The Forgotten Hero

Chapter 13

                The chopper landed. Verna was immediately taken out of the helicopter and was led away by Reno. Rufus watched and followed them into the building. They were currently in Kalm, a building that his father bought while Rufus was just a child. Verna felt slightly uneasy. She was so close to Midgar that her uncle could easily find her. However, that would jeopardize the newspaper company.

                Once inside Verna was somewhat surprised by what she saw. It was a rather small building. She was almost positive that it would be some tacky rich cliché. She did see a mansion on the way here that looked like it would be that, but it seemed it wasn’t Rufus’s. Whose was it then?

                “Now,” Rufus began. “You’ll be living here until we can arrange some sort of deal. When we have a deal and you’ve gained my trust you’ll still be accompanied by someone that works with Shin-Ra. Do these terms sound acceptable?”

                “So I’m in a pleasant prison with many privileges?” Verna looked around. “Yeah, sounds acceptable.” She grinned over at the President. “I know you’re doing this so I don’t write anything bad about your company, but thanks anyways.”

                Rufus raised an eyebrow. She knew his motive, but was still grateful. How naïve was this girl? If she kept that attitude in this life then she would be chewed up and then spit out. Rufus moved some hair out of his face from the thought, it was irritating. His father would scold him for being too nice for others.

                “Would it be alright if I worked on the next chapter for the newspaper?” Verna questioned as she shifted her bag onto her other shoulder. “I need to have it out by tomorrow. It’ll then be published in a week.” Verna bit her lip, “Speaking of which, my article on Junon should be out…”

                Rufus laughed lightly. Reno looked at his boss oddly. It was extremely rare for Rufus to display a positive emotion. Rufus cleared his throat from the sudden outburst. “It seems as if you’ve hurt two of my employees, higher ranking ones at that.”

                Verna gulped. Things could go badly from here if she didn’t proceed with caution. Even though Rufus didn’t seem to care too much, but those that she actually did hurt had some power within the company and it could land her in trouble. Word would most likely spread that she was caught, which means that they could try and get even with her.

                Changing the subject Verna spoke, “So can I write it?”

                “Let’s discuss our terms first,” Rufus sat down at a table, it’d make do as a desk. He motioned his head for Verna to sit. “Reno, you can leave.”

                “Right,” Reno went to another room of the house.

                “This newspaper has caused us multiple issues in the past,” Rufus began. “You do realize this, don’t you?”

                “Yes, sir.”

                “Now what happens when a lion is being annoyed by a mere lamb?”

                “The lion kills and eats the lamb,” Verna replied with a bored look. “The lion benefits in multiple ways. The lamb is gone and the lion gets a meal.” She then smirked, “But if the lion isn’t careful the lamb could be rotten and give the lion a stomachache.”

                “A stomachache?”

                “If you aren’t careful, Mister President,” Verna began. “People could get mad that you shut down our newspaper. People think of it as the only reliable source, as your company doesn’t own it. Not only that, but people seem to like my series. If you were to shut it down I simply can’t imagine what kind of stomachache you would get.”