Don't Play With Fire (Turks FFVII)

XXIV) The Inside Man

"Rufus needs to get to the Northern Crater!" Elena cries in my ear. I flinch away from the phone, rubbing my temples. It's a wonder Tseng didn't have an aneurism working with these people every day. "We need that airship ready to go!"

"Why couldn't you call Rufus?"

"He kept ignoring my calls! Can you believe that?" Well, yeah. "What's so wrong with him that you can't deliver the message?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired." I toss my coffee cup in the trash and lift the orb of materia that Reno gave me. "I still have to speak with Elmyra about what happened to Aerith."

"The Ancient?" Elena goes quiet for a moment. Then she huffs. "Yeah... I hear that freak got to her, too."

"You think Sephiroth killed Tseng?"

"Yeah. There's no way Cloud could've down it. One hit and he rolled all the way down the slopes like a ragdoll." Do I even want to know?

"I'll let Rufus know."

"Good."

Elena hangs up and I press the materia back into my rod. I'm just as bad as Reeve. How could I blame him for not telling me about Tseng, my relatively distant uncle, when I can't tell a mother that her own child has been brutally murdered by a madman. Speaking of Tseng... I sigh, shaking my head. It's been exactly a week, but it feels like it's been an eternity. In the elevator to Rufus's office, Amelia distracts me from my dread.

"Hello, Kat. Doing alright?"

"I guess."

"Good. I haven't seen you around in a while." She tucks her hair behind her ear, offering a small smile.

"I've been busy."

"Oh." Her smile falters and she adjusts the weight of her omnipresent folders. "Am I bothering you? I'm really sorry about that little display—"

"No, you're not. It's just one of those days, I guess."

"I understand." The elevator dings and she steps off. "Hopefully I'll see you soon."

"Yeah."

Heidegger replaces her and my stomach twists into a knot. Now that Tseng's gone... The giant of a man clasps his hands behind his back, turning his scarred face down to look at me. From his height, I must look like a child.

"You're Kat?" One of his dark, thick eyebrows raises and I nod. "Tseng's niece. I've heard you have potential."

"From who?"

"Several people. Tseng and Rufus, mainly." He shrugs, his green coat shifting stiffly with the movement. "That'd better be true." I shrug, ignoring the stares of the unknown passengers in the elevator. "You don't think so?"

"I really don't know."

"Well then what am I paying you for?" He throws his head back. "Gya ha ha ha!" Gods, what a horrible laugh.

"As far as I know, sir, you aren't paying me."

The air in the elevator simply ceases to exist. Not a single soul moves when Heidegger's smile fades and he turns his dark eyes down to me, scratching at his bushy black beard. Grunting, he shakes his head. The elevator stops.

"I'll have you know, Kat, that I was supposed to order your execution a decade ago. You might want me on your side."

With that, he's gone, towering over the rest of the Shinra employees like the goliath he is. Shaking my head, I cross my arms and look at my feet, ignoring the stares of the others in the confined space. No one speaks until I get off. From there, I head to the President's office, waiting for the guards to let me in before walking that long, grim carpet up to Rufus's desk. He glances up, setting his pen aside and straightening. He looks terrible. Dark circles trace his eyes and his suit is wrinkled in hundreds of places. The desk is a horrific mess.