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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 5:57:38 GMT
A couple more agents dropped. Reno gave Nikky an approving look. "Not bad." She's a keeper, all right!
Most of the enemy Turks were picked off by now, but a few stragglers remained, Tseng included. It's not easy to tell which one he is... d**n those uniforms. Everybody looks the same.
Ami kept on wriggling, but she was making little progress. She tried using her nails to scratch through the ropes, but that got her nowhere fast.
She rolled over and tried to get her legs under her, but that only made matters worse. A couple survivors began dragging her inside.
Reno and Rude shot after them a few more times, despite the risk of hitting Ami by mistake, but a few moments later, the roof was empty.
Rude huffed. "I was afraid of this. Now we'll have to do this the boring way."
Reno looked at him sidelong. "As in, the sneaky way?"
"Uh-huh." He turned to Nikky. "This is where that suit comes in..."
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 6:01:55 GMT
nikky blinked at him. she was unsure what he had in mind... but she was sure they depended on it. she glanced about. ''okay... what do i do??'' she looked back seriously.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 6:06:30 GMT
((Check your inbox... then post accordingly))
Reno did not look like he much enjoyed the sound of this plan. "Partner... I don't think we should..."
"Relax, Reno," Rude said. "You know the protocols... they won't harm her for that kind of slip-up. And that's all they'll have time to assume it is before we've finished out part. There are certain risks, of course, but I thought you liked those."
"Only when they involve me, not when they involve my girl."
"I think your girl is old and capable enough to decide for herself whether she wants to go along with this. If not, I'll have to formulate a new plan." He crossed his arms. "Well?"
Reno waited for her to answer, eyes betraying his concern.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 6:10:58 GMT
nikky grinned, this proved fun. ''if you don't mind reno...'' she grinned at him slightly. ''i think this would be fun... and logical in a way. i'll do it.'' she liked this kinda stuff... not all the shooting.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 6:19:55 GMT
Reno did mind... but she looked like she was happy to get on with it-- she was even smiling.
He went to her and took her hand. "OK..." His eyes dropped. "If you think you can do this..." He looked her in the eyes again. "...I trust you."
He briefly kissed her and placed his other hand on her face. "Just promise you'll be careful, OK?" His tone was low and apprehensive... he wanted her to realize how serious this was.
Rude waited a moment. He was confident in his plan, but all the same, he knew there was a very real chance this might be the last time the two ever touched each other.
He glanced back over at the parking complex, just a few roofs over from this hidden Shinra building... and down at the van...
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 6:25:24 GMT
nikky kissed him back and nodded. ''i will... you need not worry reno.'' she hugged him before turning to rude. she waited for him to tell her when to go in and give her the IDcard.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 6:33:26 GMT
Rude dug out his wallet. "Very good. Let's all pray to G** you're a good actress..." He handed over the punch card. "Give us a few minutes to get back to the complex, and remember, tell her you're with the experimental task force."
He turned to Reno. "Let's get moving, partner."
Reno nodded, falling into step behind his superior. He looked back at Nikky one last time, praying inside that it wouldn't be THE last time.
He flashed a half-grin at her as he and Rude headed back to the parking garage...
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 6:43:57 GMT
she took it and nodded. ''alright....'' she smiledback at reno as she watched them leave. she waited a few before walking towards the doors.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 6:54:52 GMT
Rude loaded the last couple of weapons they had available into the back of the motorcycle as Reno got busy trying to hotwire it.
"Sheez... the girl leaves her boyfriend her necklace to prove she's coming back. OK, cool, nice gesture. But... could she have possibly taken her IGNITION KEY off it first? I mean, G**!"
Rude ignored him. He knew Reno only got gripy like this when he was worried.
Reno got on board the cycle as it roared to life. "If Ami hears about this, she's gonna split me wide open, yo. She loves this bike."
"I think she'll find it in her heart to forgive you," Rude replied dryly, getting on behind him, one sniper rifle still in hand. "I left the Sacrifice over there with Kidd to decrease our weight... we'll barely make it on the weight we've got."
Reno steered the cycle up to the roof. Sure enough, some fresh guards were there to protect the access point-- rookies, Rude could tell just by looking at them. It was in the way they stood and moved, the way they kept chattering nervously as if expecting the sky to fall.
They'll be called back to check on Nikky's false identification. When they disappear, we're on our way. He braced the rifle against his shoulder as the cycle idled...
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 6:57:09 GMT
nikky walked up and presented the false card without hesitation. she faltered none and waited.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 7:00:46 GMT
The receptionist eyed the girl with slight suspicion. "Don't remember seeing you around here before..." She looked back at the card. A legitimate ID... better run it through the machine first. She inserted it into the electronic reading machine before giving Nikky a funny look. Doesn't she remember the protocols? "State name and business," the receptionist prompted.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 7:07:00 GMT
nikky smiled coolly and nodded. ''i am here for anexperimental task force. my name....'' she spoke calmly. ''is of no importance....'' she tried to hide the grin, all she was doing was distracting. ''but if you must know.... it is Courtney Love. but courtney is spelled with a ''e-y'' instead of just a ''y''....'' she remained calm.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 7:24:09 GMT
The receptionist waved off any further explanations. "Yeah, yeah." These thingy-a** rookies are all the same. Too bad there aren't more senior members who stuck with the company...
The card finished processing. The receptionist blinked. Maybe more senior members are with the company right now than I thought. "Courtney Love, you say?"
The result the card had returned indicated its current owner was none other than Rude, one of the latest people to populate Rufus Shinra's most wanted list.
She looked back up. "Excuse me, miss, but who issued you this card?" She pressed a button under her desk, summoning security to her aid. Either this girl is working with him, or else he stole her card and swapped it with his. Neither alternative is good, but until I get to the bottom of this, I can't do anything to the girl without direct approval from Rufus himself.
****
The rookies disappeared.
Reno's eyes narrowed. I'm coming for you, Nikky.
He started up the cycle, headed towards the opposite side of the building, swung around, and began heading for the roof edge facing the office building as fast as the engines would go.
Rude got out the remote control lock, clutching it as the cycle picked up speed... and jumped to the opposite roof, still on its way to the office building. There's two more gaps to go. Next jump, I hit the alarm... and the car bomb detonates. That ought to give us just the right amount of time to get inside and secure the top floor.
****
Ami was roughly escorted into a dimly lit room. Her bonds were cut and she was shoved into a chair, facing a desk. A leather chair was on the other side of the desk, and it didn't take a genius to know who was sitting in it.
Only the two agents standing on either side of her kept her from leaping right at him and tearing him to shreds right then and there. She sat quietly and waited for the monster to introduce himself.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Oct 14, 2006 7:30:52 GMT
nikky smiled slyly. ''it matters not....'' her tone remained the same, her voice calming. she maintained eye contact. come on you guys... i can't hold off all these guys...
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 14, 2006 7:43:33 GMT
"I'm afraid it really does," the receptionist replied in a tone frigid enough to make a polar bear's teeth chatter. I've been dealing with would-be assassins and terrorists for nearly twenty years. This girl doesn't stand a chance of outcooling me.
Some twenty security guards had gathered in the lobby, and not one of them seemed happy to see Nikky...
****
As the cycle's tires entered the dead space between buildings a second time, Rude hit the button, and a massive explosion rocked the entire block.
Reno's teeth rattled from the spread of its sonic waves, but he kept the cycle steady as it hit the next roof and geared up to reach its final destination...
****
The receptionist screamed and took cover as the building shook with the boom of the blast.
The security guards stumbled slightly as another detachment of their company trooped down the stairs to check out the explosion's source and deal with its cause...
****
Reno braced himself as the cycle entered middle space one more time... and contacted the new Shinra headquarters' roof with a jarring thud and screech of tires. He turned it broadside and braked it to an emergency stop, just short of sliding off the roof's other side.
Rude aimed the rifle at the roof access door, dispatching the padlock with a single shot. "Let's move, partner!" He got off the bike, retrieved some more rifle rounds from Ami's bike compartment, and barreled for the roof access door. Reno dug into the back of the bike and grabbed his EMR, another sniper rifle, and Ami's swords. She'll want these when we come across her.
****
Ami heard the commotion and had to suppress a smile, despite herself. Thanks for the assist, guys. She tilted her head slightly. Rufus seems oddly unaffcted by all this... maybe he isn't. How can I tell when all I can see of the man is the back of his chair?
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