse than stopping a fight in the bar back home,” Reno searched his pocket and found his cigarettes, Tseng moved back into his own seat, but kept one hand firmly clutched around Reno’s left arm. As if he was still afraid that Reno would run into Rufus’s office screaming like a mad man.
“No, I don’t know why,” he said softly.
“Well, this bomb..” Reno took a deep breath, “went off while he was trying to play cops and robbers, FUCK! He is such a damn idiot, why the hell didn’t he say he didn’t know how to disarm a bomb?” Reno finally lit his cigarette and seemed to relax even more as he took his first inhale, “I don’t know if he even survived, but what I do know, is that Shinra picked him up.” He flicked the ashes out the half open door. “Why did Shinra pick up my brother? That is what I would like to know, and how the hell did they know he was there?”
“I don’t know,” Tseng said, feeling like he just repeated himself, “But you have a point,” he slowly let go of Reno’s sleeve. “So, what are you going to say to Rufus?”
“Uhm..” Reno mumbled, closing his eyes as he rested his head back on the headrest, “Don’t know, I figured it would come by it self or something.”
Tseng chuckled, which had Reno smile lazily before he opened his eyes, turned his head and looked at Tseng. “It’s not fucking funny,” he said with a little smile. “I woulda come up with something.”
“Sure you would,” Tseng said still amused. “Want me to go with you?”
“No,” Reno said sternly, as he remembered of the situation’s seriousness. And then he got out of the car, and stepped out into the pouring rain, striding towards the entry doors to the tower, not noticing that Tseng also got out and slowly walked after him.
But Reno couldn't get into Rufus’ office, the secretary said he was away at a meeting, and no one else could give him an answer. In the end, his search came up with nothing, and he had to return to his apartment none the wiser.
___________________________________________
Later that night, Reno sat alone in the dark apartment, turning a drink between his fingers, trying to ignore the presence of his phone. He would eventually have to call his parents, telling them what exactly? That their son had been killed in the line of duty? The one son they counted on staying behind, to be their legacy. He finished off his drink and got up from his chair, why was he thinking of Raiden as dead already? Maybe it was because he knew somewhere in the back of his mind, that he couldn't have survived an explosion with his face down in it. He stopped at the dining table and looked at the box that Raiden had searched through when he had been here the last time, he had not bothered to unpack or anything, it was not like he ever had guests, so the box was still there. With a crooked smile he picked up the picture of himself and Cloud, he huffed as he shook his head and tossed it back into the box, there was no reason to torment himself like that, he should put that box away, but that would have to wait until the morning.
_________________________________________
Tseng hung up his phone with a smile; tapping impatiently with his foot he waited for Reno to join him at the parking lot, he looked at his wrist watch, he should have been there ten minutes ago, where the hell was he? Reno wasn’t normally late. Tseng left the car and made his way to Reno’s apartment, banging on the door but nothing happened, and then he banged again, this time louder.
“Hold on to your shorts man,” Reno grumbled as he opened the door, looking straight out at Tseng, Reno scratched his hair and gestured for Tseng to enter, “What’s up with the noise?” he yawned.
Tseng looked at Reno in disbelief, “We should have been at the police station twenty minutes ago, and you are not even dressed,” he stated.
“Really?” Reno said, turning on the water boiler. “What time is it?”
“Didn’t I just say, that we should have been somewhere twenty minutes ago? Do the math Reno.” Tseng sighed annoyed as he slipped up on a barstool, looking at Reno as he made two cups of coffee.
“Yeah,” Reno mumbled, plunging a teaspoon in the coffee handing it to Tseng, “I’m sure they wont miss us.”
Tseng narrowed his eyes and looked at Reno. “Did you go out last night?”
“No, I got shit-faced all by myself, man,” Reno spat back, “Don’t worry about it, I will be ready in a jiffy.”
Tseng shook his head and started to stir his coffee “I called some people last night, and while you got stupid drunk, I got some information,” he smiled cryptically, enjoying the strange facial expression he was rewarded with. “I found Raiden.”
“You did?” Reno shouted, “Where is he? Is he alive?” He got so excited that he almost spilled the hot coffee all over himself.
“He’s alive,” Tseng said with a nod “and he’s here at the Shinra tower, but I think I know why Rufus is avoiding you.”
“Oh really? And why is that?” Reno whispered, sipping his coffee. “He secretly want to marry me but cant really find the right words?” a grin spread over Reno’s face.
Tseng ignored the lame comment and stopped stirring his coffee. “Raiden is in the basement labs, Reno. And you know what that means.”
“The labs you say?” Reno said, biting a nail as he was thinking. “We will have to go there then.”
Tseng shook his head, “you’re insane.”
“Maybe, but it’s still my brother being used as a guinea pig,” Reno downed the coffee and put the cup down with a loud noise. Disappearing off into his bedroom to get dressed, why the fuck would Rufus pick up his half dead brother? Or maybe it was not Rufus? Maybe Raiden just had what the scientists needed? Reno couldn't stop his paranoid mind from thinking that the reason that Shinra had offered him an apartment was perhaps so they knew where he was, did they help him get that job with the police too? Did they plant that bomb? And most importantly, did they make sure it was Raiden who was to disarm it?
“Remember your priorities,” Tseng called from the kitchen, knowing Reno too well.
“Yes, sir!” Reno called back as he buttoned his shirt. Coming back into the kitchen he flashed a smile to Tseng. “Alright flash, lets go.”
“Go where?” Tseng said as he stood.
“Downtown, durrr” Reno grinned as he rolled his eyes.
“Right,” Tseng said with a relieved smile.
_________________________________________
-Three weeks later-
Reno had gotten word from Tseng’s friend at the labs that Raiden had been transferred to sick-bay, and as he had promised himself he had not jeopardized everything by digging deeper into what happened to Rai and why. He had just let it go, realising that he would not make a difference, even if he found out what had actually happened. Some day he would, some day when Rufus would let him have full access again, he would find out what happened to Raiden, but now was not the time. He was a turk, and he was not supposed to ask questions just carry out his duty, and right now that was to play police. It was fine he guessed, a little boring and very aggravating since they never seemed to catch the fucker they hunted.
He walked from the station to a diner, getting soaked in the process. Reno wondered why the hell he hadn’t bothered to buy an umbrella yet, the diner was almost abandoned as he entered, and he saw Denzil right away. The little chime of the bell attached to the entry door that rang as Reno entered, attracted Denzil’s attention. “Hey there, you little brat,” Reno said with a friendly smile, walking over to Denzil, and leaning against the desk next to the kid.
Denzil stuck out his tongue, and laughed.
Reno laughed too, he always kinda liked that little shit, it wasn’t everyone that would stick out their tongue to a turk. “Picking up lunch?” he asked as casually as he could.
“Yeah,” Denzil said, and then he looked up at Reno with a puzzled expression. “Are you mad at Cloud or something?”
“Me? Mad at Cloud?” Reno said honestly startled by the blunt question. “No not at all, why do you say that?”
“Just cuz..” Denzil mumbled.
Reno sat down, squatting, looking directly at Denzil. “No, why do you say that? Is something wrong? Is Cloud alright?”
“No.. I...” Denzil whispered, clasping a hand over his mouth, knowing he had said too much, and judging from Reno’s expression he was not about to get off that easily.
Reno sighed; he was not good with kids, nope, not at all. “Look, Denzil, if you have something you wanna say, then fucking say it a’right?” But the kid stayed silent. Reno laid a hand on Denzil’s shoulder, “Is he hurt? Or is it Tifa? Is she in trouble?”
“He’s all quiet again,” Denzil finally admitted. “He stopped smiling.”
“Oh,” Reno mouthed, just where the hell the kid had the idea that Cloud’s foul mood would have something to do with him, he didn’t know, but he knew exactly what Denzil meant. “I’m sure he just has a million things on his mind, Denzil, don’t worry about it, he will come around.” – he was so never having kids!
“He just came home, and now he’s leaving again,” Denzil breathed, looking away from Reno.
Reno had no fucking clue as to why Denzil suddenly spilled all of this to him, it was not like they had ever been friends, actually then he had avoided those kids like the fucking plague. “He’s busy, like I said, I’m sure its nothing, kid” Yeah, busy snogging Cid, Reno thought to himself as he slowly rose and once more leaned against the desk.
When Denzil left, Reno found he had lost his appetite, and to the surprise of the woman at the diner, he just turned and left the same way he had entered. Waking back to the police station, he thought about what Denzil said, he didn’t need that shit. Cloud and Raiden, “Fuck it!” he growled as he turned right all of a sudden and went to the store and got himself a bottle of liquor instead of food, hells liquid lunch was better than none at all, he told himself as he unscrewed the top and took a swig, he would eventually have to deal with it all, but not today.
_________________________________________________
When Reno returned to his apartment that evening, there was a note attached on the door, he ripped it off, and turned it over to read it, it just said ‘top floor.’ “Rufus,” he whispered to himself, “about fucking time.” He stuffed the note in his pocket and left his door, walking to the elevator to reach the top floor. As the elevator opened, he found the door to Rufus office open, “Sir? Are you here?” Reno called, placing a hand on his e-mag just in case.
“I’m here, Reno,” Rufus said as he turned the corner of the big double doors to his office. “You’re late,” he stated flatly.
“Sorry, sir. I worked past hours at the station, I had some paperwork and..” Reno lowered his head “I didn’t know you wanted to see me, sir.”
Rufus just looked at him. “You are here now, and that is really what matters,” Rufus left the door opening and walked over to Reno and stopped when he came to his side. Reno didn’t move as Rufus placed his perfectly manicured hand on his shoulder. “Come, I want to show you something.”
“Yes, sir,” Reno said and walked after Rufus as he went over to the elevator. Punching in a five-digit security code, Rufus pushed the button for sublevel 5, that was labelled as authorized personnel only. “You must have wondered why your brother was picked up by Shinra.”
“I have,” Reno said softly, he had no reason to not believe that Rufus would have his entire apartment bugged, and would have heard the talks he and Tseng had had.
“I like you Reno,” Rufus said with a mysterious smile, that for some reason left Reno bothered. “You are like an extended family for me, and I like to take care of my family, even if this also means the family’s family.”
Reno raised a brow, what a crock of shit, he thought to himself, “Thank you, sir,” Reno said with a tight smile. Not really knowing what to make of this, extremely odd situation he found himself in, and suddenly the elevator seemed awfully little and fragile.
“We saved his life,” Rufus said, smiling as a little bell told them they had reached their destination, the door slid open, and Rufus stepped into a dimly lit corridor. “Your brother, Reno, he is here.” Rufus reached up and grabbed Reno’s chin hard, forcing his subordinate to look at him directly. “But he underwent some changes.”
“W-what kind of changes, sir?” Reno whispered, trying his hardest not to feel awkward while looking straight into Rufus’ steel blue eyes.
“Basically,” Rufus said, letting go of Reno’s chin, turning his back to him, he started to walk down the corridor. “We have given him a new life,” Rufus snickered, and Reno wasn’t sure he liked that at all, and when Rufus started talking to him like he was five years old, he started hating it. “Imagine an old car if you must, and then imagine it without a steering wheel and tires,” Rufus said. “Then what happens?”
“It can’t drive, sir,” Reno sighed, resisting the urge to kick Rufus’ in the ass, hard.
“Wrong, Reno,” Rufus said, folding his hands on the small of his back, like he did only when he was pleased with himself. “It just needs some new spare parts, and then it’s as good as new, if not better actually.” Stopping in front of a big green door, Rufus turned around and looked at Reno who looked a little paler than before. “That is what we did, and as I understand it from the doctors and scientists who worked on your brother, the operation was a one hundred percent success, and I like those, so let us keep it that way.”
“S-sir?” Reno stuttered.
“Your brother is a symbol of the rising of the new Shinra inc, and what we are capable of, and guess what? You happen to work for Shinra Inc as well Reno” Rufus said harshly, watching Reno’s reaction closely.
“I know that, sir,” Reno mumbled, feeling like a kid being scolded for something that he didn’t know what he had done.
“So, encourage him, make him understand how important he is, and how proud you are,” Rufus said with a broad smile, as he pushed open the door to what seemed like a normal hospital room. Reno entered and with a little hesitation walked over to the bed, not sure what he would see. He looked down at Raiden, who looked pale and skinny, both his arms were in casts, and his chest bandaged, Reno could tell his brother had been horribly messed up by that bomb, because he had fine lines of the suturing where his face had been patched back together. Reno bit a nail, what the hell did Rufus want him to do? Play out ‘smile sweetheart you’re a medical wonder and Shinra property’ in three acts with sock puppets? He sighed and sat down on the chair next to the bed, “Rai?” he whispered. “Can you hear me?”
Raiden’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at his brother, fear evident in the blue eyes. “Rrrr” Raiden slurred.
“Yeah, It’s me, your ever faithful brother, Rrrr,” Reno whispered with a smile. Well, if all else fails, you can always crack a joke, right? He thought to himself. “Listen Rai,” Reno said, reaching up and caressing his brother’s forehead, brushing some jet black hair out of the way, “You’re gonna be fine, the doctors here at Shinra saved you,” he smiled compassionately, “They patched me up when Cloud kicked my ass once,” he whispered with a snicker. Truth was actually that Cloud had been awfully close to killing him, and that he had been hospitalised for longer than he cared to think about. “Believe me Rai, everything will be alright, they know what they are doing” – ok could you spit in his face too? Or feed him a story about the Easter bunny? He’s never going to buy this bullshit, Reno thought to himself, hating his own lies, served with a friendly face and a soft tone.
Raiden smiled back, and closed his eyes. and judging from his breathing he had fallen asleep again. Reno stood up and reluctantly left the room, outside in the corridor stood Rufus, casually leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. “You’re good,” he stated with a smile.
“Yeah, transfer me to fucking telemarketing, you made me fill my brother with complete bullshit! What the hell did they do to him? He looks like a fucking mummy!” Reno suddenly snarled, as he closed the door behind him, leaving him in the corridor with Rufus alone. “Sir,” he spat.
Rufus raised a perfect eyebrow. “As I said, they patched him back together, don’t wrack your pretty little head with all that medical nonsense, Reno” he said in an ice-cold tone.
Breathing heavily, Reno slammed a fist into the concrete wall, not even flinching from the pain of the impact. “What.did.they.do?” he asked again.
“Replaced some of your brothers organs and limbs with those from a corpse, is that what you wanted to know?” Rufus said emotionlessly. “No it wasn’t, was it?”
“So his arms aren’t broken, they’re...” Reno whispered, paling to white.
“Not his, you are correct,” Rufus said with a calculating smile.
“That is.. That is...” Reno mumbled, shaking his head in disbelief, he wanted to say sick, or wrong, or ungodly. But he just whispered “insane.”
“Maybe, but it saved your brother’s life, so wouldn't you say, it was an insane miracle?” Rufus stated as he brushed past Reno and walked towards the corridor. “Now come along Reno, I believe you have a report to finish, its due on my desk tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Reno breathed, and walked after Rufus to the elevator, He had to get a hold of Tseng, and hear what his informer could tell him about the surgery on Raiden.