Return of the Turks Part 3
Captivity
By Brendan Rowan
Red’s normally brilliant and clear mind was now muggy and clouded. He had no idea where he was or why. All he could remember was Reno, Rude and that strange figure. After a few seconds he regained his senses and began to take stock of the situation. He couldn’t see a thing, either because of Ultima affecting his eyesight or lack of light; most of his body was numb as a result of Ultima, but he could tell he had a collar placed around his neck; but the most evident and annoying was the incredible pain within, he felt as if none of his organs had any tissue, that everything inside him was running loose, he prayed, of course, that this wasn’t true. After this moment of reflection, Red decided to walk around his prison of sorts. He rose to his feet and took a step. Nothing happened. He took a few more steps in the same direction with the same result.
“Where am I?” Red thought out loud.
“The laboratory of the Neo-Turks.” Said a voice rarely heard even by those who call them his friends.
“Vincent?!”
“Yes. Red, I presume.”
“Vincent how did you get here?”
“Long story.”
“I think we’ve got time.”
“No.”
Okay,” said Red trying to hold back his curiosity. His attempts however valiant were unsuccessful. “Come on, why not?”
“Curiosity killed the cat.” Vincent replied.
“Grrrrrr…”
“…Alright.” Vincent reolied reluctantly, “I was… searching for Lucrecia…”
Cloud walked slowly to the Nibleheim Mansion with much on his mind. He knew
he should have gone with Barrett and the guilt of desertion weighed down
upon him heavily.
“I’m sorry Barrett, Tifa. I… I’m just not ready. Aeris…” Cloud began to weep again. While after Sephiroth he had always thought that some how he would get her back when he was defeated, but Sephiroth was dead as was Aeris. But there had to be a way to get her back
He arrived at the gate of the mansion with tears in his eyes and lead in his heart. He made his way slowly up the stone path to the mansion which was the symbol of everything he despised most. Shinra. He slowly opened the age old doors and stepped inside the huge antechamber. He paused for a moment at first, but then walked up the stone stairs and into the kitchen. He slowly approached the corner with the secret passage. He ran his hand along the stone until he felt a rock different from the others. He pushed against it with all his strength and the stone swung back revealing the rotted stairs into the basement. He took a step, and then another, and another until he was once again walking down the stairs to which led him to his personal hell. He stepped off the final stair and into the dark and foreboding basement. He had taken no more than two steps when an annoying group of bats attacked him. Cloud was, however, in no mood to fight and simply ran from the tiny creatures. He passed the room which had held Vincent captive for so long and finally approached the door to the old library and lab. He sighed and opened the door.
The heat emitting from Cid’s welding torch was slowly melting through
his gloves and into his hands. He finally felt the pain and reacted instantly.
“Shit!” He roared as he hurled his melting gloves at the ground. He’d been working for hours without a break and definitely should have stopped earlier.
After a second of depression he glanced at his watch and noted that Barrett should have been back three hours ago.
“Oh God, the stupid ass probably wrecked it somewhere. When will he learn…?”
“Barrett when will you learn not to pull things like this?!” Tifa
screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Tifa this is hardly the time ta’ be dissing me!” Barrett yelled back. And he was right. The Highwind was plummeting to the ground at full speed.
“Tifa… brace yourself!”
But no amount of bracing could prepare the two for the shocking impact of the Highwind crashing into the earth. First the airship tore through the tree canopy. The tips of larger trees either broke off in the front or folded and slammed into the cockpit. One tore past Barrett and buried itself into the deck where Vincent would usually stand sending shards of metallic shrapnel flying towards Tifa. The lithe young woman easily ducked behind the seat but put her back to the window. Seconds later another treetop burst through the window and forced itself deep into Tifa’s left shoulder blade. Blood poured from the wound but the worst was yet to come.
Barret was still in the pilot’s seat trying to regain what the control over the ship he once had. This took all of his concentration and he failed to notice Tifa, who was struggling at the gates of perdition.
The Highwind had now made it’s way into the middle of the forest and didn’t have a hope of survival against the thicker sections of the trees. The enormous airship was thrashed about like flower in a hurricane, the machinery crackled and blended with the explosions littering the deck. Tifa’s fluttering eyelids blocked much most of anything to see, she could make out one fleeting image. The remnants of the city Mideel.
“Continue,” Said Red in anxiety.
“I was searching for Lucrec…”
Vincent was interrupted by a blinding light which suddenly flooded the room. The light was then accompanied by a vaguely familiar voice.
“Good morning,” the voice said without expression.
“You’re the one I fought in Midgar!” Red said confidently. “Who are you?”
“Tseng, formerly of the Turks, now leader of the Neo-Turks. Any more questions before I begin?”
Vincent answered instantly. “Yeah, where the hell is Lucrecia?”
“We’ll get to that soon. Anything else?”
“Aren’t you dead?” Red asked obviously puzzled.
“Obviously not. Now let’s get down to business. You two, and all of your little team, are going to work for… with me if you like. You have no choice.”
“No choice my ass,” Vincent replied with a scowl. “No way I’m goin’ back to you assholes. I’ll never work for you again.”
“But would you do it for Lucrecia? With the power we’ll get you could get her back. And Red, I know you’d love to see Bugenhagen again. Those are your options, refuse and die; or accept and gain incredible power and regain the company of your loved ones. You have one day to decide. Take the former we’ll kill you tomorrow, take the latter and you’ll be released to help us. Think about it. Think hard.”
With that the light disappeared and the cell became dark and desolate again. The only noise to be heard was that of weeping and a weak voice whispering repeatedly into the darkness, “Grandpa, grandpa, grandpa…”