For Honor or Glory

Now What

Chapter 93 

Sephiroth and Alex were too busy enjoying their brief interlude and mutual revelation to think about any of the other things that still needed to be dealt with, but that changed quickly when the door opened again a few minutes after Genesis left. Angeal's voice was tired but relieved when he said, "Alex! I so glad to see—"

Alex looked over as soon as she heard her brother's voice, but it wasn't until she caught sight of his widened eyes that she realized how uncomfortable it had to be for him to walk in and see her snuggling on Sephiroth's lap. For a split second, she thought about teasing him, but something in the depths of his eyes stopped her. Instead, she managed to stand and walked around the bed to give him a hug.

His arms around her were tight, and his voice was husky with emotion as he whispered, "Don't ever do something like that again. I thought I lost you."

The raw quality of his words had Alex near tears as she said, "I'm sorry. It was all I could think of. I didn't want any of you to have to deal with that too."

Angeal didn't speak right away. It was several seconds before he finally loosened his grasp enough to push her back. His frown was deep, but Alex could see the concern behind it as he said, "I would rather become a puppet myself than ever see you hurt like that again. Aren't we supposed to be in this together?"

Alex did feel a few tears escape then, but she managed a nod as she wiped them away. Angeal sighed as he pulled her into another hug and said, "At least it's over, and you are alive." He then pushed back and finally addressed Sephiroth for the first time. "I can't honestly say that I don't still harbor resentment for what you did, but I do understand it. If Alex can still get that close to you, then I won't try and stop her, but don't expect me to be happy about this."

Sephiroth was already standing, so he gave Angeal a curt nod as he said, "I do not blame you. All I can offer is my vow that Alex's life is my top priority no matter what happens. I will always do everything in my power to ensure that she survives."

Alex had to repress a shiver at the reminder of how close she had come to dying, but she managed to shake it off and looked at both men before she said, "I think it is time that we change this subject. We may have dealt with one problem, but we have plenty more."

Angeal sighed again as said, "Yes. Everyone else is downstairs if you feel up to it now. However, we can afford one more day if you need to rest."

Alex gave him a tight smile, but it didn't last long before she said, "There is no point in putting it off. Especially since the Tsviets are here. We are running out of time."

Both men frowned at her reminder but didn't argue. Instead, Angeal gestured toward a bag at the end of the bed. "Why don't you get changed, and you can meet us downstairs. We will be waiting in the same room we used the other day."

Everyone's expression had turned a bit grim, but Alex still managed a smile when Sephiroth brushed his fingers across the back of her hand as he passed. She saw a muted echo of the joy she still felt in his eyes before they left and shut the door behind them. Once they were gone, Alex sighed again before she turned to get dressed so they could figure out what needed to be done next.

It was not long before she joined the others in the sitting room downstairs. She wasn't sure if she was shocked or not to see Vincent waiting with the rest of them. The only indication that he noticed her was a slight incline of his head, but she wasn't given long to wonder about it before Nanaki and Bugenhagen were there to see how she was.

Thankfully, they all calmed soon enough. Once everyone was back in their seats, Genesis was the first to speak. "Due to Alexandra's great sacrifice, we have managed to eliminate one of the threats looming over our heads, but if the elder is to be believed, that does not mitigate the threat to our futures. We still have much to accomplish and little time. If those children could find us, then it is likely that others will not be far behind."

Alex frowned at his reminder of the Tsviets, but not all of it was because of the threat of Shinra finding them. "Have you spoken to them since the reactor? I am assuming you captured them, right?"

Sephiroth frowned, and Angeal looked away. Their reactions made a chill go down Alex's spine, but Bugenhagen still answered, "Yes, we have the boy and the girl downstairs. Though neither of them has said anything. They seem to not be quite there."

Alex frowned as she asked, "Two? I don't remember much after they got me to the reactor, but there were three in the group that took me. Did one escape?"

Once again, the three Soldiers looked uncomfortable, but Alex was shocked when Vincent was the one to answer, "There were three, but when Sephiroth killed the leader, the other boy somehow managed to merge with him. Only one body remains. I have never seen the like."

Alex grimaced as that explanation brought a distant memory to the surface. Though she was quick to shake it off. That was something that could wait as long as none of them had escaped. "I understand. What about the others? I vaguely remember another helicopter, so I assume there were more?"

Once again, it was Vincent that stepped forward. "Yes. When I stayed to investigate, I found more than a dozen men in Shinra uniforms, though they did not look familiar. All were killed."

Alex nodded once as she said, "They must have been Restrictors. I don't know how the Tsviets managed to kill their guards without the neurotransmitters killing them, but I have a feeling it has something to do with Jenova."

There was an almost imperceptible shift in the room when that name was said aloud. Even so, Alex did not miss it—not that she blamed any of them. She was sure she would have nightmares about that time for years to come, added to those she still had of Hojo and his psychopathic self. She had to repress another shiver before she could say, "At least that thing is gone. I don't feel her influence at all anymore."

She then caught Sephiroth's eye as she said, "I'm sure you've noticed it too."

Sephiroth inclined his head slightly as he said, "Yes. There is a silence now that I am unaccustomed to. The thought that she has been there my whole life is disturbing, but—"

Alex shook her head as she said, "Don't think about it too hard. All that line of thinking will do is cause you to focus on the darkness instead of looking for the light."

His lips tilted in the slightest of smiles, but Genesis was quick to step in. "We have all noticed a difference, as subtle as it may be, but that does not negate the rest."

Alex took a deep breath as she said, "No, it does not. As it stands, we hold the majority of the last of Jenova's cells. I doubt it is enough for that parasite to try anything like coming back, but it still means that we could be vulnerable to mutation. At least now we know that any experiments we do going forward will not be influenced by whatever hold she had on us."

Bugenhagen was quick to add, "Ho, ho, ho, this is true. We should be able to prove your hypothesis now."

Angeal did not look happy when he interrupted, "I doubt we have time to worry about that. Vincent destroyed one of the helicopters and disabled the tracking in the other, but I doubt that will give us much time to get away before someone comes looking."

Alex hated hearing it aloud, but they all knew her brother was right. No one objected. Instead, Vincent stood as he said, "What will you do now?"

Several people in the room looked away as none of them had an answer. Not that Alex had one either. Still, they had to figure out something. She had just opened her mouth to say as much when everyone's attention was drawn to a yell outside. None of them needed to ask to know what it was. All three of the Soldiers were immediately on their feet and headed toward the door. Angeal only paused long enough to give Nanaki and Vincent a look as he said, "Please keep her safe."

Alex jumped up to follow, but Vincent put an arm out to stop her as he said, "Let them handle this. We should get you away while we can."