Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 1: Arrival

THIRTY-TWO

The mysterious thugs Lena had told me about were standing in the main street in front of the Seventh Heaven, and my blood boiled when I saw who they were talking to. I wasn't surprised, though. She'd always been trouble. I only wished I'd kept a closer eye on her. A loose mouth could do a lot of damage, after all, and hers was the worst I'd ever seen. I narrowed my eyes as I walked down the stairs.

"Derla..." I muttered.

She stood there, gabbing with three men in sleeveless black leather vests over their bare chests and dark red pants on their legs. Sewn into the back of each vest was the image of a red dragon curled into a circle. I didn't recognize it at all. The tallest of the men, his straight black hair pulled back into a short, curled tail, looked at Derla with dark, icy eyes as she talked, and what she said infuriated me.

"Yeah, I know the guy you're talking about," she nodded. "The one with the gun on his arm. That's Barret. He and his friends, they're tight as can be. Not very nice people at all, though."

"That so?" the lead thug said.

Jessie joined me as Derla kept prattling. "What's going on?"

I glanced at her. "Our local gossip's getting herself in over her head. We'd better stop her before she blows our cover."

She nodded, following me as I hurried across the front yard toward the road. The others were all inside, and Barret didn't know about what was going on—Lena hadn't told him, and she and the guys were doing what they could to keep him and Marlene occupied. I wasn't surprised Jessie had come outside to be with me, though. She probably didn't feel too comfortable around Barret right now.

Derla went on. "Oh, yes! It sure is! I could tell you—"

"Know where this guy is?" the thug asked.

"Right over there!" she pointed at the bar. "They all hang out at the Seventh Heaven every day! Sometimes they'll throw out the customers so they can have the place to themselves. And it smells like gunpowder in there all the time. They're up to something, I—"

"Derla!" I snapped. "That's enough!"

Jessie gasped as she took another look at the thugs. "Tifa! I think I know who these guys are! I've seen—"

"What?" I stared at her.

The lead thug sneered at her. "Then you oughta know not to cross us. Unless you got some kinda death wish."

Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Try me."

"Must wanna die pretty bad, girl," he flexed his fist.

"I've kicked your boss's ass before," she shot back. "I can do it again if I have to. And I'm not in a good mood right now."

Derla put her hands on her hips. "Tifa! Jessie! I heard you all went up to the plate again today. Did you know about the reactor bombing? That's two now! I bet Shinra's gonna come down hard on Avalanche as soon as they find out where they're hiding."

"Shut up!" I told her. "Now!"

"That's just so rude!" Derla huffed.

The lead thug stuffed a large stack of gil into her hand. "Thanks for the tip. Now get lost."

Derla took it and ran off before Jessie and I could stop her. I'd have to deal with her later. And I would. But right now, we had more serious things to worry about. The trio of thugs, especially the leader, grinned coolly at Jessie and I, sizing us up.

"What you are staring at?" I frowned.

He leered at us. "Boss'd like the two of you. He's lookin' for a bride, and you ladies'd be perfect candidates. An' if he doesn't like ya, he'll let us have ya. He's generous like that."