Midgar, Wednesday
.... Ino wasn't in the ShinRa building. Heck, the receptionist at the front desk swore up and down that she hadn't been seen since yesterday when they'd headed out, him for his assignment, and her for shopping. And Zack was going to take the receptionist at her word. After all, Ino was... pretty distinctive around here, what with her flowery dresses and jingly earrings and that laugh that made the hair on the back of his neck prickle.
He tried phoning her. No answer. He tried both phones that she carried around nowadays. Still no answer.
And then he clenched his teeth and pulled an about-face, straight to the elevator.
He was a SOLDIER 1st. If that didn't give him security clearance to the Turk floor, nothing did.
Turk Floor
The Turk floor was the Turk floor and they were a secretive lot which meant only a very limited number of people were ever allowed or wanted on the floor.
By a technicality, however, SOLDIER 1sts were allowed on the floor.
Not that they'd get far on it before being confronted about their presence.
No one but the Turks were permitted without explanation, prompt and concise.
Zack
And if anybody asked Zack, he had damn good reason, as he stepped off of the elevator, giving the small lobby area a quick glance around before pressing forward. If the layout was at all similar to the SOLDIER floor, then the offices would be down that way, and maybe he could find Tseng or something.
He was about to shake down just about anybody for answers, and if the Department of Administrative Research didn't have the answers he was looking for, then nobody did.
Ino wasn't the sort to just disappear.
Rosalind
Well, that might interest a Turk or two…
Perhaps.
And wasn’t Zack lucky in that a Turk-slim, young, and blonde, with short hair, and who probably looked rather familiar to him-was just leaving an office?
Zack
Maybe later, Zack would reflect on this moment and giggle like an idiot. Rosalind was so young compared to what he was used to! Aww!
But for the time being, he was in something just shy of Combat Mode, his brows furrowed and his lips drawn into a tight frown as he approached her.
"Rosalind. Is Tseng in?"
He should be so lucky.
Rosalind
A blink was all the emotion she showed about the fact that he knew her name. That was--troubling. Her profile was low and he wasn't particularly observant so how had her name come to be in his knowledge?
Rosalind, a smaller, younger Rosalind, glanced at him coolly. He wasn't here for pleasure, her eyes told her.
"He's in a meeting."
Zack
"How long will he be?"
When a SOLDIER asked something like that, odds were high that they were asking something with a double meaning. Something more along the lines of, 'will I have to break down the door?'
It was kind of the SOLDIER way. Sorry, Rosalind.
Rosalind
Rosalind drew herself up straighter--which changed little as her posture already had been picture perfect.
It wasn't to intimidate him, it was to keep herself from being intimidated.
"I'll check for you," she said, none of her unease showing. If nothing else, she'd look cool and collected in the face of... a lot of upset SOLDIER. "Wait in the lobby."
Zack
Zack grit his teeth a little, but he nodded. Fine. He could wait, just so long as he wasn't waiting for long.
"Thanks," he said, and at least that managed to come out sounding sincere. He needed the Turks for this. And the Turks, he suspected, were beginning to wonder if they needed Ino. It worked out.
Hopefully.
Rosalind
She turned and headed down the hallway at a brisk, but to all eyes, unhurried pace. Rosalind didn't bother with replying to him--what was she to say? And he obviously was impatient.
And serious.
Rosalind, a few moments later, rapped sharply on the door to Tseng's office.
Then waited for his response. He was in a meeting.
But he'd know his Turks wouldn't interrupt him for no reason.
Tseng
As well he did know, yes. Which didn't mean that Tseng sounded particularly pleased when, from the other side of the door, there was some muffled conversation before that one, simple word:
"Enter."
Now, to see if the reason that he was being interrupted for was a good one.
Rosalind
She didn't hesitate. Hesitating would only rouse Tseng's ire more for wasting his time and Rosalind was a good Rookie of his.
The door was open a bare half second after he'd spoken and she stepped three precise steps in, shutting the door firmly behind her, entirely at attention.
"Sir," she said, keeping her eyes on him and only him. "The SOLDIER 1st Class Zack Fair is insisting he see you. It appears to be--quite urgent."
Her own questions, such as how he knew her name could wait.
Tseng
The corner of Tseng's mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly, as he reached to terminate the video conference he'd been in the middle of. Wonderful.
"He didn't say why?"
Rosalind
"No," she replied. "I did not deem it appropriate to press when taking his--mood--into consideration."
Rosalind had no wish to be flattened by an angry SOLDIER.
"He's alone and waiting in the lobby," Rosalind continued, one of those facts was more important than the other. "Shall I send him in?"
Tseng
While Tseng had difficulty imagining Zack flattening any of his Turks, he certainly could appreciate Rosalind's concern, considering the reputation that most of SOLDIER had earned for themselves around here.
"Very well," he sighed. "Send him in."
Rosalind
She bowed, once and with exacting precision, before letting herself out of the room. Her walk, controlled and quick without looking rushed, meant that it was not long before she was in the lobby, looking at Zack.
"Zack Fair," Rosalind said, "Tseng will see you now."
Zack
"Thanks," Zack said again, giving Rosalind a quick, almost businesslike nod of his own before turning and heading down the hall. Tseng's office, fortunately, was the one with the open door. That saved him from time wasting by having to knock on all of the closed ones. Yay.
Tseng
"Zack." Tseng was standing by the time the SOLDIER peered into his office, his arms crossed over his chest. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
This, of course, translated roughly to 'what the hell are you doing on the Turks floor, Zack?'
Zack
"It's Ino," Zack said, with none of his usual pleasantries, a fact that Tseng was certain to take note of. "I left for a mission yesterday, and when I came back, she was gone."
After a moment's silence under Tseng's thoughtful stare, Zack thought it might be for the best for him to press on. "I mean, the receptionist says she never came back yesterday, and she's not returning any calls. Portals out of Midgar are still down, so she has to be somewhere around... Just..."
He shrugged.
"I'm worried."
Duh, Zack.
Tseng
"And you suppose that the Turks might have a lead?"
Tseng watched Zack carefully for a moment, watched the way the boy's face lit up hopefully at the notion that he might have all of the answers for him. It would be difficult to turn him down, when he knew Zack's face was going to fall again the second after.
"I haven't heard anything on the subject," he replied. And, like clockwork, there went Zack's gaze, hitting the floor like he'd been slapped. "But I can ask my Turks if they've seen anything. Where was she when you last saw her?"
Zack
"Sector Eight," Zack replied, wide-eyed. There came that glimmer of hope, oozing back to him. "That's why I thought maybe the Turks would know something. It... is kinda your jurisdiction, you know?"
Tseng
"Indeed," Tseng agreed, vaguely bemused in spite of the situation. Zack was nothing if not observant when it came to things that people had said to him in the past, he supposed. He had Reno to thank for that one. "Go and talk to the people in Sector Eight, Zack. See if they've seen anything suspicious. I'll get one of my Turks to contact you if we come across any leads."
Zack
Zack managed a tiny smile, nodding as he backed toward the door.
"Thank you, Tseng," he said, and then turned on his heel to leave. This was better than nothing. It wasn't a promise, but at least it was a snowball's chance...
Tseng
"And one more thing, Zack?" Tseng was almost smirking as the SOLDIER paused, looking up to see what he had to say. "The next time you find yourself on this floor, do try to go about your business without terrifying my Turks."
Zack
Zack blinked at Tseng for a moment, at least until comprehension finally dawned. Oh. Rosalind. He'd owe her an apology later, maybe. For now, he was just going to offer Tseng a vaguely remorseful smile, a quick thumbs-up, and then he was going to turn on his heel and leave.
Ask around down in Sector Eight. That much, at least, he could do.
[NFI because you're all stuck on an iiiiislaaaaaaand! And NFB for distance and all that jazz. Preplayed with give_areason, who rocked the weetiny Zack-era Rosalind and coded this puppy like a champ.]
He tried phoning her. No answer. He tried both phones that she carried around nowadays. Still no answer.
And then he clenched his teeth and pulled an about-face, straight to the elevator.
He was a SOLDIER 1st. If that didn't give him security clearance to the Turk floor, nothing did.
Turk Floor
The Turk floor was the Turk floor and they were a secretive lot which meant only a very limited number of people were ever allowed or wanted on the floor.
By a technicality, however, SOLDIER 1sts were allowed on the floor.
Not that they'd get far on it before being confronted about their presence.
No one but the Turks were permitted without explanation, prompt and concise.
Zack
And if anybody asked Zack, he had damn good reason, as he stepped off of the elevator, giving the small lobby area a quick glance around before pressing forward. If the layout was at all similar to the SOLDIER floor, then the offices would be down that way, and maybe he could find Tseng or something.
He was about to shake down just about anybody for answers, and if the Department of Administrative Research didn't have the answers he was looking for, then nobody did.
Ino wasn't the sort to just disappear.
Rosalind
Well, that might interest a Turk or two…
Perhaps.
And wasn’t Zack lucky in that a Turk-slim, young, and blonde, with short hair, and who probably looked rather familiar to him-was just leaving an office?
Zack
Maybe later, Zack would reflect on this moment and giggle like an idiot. Rosalind was so young compared to what he was used to! Aww!
But for the time being, he was in something just shy of Combat Mode, his brows furrowed and his lips drawn into a tight frown as he approached her.
"Rosalind. Is Tseng in?"
He should be so lucky.
Rosalind
A blink was all the emotion she showed about the fact that he knew her name. That was--troubling. Her profile was low and he wasn't particularly observant so how had her name come to be in his knowledge?
Rosalind, a smaller, younger Rosalind, glanced at him coolly. He wasn't here for pleasure, her eyes told her.
"He's in a meeting."
Zack
"How long will he be?"
When a SOLDIER asked something like that, odds were high that they were asking something with a double meaning. Something more along the lines of, 'will I have to break down the door?'
It was kind of the SOLDIER way. Sorry, Rosalind.
Rosalind
Rosalind drew herself up straighter--which changed little as her posture already had been picture perfect.
It wasn't to intimidate him, it was to keep herself from being intimidated.
"I'll check for you," she said, none of her unease showing. If nothing else, she'd look cool and collected in the face of... a lot of upset SOLDIER. "Wait in the lobby."
Zack
Zack grit his teeth a little, but he nodded. Fine. He could wait, just so long as he wasn't waiting for long.
"Thanks," he said, and at least that managed to come out sounding sincere. He needed the Turks for this. And the Turks, he suspected, were beginning to wonder if they needed Ino. It worked out.
Hopefully.
Rosalind
She turned and headed down the hallway at a brisk, but to all eyes, unhurried pace. Rosalind didn't bother with replying to him--what was she to say? And he obviously was impatient.
And serious.
Rosalind, a few moments later, rapped sharply on the door to Tseng's office.
Then waited for his response. He was in a meeting.
But he'd know his Turks wouldn't interrupt him for no reason.
Tseng
As well he did know, yes. Which didn't mean that Tseng sounded particularly pleased when, from the other side of the door, there was some muffled conversation before that one, simple word:
"Enter."
Now, to see if the reason that he was being interrupted for was a good one.
Rosalind
She didn't hesitate. Hesitating would only rouse Tseng's ire more for wasting his time and Rosalind was a good Rookie of his.
The door was open a bare half second after he'd spoken and she stepped three precise steps in, shutting the door firmly behind her, entirely at attention.
"Sir," she said, keeping her eyes on him and only him. "The SOLDIER 1st Class Zack Fair is insisting he see you. It appears to be--quite urgent."
Her own questions, such as how he knew her name could wait.
Tseng
The corner of Tseng's mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly, as he reached to terminate the video conference he'd been in the middle of. Wonderful.
"He didn't say why?"
Rosalind
"No," she replied. "I did not deem it appropriate to press when taking his--mood--into consideration."
Rosalind had no wish to be flattened by an angry SOLDIER.
"He's alone and waiting in the lobby," Rosalind continued, one of those facts was more important than the other. "Shall I send him in?"
Tseng
While Tseng had difficulty imagining Zack flattening any of his Turks, he certainly could appreciate Rosalind's concern, considering the reputation that most of SOLDIER had earned for themselves around here.
"Very well," he sighed. "Send him in."
Rosalind
She bowed, once and with exacting precision, before letting herself out of the room. Her walk, controlled and quick without looking rushed, meant that it was not long before she was in the lobby, looking at Zack.
"Zack Fair," Rosalind said, "Tseng will see you now."
Zack
"Thanks," Zack said again, giving Rosalind a quick, almost businesslike nod of his own before turning and heading down the hall. Tseng's office, fortunately, was the one with the open door. That saved him from time wasting by having to knock on all of the closed ones. Yay.
Tseng
"Zack." Tseng was standing by the time the SOLDIER peered into his office, his arms crossed over his chest. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
This, of course, translated roughly to 'what the hell are you doing on the Turks floor, Zack?'
Zack
"It's Ino," Zack said, with none of his usual pleasantries, a fact that Tseng was certain to take note of. "I left for a mission yesterday, and when I came back, she was gone."
After a moment's silence under Tseng's thoughtful stare, Zack thought it might be for the best for him to press on. "I mean, the receptionist says she never came back yesterday, and she's not returning any calls. Portals out of Midgar are still down, so she has to be somewhere around... Just..."
He shrugged.
"I'm worried."
Duh, Zack.
Tseng
"And you suppose that the Turks might have a lead?"
Tseng watched Zack carefully for a moment, watched the way the boy's face lit up hopefully at the notion that he might have all of the answers for him. It would be difficult to turn him down, when he knew Zack's face was going to fall again the second after.
"I haven't heard anything on the subject," he replied. And, like clockwork, there went Zack's gaze, hitting the floor like he'd been slapped. "But I can ask my Turks if they've seen anything. Where was she when you last saw her?"
Zack
"Sector Eight," Zack replied, wide-eyed. There came that glimmer of hope, oozing back to him. "That's why I thought maybe the Turks would know something. It... is kinda your jurisdiction, you know?"
Tseng
"Indeed," Tseng agreed, vaguely bemused in spite of the situation. Zack was nothing if not observant when it came to things that people had said to him in the past, he supposed. He had Reno to thank for that one. "Go and talk to the people in Sector Eight, Zack. See if they've seen anything suspicious. I'll get one of my Turks to contact you if we come across any leads."
Zack
Zack managed a tiny smile, nodding as he backed toward the door.
"Thank you, Tseng," he said, and then turned on his heel to leave. This was better than nothing. It wasn't a promise, but at least it was a snowball's chance...
Tseng
"And one more thing, Zack?" Tseng was almost smirking as the SOLDIER paused, looking up to see what he had to say. "The next time you find yourself on this floor, do try to go about your business without terrifying my Turks."
Zack
Zack blinked at Tseng for a moment, at least until comprehension finally dawned. Oh. Rosalind. He'd owe her an apology later, maybe. For now, he was just going to offer Tseng a vaguely remorseful smile, a quick thumbs-up, and then he was going to turn on his heel and leave.
Ask around down in Sector Eight. That much, at least, he could do.
[NFI because you're all stuck on an iiiiislaaaaaaand! And NFB for distance and all that jazz. Preplayed with give_areason, who rocked the weetiny Zack-era Rosalind and coded this puppy like a champ.]