He had seen the motorbike in the parking lot behind the first floor and decided on a whim to steal it. It was a risky decision but he and Tifa were beyond rational thinking at that point; they all just needed to get out of this place by any means possible and if that meant stealing a motorbike then that's what he would have to do.

Back in his SOLDIER days, he would have put his mind to anything, big or small, from collecting top-secret leaked data in the Wall Market, to attacking intruders who had infiltrated one of the Mako reactors, to chasing down Shinra whistle-blowers through the Sector 5 slums on a motorbike. He didn't think he'd ever have to ride one again. How wrong he was.

It was a sturdy vehicle made from the strongest of metals and accomplished craftsmanship. It was gleaming in the dull lights of the parking lot. Whoever owned this bike had put a lot of care and attention into it.

He pulled the throttle and revved the engine and as it roared into action Cloud felt a swell of powerful emotions course through his body as though the spirit of the motorbike had been imbued into his soul somehow.

There was no time to think of the others as he rode his way down the steps of the lobby, his head rattling as he descended each step, and onto the ground floor, but he didn't need to. They were already there in a sky blue pickup truck, the girls in the cabin and Barret and Red in the open cargo area.

Cloud signalled for them to follow him and then scanned the front entrance. The door was large enough for Cloud to fit through but the truck was too wide. He had little choice but to smash through the pane of glass that separated the lobby from the outside world and brace himself for whatever injuries followed.

Revving up again, he ducked low, shielding his head beneath the handlebars as the bike careered towards the glass, smashing through it like a cannonball. He lifted his head up, feeling the cool rush of wind on his face. He had made it. The group followed and they made their way towards the highway that would take them out of Midgar for good.

The roads were empty of other vehicles for now but they wouldn't be for much longer. Shinra had eyes and ears all over Midgar and would soon employ their pursuit troops to chase Cloud and his team down, no doubt marching them straight back to the cells.

It didn't take long before the first wave of troops hit the highway. Four bikes surrounded the truck; one at either side, one at the front and another one at the rear, essentially blocking the vehicle at every angle. Barret fired at the bike on the left, downing it instantly and causing it to skid on the asphalt, bright orange sparks flying up into the air until it came to a stop. Cloud took the one on the right, slashing at the tyres. The bike weaved from left to right and then began to spin as its driver lost control. It hit the ground with a thud, its driver flying through the air from the impact.

Cloud took out the last two bikes and the road was quiet again, but it was short-lived as another wave soon followed. This time there were more of them. Four surrounded the truck whilst two others surrounded Cloud. He swiped at the pursuit vehicles with his sword, misjudging a sharp bend and almost crashing into the metal barrier on the right-hand side. One of the perpetrators took this to his advantage, slashing at Cloud's legs with his weapon, but he countered it with an attack of his own, sending both driver and vehicle off the edge of the road and into the slums below.

The biker to Cloud's left dropped back, giving him a chance to support Barret and Red who were attacking from the truck's cargo area with a barrage of spells and bullets. Red flung a Fire spell at a motorbike as it tried to smash into the left-hand side of the truck, causing it to sputter and screech before erupting into a sea of flame and smoke.

To the truck's right was another biker. Barret aimed his Gatling gun at him and fired, which caused the bike to spin out of control. Its rider screamed as he gambolled off the seat and hit the ground, his limbs flailing wildly until the metal barrier on the right-hand side stopped him in his tracks.

The area should have been silent again but it wasn't, for something large was thundering up the asphalt, a machine that must have been so great it made the ground shudder. Cloud snapped his head around so he could grab a quick look. A hulking vehicle with spiked wheels that were larger than its cabin was chasing them down the highway and gaining on them. When he looked dead ahead all he could see was flashing lights and complete darkness. As he grew nearer he could see the edge of the highway and a strip of black and yellow paint signalling the abrupt end. Cloud realised then that they were cornered…

To be continued…