Lean On Me (FF7)

31

~Denzel's POV~

I watch in horror as President Rufus scrapes a chunk of the Highwind out. What has he done? I see Vincent hang onto Tifa, who looks like she was just knocked out, and Cloud grabs Yuffie, who got shot lots of times. I had to mess it up. I had to disobey Cloud and now Marlene and I are in danger. Where are they taking us? We're already flying away and I turn Marlene around so that she doesn't have to witness the probable deaths of our family and friends. I swallow the growing lump in my throat and try to shut out the large booms and screeches of the metal airship collapsing onto itself, crushing everyone inside and on the deck.

"Now, what is you name?" Rufus looks at me with an evil grin.

"None if your business."

"State your name or the girl gets hurt," he threatens, motion ingot to Marlene. She hides behind me and hugs me tightly from behind as if I'm her shield.

"Denzel," I grumble.

"Ah yes, I know who you are. Cloud's son correct?"

"No," I frown. "He's not my dad."

"And Tifa?"

"I'm just living with them!" I sigh.

"Right. And the girl is Marlene Wallace, no doubt. She should get punished for her father's deeds, considering he's most likely dead by now. But since she is rather young, I'll just keep her with you."

"Where am I going?" I ask in a shaky voice.

"To see some old friends of yours," he smirks before whispering something to the pilot.

"Right, Mr. President sir, we're on our way," the man flying it says. He has fluffy red hair and I can't help but hope it's Reno. Maybe he'd spare me. But the hair is too dull and his pony tail is missing.

"Cover their eyes," Rufus commands.

I struggle to get away from the men who tie a bandana around my face, but they hold me down easily and tie me up. The helicopter feels like it's lowering. Then it stops. The men hold me by the arm and practically drag me to wherever they're taking us. I stumble on some steps multiple times. Wherever we are, it has a lot of stairs. Then we go down a flight. It sounds like old wood, creaking beneath my sneakers, making me so nervous I have to trial my hand along the moist wall to make sure I don't fall. I get the feeling falling in these stairs wouldn't be too good. Then we're moving again. The smell of mold burns through my nose and I resist the urge to hold my breath. After all, it might be one of the last breaths I get to have. The scraping of stone against wood makes my nerves get a little higher and they push my into the room. Then I feel the cold clamp of metal around both of my wrists and the bandana is removed. Then they're gone, the door to the cell closing. Marlene, who wears cuffs like mine, runs over and wraps her chained hands around my neck and hugs me tight.

"You're fine, Mar. Daddy's fine and so's everyone else. Okay?"

"Mhmm," she sniffles, backing away and sitting down on the floor. Then I nearly pee myself when I see two people shackled up on the wall beside me.

"Hey Denz," Reno laughs halfheartedly. His face is bruised, swollen, and bloody, like they've been torturing he and his partner.

"What... Are you okay?" I ask, trying to walk over but only making it halfway before I feel the jerk of the chains.

"Careful there," he sighs. "And yeah, I'm okay, I guess."

"It was Rufus this whole time, wasn't it?" I frown, plopping on the floor. "He lit Midgar on fire, didn't he?"