Story Fragment: The Littlest Hostage
Author’s note: This was meant to take place during the game, shortly after the Turks snatched Marlene to hold her hostage. Surely someone had to be keeping an eye on her during that time. I figure it was Reno, seeing as he’d recently been injured in Sector 7.
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But why do we have to watch the kid?”
“Because those are your orders,” the Turk leader replied, before turning on his heel and hurrying out the door to the waiting ShinRa helicopter… not that there was any rush at the moment, but Tseng really didn’t care to listen to Reno’s whining any longer. The younger Turk had been in a black mood since Avalanche had temporarily put him out of commission at the Sector 7 pillar, and though Reno was a fast healer, Tseng wasn’t quite willing to return him to full active duty just yet. Reno was less than thrilled by his first “assignment”.
“S-sir… Can’t I come with you instead?” Tseng’s newest team member queried hesitantly, following him outside. Apparently, Elena didn’t much care for Reno’s mood either.
“Are you questioning my orders, Elena?” he asked.
“No! I-I mean, no, sir!” the rookie replied, wide-eyed, shaking her head in denial.
“Listen, Elena… I know this doesn’t seem especially important, but the girl will be invaluable as a hostage. We’re going to need her if we’re to have any hope of recovering the Keystone.. Rude is keeping tabs on Avalanche, along with our other little spy among their ranks. As soon as they find it for us, we’ll trade the girl for the stone,” he patiently explained, “Normally, I’d feel perfectly comfortable sparing one person to watch her, but Reno’s hardly at his best… no matter how much he claims to the contrary… and you’re not ready to work on your own yet.”
“Yes, sir,” Elena said, her tone belying her disappointment. With a final nod, Tseng boarded the helicopter. Elena stood, watching the aircraft lift off, the rotors slicing through the still evening air of Kalm. When it was out of sight at last, she turned and walked back inside, determined that she’d do her best, no matter what the assignment. She’d show Tseng that she was ready to be a Turk. If Tseng ordered her to babysit, then she was going to do a damned good job of it.
But as she stepped into the comfortably furnished house, she paled… their hostage was nowhere in sight.
“RENO!? Where is she!?” she cried, on the verge of panic. Reno was stretched out on the sofa, watching TV, as if nothing was wrong.
“Huh?”
“The girl, Reno… Where is she?!”
“Oh her…” Reno replied, offhandedly, giving his teammate a dismissive wave, “She’s over there in the corner, hiding behind the chair.”
Elena peeked behind the large, overstuffed armchair, and sure enough, there was their hostage, her knees tucked against her chest, face buried in her arms, sniffling softly.
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