The Turk Test - Age 16

"So do you understand your task?" Veld paused as the newest batch of recruits nodded. "You have until five pm to get as high as you can in the tower. After all, we will only accept the best of you to our ranks."

With a wave of his hand, the group of ten recruits set off on their assignment. Each heading for different paths up the building.

"So Tseng, who do you think will pass the exam this time? My money's on the red head."

Tseng sighed as he walked back to their offices with Veld. "The little blonde has a chance, I believe sir."

Reno Sinclair grinned as he rushed up the stairwell, quickly passing the fortieth floor. /I hope Cloud makes it as well, she deserves it.../

"Excuse me, sir." Cloudia Strife blinked back tears as she stood next to one of the security guards. "I'm sorry for bothering you but it's my first day and I'm a little lost..."

The security guard looked down at the slender blonde and smiled softly. "Where are you supposed to be? I'll get you as close as I can."

"I was told to assist the General's secretary for now... but they didn't tell me how to get there." Cloud said as she wiped her eyes. "If you give me some directions, it would help."

"I can get you up three floors and I'll radio ahead to let my colleagues know you are coming so they can help as well." He smiled as Cloud thanked him hesitantly. "It's alright, I have a sister your age. You remind me of her a little."

/SHIT! That was too close./ Reno hissed as he hid below a window on the outside of the fiftieth floor. /Damn security patrols. I was nearly caught that time./

He waited until the coast was clear before climbing further.

Angeal Hewley looked up in confusion as someone knocked on Sephiroth's office door. He stood to open it as Genesis Rhapsodos and Sephiroth exchanged puzzled looks. The looks increased as the open door revealed a slightly confused blonde girl.

"Excuse me, is there a Mr 'Lazard Deusericus, Director of SOLDIER' here? I have a message for him." The blonde asked as she saluted the three men in the office.

"Sorry, his office is up two floors higher." Angeal smiled at her crestfallen look. "Here I'm going upstairs anyway, may I escort you to the correct floor Miss..."

"Cloudia, and thank you." Cloud said as she took Angeal's offered arm. "I will have to inform Melody that the address she gave me was wrong... again"

Reno sighed as soon as he realized he'd been caught. "Yo, when will we find out who passed?"

"In a few days, we try to track your progress through the tower and look at your technique for the task assigned." The Turk said as he watched the redhead fidget. "We also use the information we gather to assign partners and tasks when you are inducted. This was your first attempt wasn't it."

"Yeah, it was, yo."

Rufus Shinra sighed as he glared at his father. "Why am I here again? I already told you it isn't any of my concern whom you marry next. You have never listened to me before, so why start now?"

Robert Shinra was interrupted by a knock before he could reply to the harsh statements from his son. "Come in. What do you want?"

"I have a message here for a Mr 'Robert Shinra, President of Shinra Electric Power Company.'" The blonde girl said as she held out and electric scanner. "I just need a signature and you can have the message, sir."

Rufus looked at the third blonde in the room with a frown. "Do I know you from somewhere? I swear we've met before."

Robert signed the scanner and opened his letter, quietly reading it before paling drastically.

/Dear Robert, 16-4-XXXX

The blonde girl whom has given you this letter is our daughter. She is the only one to survive birth, according to Hojo. She doesn't know you're her father.

By the time you read this message I will be long dead. But I hope you can forgive for keeping her away as I could not bear to be apart from her. It is hard enough knowing I will probably not see her next birthday.

Love Claire Strife

P.S. her name is Cloudia, but she will only answer to 'Cloud'./

Robert looked up at the blonde messenger, 'Cloudia', in shock, "I was told you died at birth with your mother."

Cloud sighed. "I guess, that man has some explaining to do..."

Veld sighed as he counted the recruits. There were two missing. "Tseng, its time, inform the General that there are 'intruders' in the tower."

Tseng nodded as he picked up the phone to send the alert. "By the way, the red head was captured two floors below the General's floor by Rude."

Sephiroth laughed as he hung up the phone after Tseng's call. "Angeal, remember that messenger who was looking for the Director?"

"Yes what about her?" Genesis asked as Angeal paused his training with his student Zack Fair.

"She is a Turk newbie. Today was the tower test." Sephiroth said smirking. "And they need us to find her."

Zack grinned. "So do we start here and work our way up or start at the top and work our way back down?"

"We go up, it will be quicker."

The four SOLDIERS quickly and efficiently searched each floor, following the blonde's path until they reached the President's office.

"So are we going to knock on the door?" Zack asked as they just stared at the door. "If so I vote for Genesis to do it."

Genesis just glared at Zack. "You do it then, Puppy. Because I refuse to knock on that door."

Angeal just sighed as he joined Sephiroth in leaning against the hallway wall. They watched as the two younger men poke at each other as their argument gradually grew louder.

Eventually it didn't matter as the door opened by itself to reveal the girl they had been sent to find, standing there smiling sheepishly at them. "So I guess the Turks ratted me out then."

"Yes," Sephiroth said calmly. "We are to escort you to Veld's office, immediately."

"What? Why? She hasn't hurt anyone by being here." Rufus exploded as he rushed across the room to grab Cloud. "You can't just give her to the Turks!"

"Rufus, I am a recruit, I want to work with the Turks." Cloud said softly from Rufus's arms. "Today was a test. We were to get up as high as we could without being stopped... I hope I managed to pass it."

Sephiroth just shook his head. /She made it into the President's office and still doesn't think it's good enough to pass./ He turned back to see Zack and Genesis still fighting in the hallway. "Zackary, Genesis, it's time to go. We have found the intruder. I assume you will be coming as well, Rufus."

Rufus nodded as he continued to glare at the General.

Tseng sighed as he heard the argument before the door even opened. /Why do they have to argue about everything? Even Rufus and I don't argue this much./ The door opened to reveal not only Genesis and Zack, but Angeal, Sephiroth, Rufus and the blonde that everyone was looking for. "Veld, they are here."

Veld walked through the connecting door and sighed as he saw the Vice President. "Where did you find him?"

"In the President's office, we even helped her up to Lazard's floor without even asking for identification." Angeal said with a rueful smile. "I was the one to escort her up further."

Tseng grinned as Cloud blushed. "The rules were that they could use any means possible to get as high as possible in the tower." He shook his head as he checked the computer. "And Strife, you have beaten the previous records. And so now we need to reevaluate our security protocols."

"What do you mean? I did as you asked." Cloud asked in confusion.

"Exactly. But someone should have stopped you somewhere along the way to ask for id or even question your presence in an area where you didn't belong." Veld said with a smirk at the four SOLDIERS.

TBC

AN: Please review this so I know whether or not to continue it. This was written in about 30 minutes while I was in hospital on rather strong pain medication. I'm not sure if it's worth finishing.