A Bleeding Night [KH/FF]

Chapter One

                  

Chapter One: The Agency

Barely an hour after completing your mission, you were standing in front of a towering building that you had avoided for the better part of two years. You looked up at the familiar grey bricks and opaque windows for a long moment, gaze tracking over the building in an effort to drink it all in again after so long away.

Deciding to stop dawdling, you headed to the automatic doors, an amused smile curving on your lips as you read the familiar sign above them. Midgar Water Company was printed neatly in black capitals on a white base, though the sign was looking a little aged now.

You returned your sight to in front of you as you stepped into the building properly. You looked around the deserted office, noting that the carpet had been refitted with a dark maroon one. It made for a nice change from the sickly green that had made up the floor before, you mused as you headed for the single elevator at the opposite end of the room.

You pressed the button and called the elevator down, humming to yourself as you waited patiently. When the doors finally slid open with a whirr, you stepped in and pressed the button for the third floor. The doors shut again and, as the elevator began to ascend, you reached out and pressed the button for the sixth, second, ninth and first floor in rapid succession before pressing for the third floor once more. This time however, you held the button down for exactly ten seconds before releasing and doing the same for the button for the ninth floor.

When you released the button, the elevator halted before beginning to descend rapidly. You stared at your distorted reflection in the gleaming silver of the doors, keeping your expression carefully impassive. You knew very well that someone was watching you in the elevator right at that moment, and you had no desire to let them see your head bobbing along to the elevator music. Even if the music was infuriatingly catchy.

After a long few moments, the elevator slid open and you stepped out into a well-lit corridor. The floors were wood and the walls were painted a white that was almost blinding with the fluorescent lights shining from the ceiling. You sighed to yourself as you made your way down the corridor, carefully avoiding the panels that would squeak when you put pressure on them.

At the end of this corridor, a simple wooden door with no handle blocked your path further. You turned to the keypad beside it, rapidly punching in a code. A piece of the wall above the keypad slid away and a device slid out smoothly. Smothering another sigh at the security, you dipped your head slightly and allowed the device to scan your right eye. The machine beeped once before sliding back into the wall and you heard the soft click of the door unlocking.

Finally, you thought gratefully as you stepped into a large waiting room. A single woman sat at the desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her. She looked up as you walked in and an expression of surprise crossed her features.

"Artemis?" she questioned in surprise, blinking rapidly.

"Yes, it's me," your reply was dry as you raised an eyebrow.

The woman's cheeks pinked but she didn't let that stop her. "I suppose you're here to see Zeus?"

"Yes."

She nodded and pressed a button on the phone beside her computer. You glanced around the room, ignoring her as she informed the man on the other side of the door that you were waiting. Nothing much had changed in the waiting room; the technology had been updated and new carpet had been laid down, but that was all you could notice.

"He'll see you now," the receptionist told you.

You nodded by way of reply and headed over to the double doors, fighting the urge to roll your eyes at the mahogany monstrosities. They were huge, far bigger than they needed to be, and flakes of gold seemed to be glittering in the wood. You pushed the heavy doors open with ease, stepping into the large office beyond.