CHAPTER XV
Vincent heaved two large duffel bags through the door and into the townhouse; Mataea followed behind him carrying a small backpack over her shoulder. It was a large two story home in a small neighbour on the outskirts of Edge, with the remains of Midgar viewable through the buildings in the distance. Ancient Wutai furniture adorned the home, with lush dark carpet covering the floors; the dull, grey cement walls looked out of place beneath the worldly hangings that adorned them.
Mataea stopped and stared around the entrance hall, wildly impressed. “Wow... It’s beautiful.”
Vincent smiled humbly, turning back to her; it wasn’t often that he had company, and he’d never been known for his sense of interior design. “... Thank you.” He still sensed that she seemed slightly on edge. “Let me show you your room.”
“You have a room for me?” she queried, her eyes wide with amazement.
He was slightly embarrassed by the surprise in her voice. “Yes... upstairs there is a guest room. I haven’t had anyone stay before, but... I felt that the room needed a purpose...” He turned away, feeling his face getting hot; he wasn’t at all used to having company.
Mataea stepped towards him and smiled graciously. “Okay, well that sounds wonderful.” She looked down at the two large bags in his arms. “Let’s get those in their place. I don’t want your arms to fall off because of me.”
Vincent looked up at her. “Of course... Right this way.”
They made their way down the hall and up a flight of stairs. On the second floor he lead her down another hallway and into a large side room against the back end of the building. Vincent stepped aside to allow her in first.
Mataea walked in slowly and was immediately thrown aghast; the room was magnificent. In the middle of the room on the far wall was a medium-sized bed with extravagant sheets. A grand window was on the right wall, allowing the morning sun to brighten the room. A large dresser hugged the left wall along with a full-length mirror next to it.
Vincent watched her, stepping into the room behind her. “... I’ll let you get settled,” he suggested, placing her bags on the floor. “If you need anything, let me know.”
Before she could turn to thank him, Vincent was already gone down the hallway. Mataea stood spellbound, staring at the beautiful room. How she would ever be able to thank him, she did not know; all she knew was that she felt much better than she had a few hours ago.
Bending down, Mataea began unzipping her bags. The only thing she was missing was her piano, but even she was certain that Vincent would not have agreed to carrying it halfway across the city.
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Rufus ShinRa sat in his spacious office atop the company headquarters. He had been on the phone all day, seeing to it that several operations were completed. First, he had several squads currently making their way to all major locations across the planet. They had all been given Mataea’s headshot, but were told that they were not to admit their intentions to any civilians. Their number one goal was to find Mataea Linnaeus. Second, he had given the squads a second objective: find and locate any living Sephiroth clones; he had a feeling that they would be key in finding out Mataea’s whereabouts, if push came to shove. His third task was still in progress: convince Reeve and the WRO to help them in their search. ShinRa wasn’t nearly as powerful as it had been years before, and the more manpower they could hold, the better their chances of finding her before it was too late.
Still, Tseng remained the only other man to know the truth about the C-cells in Mataea. It was crucial that all other personnel know only that SOLDIER-02 was a huge threat to the planet, and must be terminated. It was common for his men to act without any knowledge about the situation, and it was necessary if he did not want Mataea to discover what the cells were and perform the Ritual to become even more powerful.
Rufus set his phone back on its holder after an hour of endless discussion. He’d received a memo that morning that Dr. Prothe had not signed out of his shift the previous day, or signed in for his shift in the morning. Rufus admitted that it was out of character, and he had ordered him to examine Tseng, but he had much more important things to worry about. For now, he had ordered Tseng to relax and wait for Dr. Prothe’s whereabouts to be determined so he could receive his exam. Tseng hadn’t seemed pleased with his decision, and had not contacted him since. Checking his watch, Rufus saw that it was nearly six in the evening, and darkness was beginning to creep into his office; he had been so busy that he had forgotten to contact him. Perhaps he should call him and check in...
Just as he went to pick up his phone again, the doors to his office slide open, startling him. Rufus looked up, his jaw dropping open at the crowd of policemen in his doorway. His ice blue eyes glared between his airy blond bangs as he stood from his chair. “What the hell is this?” he demanded.
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The day had gone by quickly for Mataea. Vincent had made her a delicious meal for dinner, and the two of them had had a long discussion about their pasts with ShinRa. It was now almost ten, and Vincent had just turned in for the night. He wished her a gentle “good night” before heading upstairs to his room.
Mataea remained in the living room and wandered over to a large, library-like bookcase against the wall. It towered over her, filled with old and new books of all sorts. She picked up one titled “Midgar: A History” and took a seat on the couch, the room lit only by a floor lamp next to her.
After twenty minutes of reading, Mataea was finding it incredibly hard to concentrate. She had slept the previous night, meaning she would not sleep again until two days from now. Her eyes were wide awake, and her brain was scattered. Although Vincent had done an exceptional job of making her stay comfortable, only now, when she was alone, did she realize how on edge she really was.
Mataea closed the book with a deep sigh. She set it down on the coffee table in front of her and paused; she would check the news once, and once only, refusing to waste another night analysing the headlines. Reluctantly, Mataea took the remote control from the table and flicked it on. It was already on the NPBC channel.
She could hear the reporter’s voice before she saw the image. As the screen turned on and brightened, Mataea dropped the remote to the floor.
The headline at the bottom of the screen read: RUFUS SHINRA ARRESTED.
Mataea clasped her hands over her mouth as she listened to the reporter, frozen in place.
“Although the police department is being secretive about the matter, we were told by a representative that they had received critical evidence strongly suggesting that Rufus ShinRa was working with a dangerous fugitive. Despite further questioning, the media and the public is being denied any further information.” Then an image came onto the screen: Rufus ShinRa was being removed from a police car in front of the police department headquarters in handcuffs. There was chaos everywhere around him; cameras, reporters, civilians, all shouting out questions at him; but despite the situation, Mataea was surprised to see that Rufus was holding his head high, his face emotionless. Two officers were next to him, grasping him by the shoulders and pushing him towards the building.
“I am innocent of all that I am accused of,” Rufus shouted calmly. “I’m afraid that the ShinRa Company has been breached.”
“Vincent! VINCENT! COME SEE THIS!” Mataea screamed towards the hallway, unable to remove her eyes from the scene before her. “... I can’t believe this,” she whispered dryly. “... Unbelievable.”
Vincent came storming into the room in nothing more than black silk pyjama bottoms. He shot a worried look at Mataea, and then to the television. “What is it?” He came around to the couch and suddenly froze in his place, his expression one of deep concern.
The reporter went on as the scene of Rufus was silenced and replayed over and over. “Rumours suggest that one of ShinRa’s Turks will take over the company while Rufus is in confinement. Tseng, ShinRa’s next in command, will be giving a live statement tomorrow in front of ShinRa headquarters.” The reporter changed cameras and readjusted herself. “Now, more on this dangerous fugitive that ShinRa is suspected of working with.” Then, an image came on screen that Mataea had seen only days before, the one that Vincent had shown her on his cell phone.
Mataea’s name and photo appeared, taking up the top corner of the screen. Although the reporter continued to speak, Mataea’s hearing began to fail; her heart began to race, she forgot to blink and breath. She felt as if a giant boulder was rolling over her stomach over and over again. Everything came rushing back; how did she think that she could escape without her past catching up to her?
“Her name is Mataea Linnaeus, codename SOLDIER-02. We are told that she is a highly dangerous fugitive, a failed ShinRa experiment, who escaped the company ten years ago. Now 24 years old, she has been on the run ever since. Although we have not been informed about any crimes she has committed, it is believed that her and Rufus ShinRa were working together to bring a catastrophe to the planet. She is approximately 5’10, with mahogany hair and distinct turquoise-blue eyes. She is said to be armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone sees Mataea Linnaeus, please call your local police immediately... The conference tomorrow, we are hoping, will detail Linnaeus’s motives and even some of her background information, including her time spent...”
“That’s enough!” came Vincent’s voice next to her. He took the remote from the floor and shut it off in frustration. Looking down at Mataea, she looked in worse condition than she had when she’d awoken from that nightmare. Her eyes were staring blankly ahead, and her breathing was becoming heavy and forced.
“Mataea, come with me.” He took hold of her arm to pull her up, but she wouldn’t move.
“This... can’t be happening,” she said harshly. It sounded like she was losing her voice.
Vincent bent down next to her and tried to pull her up from her shoulders, but she still would not budge. He was becoming frustrated and worried. “Mataea, please, let me take you outside,” he tried to say calmly.
Mataea could see Vincen’t red eyes looking at her, but she was unresponsive. She suddenly had no idea how to move her limbs, how to think straight... Her nightmare had finally come back to haunt her, and now the entire planet would want her dead, her picture plastered everywhere for the world to see and judge... Maybe she should turn herself in, even though she had done nothing... maybe if she went to the police they could prove she was innocent... But how would the police know anything about investigating the resurrection of Sephiroth from the Lifestream? Her body felt like it was in an oven. She started hyperventilating, her chest heaving in and out violently.
Vincent couldn’t watch any longer. Carefully, he slipped an arm underneath her knees, the other behind her shoulders, and heaved her up from the couch. He carried her through the hallway to the back door and pushed it open, feeling the cold air hit his bare chest. They emerged in a small fenced-off yard with paved ground and a few potted plants. Vincent placed Mataea on the ground slowly and perched her head up on his arm. He overlooked her carefully. Apparently the cool air was doing some good; her breathing was slowly returning to normal.
She still could not believe it. Rufus ShinRa had been arrested, but for what reason? They had evidence of him working with her? What the hell was going on? Had they found out that she’d gone to see him? But they had hardly been “working together.” Was Rufus somehow behind this entire thing? Did he want to go to prison? How was it that this entire conspiracy against her was now even more complicated and bizarre? The questions were absolutely endless.
Only now did Mataea realize where she was. Looking up, she could see the clear night sky above her, and Vincent was looking down at her yet again. Why was this suddenly becoming a common occurrence?
“Are you okay?” came his deep voice.
Mataea’s heart was still pounding full tilt, but after a few moments she was starting to calm down again. “I just... can’t believe it...” She sat up slowly, regaining her composure, looking up towards the sky. “What am I going to do?” Her eyes were creased with worry.
Vincent tried to remain calm for her, but inside he was consumed with uncertainty. He knew as long as he remained at her side, Mataea would be safe; but he also knew about ShinRa’s ruthless, merciless nature. Now, more than ever, he wanted to find out what was really going on. Someone wanted Mataea, but for what reason? Maybe they simply wanted her because of how powerful she may be. It was hard to imagine, but all he knew is he felt tremendously sorry for her. Looking at her, he could see the tension in her face, her eyes wandering the skies for an answer she could not find.
“We will think of something,” he said honestly, still looking at her. “Things... always work out in the end, no matter how you may feel right now.”
Mataea looked beside her to him, admiring his long black hair that fell alongside his face. “Vincent... If I hadn’t met you, I don’t know what I would have done. I think... I probably would have gone insane by now... Just knowing that I’m not alone helps a lot.”
The two of them sat there under the stars for a long time. Tomorrow, during Tseng’s public address, they both knew what he would reveal. Once it was suspected that Mataea was apparently working to resurrect the most evil man to ever live, all the people of the planet would want her dead.
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“I guess this is what you wouldn’t tell me about?” Tifa scolded, crossing her arms firmly.
It was now two in the morning and 7th Heaven had just closed. Cloud was sitting at the bar with the television blaring loudly. “Yeah... Rufus had told me he wanted our help in finding her.”
Tifa shook her head and turned her back to him, continuing to wash a heaping pile of dishes in the sink in front of her. “I don’t understand why these things never seem to end...” she mumbled, seeming distressed. “What did you tell Rufus?”
Cloud sighed. “I told him I would help. I don’t like the idea of working on his side either, but now... I’m not sure whose side he’s on anymore. They say he was working with her, but he was the one who asked me to help find her. And why would he be mobilizing all of his men to do the same? It doesn’t make any sense... but... I have to help protect the planet. I can’t just stand around and watch this all unfold without me.”
Tifa started scrubbing a pot extremely hard, taking out her frustration on it. “You’ve always been that way,” she said peacefully, “so I can’t say I’m surprised.” She quickly ran the water over it and placed it in the drying rack. “I just want you to know that I’m going to help too.”
Slightly shocked by her words, Cloud was almost relieved. “I’m glad you feel that way... I mean, I would argue against it, but I know I wouldn’t win.” He smiled at her, his sapphire eyes gleaming despite the serious situation. “I’ve contacted Shelke and Nanaki, and Barret too. They’ve all agreed to meet here when they’re needed; I’m still having trouble getting a hold of Vincent though. Rufus had asked me to meet with him tomorrow, but Tseng called me to confirm that he still wished to speak with me before he addresses the public.”
“I wonder what he’s going to talk about,” Tifa scoffed. “But whatever he says, it better not put everyone into a frenzy. If he’s smart, he’ll keep the situation under control and keep the planet calm.”
Cloud nodded. “Yeah, well, Tseng’s a smart guy, he knows what to do.”
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At the same time, Reno and Rude sat in the Turk’s office with NPBC turned on the large television on the wall.
Reno was in absolute distress. He was perched on top of one of the desks, his eyes glued to the screen. “I knew it... What did I tell you?” he said, mocked. “Rufus told me she was dead. I freakin’ knew it. She’s alive.”
“Damn it, Reno, what difference does it make?” Rude said, scowling. “You haven’t seen her in years. Plus, this entire fiasco is revolving around her. She’s up to no good, so you got nothin’ to be happy about. Rufus was mobilizing all those men to look for her!”
“There’s gotta be more to it,” Reno announced. “There’s no way she would be in cahoots with Sephiroth. She hated the guy; got bad vibes from him. She blew up the damn training room and put him in the hospital wing for days, man! That’s all the evidence I need.”
Rude wasn’t convinced. “And how did you know she intended on hurting him? It was all an accident, she wasn’t in control. Sephiroth was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Reno snarled angrily like a dog. “She told me everything, Rude! She said the minute Sephiroth walked in, she went nuts, like it was an instinct; she said she could feel how evil he would become, and look what happened! Boss has been wrong before, and I reckon he’s wrong again now. I’ve gotta convince Tseng to abandon this whole thing.”
“He saw her at the damn Northern Crater, Reno! She was there, and she told him about her plan! Why in the hell would he make something like that up, huh?” Rude turned away from him, frustrated. “If you’re smart, you’ll listen to Tseng until this whole damn thing gets cleared up. If you go around sayin’ how he’s wrong, you’ll end up off this task in no time. He knows about your past with her; he’ll think you’re biased. Turks must always obey orders, Reno, you should know that better than any of us; you wanted to do this your whole life.”
Reno could not disagree more with him, but he decided to play it cool. “Ya know, sometimes you’re a bit blunt with me, but that’s why you’re my partner. Of course I’ll keep my trap shut. I love ya, man, so much so that I could just hug ya.”
“Damn it, Reno, don’t touch me,” Rude said crossly, eyes focused on the news broadcast.
Just then, the door to the office slid open. Tseng walked in; he looked more serious than ever. Reno leapt from the desk immediately and his eyes widened.
“Tseng! Whoa, I haven’t seen you around in years it seems. I guess you’ve been pretty busy?” Reno didn’t really have to ask that question, but he felt it would be polite.
Tseng collapsed into a seat at one of the work stations and dropped his head into his palms. “Tremendously... I can’t believe what is going on. I’m not going to get any sleep for days.”
“I know, I hear ya. I feel bad that you’re the one who’s gotta deal with it all...”
Rude intervened. “Sir, may we ask you something?” he asked Tseng.
Tseng raised his head from his hands and looked at them both. “I’ve been answering questions all day... What is it?”
“Do you know who went to the police?” he queried, crossing his arms. Reno did the same, and for the first time in the last four hours they looked away from the television.
He knew this question was going to be asked. “I did,” he said firmly.
Reno nearly jumped out of his skin. “What!! It was you?! What was the evidence you found, then?!” Realizing his outburst had been most unnecessary, he took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m sorry... I just... didn’t expect it was you.”
Tseng looked irritated. “I took the liberty of setting up a camera in Rufus’s private quarters. Within the next few nights, I reviewed the footage, and saw that Mataea Linnaeus had visited him. He told nobody. What was I to suspect? He’s been working with her.”
Reno and Rude were both stunned, paralyzed, the gravity of the situation beginning to settle.
Reno was the first to gather enough courage to continue speaking. “Why did you do that? I mean... Why did you put the camera there?”
“Rufus and I have spent the last week together. I just had a feeling that he was hiding something from me. Whenever he would talk about SOLDIER-02, he seemed nervous... suspicious... I can’t explain it. I felt terrible to do it, but my gut instinct ended up being right.” Tseng laced his fingers together in front of him on the table. “We have a very important task ahead of us now, and one task only: we must find Mataea Linnaeus.”
Reno took his seat and slumped in his chair. “But... so you think that Rufus wants Sephiroth to come back? Why was he making such a big deal out of finding Mataea, if he knew all along where she was?”
Tseng slammed a fist down on the desk before him. “Do you really think I know the answer to that, Reno?” he demanded. “All I know is that Rufus betrayed us all!.. Damn it, I’m so far in over my head...”
Rude rose from his chair and approached Tseng. “Sir, Reno and I are here to help you, and Elena too. Do not think that you’re alone in this.” He looked to Reno and frowned at him for upsetting Tseng even further. “Let’s head in for the night. We’ve been up too long dealing with this crap. We’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
It wasn’t hard to get Rude’s message. Reno had been wanting to ask Tseng if he’d been absolutely certain about what he’d seen at the Crater, but now was definitely not the time. Sighing deeply, Reno left the room and headed to his room, while Tseng and Rude remained in the office.
“Sir, I apologize for Reno... he’s having a hard time with all of this. He only just found out that Linnaeus was alive; Rufus had told him she died that day she escaped... As you know, the two of them were close back then,” Rude explained, standing over Tseng. He could see the exhaustion in his eyes.
“I am aware.”
Rude wished to let Tseng be alone, but he couldn’t help but ask one final question. “Sir... Are you considering removing Reno from this operation?”
Tseng shook his head slowly and looked up at Rude. “No. I do know of the past that he shared with the fugitive, but I also know that Reno is a Turk, and his loyalty belongs to ShinRa. I have no doubt that Rufus put him in his place when he left that computer behind at the mansion. I know Rufus ordered you to stay with Reno at all times during his probation, but I insist that you do not, and focus solely on carrying out what I ask of you. I will be keeping a close eye on him myself, but for the most part, I have faith in him, and trust that he will remain loyal to us.”
“I could not agree with you more, sir.” Rude could not argue with a man as virtuous as Tseng. He commanded much respect from all he spoke to, and he felt he was right in trusting Reno. Rufus certainly had his way with him earlier that week, and Rude too was positive that Reno would not be a problem. “I shall leave you to rest and prepare for the conference tomorrow. Good night, sir.”
As Rude left through the door, Tseng couldn’t help but release a sneer upon his lips. Although he was extraordinarily tired of being in this body, he was pleased that everything had gone according to his plan. With Rufus out of the way, he would be free to do as he pleased within ShinRa, and finding Mataea would be that much easier with him at the command. Even Reno seemed like he might crack; if Tseng was able to make him think that he wasn’t being watched anymore, he might just try to contact her. In fact, that would make his plan unbelievably straightforward.
For the time being, he would work to find the remaining clones. At his command, they would hopefully be able to help him locate Mataea, although they tended to be particularly uncooperative. But even if they were of no direct use to him, they could at least wreak havoc in her name. By tomorrow afternoon, the planet would believe that Mataea Linnaeus was controlling the clones, and she was at work to bring their nightmares back to life by working to bring back Sephiroth himself.
Tseng grinned and turned on the computer in front of him. He had a long night ahead of him, and he had to plan out every word of his public address the next day. It had been a long time since the planet had been thrown into chaos, and he couldn’t wait to unleash the madness once again.
Mataea stopped and stared around the entrance hall, wildly impressed. “Wow... It’s beautiful.”
Vincent smiled humbly, turning back to her; it wasn’t often that he had company, and he’d never been known for his sense of interior design. “... Thank you.” He still sensed that she seemed slightly on edge. “Let me show you your room.”
“You have a room for me?” she queried, her eyes wide with amazement.
He was slightly embarrassed by the surprise in her voice. “Yes... upstairs there is a guest room. I haven’t had anyone stay before, but... I felt that the room needed a purpose...” He turned away, feeling his face getting hot; he wasn’t at all used to having company.
Mataea stepped towards him and smiled graciously. “Okay, well that sounds wonderful.” She looked down at the two large bags in his arms. “Let’s get those in their place. I don’t want your arms to fall off because of me.”
Vincent looked up at her. “Of course... Right this way.”
They made their way down the hall and up a flight of stairs. On the second floor he lead her down another hallway and into a large side room against the back end of the building. Vincent stepped aside to allow her in first.
Mataea walked in slowly and was immediately thrown aghast; the room was magnificent. In the middle of the room on the far wall was a medium-sized bed with extravagant sheets. A grand window was on the right wall, allowing the morning sun to brighten the room. A large dresser hugged the left wall along with a full-length mirror next to it.
Vincent watched her, stepping into the room behind her. “... I’ll let you get settled,” he suggested, placing her bags on the floor. “If you need anything, let me know.”
Before she could turn to thank him, Vincent was already gone down the hallway. Mataea stood spellbound, staring at the beautiful room. How she would ever be able to thank him, she did not know; all she knew was that she felt much better than she had a few hours ago.
Bending down, Mataea began unzipping her bags. The only thing she was missing was her piano, but even she was certain that Vincent would not have agreed to carrying it halfway across the city.
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Rufus ShinRa sat in his spacious office atop the company headquarters. He had been on the phone all day, seeing to it that several operations were completed. First, he had several squads currently making their way to all major locations across the planet. They had all been given Mataea’s headshot, but were told that they were not to admit their intentions to any civilians. Their number one goal was to find Mataea Linnaeus. Second, he had given the squads a second objective: find and locate any living Sephiroth clones; he had a feeling that they would be key in finding out Mataea’s whereabouts, if push came to shove. His third task was still in progress: convince Reeve and the WRO to help them in their search. ShinRa wasn’t nearly as powerful as it had been years before, and the more manpower they could hold, the better their chances of finding her before it was too late.
Still, Tseng remained the only other man to know the truth about the C-cells in Mataea. It was crucial that all other personnel know only that SOLDIER-02 was a huge threat to the planet, and must be terminated. It was common for his men to act without any knowledge about the situation, and it was necessary if he did not want Mataea to discover what the cells were and perform the Ritual to become even more powerful.
Rufus set his phone back on its holder after an hour of endless discussion. He’d received a memo that morning that Dr. Prothe had not signed out of his shift the previous day, or signed in for his shift in the morning. Rufus admitted that it was out of character, and he had ordered him to examine Tseng, but he had much more important things to worry about. For now, he had ordered Tseng to relax and wait for Dr. Prothe’s whereabouts to be determined so he could receive his exam. Tseng hadn’t seemed pleased with his decision, and had not contacted him since. Checking his watch, Rufus saw that it was nearly six in the evening, and darkness was beginning to creep into his office; he had been so busy that he had forgotten to contact him. Perhaps he should call him and check in...
Just as he went to pick up his phone again, the doors to his office slide open, startling him. Rufus looked up, his jaw dropping open at the crowd of policemen in his doorway. His ice blue eyes glared between his airy blond bangs as he stood from his chair. “What the hell is this?” he demanded.
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The day had gone by quickly for Mataea. Vincent had made her a delicious meal for dinner, and the two of them had had a long discussion about their pasts with ShinRa. It was now almost ten, and Vincent had just turned in for the night. He wished her a gentle “good night” before heading upstairs to his room.
Mataea remained in the living room and wandered over to a large, library-like bookcase against the wall. It towered over her, filled with old and new books of all sorts. She picked up one titled “Midgar: A History” and took a seat on the couch, the room lit only by a floor lamp next to her.
After twenty minutes of reading, Mataea was finding it incredibly hard to concentrate. She had slept the previous night, meaning she would not sleep again until two days from now. Her eyes were wide awake, and her brain was scattered. Although Vincent had done an exceptional job of making her stay comfortable, only now, when she was alone, did she realize how on edge she really was.
Mataea closed the book with a deep sigh. She set it down on the coffee table in front of her and paused; she would check the news once, and once only, refusing to waste another night analysing the headlines. Reluctantly, Mataea took the remote control from the table and flicked it on. It was already on the NPBC channel.
She could hear the reporter’s voice before she saw the image. As the screen turned on and brightened, Mataea dropped the remote to the floor.
The headline at the bottom of the screen read: RUFUS SHINRA ARRESTED.
Mataea clasped her hands over her mouth as she listened to the reporter, frozen in place.
“Although the police department is being secretive about the matter, we were told by a representative that they had received critical evidence strongly suggesting that Rufus ShinRa was working with a dangerous fugitive. Despite further questioning, the media and the public is being denied any further information.” Then an image came onto the screen: Rufus ShinRa was being removed from a police car in front of the police department headquarters in handcuffs. There was chaos everywhere around him; cameras, reporters, civilians, all shouting out questions at him; but despite the situation, Mataea was surprised to see that Rufus was holding his head high, his face emotionless. Two officers were next to him, grasping him by the shoulders and pushing him towards the building.
“I am innocent of all that I am accused of,” Rufus shouted calmly. “I’m afraid that the ShinRa Company has been breached.”
“Vincent! VINCENT! COME SEE THIS!” Mataea screamed towards the hallway, unable to remove her eyes from the scene before her. “... I can’t believe this,” she whispered dryly. “... Unbelievable.”
Vincent came storming into the room in nothing more than black silk pyjama bottoms. He shot a worried look at Mataea, and then to the television. “What is it?” He came around to the couch and suddenly froze in his place, his expression one of deep concern.
The reporter went on as the scene of Rufus was silenced and replayed over and over. “Rumours suggest that one of ShinRa’s Turks will take over the company while Rufus is in confinement. Tseng, ShinRa’s next in command, will be giving a live statement tomorrow in front of ShinRa headquarters.” The reporter changed cameras and readjusted herself. “Now, more on this dangerous fugitive that ShinRa is suspected of working with.” Then, an image came on screen that Mataea had seen only days before, the one that Vincent had shown her on his cell phone.
Mataea’s name and photo appeared, taking up the top corner of the screen. Although the reporter continued to speak, Mataea’s hearing began to fail; her heart began to race, she forgot to blink and breath. She felt as if a giant boulder was rolling over her stomach over and over again. Everything came rushing back; how did she think that she could escape without her past catching up to her?
“Her name is Mataea Linnaeus, codename SOLDIER-02. We are told that she is a highly dangerous fugitive, a failed ShinRa experiment, who escaped the company ten years ago. Now 24 years old, she has been on the run ever since. Although we have not been informed about any crimes she has committed, it is believed that her and Rufus ShinRa were working together to bring a catastrophe to the planet. She is approximately 5’10, with mahogany hair and distinct turquoise-blue eyes. She is said to be armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone sees Mataea Linnaeus, please call your local police immediately... The conference tomorrow, we are hoping, will detail Linnaeus’s motives and even some of her background information, including her time spent...”
“That’s enough!” came Vincent’s voice next to her. He took the remote from the floor and shut it off in frustration. Looking down at Mataea, she looked in worse condition than she had when she’d awoken from that nightmare. Her eyes were staring blankly ahead, and her breathing was becoming heavy and forced.
“Mataea, come with me.” He took hold of her arm to pull her up, but she wouldn’t move.
“This... can’t be happening,” she said harshly. It sounded like she was losing her voice.
Vincent bent down next to her and tried to pull her up from her shoulders, but she still would not budge. He was becoming frustrated and worried. “Mataea, please, let me take you outside,” he tried to say calmly.
Mataea could see Vincen’t red eyes looking at her, but she was unresponsive. She suddenly had no idea how to move her limbs, how to think straight... Her nightmare had finally come back to haunt her, and now the entire planet would want her dead, her picture plastered everywhere for the world to see and judge... Maybe she should turn herself in, even though she had done nothing... maybe if she went to the police they could prove she was innocent... But how would the police know anything about investigating the resurrection of Sephiroth from the Lifestream? Her body felt like it was in an oven. She started hyperventilating, her chest heaving in and out violently.
Vincent couldn’t watch any longer. Carefully, he slipped an arm underneath her knees, the other behind her shoulders, and heaved her up from the couch. He carried her through the hallway to the back door and pushed it open, feeling the cold air hit his bare chest. They emerged in a small fenced-off yard with paved ground and a few potted plants. Vincent placed Mataea on the ground slowly and perched her head up on his arm. He overlooked her carefully. Apparently the cool air was doing some good; her breathing was slowly returning to normal.
She still could not believe it. Rufus ShinRa had been arrested, but for what reason? They had evidence of him working with her? What the hell was going on? Had they found out that she’d gone to see him? But they had hardly been “working together.” Was Rufus somehow behind this entire thing? Did he want to go to prison? How was it that this entire conspiracy against her was now even more complicated and bizarre? The questions were absolutely endless.
Only now did Mataea realize where she was. Looking up, she could see the clear night sky above her, and Vincent was looking down at her yet again. Why was this suddenly becoming a common occurrence?
“Are you okay?” came his deep voice.
Mataea’s heart was still pounding full tilt, but after a few moments she was starting to calm down again. “I just... can’t believe it...” She sat up slowly, regaining her composure, looking up towards the sky. “What am I going to do?” Her eyes were creased with worry.
Vincent tried to remain calm for her, but inside he was consumed with uncertainty. He knew as long as he remained at her side, Mataea would be safe; but he also knew about ShinRa’s ruthless, merciless nature. Now, more than ever, he wanted to find out what was really going on. Someone wanted Mataea, but for what reason? Maybe they simply wanted her because of how powerful she may be. It was hard to imagine, but all he knew is he felt tremendously sorry for her. Looking at her, he could see the tension in her face, her eyes wandering the skies for an answer she could not find.
“We will think of something,” he said honestly, still looking at her. “Things... always work out in the end, no matter how you may feel right now.”
Mataea looked beside her to him, admiring his long black hair that fell alongside his face. “Vincent... If I hadn’t met you, I don’t know what I would have done. I think... I probably would have gone insane by now... Just knowing that I’m not alone helps a lot.”
The two of them sat there under the stars for a long time. Tomorrow, during Tseng’s public address, they both knew what he would reveal. Once it was suspected that Mataea was apparently working to resurrect the most evil man to ever live, all the people of the planet would want her dead.
__________________________________
“I guess this is what you wouldn’t tell me about?” Tifa scolded, crossing her arms firmly.
It was now two in the morning and 7th Heaven had just closed. Cloud was sitting at the bar with the television blaring loudly. “Yeah... Rufus had told me he wanted our help in finding her.”
Tifa shook her head and turned her back to him, continuing to wash a heaping pile of dishes in the sink in front of her. “I don’t understand why these things never seem to end...” she mumbled, seeming distressed. “What did you tell Rufus?”
Cloud sighed. “I told him I would help. I don’t like the idea of working on his side either, but now... I’m not sure whose side he’s on anymore. They say he was working with her, but he was the one who asked me to help find her. And why would he be mobilizing all of his men to do the same? It doesn’t make any sense... but... I have to help protect the planet. I can’t just stand around and watch this all unfold without me.”
Tifa started scrubbing a pot extremely hard, taking out her frustration on it. “You’ve always been that way,” she said peacefully, “so I can’t say I’m surprised.” She quickly ran the water over it and placed it in the drying rack. “I just want you to know that I’m going to help too.”
Slightly shocked by her words, Cloud was almost relieved. “I’m glad you feel that way... I mean, I would argue against it, but I know I wouldn’t win.” He smiled at her, his sapphire eyes gleaming despite the serious situation. “I’ve contacted Shelke and Nanaki, and Barret too. They’ve all agreed to meet here when they’re needed; I’m still having trouble getting a hold of Vincent though. Rufus had asked me to meet with him tomorrow, but Tseng called me to confirm that he still wished to speak with me before he addresses the public.”
“I wonder what he’s going to talk about,” Tifa scoffed. “But whatever he says, it better not put everyone into a frenzy. If he’s smart, he’ll keep the situation under control and keep the planet calm.”
Cloud nodded. “Yeah, well, Tseng’s a smart guy, he knows what to do.”
__________________________________
At the same time, Reno and Rude sat in the Turk’s office with NPBC turned on the large television on the wall.
Reno was in absolute distress. He was perched on top of one of the desks, his eyes glued to the screen. “I knew it... What did I tell you?” he said, mocked. “Rufus told me she was dead. I freakin’ knew it. She’s alive.”
“Damn it, Reno, what difference does it make?” Rude said, scowling. “You haven’t seen her in years. Plus, this entire fiasco is revolving around her. She’s up to no good, so you got nothin’ to be happy about. Rufus was mobilizing all those men to look for her!”
“There’s gotta be more to it,” Reno announced. “There’s no way she would be in cahoots with Sephiroth. She hated the guy; got bad vibes from him. She blew up the damn training room and put him in the hospital wing for days, man! That’s all the evidence I need.”
Rude wasn’t convinced. “And how did you know she intended on hurting him? It was all an accident, she wasn’t in control. Sephiroth was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Reno snarled angrily like a dog. “She told me everything, Rude! She said the minute Sephiroth walked in, she went nuts, like it was an instinct; she said she could feel how evil he would become, and look what happened! Boss has been wrong before, and I reckon he’s wrong again now. I’ve gotta convince Tseng to abandon this whole thing.”
“He saw her at the damn Northern Crater, Reno! She was there, and she told him about her plan! Why in the hell would he make something like that up, huh?” Rude turned away from him, frustrated. “If you’re smart, you’ll listen to Tseng until this whole damn thing gets cleared up. If you go around sayin’ how he’s wrong, you’ll end up off this task in no time. He knows about your past with her; he’ll think you’re biased. Turks must always obey orders, Reno, you should know that better than any of us; you wanted to do this your whole life.”
Reno could not disagree more with him, but he decided to play it cool. “Ya know, sometimes you’re a bit blunt with me, but that’s why you’re my partner. Of course I’ll keep my trap shut. I love ya, man, so much so that I could just hug ya.”
“Damn it, Reno, don’t touch me,” Rude said crossly, eyes focused on the news broadcast.
Just then, the door to the office slid open. Tseng walked in; he looked more serious than ever. Reno leapt from the desk immediately and his eyes widened.
“Tseng! Whoa, I haven’t seen you around in years it seems. I guess you’ve been pretty busy?” Reno didn’t really have to ask that question, but he felt it would be polite.
Tseng collapsed into a seat at one of the work stations and dropped his head into his palms. “Tremendously... I can’t believe what is going on. I’m not going to get any sleep for days.”
“I know, I hear ya. I feel bad that you’re the one who’s gotta deal with it all...”
Rude intervened. “Sir, may we ask you something?” he asked Tseng.
Tseng raised his head from his hands and looked at them both. “I’ve been answering questions all day... What is it?”
“Do you know who went to the police?” he queried, crossing his arms. Reno did the same, and for the first time in the last four hours they looked away from the television.
He knew this question was going to be asked. “I did,” he said firmly.
Reno nearly jumped out of his skin. “What!! It was you?! What was the evidence you found, then?!” Realizing his outburst had been most unnecessary, he took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m sorry... I just... didn’t expect it was you.”
Tseng looked irritated. “I took the liberty of setting up a camera in Rufus’s private quarters. Within the next few nights, I reviewed the footage, and saw that Mataea Linnaeus had visited him. He told nobody. What was I to suspect? He’s been working with her.”
Reno and Rude were both stunned, paralyzed, the gravity of the situation beginning to settle.
Reno was the first to gather enough courage to continue speaking. “Why did you do that? I mean... Why did you put the camera there?”
“Rufus and I have spent the last week together. I just had a feeling that he was hiding something from me. Whenever he would talk about SOLDIER-02, he seemed nervous... suspicious... I can’t explain it. I felt terrible to do it, but my gut instinct ended up being right.” Tseng laced his fingers together in front of him on the table. “We have a very important task ahead of us now, and one task only: we must find Mataea Linnaeus.”
Reno took his seat and slumped in his chair. “But... so you think that Rufus wants Sephiroth to come back? Why was he making such a big deal out of finding Mataea, if he knew all along where she was?”
Tseng slammed a fist down on the desk before him. “Do you really think I know the answer to that, Reno?” he demanded. “All I know is that Rufus betrayed us all!.. Damn it, I’m so far in over my head...”
Rude rose from his chair and approached Tseng. “Sir, Reno and I are here to help you, and Elena too. Do not think that you’re alone in this.” He looked to Reno and frowned at him for upsetting Tseng even further. “Let’s head in for the night. We’ve been up too long dealing with this crap. We’ll worry about it tomorrow.”
It wasn’t hard to get Rude’s message. Reno had been wanting to ask Tseng if he’d been absolutely certain about what he’d seen at the Crater, but now was definitely not the time. Sighing deeply, Reno left the room and headed to his room, while Tseng and Rude remained in the office.
“Sir, I apologize for Reno... he’s having a hard time with all of this. He only just found out that Linnaeus was alive; Rufus had told him she died that day she escaped... As you know, the two of them were close back then,” Rude explained, standing over Tseng. He could see the exhaustion in his eyes.
“I am aware.”
Rude wished to let Tseng be alone, but he couldn’t help but ask one final question. “Sir... Are you considering removing Reno from this operation?”
Tseng shook his head slowly and looked up at Rude. “No. I do know of the past that he shared with the fugitive, but I also know that Reno is a Turk, and his loyalty belongs to ShinRa. I have no doubt that Rufus put him in his place when he left that computer behind at the mansion. I know Rufus ordered you to stay with Reno at all times during his probation, but I insist that you do not, and focus solely on carrying out what I ask of you. I will be keeping a close eye on him myself, but for the most part, I have faith in him, and trust that he will remain loyal to us.”
“I could not agree with you more, sir.” Rude could not argue with a man as virtuous as Tseng. He commanded much respect from all he spoke to, and he felt he was right in trusting Reno. Rufus certainly had his way with him earlier that week, and Rude too was positive that Reno would not be a problem. “I shall leave you to rest and prepare for the conference tomorrow. Good night, sir.”
As Rude left through the door, Tseng couldn’t help but release a sneer upon his lips. Although he was extraordinarily tired of being in this body, he was pleased that everything had gone according to his plan. With Rufus out of the way, he would be free to do as he pleased within ShinRa, and finding Mataea would be that much easier with him at the command. Even Reno seemed like he might crack; if Tseng was able to make him think that he wasn’t being watched anymore, he might just try to contact her. In fact, that would make his plan unbelievably straightforward.
For the time being, he would work to find the remaining clones. At his command, they would hopefully be able to help him locate Mataea, although they tended to be particularly uncooperative. But even if they were of no direct use to him, they could at least wreak havoc in her name. By tomorrow afternoon, the planet would believe that Mataea Linnaeus was controlling the clones, and she was at work to bring their nightmares back to life by working to bring back Sephiroth himself.
Tseng grinned and turned on the computer in front of him. He had a long night ahead of him, and he had to plan out every word of his public address the next day. It had been a long time since the planet had been thrown into chaos, and he couldn’t wait to unleash the madness once again.
