A/N: RoxyRoxas1313, thank you for the review and the suggestion of throwing a little twist for this chapter. I was wondering what was missing for this chapter when your review came in so yeah, I decided to re-write chapter 3 and add more mayhem to this chapter. Let's go, everyone!

Chapter 2- A path or a dead end?


"Lieutenant Farron! Wake up!", a shrill voice pierced through the soldier's hazy mind as she gained consciousness from the attack of the Behemoth… I'm numb everywhere… Fuck, I broke some of my ribs And the poison's gradually spreading around too.

"Nnngh… Corporal Jamison…", Lightning mumbled as she struggled to stay awake. Immediately, the soldier caught Lightning from collapsing as she tried to stay awake.

"Lieutenant. Y-You're poisoned! We have to retreat-"

"Not now! We're way too close to getting Fang and Vanille- GAH!", the pink-haired woman screamed in pain as her ribs continued to protest in pain. Why now of all times…? I'm so close to getting her… Back… Lightning thought as she drifted back into unconsciousness.


(Flashback Part One Start)

"We're here.", Snow announced as his velocycle pulled to a rolling stop right in front of the entrance of the base. Immediately, the other ex l'Cie got off from the vehicle and proceeded to bring the artillery and ammunition inside the base while Lightning proceeded to Amodar's area. She knocked on the door before proceeding inside. Once in, she gave a curt nod and a salute to the Captain.

"At ease, Lieutenant Farron.", Captain Amodar said as he turned around to face Lightning. Lightning dropped her salute and stood straightly while waiting for Amodar to start explaining. He said that there was more to this… I hope that it isn't bad news…

"Look, Farron. I know that I said over the phone was that there were monsters lurking around in this area. What I said there wasn't enough however. I had to disguise the information until further notice because we couldn't determine yet the real fact.", Amodar confessed as he looked at his protégée. Lightning couldn't help but narrow her eyes a bit as she processed the information in her head.

"Then what is this about, Captain? Why did you summon me?", the soldier tried to keep herself from glaring at her superior. I made my hopes go up again…

"Five minutes ago before you arrived, I got the final report from the team that is scouting the area. It is confirmed that the two of your friends have awoken from slumber already.", Amodar stated as he began to type up something from his datapad. Lightning showed no emotion on her face. But deep down, she was actually bursting with a lot of them, relief and happiness evident among them.

"However, the remnants of PSICOM have gotten ahead of us and thus, we got into a huge mess. Farron, I want you to watch this video.", with that, Amodar gave the datapad to the soldier before he went back to the observatory window to monitor the status of the crystal pillar. The video showed Lightning a lot of unimaginable things. PSICOM had a number of biologically engineered animals made for battle stationed around the area. Then, a group of soldiers from PSICOM breaking the crystal pillar before finally dragging some sort of machine inside the crack, explaining the brightness of the light emitting from the crystal pillar. Soon enough, the knocked out forms of Fang and Vanille were revealed as they were extracted before heading out of site. The video ended there with Lightning attempting not to break the datapad as she stiffly returned the device back to her superior.

"Sir. Where are they?", the soldier inquired in a low voice in order to keep herself in check.

"Fifty kilometers southwest from here, that's where their camp is settled. Farron, I understand why they're so important to you, and that's the reason why I chose you for this particular mission- Yes, what is it?", Amodar cut himself off as he received a call from his transmitter.

"What!? You've got to be kidding me! Damn it. Send in Private Bates ahead, Sergeant Collins! Lieutenant Farron and NORA shall follow after him in fifteen minutes!", the captain ordered as he quickly ended his call.

"Farron. The commander of the remnants of PSICOM is none other than Jihl Nabaat.", Amodar coldly stated as he led her out of the office and into the armory. The lieutenant could only stare at him in shock as she processed this information. What!? I thought she died back there when-

"Farron! We have no time anymore!", Amodar barked at her as he noticed the red lights of the base blaring off while signaling at the same time that an intruder had entered. Snap out of it, Lightning. Focus!

"Yes, sir!", Lightning said as she immediately snapped out of her shocked state and began to brief Snow and the others by typing in the mission details in the datapad before sending it to the briefing room where the ex l'cie and NORA awaited for further instruction. Once through, she dashed entered the briefing room and explained the situation to them in a clipped tone before proceeding out to board the Guardian Corps issued hover tank along with Sazh, Serah and the other soldiers while Snow and Hope boarded the other hover tank with the NORA team in. Sealing the doors shut, the hover tanks flew over to the base camp of PSICOM.

(End Of Flashback Part one)


(Flashback Part Two Start)

Fifteen minutes later, the vehicles arrived the outskirts of the base camp, where the scouting team had been waiting for them.

"Sergeant Collins, Private Bates, any updates on the situation right now?", Lightning inquired as she saluted the two soldiers who saluted back at her.

"Yes, Lieutenant Farron. My squad split into two in order to infiltrate the area. However, a casualty occurred when one of my men decided to enter the area. It-It immediately disintegrated him when he tried to pass through.", Sergeant Collins shuddered as he remembered what happened. Lightning sighed as she realized that she wouldn't be able to analyze this by herself.

"Maqui, Yuj. I need your help for this one.", Lightning called as she motioned for the two to come at her side.

"Yes, Light?", Yuj addressed the soldier as they approached her.

"Listen, I need you guys to determine what kind of shield they implemented on this area. One of our men immediately disintegrated as he stepped through the area.", Lightning muttered as she counted the number of soldiers left for this mission. 10 soldiers plus me, Serah, Snow, Hope, Sazh and NORA equals to 19 people all in all for this mission. We are going to be outnumbered if we go in together… I have to split them up evenly….

"Sure, Light. We'll be quick!", the two immediately left for work as she continued to analyze how to split the team up evenly based on strengths and weaknesses for a good teamwork and avoidance of casualties. Eventually, she managed to do so.

"Everyone, listen up! I'm splitting ourselves into three. Sazh, Gadot and you three over there, I'm leading you guys. Snow, you'll lead Lebreau, Serah, Private Bates and those three soldiers beside you. Sergeant Collins, I'm leaving Hope, Yuj and Maqui under your care with the rest of the soldiers.", Lightning strategized as she got a map from her datalog. Marking the areas carefully, she added further notes about the base camp's structure before summing everything up. Once through, she saw Maqui and Yuj approaching her with satisfied smirks on their faces.

"It was way too easy, Light. It's just some E.T. Force field that's super-outdated from our current version.", Maqui said as he placed his box on the ground. Yuj did the same and turned to Lightning to ask her about the latest plan. Once through, they all headed out.

All was going smoothly according to plan until one on the soldiers that Lightning was handling got a bit cocky and arrogant and decided to challenge this Megistotherian along with its pack of Silver Lobos. The soldier was immediately silenced with its poisonous breath and Lightning was forced to draw her blade out.

"Shit, Gadot! Corporal Jamison! Distract the Megistotherian while I deal with the Silver Lobos! Sazh! I need back-up!", Lightning hissed as she fired some rounds off at the Silver Lobos. Immediately, Sazh sent hastega, veil, protect and bravery spells at her after buffing himself up.

"On it, soldier!", Sazh grunted as he sent the same spells to Gadot and Corporal Jamison. Thank the maker that they still had their l'Cie powers retained albeit losing the ability to summon eidolons at the same time.

As Lightning continued to finish off one of the Silver Lobos, another Lobo leapt at her. Flicking a button on her gunblade, she switched it to its gun mode and did one of her signature flip while shooting at the same time to avoid the attack. As she neared the ground, she flicked her gunblade back to its sword mode and proceeded to stab the other Lobo at the last moment. Getting her blade off the carcass of the Silver Lobo, she rushed forward to aid Gadot and Corporal Jamison by casting a Fira spell at the Megistotherian twice. It was followed up by Sazh's flamestrike and the beast was finished off at last.

"Haa… Haa… Haa… Damn it, another casualty…", Lightning panted as she sheathed her gunblade back in. Suddenly, she dropped on the ground while feeling numb at the same time. What the hell… Shit, how careless had I been? I got poisoned. She tried to cast esuna on herself with little success as her senses were starting to numb.

"Lightning!", Gadot tried to help her up when suddenly, a roar was heard behind him. Immediately, Lightning stood up and shoved Gadot out of the way and took the blow of the Behemoth as it came.

(End Of Flashback Part Two)


Waking up in a dark area, Lightning tried to search for someone in the dark.

"Hello?", the soldier called out as she tried to reach out for something.

"Sticky situation, eh Sunshine?", a familiar voice rang out, causing the soldier to trip in the dark.


Ext. A/N: Sorry for the cliffy, guys XD the last part, you're asking me? They didn't meet up yet. All details to be explained in the next chapter. Hahahahaha, okay thanks again!

Farron, over and out.