Trouble with Wutai
The moment Angeal landed in front of the Shin-Ra headquarters, he knew something was wrong. The windows were barred, sniper squads were stationed across the roof, and a row of armed infantrymen guarded the entrance. For a moment, he just stood and gaped at the armored building. Angeal turned and looked for the danger they were defending against, but he saw nothing that called for a complete lockdown. This was too serious for a drill, so there had to be something…
"What is going on…?" Angeal muttered to himself. While he was still taking everything in, someone accidently rammed into his shoulder.
"Oh, sorry Sir," mumbled the 3rd Class SOLDIER as he turned again and began to run towards the building. He seemed to be around sixteen; a little younger than Angeal himself. But since Angeal was a 1st, he automatically had seniority over 2nd's and 3rd's.
"Hey!" Angeal barked before the 3rd Class could get out of earshot. He spun around and looked at the 1st Class SOLDIER with a confused gaze.
"Yes, Sir?" He replied obediently.
"Could you please tell me what's going on?" Angeal demanded. He was extremely intimidating for a seventeen-year-old, and his mature stature made him appear at least in his twenties. The 3rd didn't hesitate in answering.
"Some of our scouts spotted Wutai troops near the outskirts of Midgar. Lazard sent a unit of 2nd's out to investigate, but by the time they got out there, the Wutai were gone. That's when he called everyone in," He explained. "Personally, I think he's making a big fuss over nothing. They're just Wutai, right?" He smirked. Angeal nodded and dismissed him, and the 3rd turned again and ran to his station, wherever it was.
As Angeal approached the main entrance, two of the infantrymen barricaded the door with their swords, and the other four assumed a firm shooting stance.
"Name, please," Requested another infantryman Angeal hadn't noticed. He was holding a thick, tabbed notebook with a SOLDIER emblem on the cover. Angeal was sure it held every bit of information on every SOLDIER that currently worked for Shin-Ra.
"Angeal Hewley, 1st Class," He recited as the man thumbed through the many pages in his notebook.
"Card, please," He continued without looking up after finding the page he was looking for. Angeal sighed, but nevertheless dug through his pockets and pulled out his SOLDIER identification. The man grabbed it from him and checked the numbers on the card with the numbers on Angeal's page. "Let him pass," He ordered after confirming Angeal's identity. The two infantrymen stepped aside and let the 1st through.
The building was as heavily guarded inside as it was outside. SOLDIER's of all rank were patrolling the halls, and metal barriers hid every window and door. Angeal thought he saw Braxtynn pass by, but before he could be certain, something else got his attention.
"Angeal!" A voice yelled. The SOLDIER looked around for the source of the noise and saw his flame-haired comrade coming towards him. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. This is crazy, isn't it?" Genesis said, exasperated. "Come on, we're in charge of keeping the Lazard safe."
"Of course we are," Angeal muttered as they weaved through the patrolling SOLDIERs to the elevator. He mashed the button a little harder than usual, and the two walked in. "You would think the man in charge of the army would be able to defend himself," Angeal sighed as Genesis pressed the button marked forty-nine. "I thought I signed up to be a warrior… Not a babysitter."
The rest of the ride up was silent. Before getting out, though, Angeal took a deep breath and wiped all signs of disgust from his face. Even if he didn't particularly like Lazard, he treated him with respect.
"Ah, there you are," The Director said in a relieved voice as the two SOLDIERs walked into the briefing room. Angeal greeted him with a nod, but Genesis did nothing. He didn't value honor and respect as much as his friend did. "I suppose you heard the situation, Angeal?"
"Yes Sir, I have. But, do we have any details? Do we know how many are out there? How strong they are?" Lazard's expression turned doubtful, and he paced toward the giant window looking over Midgar.
"Nothing. What our scouts saw couldn't possibly be their whole unit. We're positive there are more… The Wutai are smart enough to bring more than just a handful of men for an attack on Shin-Ra," The Director explained. The more he talked about it, the more worried he became. "They could be anywhere."
Angeal crossed his arms and processed the situation before them. Lazard continued to stare out the window; even Genesis, who had seemed extremely uninterested this whole time, was leaning against the wall and pondering what his boss had told him. The only noise in the room now was the quiet hum of electricity. After coming out of his daze, the Director finally walked to his desk and woke up his computer. A few clicks later, the giant screen behind him was divided into eight neat sections; each of the boxes showed eight different parts of the building on camera. In every box, the group could see countless SOLDIERs guarding the makeshift fortress. Infantrymen blocked the entrance, 2nd Classes patrolled the halls… No one was laying a finger on Lazard, even if he asked them to.
"We'll be ready for them," He said is in a reassuring tone, though it seemed like he was mostly trying to reassure himself.
"Where's Sephiroth?" Genesis asked. Angeal looked up at the screen and searched carefully, but didn't see him anywhere.
"He's with the president," Lazard answered. All of a sudden, Angeal felt a wave of both gratitude and pity come over him- gratitude in the fact that he didn't have to guard President Shinra alone, and pity because his friend did. He looked over at Genesis, having already predicted the smug grin on his face. Genesis opened his mouth to add some degrading comment, but was cut off by Lazard.
"Look! In the top right corner-!" The Director exclaimed as he pointed a thin, gloved finger towards the top of the screen. Angeal looked up and saw a sniper squad composed of five men on the roof. The leader of the squad was barking orders to his men, who were lining up accordingly. When the captain gave the signal, they all fired. The target had apparently been hit, as the Captain patted one of the snipers on the back.
"They couldn't get within fifty yards of this building," Lazard said confidently, the tension in his shoulders relaxing a bit. Then, minutes later, Genesis was gaping at the frame near the middle of the screen. Angeal saw his friend's expression and followed his gaze, only to be shocked as well.
"Director," He snapped as he kept staring at the limp bodies of the infantrymen by the entrance. The door had been pulled open and was being held there by a Wutai soldier, and groups of his comrades were flowing in. Lazard looked up at the screen and his eyes grew wide. As they continued to watch, one of the Wutai walked towards the camera, reared back… then everything disappeared. Suddenly, red lights began to flash on and off in the briefing room, and a loud siren sounded throughout the whole building. The Director reached under his desk, pressed a little red button, and all of the windows were immediately barred in thick steel.
Angeal and Genesis became completely alert, ready to attack at the slightest sound. Lazard kept his eyes glued to the screen. The more he watched, though, the more he wished he hadn't. He saw that the Wutai were slowly overpowering the SOLDIERs on the lower floors. One by one, frames on the screen depicted nothing but blurs, static, or complete darkness. When Angeal saw what was happening, he knew he had to act.
"Sir, I think I'm needed downstairs. Genesis won't let anything happen to you." He glanced over at Genesis, only to receive the darkest, run-while-you-can look he had seen in his entire life. Angeal returned it with a playful grin and a shrug.
"Yes, Angeal, I do believe they are in need of assistance," Lazard murmured as he continued watching the screen. The Wutai were losing men every now and then, but the SOLDIERs needed help desperately.
"Yes Sir," Angeal said perkily as he jogged towards the door. He pressed the combination on the now steel, padlocked entrance, and got through on the first try. He felt bad for leaving his friend, knowing there would be no action so high up. A man has to do what a man has to do, Angeal thought to himself as he ran through the hallway to the elevator. I am a warrior. I carry a sword, not a diaper bag.
To his surprise, the elevator was empty and fully functional. Maybe the Wutai aren't as smart as Lazard imagines them to be, He thought with a slightly cocky smile. He pressed the button pointing down and stepped in after waiting a few moments. Angeal found the button marked with a black "5," pushed it in, and began contemplating his plan of action. He figured the Wutai hadn't made it to the fifth floor yet, but he couldn't be sure. However, something barely audible disrupted Angeal's thoughts before he could plan anything else. It sounded like breathing…
"I'm not in the mood for hide-and-seek, scum."
Quick as lightning, Angeal whipped his buster sword from his back and thrust it upward. The massive, deadly blade hit its target straight on; the Wutai soldier fell from the ceiling of the elevator with a moan, blood pouring from his abdomen. Bewilderment filled his eyes and his mouth hung open with shock.
"You picked the wrong person to play with," Angeal muttered. Blood pooled around his feet, and the Wutai's breath grew shallower as the pair descended. The elevator finally stopped with a ding and the doors spread apart.
"Curse you, SOLDIER," The Wutai whispered before Angeal could step out. "And long live the Wutai-"
He was cut short. Angeal watched the life leave his green eyes, and the daggers fell from his now motionless hands. After tearing his eyes away from his handiwork, the SOLDIER raised the giant sword in front of him, and pressed his forehead against the flat of the blade. He lowered the weapon, being filled with an incredible new determination. Angeal stepped slowly over the lifeless mass and started down the hallway, leaving a faint trail of bloody footsteps behind him.
As Angeal had guessed, there was no sign of the Wutai on the fifth floor. The patrolling SOLDIERs hardly acknowledged him, let alone his odd tracks or his bloodstained blade. He silently made his way down the calm stairs, eyes alert and sword drawn. When he got to the fourth floor, though, everything was chaos. A full-out battle was taking place. Still bodies from both sides scattered the floor; whether they were unconscious or dead, Angeal couldn't determine. He quickly surveyed the area and spotted the 3rd Class SOLDIER he had spoken with only an hour ago... He was trying to fight off two Wutai by himself. The 3rd was fairly injured, but was holding his ground. Angeal darted in and out of skirmishes and finally crept behind one of his opponents. He reared back, focused on his target, and sank his blade deep into the Wutai's leg. He screamed in pain and fell to the floor, losing blood rapidly. He grabbed his leg and tried to sustain the flow, but it was obvious there was no chance. His comrade turned around and looked at Angeal in rage. While raising his halberd to attack the 1st Class, the other SOLDIER delivered a hard blow to the Wutai's ribs, and he too fell.
"Thanks for that," the 3rd Class said. He was breathing hard; there was a large cut on his left arm and a bruise under his eye. "I thought they had me there for a second."
"Anytime," Angeal replied shortly, as he was again observing the battle going on. "You should probably head upstairs. There's nothing going on up there, so you should be safe. Just watch your back on the elevators."
"No way am I leaving!" he exclaimed, almost offended by Angeal's assumption that he was going to run away. "I'm going to fight!" Angeal smiled at his eagerness and felt his own spirit lift as well. He motioned for the SOLDIER to follow him, and the two ran into battle.