Chapter 20: Meeting Cloud Strife

After another half-hour of them walking through the snowy mountain and killing off a few monsters living on the mountain, Zack turn around to look and saw Laina and one of the infantryman were behind him while Tseng, Crisis and the other infantryman were far behind the 3 of them.

"Yo! Don't fall too far behind!" Zack yelled at Tseng, Crisis and the second infantryman before he turned and fall back several paces to talk to the infantryman near him and Laina. "At least someone's keeping up with me and Laina."

"Well, I'm a country boy too. Like you." said the infantryman.

"From where?" Zack asked the infantryman.

The infantryman stopped his walking to answer him. "Nibelheim." Zack immediately laughed after hearing his answer and now it's the infantryman's turn to ask Zack and Laina. "And what about you two?"

"Me?" Zack said to him after he's done laughing. "Gongaga." The infantryman heard it and now he's chuckling.

"Hey, what's so funny about that?" Zack said to him with a scowl. "You know Gongaga?"

"No, but it's such a backwater name." replied the infantryman.

"Ditto Nibelheim." said Zack as he turned away with his hands on his hip.

"Like you've been there."

"No, I haven't. But there's a reactor there, right?" Zack said to him as he turned back and the infantryman nodded. "A mako reactor outside Midgar usually means…"

"Nothing else out there."Laina said for them. They both looked at her and the three of them prompted dissolved into laughters.

"Hey! Good news, Tseng! Me and…" Zack stopped mid-sentence and glance at the infantryman who took his helmet off to reveal a young (and cute) looking guy with blonde hair as spiky as Zack's (or a Chocobo)with bright bluish-green eyes and an almost pale looking face. He introduced himself.

"Cloud. And you two are?"

"I'm Zack Fair and she is Laina Donovan. My partner."Zack said while Laina nodded and Zack glance back at Tseng and the others. "Me and Cloud here are both backwater experts! Oh yeah!" said Zack enthusiastically. Laina chuckled at his reaction and he gave her a wink before they continue on walking.

"Good. Carry on then." said Tseng from behind them.

XXXX

"So," said Cloud as he turned to Laina while Zack walk on ahead of them both. "What about you, Laina? Were you from Gongaga too, like Zack?"

"Me? No, I'm not from Gongaga." replied Laina. "I'm from Midgar. From Sector 7, to be exact."

"You're from the city?" Cloud said to her, a surprised look on his face.

Laina nodded while shrugging her shoulder. "Yeah, so does my younger sister, Phemie."

"A younger sister, huh?" said Cloud before he switch his question. "But if you and your sister are from the city then how is it you managed to…"

"That's because we were both orphans since young and in order for me and Phemie to survive, we had to steal food and water from the people living above the plate while running from them, which is hard sometimes."

"I see. Sorry for asking." Cloud said apologetically to Laina and nothing more was said between the both of them.

XXXX

After yet another half-hour of them walking on the snowy mountain, Zack, Laina and Cloud saw the outline of a building ahead and they ceased walking. "Phew, let's stop and wait a bit for the others." Zack said to Laina and Cloud as they all look behind to see Tseng, Crisis and the other infantryman is still walking far behind them.

Cloud turned to look at Zack. "Hey, Zack. Um…"

"Hm?" said Zack as he glance at Cloud.

"What's it like to be in SOLDIER…?"

Zack exchange glances with Laina before he crosses his arms. "I don't quite get the question you just said to us, Cloud."

"Uhm…"

Laina walked toward Cloud and gave his shoulder a gentle pat. "You'll know what it's like when you joined SOLDIER, Cloud."

Cloud sighed as he hung his head. "If I can joined, that is…"

"Don't sweat it, Cloud." Zack told him. "If Laina and I can do it, then so can you."

"Yeah, Cloud. So don't worry about it." said Laina in agreement with Zack, who's now looking at the building. "Hey, come take a closer look, you two." Zack said to Laina and Cloud and all three of them kneel down to take a closer look. They see several Genesis copies in red security outfits and holding assault rifles in their hands were patrolling/guarding the building. There's also several treasure chests lying in several corners near where they patrol/guard.

"That's a mako excavation reactor site." Said Tseng as he, Crisis and the other infantryman finally arrived.

Zack stood up. "Laina and I will go check it out." he said as he turned to Tseng.

Tseng nodded as Laina helped Cloud get up on his feet. "Don't forget, our primary objective here is to investigate Modeoheim. However, we can't afford to lose anymore people here nor can we ignore the activities of the Genesis copies. Therefore…"

"We're to sneak into that excavation reactor without getting spotted or caught by them, is that it?" said Laina with a grin on her face.

"Exactly, Laina." replied Crisis before he pointed at the building for her. "There's an entrance at the back of the reactor where you and your partner can enter."

"Once you two are inside the facility, you two are free to do whatever you want." added Tseng.

"You got it!" said Zack as he clench his fist in joy. "I'll prove to you that we SOLDIER isn't all about muscle and brawn."

"Oh, really?" Laina thought with a small giggle to herself.

"You watch carefully too, Cloud." Zack said to him and he nodded.

"Be careful." said Cloud.

"Don't you worry, Cloud. Zack and I will be fine." Laina said to him before she and Zack jumped off the cliff and make their way toward the reactor facility. They both stood near the wall outside of the facility quietly while watching the copies movements. When each of them turned their backs and patrol the other way, Zack and Laina charge toward them and cut them down without getting spotted or caught. They then proceed to take the items within each treasure chests and obtained several neat items like Pearl Necklace, Sprint Shoes, Lunar Harp, HP mako stone and Death materia.

"This things will help us a great deal in the future, Zack." said Laina with a grin at Zack.

"Probably, Laina." replied Zack. "Come on, let's get in there already."

Laina sighed lightly before she and Zack went to the back of the reactor which Crisis pointed out and into the facility. Inside the facility, they see no signs of Genesis copies and they search throughout the entire facility for either Genesis or Hollander until they found an elevator leading down. Zack and Laina gave each other a nod before they went into the elevator and pressed the "Down" button.