I couldn't do anything while I watched the beams of light hit the Shinra building. I just watched as those beams destroyed the top floor completely. I just watched as those fucking beams destroyed my life. He was at the top looking down. I was at the bottom looking up.
I watched as his office exploded, but I couldn't believe that he was dead.
Then, I started to run. I dropped everything and made a mad dash towards the demolished remains of the tower. I dropped into the underground railway system -- it would be faster that way. Rude and Elena follwed, trying to stop me. After a while, my smoker's lungs caught up with me and so did Rude. He tackled me to the ground.
Elena didn't know anything about me and Rufus.
"Damnit Reno!" she screeched, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Calm down Elena," Rude said, as calm as always. He knew exactly what was wrong.
Then, we heard footsteps coming down the tunnel. Rude let me go and I brushed myself off. It was that spiky-headed kid and his crew, although that Ancient chick still wasn't with them.
I really wasn't in the mood to fight, but Elena was. It didn't take much for her to convince the Avalanche freaks into a battle. I took a few hits and retreated. While the others were busy, I made a run for it and ran all the way to the end of the line. I climbed up to the surface and prepared to face my worst fears.
There was something white in the distance, and I found myself heading straight for it. In my mind's eye, I could see Rufus standing there proudly.
I was lying to myself. When I was close enough to see, I realized that Rufus was dead. I can see him exacly like he was that day. His body was speared through theback by a metal beam, and he was hanging limply in midair. The fall had practically ripped him apart. His blood was everywhere, and his eyes were staring lifelessly at the sky.
Then there was his coat. I'll never forget the image as long as I live. While he had died, part of his coat had survived through the whole thing.
Rufus was dead. His blood was covering everything. Part of his body was burnt where the blast had hit it.
But the bottom of his coat on the right side was as white as day and blowing in the wind.
Rufus had become Shinra's white flag...