'No one is fit to be trusted with power- besides me.' [Complete]

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Character(s): Rufus Shinra, Reno of the Turks
Content: Reno tracks down the Boss-man
Setting: Joutenheim
Time: Sometime during the day, after these posts but before this particular post.
Warnings: It's Reno. That's warning enough in itself. Language, possible discussion of unsavory illicit activities.




Rufus pulled sharply once on the edge of his pristine white coat, straightening any possible wrinkles from his suit before venturing a few steps closer into the area. He knew better than to move from this spot, knowing that the chances of being found while stationary were significantly higher. And for once, he might actually have to rely on additional methods to being found by his Turk.

Everyone was a blond.

It didn't unnerve Rufus exactly, but was enough of an oddity that it made him wary. He had been one of the few blonds to grace Midgar. This much uniformity was strange at best, scientifically manipulated at worst. And this Shinra has had enough of scientists playing at god to last him the rest of his very long life.

Not that he couldn't find other uses for them.

What Rufus really wanted to know, however, was what manner of world they had stumbled upon and who exactly the players in charge were. He would have recognized this place if it had been part of the ShinRa Empire. There existed no place of this nature back on Gaia, Rufus very much aware that ShinRa had conquered and dominated all available land in the known world. It just did not make sense.

Tseng, if he were here, would have at least formed some theory to be tested and investigated.

Tseng. Rufus would not be surprised if the man followed him here.

But right now, Rufus had Reno. And although many would not see Reno as an asset, Rufus did, and was very much aware of how much damage and collateral damage Reno could cause if pressed.

And so Rufus waited for his Turk to show up, glancing benignly at those passing him by.

Comments

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus might have agreed to this verbally, if he didn't already know that Reno understood.

"I doubt you were close to Sephiroth," Rufus remarked dryly, knowing how aloof the man had been towards anyone not under his protection, "and the pilot's idea of fun hardly coincides with yours. Fair?"

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

"That's the one, yo. And I ain't ever been to close to Sephiroth, for future reference."

As far as he's concerned the only person who's actually tolerable out of the whole of SOLDIER is (was?) Zack - the rest weren't particularly interesting. Or a little too interesting. Case in point, Sephiroth and his numerous attempts to destroy the world.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus just smirked, finding the statement too obvious for a response.

The normal sounds of a train station caught his attention then, making Rufus' eyebrow raise in question. It seemed every strange natives had to commute, though Rufus did catch a glimpse here and there of people who didn't fit into the native mode.

"A trip then? Be sure you don't get us lost, Reno." Rufus was starting to get tired and was no mood to wander about aimlessly. Recovering from Geostigma was no trip to the Golden Saucer, and Rufus was starting to feel it keenly.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

"I know where I'm goin', yo. 'Sides, I ain't up for walkin' all the way there." And if he wasn't up for it, it stood to reason that Rufus wouldn't be.

"'Sides, it got me here, didn't it?"

They might have to wait a bit for the next train, but no matter - waiting was easy, and it gave them a bit of time to buy tickets.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus doesn't mind the waiting. It's the pointless wandering that he has a problem with.

And he'll stand near the platform, taking in the various sights and sounds and storing them away for later. In addition, he wasn't aware of where Reno wanted to head towards; letting the Turk purchase the tickets for them both would be prudent.

"Reno. A private cabin."

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

"Sure thing, boss." And with little more than that, he's slouching off in the general direction of the ticket stand. It shouldn't take too long and it's not like he'll be far. Besides, he's well aware of the fact that Rufus can take care of himself if he has to.

A few moments later and a few gil lighter in the pocket, he's back, tickets in hand. Now the only thing left is to wait for the train itself.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus flicks his hair out of his eyes, staring blandly at one particular native standing too close to him. Never mind that the native had been standing in that particular area first.

Rufus looked towards the area Reno had disappeared to once the native moved away with a smile, wondering idly whether this place accepted gil.

Once the Turk returned, slouched and slinking, Rufus enjoyed the silence for a moment before continuing where he left off. "I'm slightly disappointed to not see Tseng here."

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

If Reno were a little more daring (or a little more drunk) he'd have answered 'yeah, well I didn't expect to see you here either.' Luckily, he managed to catch that thought before it saw the light of day. No need to give Rufus any more ammo, after all.

"Guess we'll just haveta wait, yo. Ain't seen anything much resembling rhyme'r reason to the way people show up."

Or even from when in the timeline they showed up, and the concept of a Tseng who wasn't a Turk showing up wasn't something he wanted to think about just at the moment.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

And now they approach the big gil question: just how had Reno shown up? Rufus noticed that the redhead wasn't giving him any specific details by any means, and knew it could lend to fact that he was being cautious. Either way, he'd been pretty open to discussing other aspects of this place.

"And you? Did you decide to jump through a crack that miraculously transported you here?"

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

Quite unsurprisingly, there's a rather good reason for that. Or reasons, actually - starting with the fact that it's a little embarrassing and ending with the fact that he'd rather not admit to some of the things it involved.

"Later." Like when there's not quite so many people that could overhear.

Like... on the train, which is just now beginning to pull into the station.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

"Ah. That kind of story. I'm sure I'll enjoy it," Rufus responded, taking a step up onto the train once it had slowed. He waved a hand back towards Reno when the ticket taker requested his pass, slightly relieved that the train was relatively empty.

Then again, Rufus wasn't sure himself how he came to be here. Maybe Reno's story will shed some light?

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

It'll shed something at least - although it might not paint Reno in the best light, given that he ... hadn't exactly told Rufus what he was doing before he heading off. The other Turks, sure, albeit in bits, but not Rufus.

And in either case he's not going to speak up until the door of their little cabin is firmly shut. As a matter of fact, he'll shut it himself, just to be on the safe side.

"How much do you know about what Kendrick was up to?"

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus has seen Reno in many different lights, and if he hadn't found disuse for him yet, it's doubtful he will now.

Although, being a person who valued control and knowledge and order, Rufus might be a little irritated with Reno (and those Turks who saw fit not to inform him of what was going on) for not telling him of what was happening in his company.

"Kendrick. The new head scientist?" Rufus tried to wrack his memory for the few project proposals the professor had submitted. None had seemed all that alarming; better yet, the man was adhering to Rufus' imposition of using alternative fuel. Couldn't let the public have something to complain about, could he?

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

Well, they'd hoped they could get things all dealt with before Rufus noticed. Sadly life (and Paixao) had to interfere before that could happen, although Reno, at least, is moderately grateful that he's not innatank'd anymore. The method might be a little odd, but hey, he's not complaining.

"Yeah. That's him. Anyway, turns out the guy had the bright idea to try bringin' back the SOLDIER project. Had some guys workin' with him on it too."

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Pity that. It seemed that Murphy's Law had inevitably struck again.

Rufus is a little taken aback by that news, realizing a moment later that he had never outright condemned the resurrection of that project. However, after the episode the planet had gone through, Rufus assumed that the people under his employ were intelligent enough to steer clear of anything that would cause ShinRa's shame.

Obviously, he thought wrong.

"I gave no such order," Rufus stated, not a declaration to Reno but a statement of fact. "I take it you were doing a little spring cleaning?"

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

Well, ShinRa doesn't exactly have the greatest track record with scientists - at least not if Hojo and Hollander are any indication. Not that Reno's going to be the one to mention it.

"That was the gen'ral idea at least. Of course, the gen'ral idea didn't take into the account that I was all but walkin' into a trap. 'Parently Kendrick needed a test subject an' thought a Turk'd do."

Why no, he's not a little bitter at that, why do you ask.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

ShinRa needed more stringent criteria when picking head scientists? After all, Rufus can only be held accountable for this latest personnel. Apparently, he didn't spend enough time culling the crops.

Rufus didn't even notice Reno's bitterness, if any existed in his tone of voice. His eyes had narrowed dangerously at those words, the only outward evidence of his anger and sudden, dangerous urge to see personally to someone's demise.

One of his Turks. One of his Turks. How DARE the man.

When Rufus came back, he would show Kendrick the results of playing with people that were not his. And if there was anything left of the coward...well...Rufus was sure that Reno would enjoy a little sport then.

"Apparently you managed to wriggle your way out," Rufus commented evenly, no trace of the emotions he was feeling seeping through.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

Oh, Reno would be quite willing to show Kendrick what happens when you piss off a Turk. And he was fairly certain that Rufus would let him have his fun with the man first - a thought that had had him all but smirking already.

But that could wait until later, given that the man was back on Gaia at the moment. Besides, sometimes the wait made just that more satisfying in the end. And one way or another Kendrick would get what was coming to him, that was sure.

"...Well, that was the idea at least..."

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus only raised his eyebrow at that, letting it ask the proverbial 'oh~?' for him. He was very aware that Reno wasn't reporting everything, withholding facts for some reasons that Rufus can very well fathom.

Either way, he'll be expecting a full report of the incident on his desk as soon as they returned.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

There's a brief pause in which Reno desperately tries to both not squirm too much under Rufus' piercing gaze and try to come up with some way to answer the unspoken question that wouldn't paint him in absolutely horrible light.

Of course, to Rufus, this is quite probably a very clear indicator that Reno really, really doesn't want admit something.

"Did you know he's got one of those tank things? The ones Hojo liked to use on his experiments?" he asks finally, in a voice that's just a bit too cheerful for the topic at hand.

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus has known Reno long enough to pick up on the clues. He knows Reno is irreverent, happy-go-lucky at times, but he also knows Reno is faking it this very moment. He made it his job to study people and their mannerism, to gauge whether they were a risk.

And even if he did not possess that skill, Reno's slightly off tone more than gave away the picture.

"He sealed you in," Rufus stated because what other use could there be for an immersion tank?

Kendrick...was going to live. And be torn limb from limb.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

And just like that, Reno's attitude goes back to being something a good deal more appropriate to the conversation at hand. Only with a slight hint of what could be called embarrassment, if a term absolutely had to fitted to it.

"Yeah. Fucking bastard must've been a real hurry to get started 'r something." Okay. Maybe less embarrassment and more anger, but whatever. "Damn things are fucking creepy, yo."

That would be the tanks, for those following along at home.

And interestingly, he doesn't seem to be showing any signs of having been makoized despite being stuck into one of the tanks. How very odd...

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

"I doubt time was a luxury he had," Rufus remarked dryly, thinking back to previous scientists who had wasted millions on building back-up labs, auxiliary testing sites, and test products for their craft. Kendrick didn't have that pleasure or resource at his disposal.

"You're better equipped to commiserate with Fair now." Rufus knew there was more. He waited for Reno to continue.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

There was a short bark of a laugh at that. "Think I'm keepin' this one to myself, yo. 'Sides it wasn't like I was there all that long."

Just long enough to realize it was creepy as all fuck and not at all his cup of metaphorical tea and then he'd ... just kind of found himself standing outside the gates rather abruptly.

"Mighta given the guy a bit'f a surprise though, when I left."

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus shifted in his seat, leaning back and draping one arm on the window sill by his seat. It looked like they were going to be on that train for some time, and Rufus was starting to get really tired. Normally, he wouldn't show such blatant weakness in front of another person, but this was Reno, someone who's seen him at his worst and lowest.

"...And just how did you leave? As I recall, you couldn't open those tanks but from the outside." Unless one had SOLDIER strength and a driven need to escape.

[theansweris4.livejournal.com]

Well, the city was decently large, and no one ever said it was a straight shot from where they were to where they were going. Then again, most trains didn't go directly to point B from Point A if they were inner-city type trains.

"I ... well, you prob'ly ain't gonna believe this but I just kinda... vanished, yo. Least near as I can figure that's what happened. I ain't too sure about it."

[son-of-a-boss.livejournal.com]

Rufus could believe it. After all, the same thing had happened to him. He still wasn't very sure on his own advent to this place but from the way Reno describes it, there could be a purpose.

Either way, he was secretly grateful that his Turk didn't have to suffer the fate of mako infusions.

He stroked a hand down his jacket, straightening any potential wrinkles.

"And the contents of the tank?" The question had to be asked sooner or later.