 |
Rogue and Zack 14
A few weeks later found Zack in the SOLDIER lounge, late in the evening. Doing squats, like he always did when he was bored. His Third Class friend, Kunsel, approached, looking amused under his helmet. Rogue stood back, out of sight and out of mind, leaning in the doorway. She knew she was lurking. She didn't really care. The other Firsts did it all the time, it was time she cashed her due.
“Hey, Zack. What's up? You seem a little on edge lately,” Kunsel said, slowly lounging back on the steps, watching Zack work out.
Nervous energy? Rogue wondered idly. Or is he really just that bored?
“Can ya blame me?” Zack asked, not pausing one iota in his workout. “All this training,” His words hitched slightly over the effort at points, but he wasn't even breathing unevenly. It was kind've impressive. “All this training and no assignments... It's like they're hanging me out to dry.”
Does it really feel that way? Awh, c'mon, sweets, your only how old? Rogue thought idly, mildly amused by his impatience. That was Zack all zeal and enthusiasm. A man carrying a drive to win that just wouldn't quit.
“So, you must be pretty busy, with everyone off-base,” Zack continued, neatly turning the conversation away from himself.
Kunsel did a double take. “Off-base? Wait, haven't you heard?” He stood and swung his arms, shaking the kinks free from his joints. “There's been a mass desertion at SOLDIER.”
That finally put a pause in Zack's workout. He slowed and stood slowly, expression puzzled. “Nnh?” He asked, the sound soft and inquisitive.
Yupp, a mass desertion. One that Rogue herself had only found out about that morning, making her wish, yet again, that Zack had been promoted alongside her. Having a partner who was kept solidly as the last link in the chain of command made her feel guilty. Granted, she wasn't much higher up than him, but that had more to do with her overall popularity in SOLDIER. Most, aside from Angeal, Zack, and Kunsel, didn't like her very much.
“Yupp,” Kunsel continued. “It appears one of the Firsts deserted. He took a bunch of Seconds and Thirds with him, too. No one knows why he left, or what he's up to. The desertion is why your training and advancement was put on hold.”
Rogue smiled softly and pushed herself away from the wall. Good. Kunsel had done most of the explaining for her. She moved down the hall, allowing her boots to click sharply against the floor as she did, announcing her presence.
Kunsel fell silent as both men turned and looked. They both managed a grin for her. They were a pretty close threesome. “Heads up, a First!” Kunsel said teasingly. “Sup, Rogue?” His flirting never had been subtle. Kunsel had been hitting on Rogue since day one, when she had been an overconfident, mouthy, and unwieldy Third.
She merely spared a simple smile for him and turned to Zack, neatly folding her arms. “Zack, new assignment,” she told her partner.
Zack's expression lit up. “Whoo! Finally, some real action!” He nearly sprinted to her side at that point, grinning down at her. “What is it?”
“This'll be your show,” Rogue replied with a soft grin in return, for a long moment reveling in that secret look she and Zack shared. Yeah, being his friend definitely made her feel good.
“Yes!” he exclaimed brightly, pumping a fist in the air. “And?”
“And that's all I know. Come on up to Lazard's office with me, Angeal and Lazard said they'd tell us the rest then. Angeal and I are going in with you, but mostly as backup, assistance, and cover, this is your time to shine, my friend,” she told him, angling herself back toward the elevator. Zack nodded and fell into step beside her, his posture and strides easy and confident, his eyes lit with the kind of energy he gave off like a lamp.
In no time they had reached the executive offices and the briefing room. This was typically the room they used, Rogue knew, to discuss strategy when ShinRa was in the process of going to war. That had her curious.
She moved to the stretch of desk beside Angeal and hooked her hip on the edge, leaning against it as Zack stopped a few feet from Lazard, between his desk and Angeal's, facing him, posed with one hand on his hip, cool and competent. Rogue grinned slightly. She could tell he was burning up with excitement and nerves inside, but he was really good at down playing it.
“Zack,” Lazard began smoothly, pushing his chair back from his desk and swiveling to face the young SOLDIER. “It's good to be able to talk to you face to face.” He rose and offered his hand to Zack, who glanced at it for a moment, as though surprised at the manners of a ShinRa higher-up, then shook firmly, a genuine smile curving his lips.
“Heya,” Zack's greeting couldn't get more friendly, informal, and country boy. Rogue leaned back a little, relaxing. Yeah, this part was going to go just fine.
“On to business,” Lazard said, shifting to lean down over his computer screen, pecking at the keyboard. Rogue swiveled her head around to check the big screen behind her, to see what Lazard was pulling up. After all, this was going to be her mission, too.
She hadn't expected to see her father's face.
|
 |
