Aeris ran into the darkness of Sector Three with Cloud on her heels. Any moment the blossoming pain of a bullet might strike her, or she might trip, or- She kept on running, still uninjured for now. Ahead an alley loomed out of the dark and she darted towards it. Aeris skidded to a halt and pressed her back against the wall as she fought her breathing under control. Cloud panted beside her. "Think we lost them?" he asked after a moment.
"Hope so," she murmured. Sector Three was too quiet now, minute noises magnified in the stillness as they echoed off the plate above them. Both adjacent sectors glared with light and noise; not enough to cover them if they had not quite evaded the Shinra troops. The plan had almost worked; Mako Reactor Three loomed silently above the sector though the flickering flames left in the wake of the explosion were not visible. It would be hours before Shinra got them under control and they could even begin to assess the damage. If only that one patrol had not come around when it did- Aeris shook herself and edged to the alley entrance. They had coped with the unexpected outcome – more or less. Fleeing into Sector Three had been a hasty improvisation. Hopefully Tifa, Barret and Jessie were all okay while taking the other escape route.
"We need to check in with the others," Cloud said and hefted his sword in readiness.
Aeris nodded. Could he see her in the gloom? "Quickest route back is through the centre." She took a deep breath, her lungs almost recovered from the exertion and peered around the corner. Aeris swore. "They followed us in."
Bright lights blazed through the darkened sector; what must have been a full division of blue-uniformed troops had entered. Not moving directly towards them – at least not yet – they seemed to at least suspect their quarry had come here. Around them, the panicked movement of the Sector's denizens should provide them with some cover, but Shinra were not gentle with those they detained. Too risky to hope the troops would overlook them. "Too many to take," Cloud murmured while peering around the corner. Aeris's raised eyebrow would likely be invisible in the gloom but still: her partner went on one successful mission and he thought himself akin to a SOLDIER?
"Far too many," she agreed dismissing the concern. "We need to move." She hurried down the alley, holding her staff by her side. It would not do to attract attention by tapping it against the ground as she normally did. Every scrunch of plastic or clatter of metal and glass provoked fearful glances behind them. Were the lights getting too bright too quick? But it was not as if they could move any faster without risking a trip over something or someone. And who knew what monsters were now on the prowl in the opportune darkness of the sector?
As if to make her point, a burst of machine-gun fire echoed far too close for comfort. Monster attack, or a belligerent by-stander, or- Or someone mistaken for an Avalanche member? Another glance back; the end of the alley brightened. No. Not like this. The roofs were low nearby and a pile of debris allowed an access up and out of the alley. Aeris scrambled up and offered Cloud her hand. She turned to clamber up the roof and stopped. No good; to either side was a fall into a moldering store-room. Would the doors be accessible? She was on the verge of clambering back down when two figures entered the alley. Aeris froze and flattened herself down against the roof.
Both troops held their guns ready and tried doors on either side of the alley as they approached. They crunched through the refuse without pause, light from their helmets flicking over everything. How long could they hope to avoid them? She and Cloud might be wearing dark clothing, but that was not going to help under a spotlight. They could drop into one of the storerooms and hope neither of the troops heard them – and then that the men would pass on without finding them. Cloud took her hand as the men came closer and Aeris did her best to slow her breathing. Something attracted the nearest trooper. He strode towards them- And forced open the door to the storeroom below them. His light swept the interior and with a grunt of disappointment the man returned to the alley.
How long were they going to be stuck here while these Shinra goons went over the whole Sector meter by meter? If only they could pass themselves off as part of Shinra- "Cloud," Aeris hissed. His face was faintly visible as he turned to look at her. "I have an idea." She grinned. "Let's take their uniforms."
"What?"
"We disguise ourselves as troops and walk out of here." They would need to leave their weapons behind; attracting attention by carrying a staff and a sword was precisely what they did not want. But in this darkness and if they made sure to steer clear of other troops the plan should work. "We can try that or wait for them to give up, but I don't really want to spend the night like this." Cloud paused for a moment and nodded. Below them the troops reached the end of the alley and announced an all clear over a crackling radio. A gruff voice accepted the report and ordered them deeper into the sector. "Now!" whispered Aeris when the pair passed back underneath. She brought all her weight down onto the nearest trooper, Cloud knocking the other to the ground a moment later. A quick use of sleep materia and both guards were unconscious.
A swift change in the gloom, the chill air only uncomfortable for a moment as Aeris pulled on the shorter trooper's uniform. Not a great fit but passable. She tried the door of the other storeroom; it held firm. A decent enough location to stow their weapons and clothes for now - only accessible from above. They would worry about getting them back another day. Cloud helped her drag both unconscious troops into the other storeroom. Shame it would all but confirm how close Shinra came to capturing them, but if the rest of the plan went well, that would be a worry for another day. The troop's commander impatiently called in demanding a progress report; Cloud assumed a gruff voice and claimed some problems with footing in the alley. The voice on the radio did not seem best pleased; he promised some form of discipline when they returned to base. "Almost feel sorry for the guy," Cloud commented with a backwards glance to the storeroom.
"Rather him than us," Aeris said. Outside the alley, the various squads of Shinra troops were distant pools of light in the darkened sector. The towering hub of Midgar was still illuminated and together Aeris and Cloud made their way towards it. All anyone should see were two Shinra troops hunting Avalanche members. And who knew? Maybe the uniforms would come in handy for other missions. Good for infiltration if nothing else. Not far from the hub Aeris shivered in the chill air; she reached out and took Cloud's hand. Once they were back she wanted nothing more than a good long sleep, cuddled up beside him.