Cissnei hung from the window ledge outside the tower, her legs dangling over the earth below. It was a little higher than she would have liked, and there were stones scattered among the hard ground. Good. Maybe it would hold off the tail that was sure to be close behind.

She dropped to the ground, falling into a roll, and grimaced as she pushed herself up into a run. A wet and warm trail made its way down her upper arm. Most likely she'd cut herself on one of the more jagged stones, but she didn't stop to assess the damage. She needed a way to lose her pursuers.

Her eyes narrowed in frustration. The plains were the very worst place to find herself. Miles and miles of land stretched out before her with not a hidden path or hiding place anywhere to be seen. The mountains were her best hope, but they were so desperately far away. And she could already hear the hammer of rifles ringing out behind her.

Reno watched uncomfortably as the last infantrymen disappeared through the window. He could well believe Cissnei could out run them, but that wasn't the issue. Cissnei was trained in ducking and diving and losing a pursuer, but all their training had been carried out in Midgar, with crowds and back passages and countless obstructions to hide them. Cissnei was out in the Plains! What cover could she possibly take in a place like this? The infantrymen wouldn't have to take her down, wouldn't even have to keep up with her. All they would have to do was keep close enough to maintain her trail. Cissnei couldn't run forever, and as quick as she chose a place to stop, even if the soilders were too tired to finish the job themselves, it would take seconds for them to put through a call to the ShinRa.

He turned to Rude, ready to air his concerns, but Rude fixed him with a steely gaze and a firm nod. Obviously they were on the same page. As one, they leapt towards the door, swinging in turn over the edge of the window. A flicker of a smile upturned the corner of Scarlet's lips as she watched them go. Perhaps their target was going to be a little harder to pin down than she'd first expected, but it was always nice to catch a couple of traitors into the bargain.

Reno leaped away from the tower wall with a hard push from the balls of his feet. He span out away from the wall, landing on his toes and then springing up into a run. His green eyes blazed in determination as he slid the switch of his EMR rod to its highest setting. Situations like this were exactly what he excelled at. He pressed on into a sprint, each moment growing nearer and nearer to the charging infantrymen.

"Aaaaargh!"

He surged forward, whipping the tip of his rod out before him, stretching far enough to just make contact with the slowest soldier. Blue sparks tore from the weapon with a crackle of electricity. The man let out a pained cry, his body limp and twitching as it fell to the ground at Reno's feet. Another soldier ahead of him whipped around at the noise, barely managing to drop to the floor in time before Reno gave another ferocious swing of his EMR.

The infantryman's fist clenched in anger as he slammed his leg in the direction of Reno's, hoping to throw him off balance. Reno was one step ahead of him. His eyes narrowed as he spotted his opening and in one, graceful manoeuvre he leapt over the other man's leg, turning in the air, and landing on his feet by the man's side. The infantryman barely had time to look up in surprise at the Turk towering over him before Reno's boot hit him with a firm jab in the face.

The soldier's head fell backwards, blood spurting from his nose. Satisfied he was unconscious, Reno looked up to see two more infantrymen up ahead. Rude flew past him at a run, strong legs pummelling against the dry ground. Reno hurried to meet him. Reno's recent scuffle, or else the heavy trample of the Turks' boots across the grass, must have alerted one of the men to their pursuers, because he jabbed his colleague with his elbow, before opening a round of gunfire upon Reno and Rude, Both Turks dived into a roll to avoid the oncoming flurry of bullets. Reno, the first to raise himself up into a run, laughed arrogantly at his attackers.

"You're gonna have to do a lot better than that to beat the Turks!"

The infantryman didn't wait to respond, giving his answer instead by turning his rifle, and thrusting the butt squarely at Reno's face. Caught momentarily off guard, Reno yelped and ducked as the rifle passed him overhead. His eyes glinted in a wicked smile. He was a Turk! He wasn't about to let some infantryman come so close to messing up his face. With a rapid flick of his wrist he caught the gun and wrenched it from the unsuspecting guard, who stumbled forward as he tried to cling to his weapon.

"You ought to think about who you're messin' with."

Reno closed a fist around the barrel, bringing it down with a loud crack against the infantryman's nose. He doubled over, both hands clasped to his face, as a clatter of bullets rang out from his comrade's rifle. Reno leapt to the ground, rolling and kicking out hard as he reached the gunman's legs. His adversary grunted in pain, clutching the blue fabric of his uniform below the knee pad. Reno wasn't about to waste the opportunity. He sprang to his feet, bringing his EMR crashing to the man's side. As he slumped to a fall Reno withdrew the rod, whipping around to hit the first man, who had now staggered to his feet, blood dripping across his face. He looked up from the sight in shock as the EMR swung towards him, stiffening and grimacing under the surge of energy, before falling flat at Reno's feet.

The Turk looked out across the landscape. There was Rude a little way ahead, one infantryman unconscious at his feet and another before him, locked in battle. Just as Reno began to run across to offer his assistance, he saw Rude launch at the soldier with an almighty punch. The soldier slumped to the ground beside his comrade.

"Nicely done" panted Reno.

But Rude was silent, staring solemnly at the men he had just felled, their faces bruised and bloodied behind the traditional high collar of the ShinRa militia. It was an image that cut clean through the adrenalin of the battle, and their righteous rage against Cissnei's pursuers. Unusual circumstances or no, they had just taken out six of ShinRa's men.

"What do we do?" Reno asked of his partner.

Rude looked out over the landscape. Squinting he could just about make out a figure in red striding across the plains.

"Well first" he grunted "I suggest we take cover."