Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 3: Pursuit

TWENTY-ONE

As Cloud and I made our way down the road toward the docks, we passed a few inns, shops, and restaurants, all bustling with activity. But we were so intent on getting to our destination that we nearly ran right into a familiar suited figure about halfway there. Cloud quickly caught me by the arm and pulled me back just before I would've collided with Rude. He glanced at us, as typically expressionless as ever behind those dark sunglasses of his, and grunted irritably.

"Sorry, sir," I said, barely remembering to lower my voice.

"Forget about it," he grunted.

I noticed with some satisfaction that he still had a few bruises here and there from the battle at Fort Condor. I hadn't forgotten how he and Reno had helped me years ago, but that didn't change the fact that they were still our enemies, at least for now. Still, I hoped that things would be different one day. But at the moment, I had more pressing things to worry about. Rude had just left a bar along with a bunch of other guys, all as bald as he was. Some kind of weird club, maybe? After waving to them, he turned and headed down the street.

"Should we follow him, see what he's up to?" I whispered.

Cloud shrugged. "Think we have time?"

I nodded. "If we hurry."

So we did, as unobtrusively as possible. After a minute or so, Rude ducked into another bar closer to the docks. We waited a moment and then slipped inside. The place was nearly empty, and it wasn't hard for us to see why. The rest of the Turks—Reno, Tseng, and Elena—all sat at the bar nursing drinks. Rude joined them just as we walked in, having a seat on a stool next to Reno. He glanced at us.

"Making the rounds?" he asked.

"Yeah," Cloud replied, pretending to inspect the place.

Reno brushed him off. "No need for that, guys. The president's safe 'cause we're here. So just relax, alright? We got this."

"Do you mind?" Elena added. "This is a private meeting."

"So stay out of it," Tseng said.

Cloud and I headed over to the other side of the room, supposedly out of earshot of the Turks, but we could still just barely hear them. We sat down and ordered drinks, pretending to do as Reno had suggested, but kept our ears open. He and the rest of the Turks ignored us, just as we'd hoped, thinking we were just ordinary soldiers.

"So, I heard you guys got trounced at Fort Condor," Reno quipped. "Even the general, too. Avalanche pulled out a win."

"Just barely," Elena muttered.

"Take it as a learning experience," Tseng told her.

She clenched her fist. "Oh, I will, sir. And the next time I see Jessie, I am so gonna nail her sorry ass! She's going down!"

I smirked under my breath. "As if..."

"Didn't you say that just before she beat you?" Rude asked.

"You're one to talk!" Elena shot back. "After letting that kid and her pet panther beat the living shit outta you. At least Tseng being thrashed by Cloud makes some sense. He was a SOLDIER, though he's due for a serious ass kicking as well. They all are."

Tseng glared at them. "Enough, both of you."

"So, what's the plan?" Reno asked.

"You and Rude are to join the president on the ship," Tseng said. "I believe he'll have need of you where he's going. As for me, with the loss at Fort Condor, Scarlet wishes to search elsewhere for huge materia. So I will remain here until she arrives from Midgar."