"Welcome everyone, thank you for coming." President Shinra greeted everyone at the massive round table. "We are going to discuss various topics at this meeting but I'd like to start with the Avalanche.. Tseng, you and Cloud didn't manage to exterminate them yesterday. They must be exterminated very soon before they plan to blow up another reactor."
"They are very skilled fighters and plotters. They have a secret hideout somewhere in sector seven, that's for sure," Tseng said, who looked a lot more awake today. He sat next to Cloud, who sat next to his co-Turk Elena.
"I say we should just totally drop the sector seven plate. That way, Avalanche will for sure be dead and will not cause any more problems," Scarlet said. She was in her dark red gown as usual, sitting on President Shinra's right, opposite the Turks.
"That's a good idea Scarlet..." President Shinra pondered, rubbing his chin.
Jinette Samins, who worked in the weapons department but was also head of public safety and maintenance and sat on her husband Reeve's right objected "That's preposterous! You are not serious."
Scarlet nodded. "Of course."
"Imagine all the people who would die. We will be sure to lose business too when people find out."
"We blame it on Avalanche," Said the president.
"What about the innocent people?" Jinette demanded.
"Do you have another suggestion Jinette?" The president asked, giving the woman a hard look. "The Turks failed the last mission I gave them to assassinate Avalanche. It will take a while to locate their secret hideout and while we are trying to find them, they could be plotting another scheme!"
"But what about the innocent people sir? Why should they pay for Avalanche's mistakes?"
Scarlet interjected: "Those people below the plate are just uneducated, low-life-losers. All they do is commit crime, drink alcohol, do drugs, and prostitution. We have nothing to lose if we just drop the plate!"
A few people around the table nodded in agreement. Jinette shook her head in disgust. "Why, Scarlet. You couldn't have described yourself better."
Scarlet turned to look at her ex partner. If looks could kill, Jinette would have turned to ash. She slowly shook her head. "I wouldn't talk to me like that if I were you honey."
"If we do drop the plate," Reeve interrupted, before his wife got into a cat fight with Scarlet. "What will happen to sector seven?"
Scarlet answered: "Sector seven can be re-builded into a better environment which can inhabit better people." Scarlet said.
Cloud, who had been sitting quietly next to Elena looked at Scarlet in disdain. Spoilt slut, He thought. Even though he didn't think much of the people below the plate - or anyone for that matter, he still thought it was a crazy idea. Elena, was thinking the same thing. On the other hand his father was thinking the exact opposite.
"Maybe they can become better people if we give them more attention and help them develop their environment," Jinette stated.
"That can't happen," said president Shinra.
"Yes it can. If-"
"That's not the issue here!" the president cut her off. "The issue is how are we going to eliminate Avalanche! Now, Scarlet suggested dropping the plate and I currently agree with her!"
"President Shinra, you're not serious are you?" Jinette asked.
"Of course I'm serious!"
"Sir," she said, her voice rising, "aren't I the head of the godamn CITY SAFETY of this company!"
"And aren't I the boss of the whole comapny?" President Shinra replied calmly.
Jinette shook her head, and ran a hand through her short black curls, her hazel eyes glistening. She swallowed hard, and her fists tightened. All of a sudden she became ashamed to work for Shinra.
"All in favour of dropping the plate raise your hand," said the old Shinra president.
Jinette's hand stayed down firmly. The president raised his hand, along with Scarlet, Palmer, and the president's assistant Heidegger. All the most powerful four people in Shinra. There were thirteen people round the table in total and six others had put their hand up. Ten against five.
"Good," President Shinra said. "Now that we know how to take care of Avalanche we have nothing standing in our way. The plate will be dropped tomorrow afternoon.Tseng, I am assigning you and the Turks to that mission."
"Yes sir," Tseng said.
"What about the child?" Jinette cut in.
"Oh we don't need the child anymore, not with our new plan," President Shinra replied.
"So what are you gonna do with her?" she questioned, her throat suddenly going dry.
"Mmmm, well, we don't need her anymore so I guess she'll have to be disposed off."
Jinette suddenly went pale and shook her head. "She's only a child..."
"She's the daughter of the leader of Avalanche!" The president snapped.
"Sir-"
"Quiet!" The president exclaimed. Jinette stood up, her eyes welling up with tears
"Sir," Scarlet started. "I really think you should get a replacement for that woman, I mean Reeve is doing just fine without Jinette crying at every little thing."
"Leave her alone!" Reeve snarled.
President Shinra gave scarlet a hard look. "I'll keep that in mind Scarlet," he said.
Scarlet gave Reeve a 'I know what you did' look and he shut up.
And with that Jinette stood up, and stomped out of the massive room on the verge of tears. Reeve stayed where he was, not wanting to share her trouble with the President.
The President shook his head. He looked at Reeve. "You better straighten her out, it'll be a shame to see a good employee go down the drain, wouldn't it?"
Reeve nodded his head quickly. "Yes sir."
The president then changed the subject: "So Hojo, how is the ancient coming along?"
"She's still unconscious, but her health is much better. Cloud really shouldn't have done what he did, that was a major blow to the head. I'd be surprised if she even remembers who she is when she wakes up- if she wakes up."
"I just hope she does, I want my promised land soon..."
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Jinette quickly stalked to her office and slammed the door shut behind her. She took in deep breaths. Her back leaned against the door. She took in slow deep breaths then went and sat down at her desk. She put her head in her hands. Shinra... She shook her head. I can't let them do that... no way... man, what have I been thinking! All these years working with Shinra...
She had to stop them somehow. Yes, she'd have to go and tell the people of sector seven. Maybe even that rebel group Avalanche could help, if she could find them. No matter what, she had to do something. She might be betraying Shinra in the process but she realised dropping the plate was wrong, and she had to do something about it. Maybe Reeve could help her- no. She looked up. No. Reeve wouldn't help her. She knew how loyal he was to Shinra. Not to mention the problems they had been having in their marriage. The problems which she had caused.
Three months ago Jinette had accused Reeve of cheating on her. Reeve was shocked at the accusation and totally denied it and became extremely upset that she would even accuse him of such a thing. She was very sorry and had apologised a lot. Ever since then their relation ship became patchy and they got into a lot of arguments. Jinette always felt it was her fault and became very guilty of ever accusing Reeve. She still loved Reeve with all her heart but these days, especially now, she felt Reeve was different and she still had her doubts about him having an affair.
She shook her head and thought back to the matters at hand. That little girl who had been kidnapped by Tseng and Cloud yesterday was being held captive in a cell in the Shinra building at this very moment. Now that President Shinra didn't need her anymore, he would do something terrible to her, and she couldn't let that happen. The other girl too, the ancient who Hojo and President shinra wanted so much was too being held captive somewhere in Hojo's cells and didn't look to happy. Jinette had seen the terrible things Hojo had done to his lab 'specimens' once when getting some equipment from his lab. It wasn't a pretty site and was what she'd call cruel. She had to do something but what? Hojo's lab had top security and even a shinra executive like her wouldn't be able to get through so easily.
She signed and shook her head sadly. There was nothing she could do for the ancient. She turned around in her chair and faced the large window overlooking the city. A sad, small smile crossed her face. And Shinra, well, he should be the one to be disposed of... What a... beautiful city.
The door opened and the dark hared man she had just been thinking about walked in.
"Knock, why don't you," Jinette said. She turned around in her chair to face him.
"Sorry," Reeve said slowly. He walked up to her and kneeled down in front of her and took her hand. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Reeve, would you help me..." She looked directly into his brown eyes. "They're going to drop the plate-"
Reeve interrupted her with a sign. "A couple of people dead, get over it."
Jinette's eyes widened angrilly. "A couple of people? Get over it? You didn't just say what I think you said did you?"
"Oh Jinnie, why do you care all of a sudden? When you first joined Shinra twelve years ago you were a Turk. You were an ASSASSIN, someone who KILLS people. Why now do you care now all of a sudden?"
"Because it's wrong!"
"You didn't seem to think that as a Turk."
"I've changed," she replied, not wanting to recall past memories.
"Three years later you found you had a talent for machinery and got promoted to the weapons department during the war, and I must say, you and Scarlet made pretty fancy machinery then which killed not hundreds but THOUSANDS of people."
"..........." She let go of Reeve's hand and stood up, turning her back to him. "I've been trying to forget that," she said with a shaky voice.
Reeve stood up as well, and walked in front of her to face her again. "How can you? You still work at Shinra and every day you walk through those doors you should be a reminded of what you did. Oh and no one could forget those spectacular bombs. Oh what a... murderous fire work display..."
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Jinette screamed.
"Oh get a hold of yourself!"
"So what are you saying! I should carry on sinning?" Jinette couldn't believe Reeve was speaking like this.
"No. You've probably committed enough sins to last three life times but-"
"Which is why seven years later I changed and began to work with the public safety department with Heidegger to try and repair my mistakes."
"No one could ever repair your mistakes Jinette. But, why the change now Jinette? You were always a cold person and didn't care about anyone but yourself-"
"Reeve why did you marry me?" She asked suddenly.
"What?"
"Why did you marry me Reeve, if I'm such a horrible, cold person?"
".........." Finally, Reeve was speechless.
" 'Cos I know one thing, I changed seven years later because I met you. And what you said about not caring about anyone but myself isn't true. Because I cared about you, Reeve, and lord help me but-" Her voice broke. "I ...still do." With those last words, Jinette turned around and strode out of her office in tears.
Reeve felt a pang of guilt as she said those words. He realised he had
been a bit nasty, and his affair with Scarlet only made things worse, but
Jinette was right. Why did he marry her? These days he didn't know. He
thought he had loved Jinette in the beginning but these days he just wasn't
so sure.
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