Limited Wish
Chapter 6
Sephiroth looked at Audrea, hanging from the ceiling. Elena, Rude and Reno had finished, and left her. They’d gotten the brilliant idea to whale on her while she was still hanging. "Audrea?" He asked tentatively. She’d gone limp about ten minutes ago, and he feared the worst.
"I’m still here…I can’t... feel…my…"
"Hush. Don’ t try and talk." He could tell by looking at her that both her arms were dislocated. Her body hung limply, her face a mass of bruises, and blood dripping from raw, open wounds "Audrea I’m going to agree to Scarlett’s demands."
"You …can’t…I thought I told you…"
"No, listen to me. If I can get out, I will get us both out of here. There has to be a way."
"Seph, please. Don’t." She begged.
He heard footsteps approaching the door. "I will do this. I promise I will take care of you."
The door creaked open, slowly. Sephiroth steeled himself for the onslaught.
"Oh my God … I found them! Scully! Get in here!"
He knew that voice. Several others followed it.
"Oh my …"
"Get her down!!"
"Where’s Sephiroth?"
Someone released the straps and helped him sit up. It was Cloud, of course. The only one who would have been strong enough to help him. "Are you okay?"
Sephiroth didn’t answer, but tried to stand. Atrophied muscles protested, and he pitched to the floor. "Don’t try to walk yet" Dana Scully told him. "You’re weak, but you’re okay." She said with a dubious pause to look at Audrea, who Aeris and Tifa had lowered to the ground.
Scully looked at the girl, who was almost unrecognizable under the massive bruises, cuts and dried blood. "Audrea, can you hear me?" She asked, picking up her wrist. "Thready pulse, and she’s not breathing very well." Scully murmured.
"I can help. It won’t do much, but it might make her able to move." Aeris raised her staff. "Healing Wind," she whispered, and a breeze ruffled Audrea’s hair in the lab. Scully nodded.
"Well well, look who’s joined the party." Scarlett, followed by about 20 troopers, entered the lab. The troops moved to surround the rescuers. Weapons came out, were readied. Scarlett laughed.
"We’re good and outnumbered." Tifa looked around. Five against twenty was not good odds. With Sephiroth and Audrea out of commission, and needing protection, that cut the odds down further.
Five fighters exchanged glances. There looked to be no way out of this one.
Sephiroth weakly reached for his sword. He would be damned if he was going to let Scarlett take them without him fighting. His hand stiffened as he tried to open it. No. I have to …
Gunshots echoed through the lab, and everyone looked around, surprised, including Scarlett. Rude, Reno and Elena stood weapons ready. "Hey Scarlett." Elena called. "I don’t think that this kind of activity fits a professional, a Turk. The money’s not good enough, in fact, all the gil in the world’s not enough."
Taking advantage of the distractions, the five fighters attacked, Cloud and Tifa leading the charge, Mulder backing the up with his pistol, and Aeris and Scully guarding the wounded. The Turks joined in, Elena with her gun, Rude with his fists, and Reno with his nightstick. In a very short time, all of the guards were subdued, and Mulder was placing Scarlett under arrest.
Sephiroth remembered something. "Hojo. Where’s Hojo?"
Scully looked at him. "Was he here?" Sephiroth nodded.
"We’ll have to search the facility. Mulder and I will handle that; the rest of you get them back to Junon. Audrea needs medical attention, a cure spell won’t cut it. Sephiroth needs fluids and rest."
Elena stepped up to Mulder and Scully. "Umm…Do you thin the Junon Bureau of Investigation could use three new agents? We’re kind of between jobs right now…"
Mulder grinned. Trained recruits were golden as far as he was concerned. "All right. Spread out, search the complex. I want everything that looks like evidence catalogued, bagged and ready. We’re going to keep her away for a long time." He nodded to Elena. "You, take Scarlett back to the city and take care of her."
"Yes, Sir." The Turks scattered to their new duties.