For Honor or Glory

Negotiations

Chapter 95 

For a split second, the look on Veld's face showed utter shock, but Alex was impressed with how quickly he managed to hide it before he said, "Vincent? Is that you?"

It almost seemed like the ex-Turk hesitated for a moment, but his voice showed no signs of it when he replied, "Yes."

Veld's brow furrowed, but that was the only sign of his discomfort. "I was given a report that you were KIA. Where have you been for the last 20 years?"

That time Alex had no doubt that Vincent looked uncomfortable, but his voice was only slightly harder when he said, "I may as well have been dead. Though the reason I am not is a story better saved for another day. There are things we need to discuss."

Veld's eyes narrowed and then widened again when he caught sight of the other three in the room. He gave Tseng a stern look that carried over when he looked back at Vincent and said, "So it would seem. First, would you care to tell me why you are there with both my subordinate and the escapees we are after at the same time?"

Vincent didn't look rattled in the slightest as he said, "I have agreed to help these people for my own reasons. However, I do not believe they are your enemy."

Tseng made a disbelieving noise, and Veld looked inclined to agree, but that didn't stop Vincent from saying, "I have reason to believe that I am not the only Shinra employee Hojo has tried to kill—with the president's backing. Plus, we have two of the remaining Tsviets sent to retrieve Sephiroth and others. They killed their controllers."

Veld didn't speak right away. As much as he seemed to be trying to hide his thoughts, his confusion was evident. However, Alex didn't give him a chance to recover and find even more reasons to fight them. She squeezed Sephiroth's hand before she let it go and stepped forward.

Tseng looked like he was going to try and intercept her but paused at a heated look from the Silver General. Alex ignored it all as she said, "Director, Vincent is correct. Plus, you have a personal stake in this, even if you don't know it yet."

Her simple statement had all eyes in her. Sephiroth looked worried, but the other three were nothing but calculating. She ignored them too as she continued, "I didn't realize it when I met her the first time, but your daughter lives. Like many others from Kalm, she survived and was used in experiments by Hojo. Although she was one of the very few who survived, she didn't escape unscathed. Her memory is gone, and she now goes by the name Elfe."

If Veld had looked shocked when he saw Vincent, he was flabbergasted at her revelation. Although that look quickly became mixed with rage. However, whatever he was about to say was stopped when Sephiroth grabbed Alex's hand to get her attention. His eyes were wide when she turned to him as he said, "Are you saying the woman that is leading Avalanche is Director Veld's daughter?"

Alex nodded, but she wasn't given a chance to say anything. Veld had jumped to his feet and was leaning over his desk to glare into the camera as he said, "Nonsense!"

Fear and worry about what was to come were still dominant emotions coursing through Alex, but she managed to keep them down as she shook her head and said, "No, sir. I have no desire to reopen old wounds, but like Vincent said, we should not be enemies. I believe I can also arrange a meeting if you would be willing. As a matter of fact, I think it would be wise for you, Director Lazard, and Vice-President Rufus to all meet with us. I can contact Elfe and make sure she is there too."

Sephiroth was still by her side, so he gently pulled her around to face him. Worry was evident in his eyes as he said, "Alex, what are you trying to accomplish? The more Shinra employees we interact with, the more danger you will be in. I can't let you do this any more than you wanted to let me be taken back to Hojo."

Alex looked down to hide the fear in her eyes. Sephiroth wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean they could keep running. Since she had decided to embrace her goddess-given visions, there was no ignoring them and no going back. She kept her eyes toward the floor as she said, "I know it's dangerous, but there are excellent reasons for all those men to want to help instead of hinder us. If we are successful, then there is also the possibility that we can return to a new and improved Shinra. As much as I hate what the current leadership has allowed, the corporation is still the leading world power. We have hit a dead end here. This may be our only option."

Alex's jaw clenched to hold in the rest of her fears as they would do no good to voice. It was not something she had considered previously, but if she really wanted to find a way to mitigate any future mutations, Midgar was their best choice. It hadn't been a possibility before, but now—maybe it could be.

A gentle hand on her chin drew her from her frantic thoughts as Sephiroth brought her eyes up so he could look in them. There was still worry in his expression as he said, "I have nearly lost you once. I do not want to face that chance again."

Alex didn't think twice as she slipped her arms around the man's waist and allowed the heat from his body to comfort her as she buried her face in his shoulder. His return embrace was tighter than usual, but she didn't complain. It helped to hold her together.

However, before anything else could be said between them, Veld's voice broke the silence. "It would seem that you have made yourself some powerful allies, Miss Hewley. Will facing them be the alternative if I choose not to believe you?"

Alex pulled away from Sephiroth to frown over at the screen, but she wasn't given a chance to reply. Sephiroth did so for her. "Yes. I have already given my word that Alex will never be subjected to Hojo and his atrocities while I still live."

Alex let out a frustrated noise, but she didn't bother arguing. Instead, she looked at Veld and said, "Would meeting us be such a burden? If I am telling the truth, would it not be worth it for a few days out of your schedule? More to your point, if I'm lying, wouldn't it give you a better opportunity to bring us in? Don't you see that we have everything to lose and nothing to gain by being untruthful right now?"

Veld's raptor gaze never left her eyes, not even after she finished speaking. It was several seconds before he said, "I understand why you have asked me, but why ask for the others? Director Lazard has been assisting with the manhunt, and the vice-president is out of the country."

Alex's eyes narrowed as she said, "The vice-president is under house arrest at the Turk's remote facility for his attempt on the president's life. As for Director Lazard, have you really taken a good look at his face? Pay attention to the structure, and I'm sure you'll recognize an excellent reason why he might be interested in talking to us."

Veld barely betrayed his shock at her knowledge of where Rufus was, but his expression turned contemplative when she talked about Lazard. However, it didn't take long for him to figure out what she meant. His eyes widened briefly before they narrowed as he asked, "Why do you call Rufus the vice-president? That announcement was not made public until recently. I didn't think it would have had time to travel to such a remote location."

Alex sighed and shrugged. She had already decided not to hide her knowledge anymore, but that didn't mean she was keen on sharing her sources with people that would only see it as another reason to bring her in. Instead, she said, "Let's just say I see it as inevitable. Will you at least consider my request? I'm sure you could set up a return call with Vincent."

Veld's jaw clenched several times before he focused on Tseng and said, "I will contact you again this time tomorrow using this line. For now, gather all the information you can and observe Miss Hewley and the others. I expect a full report on what you find."

His gaze then turned to Alex, and she almost flinched at the hardened glare, but he didn't address her. Instead, he turned to Vincent as he said, "It's been too many years. Too much has changed since you died."

Vincent almost looked like he wanted to smirk at that last quip, but his gaze was direct as he said, "Yet some things never do. You may not trust her, but I at least believe her enough to validate the need for a meeting."

If Veld was swayed, he didn't show it. Instead, he gave a curt nod to Tseng before the line went dead. Silence reigned for several seconds until Tseng raised a brow and said, "I believe it would be prudent to get all the details, Miss Hewley. Perhaps we could find a better place to sit and have a chat."

Alex sighed as she tried to ignore the tension and pointed to the stairs as she said, "This way, gentlemen."