Turning
Elena's breath came raggedly in her chest. We've been running for fifteen minutes, we entered this wood over ten minutes ago...can't they just give up already? They can't hit either of us in the thick of this forest, and they can't damn well catch up, we probably know the terrain better - why are they still following?
I should run more often, she thought, trying to distract herself from the pain in her lungs and her wildly beating heart. How long has it been since I had a good lap round the outer edge of Midgar's plate? Just over a month. How can it possibly have been that short of time?
She stumbled over a tree root, but kept running, grimacing from the pain. That's gonna hurt later...If there is a later...In fact, I'd be grateful if I feel the pain later.
She swallowed. If there is a higher being, God, the Lifestream, Jenova, whatever, please get me out of this. I have to haul Reno and Rude's butts out of jail and show them for once I'm perfectly competent. I have plans. I want to retire comfortably in some nice little town with a lot of money and lounge about until I become an old hag. Please, don't let anyone die. Not Reno or Rude, or Reeve, or Cloud, or Vincent and me. Please, let everyone live...
She hardly noticed when they reached the top of the mountain they had been heading up, and nearly fell over when the once-upward path tilted sharply downward. She charged, off-balance, down the hill, out of control, until she fell over another tree root. She smashed into the ground, the breath knocked out of her. Unable to move, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for her pursuers to catch up.
She heard harsh breathing and footsteps pounding towards her. Then a man's voice sounded.
"Elena, come on! They're close behind!"
She looked up into the bright eyes and flushed face of Vincent. She blinked surprisedly; she had always thought of him as aloof and immune to such things as being out of breath. She allowed herself to be hauled up with assistance from Vincent's uninjured arm, his good one. He assisted her in running until she was well enough to do so on her own.
After several seconds, she managed to gasp out, "Thanks."
He nodded, and they continued running.
Once at the bottom of the hill, they found their runaway chocobo, peacefully grazing. With a frightened look over her shoulder at the three people in pursuit, then leaped up on the bird. Vincent climbed on after her and kicked it into action. It warked, then ran towards the mouth of the cave that lay behind Lucrecia's waterfall.
"Let's hope this isn't going into the fire," Elena muttered. Vincent nodded.
"We've been in here once before. Let's not make the mistake of splitting up again."
"I'm fine with that," she commented wryly. "I'd prefer not to get shot, and you?"
He glared at her a bit because of her soft jab, but shrugged it off. "What should we do about the people following us?"
She considered. "I suppose get as far away as fast as we can." She indicated the open portal. "Shall we?"
Vincent gave a mock bow, then strode forward. Again, they weren't challenged.
Once they reached the first split in the hallways, Elena asked which way they should go.
"I...I suppose we should go the way I went last time," he said hesitantly. "I did find something...I guess..."
Elena walked forward a few steps, then turned around to face him. "Is it as pointless as I suppose it is to ask what relevance it had?"
"Completely."
She shrugged. "Ah, well; it was worth a try."
Vincent smiled slightly. He indicated that they should go on with a sweep of his arm.
After walking uneventfully in a straight line, not going into any side passages, the hall ended in a door. "Shall I try it?" asked Elena.
"Might as well."
She tried the door handle; to her surprise, it was unlocked. She pushed the door open, the glanced around inside. She turned back to Vincent.
"Completely empty. It's a lab."
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps filled the hall, and Elena, facing their source, cursed blasphemously. "Damn! We're caught. Come on."
She reopened the door and they both ran through. They both searched around for an exit, to no avail. A voice came from behind them.
"It's no use. It's a dead end."
Vincent's eyes narrowed and he turned around. "Lucrecia...Why do you hate me so?"
She smiled slightly. "Why do you think?"
He gritted his teeth. "Please go away, Lucrecia. We're just trying to do what's right, just trying to save an innocent little girl."
"We aren't unarmed, you know," added Elena. "He seems to know you, so he probably won't want to gun you down, but I have no such reservations."
"Elena..." Vincent trailed off.
"And who are you? His maidservant? Perhaps his entertainment?" Lucrecia sneered.
Elena flushed. "Even if I were, it would be better than being someone without any morals, siding with whoever's behind this, and not even doing your own fighting. People like you disgust me."
Lucrecia laughed, then turned to the guards behind her. "Take them. Don't kill them, though."
Elena drew her gun, but Vincent held out his hand. She glared at him for a moment, then put it away. The guards grabbed them roughly, then shoved them ahead of them.
They were shoved roughly into a cell with one cot. After several moments of silence, Elena asked, "Was that who you encountered before?"
Vincent nodded.
"Who was she, then? A girlfriend?"
"She..." Vincent drew in a shuddering breath. "Lucrecia...She was my wife."
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