Chapter 7 – Explosion

"Remind me never to go on vacation ever again."

Cloud rolled his eyes, crouched, turned, and unleashed another roundhouse kick. His target, a man dressed in a red-tinted SOLDIER uniform, was sent flying toward the end of the street. A Genesis copy. Junon crawling with them, both the lower area reserved for residents and the upper area which housed the military base. It was the first Genesis-related sighting in nearly eight months, and it had caught nearly everyone at Shinra by complete surprise. Those stationed at Junon immediately called for back-up, and a go-ahead squad of SOLDIERs, Cloud among them, had been sent from Midgar to begin to address the escalating situation and help curb the threat. Even Zack was called back a few days early from his temporary exile in Gongaga for additional assistance. It seemed that Shinra was not taking any chances this time.

The blond readied his blade for another attack. "You weren't on vacation; you were on probation."

Zack smirked, a Fira spell dancing on the tips of his fingers. He aimed and shot the blast toward a group of clones that were chasing them from behind. "Just say that you missed me, Spike."

"No," Cloud said, cheekily. They both knew that was a lie. Cloud definitely missed Zack, especially because he had not had the chance to really thank him for standing up for him, even at the potential cost of the man's own career. But Zack looked good – strong, well-rested, reinvigorated, and bright again, almost like a metaphorical weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was also in a surprisingly pleased mood, despite the dangerous situation they were currently facing.

Zack surveyed the scene. The handful of Genesis clones that they had taken down were all starting to fade to green, vanishing into the Lifestream. The duo was alone now, having separated from the other SOLDIERs in a tactical attempt to cut off the copies' advance toward the military base. Several other teams were currently clearing out the lower levels, to protect and evacuate the civilians. Meanwhile, Cloud and Zack had worked their way through Upper Junon, and it was almost as if no time had passed between them. Though they had only been assigned to a handful of missions together, Cloud quickly remembered how easy it was to work with Zack – he was the most considerate of teammates, with a flexible skillset that allowed him to effortlessly compliment other fighting styles. They had quickly progressed through the levels, Zack taking point on most of the melee battles, with Cloud switching between casting and swordplay depending on the situation. It was so strange how swiftly and instinctually Cloud felt himself move now, compared to the constant self-doubt that plagued him as a Shinra trooper. He found that he was keeping up with Zack quite well, and that was a fact that he could not help but be proud of.

Still, after spending so much time with Seconds and Thirds, Cloud remained in awe of Zack's obviously greater capabilities and speed. The Lieutenant had not missed a beat over the course of his month away; he maneuvered that giant Buster Sword without any outward evidence of strain. It was just another sign of the powerful difference between the Firsts and the other Classes – and even more so, between Zack and Sephiroth and everyone else at SOLDIER.

Their current encounter now complete, Cloud turned to face Zack. "What now?" he asked. "We take the elevator to the military base?"

Zack nodded, but he was frowning a little, trying to think. "I don't understand. What the hell is Genesis doing? He knows Junon is heavily guarded. Why risk a frontal assault?"

Cloud knew those questions were not addressed to him. Before meeting Sephiroth, what Cloud knew about Genesis came only from gossip and from official mission reports, and those aspects painted a very incomplete picture of a man that was clearly more complex than words could hope to describe. And yet, neither Zack nor Sephiroth seemed quite ready to fully divulge their sides of the story. Judging from Sephiroth's descriptions about how close he once was with Genesis, Cloud did not want to press harder on that wound just to satisfy his curiosity. But he could tell that whatever had transpired had lasting and irrevocable repercussions, both on the two people he now considered his closest friends, as well as everything and everyone at SOLDIER.

"At our briefing, the Turks mentioned Dr. Hollander being held here," Cloud offered, recalling the rather overweight man from his first mission with Zack in Modeoheim. "Wasn't he working with Genesis?"

"Yeah. But even if Genesis were trying to break him out, Hollander would be held in the max of the max security, impossible to get at. Unless…" Zack trailed off, shaking his head. "No, never mind. C'mon, let's go. Best thing we can do is stop the threat and make sure the base is secure." And just like that, the Lieutenant was off, his steps so quick, his boots seemed like ghosts against the pavement.

Unfortunately for Zack, Cloud did not miss the dark shadows of worry that flickered across the Lieutenant's face. If Zack was concerned, if he was worried – that said a lot about what might be awaiting them in the coming minutes. But Cloud did not press nor question: instead, he followed, because now he was a SOLDIER, and now, he might be strong enough to make a difference, to do something about it.

On the whole, Sephiroth was neutral to negative about the fact that most people were afraid of him. But there were times when his reputation became especially useful, such whenever he needed to get to somewhere quickly and without interruption. All he had to do was school his face into that unreadable, stoic expression, and stride to his destination: anyone in his way would scurry off immediately. The obvious fear would have almost been amusing, had he been a spectator to the sight and not at the center of it. But those were issues to contemplate another time. Right now, as Sephiroth made his way through the lower and heavily secured floors of Junon's military base, he had to focus on the task at hand.

Upon the arrival of his group of SOLDIERs, Tseng had taken Sephiroth aside and given him the files, had showed the evidence the Turks had gathered against Hollander and his co-conspirators, and had told him not to act until ordered to. But whatever warnings the Turk provided had come far too late. This was a SOLDIER matter, and given the truth revealed in those pieces of paper, SOLDIER was now completely Sephiroth's responsibility. He had allowed himself to be passive, to follow the rules, to get lost in the bureaucracy, to be distracted for far too long, and he had already lost too many men to the madness. The months-long respite from Genesis's revenge, the weeks of grieving over his lost friends, his renewed commitment to trying and fighting again, for Cloud, for Zack – those were the signals that encouraged him to bring an end to the saga. It was reckless, and very much so unlike him, but caution and over-thinking had done little to prevent the tragedies that marred the past year. Perhaps a little less thought was now due.

The elevator doors chimed open, and Sephiroth stepped out to a hallway containing a series of holding cells, all surrounded by bulletproof glass. Down the corridor and to his right was the particular cell he was looking for. Inside, Dr. Hollander sat on his bed, dressed in a garish orange jumpsuit and with his beard considerably more gangly than usual. He looked too nonchalant for a man in his situation, a fact that bothered Sephiroth more than he cared to admit.

Sephiroth pressed the button to open the communication channels. "Hollander," he said smoothly, his usual baritone cracking through the intercom. "I see you've been holding out on some important pieces of information."

The former scientist looked up briefly, but his face betrayed nothing. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"The Turks seem to disagree, as do I."

Hollander did not reply, merely turned his head to stare at the metal wall opposite of his bed. "The level of what you do not know is greater than you can hope to understand."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. He supposed he should be used to being treated like an ignorant lab rat by those associated with the Science Department. But today, he was hardly in the mood. For a moment, the General thought about how easy it would be to type the passcode, slip through the door, and spear Hollander through. The man deserved it, seeing as he was responsible for what happened to Angeal and Genesis, for driving Angeal to his death, for pushing Genesis onto his path of destruction. In conducting his experiments, Hollander clearly possessed the same capacity for cruelty and the same utter disregard for humanity that Dr. Hojo displayed. However, unlike Hojo, Hollander hid behind his unimposing and portly demeanor, and somehow, that deception of harmlessness made his actions taste that much more bitter.

"Then enlighten me," Sephiroth said, his hands waving over the keypad, though whether it was to fulfill his earlier fantasy or to dangle the potential of freedom in front of the man, he had not yet fully decided. Regardless, the motion had its intended effect: Hollander noticed, because he finally turned to regard the General fully. "Or at least tell me if my understanding of the situation is accurate."

"And that is?"

"Genesis is alive. You knew that, of course, seeing as he's attacking Junon right now in hopes of breaking you out of the military base."

"That was an easy point."

"Then let me bring up my second," Sephiroth continued. He summoned Masamune in his left hand, with that subtle brandish that always seemed to elicit fear in those who saw it. He saw Hollander swallow, nervous. Good. "The Turks have been interrogating you for months to gather any information you had, about Project G, about Genesis's plans. Now, you are an intelligent man and Genesis has the advantage of being a former top Shinra operative. But there were giveaways in your tactics, the most salient being this current attack, that predicated knowledge and assistance from the inside."

"Alright, second point made. And your third?"

"Director Lazard," Sephiroth said. "The person had to have access to funds to arm Genesis's army, knowledge of mission operations, and the clearance to subvert security and cover his tracks. He is the only one that fits the criteria."

Now, Hollander laughed. There was amusement glinting in those eyes. It looked eerily like Angeal, when the man was pleased over a baked dish he had crafted, and Sephiroth hated the sight.

"They don't give you enough credit for your mind, General. Though considering your parentage, that much was to be expected."

That was a comment that threw Sephiroth a little, as with any remark about who his parents were did. But he did his best not to show it. "The Turks have suspected it for a long time now. I am just here for confirmation."

Finally, Hollander's eyes widened. It dawned on him now that there was only one reason why the General would come down here, why he would attempt to elicit a confession – and whether the motivation was to deny Genesis what he came for or simple revenge for Angeal's suffering, the end result was the same. That gaze flickered to the silver glint of Sephiroth's sword. The former scientist breathed out, "Why?"

Before Sephiroth could respond, he heard it – the click of a gun safety coming off, right behind his head.

"Because," Lazard stated, his voice nearly drowned out in Sephiroth's mind by the cold metallic feel of the barrel of the gun. "He was planning to kill me, too."

The front entrance of the base was a mess, as was everything else after that. Cloud was focused on trying to keep up with Zack's unrelenting pace, but he knew what he was seeing would haunt his nightmares for days to come. His time at SOLDIER had been filled with monsters and maybe a few injuries, but this was death, human death. The bodies of Shinra troopers, innocent civilian workers, and Genesis copies were scattered around, on the streets, in the halls, and everything smelled strongly of steel, blood and mako. It made Cloud want to gag.

"Damn," Zack said, placing the Buster Sword back on his metallic holster. He looked at the bodies and the wreckage surrounding them. "They're really everywhere, aren't they?"

"How did they bypass all that security?" Cloud wondered.

Zack shook his head. "I didn't want to believe it, but Cissnei was right, then, after all."

Cloud recognized that name as one of Zack's Turk friends, recalled occasionally seeing her in the hallways around Shinra tower. She looked nice, but then again, she was a Turk, and they were notorious for doing not so nice things. "She was the one that picked you up from Gongaga, right? What did she say?"

"That SOLDIER had a mole working with Genesis and Hollander." Zack said, his expression hardening. "I don't have a good feeling about this at all. Let's find Hollander."

"Okay," Cloud agreed. He geared himself up for another sprint. Zack was fast, like lightning through water, and while Cloud had been picking up speed and stamina, he was nowhere near the man's equal. But he refused to hinder the Lieutenant, not on something as important as this.

The two wound their way through the halls of the base, using the stairs to avoid detection and the potential of getting trapped in a metal box. It was an exhausting rush, and Cloud felt his legs begin to ache, but it only took a few minutes for them to arrive at the floors to the holding cells.

And that was where their momentum ended.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled. He tried to rush forward, but Zack's arms were around him immediately, pulling him back.

The man in question only spared a swift sidelong glance at them. His hands were up, Masamune nowhere in sight, an uncharacteristic sign of resignation. Sephiroth was standing in front of the keypad beside the doorway to the glass holding cell. Inside, Hollander was watching the scene play out before him, and though the intercom light was off, it was clear from his expression that he was both surprised and optimistic over what he saw.

But that was not the most important detail. Behind Sephiroth was Director Lazard, dressed impeccably in a blue tailored suit, aiming a gun right at the back of the General's head.

"I wouldn't move, SOLDIERs," Lazard said, eyes flickering to Zack and Cloud for the briefest moment before returning his gaze to his target. "General, please. The passcode."

"Director," Zack said, frustration evident in his voice. "I honestly really hoped that the Turks were wrong about you."

"I am sorry to disappoint," Lazard replied. Strangely, his tone managed to sound genuine. And yet, the man kept his attention strictly on the General, as if aware that any distraction or shift would leave himself vulnerable to the speed of two First Class SOLDIERs. "I would explain, but I am running on a schedule here. And we both know that the man I am working with is not the most patient of people."

Sephiroth's voice cut through the air, smooth as steel. "Then we are at an impasse, as I will not open that door without answers."

"And unfortunately, you are not in a position to ask questions." Lazard said, finger brushing lightly against the trigger. "I will not ask again. The passcode to the door, please."

Cloud wanted to scream; his hands were shaking, and his mind was running a mile a minute. All he could focus on right now was Sephiroth. Despite how much Cloud had progressed, there was nothing he could think of that would save the man from his current predicament. Though he and Zack had the upper hand in terms of numbers and strength, there was no way he could out-run a pointblank bullet to the brain. He tried to calm the tightness in his chest, tried to work through contingencies and alternate strategies, but his mind kept tunneling on the dread and the fear. Because this simply wasn't possible – Sephiroth in danger, Sephiroth dying. The mere thought of it made Cloud's heart screech to a stop for a long, twisted moment.

Then, beside him, Zack let out the loudest and most exaggerated sigh he had ever heard before. The casual nature of the sound shocked Cloud. The Lieutenant had moved to re-holster the Buster Sword and then had placed his hands on his hips.

"Gaia, Seph, you're really going to make me clean up all your messes, aren't you," Zack said, his voice oddly smooth.

"You've done excellent work so far, I thought why not continue?"

Zack groaned. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."

"I took a page out of your book and tried following my gut," Sephiroth replied.

"Yeah well, maybe don't do that again."

"Enough," Lazard interrupted. His expression betrayed his confusion over the exchange, but he still kept his eyes fixed firmly on Sephiroth. "General, please. If you would release Hollander, we can be on our way."

"Certainly," Sephiroth said, reaching forward and typing some numbers into the keypad slowly. Cloud watched as Zack squatted slightly, as if readying his stance to launch forward. It was then that the blond realized the plan, realized that Zack had subtly moved forward to position himself with each joking and disarming comment he made. In the end, the Lieutenant was more a wolf who played puppy, especially when it counted most.

The light on the keypad beeped red for a moment, indicating that the numbers Sephiroth had inputted were incorrect. Lazard looked at the man in disbelief. "Apologies, Director. I appear to have forgotten the passcode. My memory is a little foggy, given that gun pointed at my head."

"I don't know what game you are playing at, but—"

The brief distraction was enough for someone with a First Class SOLDIER's speed. Zack was on the Director like a predator darting through the woods, tackling the man to the ground, and slamming the man's wrist hard against the metal floor to release his grip on the gun. Sephiroth kicked the offending weapon toward Cloud, who stooped down to pick the weapon up and remove the bullets. And just like that, the immediate danger was over. The whole thing felt like an inexplicable whirlwind, too fast for Cloud to comprehend. But there was Zack and Sephiroth, completely casual and in control, a symbol of how much Cloud aspired to and how much more he had yet to go.

He watched as the Lieutenant hoisted Lazard up, bracing the man's arms behind his back. "Sephiroth, you suck at playing dumb," Zack said, though not without a small, sideway smile on his face.

"Yes, I will leave that to you from now on," the General retorted. Now released from the fear of having his head blown off, he stretched out his left hand, summoning his notorious sword from out of thin air. "Now, Director, you had mentioned that I was planning on killing you. Shall I proceed?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "Lame. Also, can I move first? I'm still in the range of your six-foot-long excuse of a sword."

The quick turnaround in mood was jarring. "Wait, you aren't going to…I mean…" Cloud stammered. Suddenly, his heart felt like it was hammering in his chest, as if resuscitated by an electric shock. But instead of losing Sephiroth, his anxiety was focused on something different. They wouldn't just kill an unarmed person, would they? Cloud was not naïve – he knew that both men had fought in the war, and that Sephiroth in particular was famous for the trail of death he left behind him (if the Shinra newspapers were to be believed, which, as Cloud was beginning to discover, they really could not be). They were SOLDIERs, enhanced killing machines. But it was still almost too much to comprehend, to think that either of the men he admired could simply take a life without second thought.

Zack seemed to detect Cloud's line of thinking, and he shot a discreet glance over to Sephiroth, as if suggesting that a different tactic was now needed. In response, the General's eyes softened, and after a beat, Masamune vanished into silver wisps.

"Director Lazard," Sephiroth began, his mako green eyes sharp and assessing. He spoke carefully, and Cloud could tell he was trying to layer meaning under each particular word, as if casting a spell. "You can tell me if my assumptions are off, but given your circumstances, I can understand your motivations for betraying Shinra. However, I also know Genesis. He will not stop with the company. The world will burn in his anger, and if you indulge him on this path he is on, we will not be able to stop him."

Zack spoke up, loosening his grip slightly on Lazard as if to emphasize his point. "Please, Director. We just want to try and help our friend. Can you help us do that?"

Cloud watched, as silence fell among the group. Much like their mad rush through Junon, he found himself struggling to keep up. The Shinra news had painted Genesis as traitor, a deserter, a mad man on a rampage against the company that had gifted him everything. But the person in Sephiroth's stories was a different image. Dramatic, excessive, and crass, but caring and protective. Even beyond the point of Genesis, the details of what had occurred prior to his joining Shinra, that led up to his meeting Zack at Modeoheim, were far beyond Cloud's paygrade and security clearance. One thing was evident though: neither Zack nor Sephiroth seemed to be acting according to Shinra protocol. If they were, they would have called the Turks, ended Lazard and Hollander, instead of trying to extract information that would let them help Genesis.

For his part, Lazard seemed persuaded, perhaps because he had little choice in the matter, now that he was in the custody of three SOLDIERs. "Your old friend may be beyond your help, General. This attack on Junon is not just a ruse to extract Hollander."

"What else does he have planned?" Sephiroth asked.

"He wants to burn Shinra from the world, starting with the whole upper section of this city."

Zack's eyes widened. "Holy fuck, he's gonna bomb the support system."

It took a second for Zack's words to dawn on Cloud, and when they did, he could not help but let out a quiet gasp. Upper Junon was a military installation that had been built above the original town. Collapsing the installation would no doubt end up destroying the lives and livelihoods of those that lived beneath it. The sheer scale of the act was overwhelming. It just seemed so incomprehensible to Cloud, that someone would be so angry and so ruthless to be willing to cause that much destruction.

Sephiroth stepped up to Lazard, to encourage the man to continue speaking. "Where can we find Genesis?"

Lazard shook his head. "Once he discovers that I've failed to release Hollander, he'll likely come here to take the scientist himself."

There was a quiet moment, in which Cloud watched the gears turn in Sephiroth's head. Then the General responded, "Thank you, Lazard. I will need you to wait here, with Hollander, for a moment." He motioned for Zack to place Lazard in the cell, then turned to Cloud while his Lieutenant typed in the passcode and followed his orders. Those green eyes looked tired but determined. For a moment, and in spite of the hectic situation, Cloud was full with relief – because Sephiroth was here and breathing and alive.

"Cloud," Sephiroth said, a soft smile on his lips. "I am sure you have more than a few questions."

Cloud resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his superior officer. This was like getting thrown into the middle of shark-infested waters while covered in blood, with absolutely no understanding of how one had fallen into said predicament. But Zack had not protested or asked him to stay behind, not once during the hours they were fighting together in Junon. Cloud had kept up, he had proven himself. He was a SOLDIER who deserved to be trusted, and he wanted to make sure Sephiroth knew that, too.

"I do," he replied. "But you can explain later. Just give me your orders, sir."

Something crossed Sephiroth's eyes – that small glimmer of surprise, the same one that he sometimes had whenever Cloud said or did something that was equal parts surprising and familiar, all at once. But there was a fondness in the look too, one that was becoming less guarded and more recognizable with each interaction they shared.

"Follow Zack," Sephiroth said.

Zack, having heard his name, called from the open cell door in his typical happy-go-lucky manner. "Oh, so I'm still in charge? Awesome." He sat Lazard down on one of the benches, patted the man's shoulder in that manner he always did, and said something in a quieter voice that was lost without the intercom being on. Then, he spared a moment to shoot a warning glare at Hollander. The scientist, for his part, remained in his corner, an expression of bewilderment and frustration plastered on his face.

This time, Cloud rolled his eyes (Zack was his superior, but he was still also Zack). But he assented, "Yes, sir."

"You two will need to find the explosive device and disarm it, as quickly as you can."

"And you? You'll be okay confronting Genesis? Judging from the bomb, he seems very ticked."

Again, that wonderful surprise. Sephiroth seemingly could not help the small smile that stretched his lips. "Genesis and I…are overdue an honest conversation."

Cloud bit his lip for a brief second. He didn't like it – leaving Sephiroth here, waiting for a man that may have once been his friend, and yet was insane enough to be willing to pursue this terrible plan. And if Cloud were being honest, the sights of the day – the dead bodies, the blood carpeting the base halls, Sephiroth with a gun against his head – it was a lot for him. He wanted to go back to before, to the peace, to Sephiroth in his office, handing him a birthday gift and holding his hand. The fear of losing those precious moments was nearly paralyzing. But his friends were counting on him now. And Cloud Strife was now many things, including a SOLDIER, but he was not quitter.

"Yes, sir," Cloud said, nodding and stepping back.

The moment ended when Zack clapped his hands loudly, almost in mock applause. He had exited the cell without the two of them noticing, and his expression clearly showed amusement over whatever he saw. But he didn't comment further, instead asked, "Ready, Cloud?"

Cloud sent one last look at Sephiroth, hoping that the man could see – could see that whatever Genesis said or did, it wasn't Sephiroth's fault, could see that Cloud would be waiting for him, could see that there were people who cared, could see that Angeal and Genesis's respective paths were not the only option. Sephiroth only offered him that small smile in reply, but it was more than enough. A prayer, a promise. After this, they would see each other and then talk. All they had to do was get through today.

That was what Cloud would hold onto.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Despite the everything happening around them, there was a murmur of happiness in Zack's heart, one that seemed to peak when he saw Cloud looking at Sephiroth with those blue eyes that were not so baby-ish anymore. Months ago, there was no way that the blond would have ever been that confident to look his superior officer in the eye, but now, there was a clear change. Zack had spotted it earlier, when he had run into Cloud and the other SOLDIERs in lower Junon, and the sight brought a swell of pride in his chest. Well, if Zack was being honest, that pride had been there from the moment Cloud joined SOLDIER in the first place. The blond was blossoming – the determination and promise he saw in the scrawny cadet who had been the only one who managed to keep up with him in Modeoheim were no longer so hidden. And judging by how the other SOLDIERs responded to Cloud, listened, and backed him up, everyone else seemed to have noticed, too.

It was why, when they needed to split up and send some SOLDIERs to Upper Junon, Zack had immediately picked Cloud as his number two. He knew that Cloud would work hard, and he was not disappointed. Despite the wide difference between his First Class and Cloud's Third Class abilities, the blond did not slow him down a single beat. In the way that Cloud fought, Zack could see notes of his sword-technique, melding in a strangely artistic fashion with Sephiroth's footwork. It was mesmerizing. For the first time, Zack genuinely began to consider if Cloud would surpass both of them – and wondered if perhaps that was why Sephiroth was so interested in the first place.

(Though, Zack was convinced it was a different type of interest, one that he could not help but find some joy in. A guy had to get his kicks somewhere, and if it was in watching his two most awkward and introverted friends dance around each other endlessly while being as sweet as a sack of marshmallows, then so be it. Aerith accused him of being a sadist at that remark).

Still, there was time to indulge in such entertainment later. Right now, Zack was more focused on making sure that today, this mission, this time, he would not fail. Genesis had slipped through his fingers more than once before, but with Sephiroth's full resolve, he believed that mistake would not happen again. And this time, Zack himself had some trusty back-up.

"That's the last of them," Cloud declared, holstering his broadsword on his back. They had arrived at the metallic underbelly of Upper Junon, the structure which supported the military installation built atop of the old town. Naturally, the place was infested with Genesis copies, but despite the length of the day and the stress of what had happened earlier, Cloud remained alert and strong. In fact, the younger man seemed more determined than ever – probably because he needed to let off some steam after having seen the General in danger. Zack made a mental note to tease Cloud about that later.

Or now. Now would do fine. Zack grinned. "C'mon. You were supposed to leave some for me, y'know."

Cloud whipped around to look at him, and then ducked his head a little to hide the pink tinging his cheeks. It made Zack smile wider. Cloud would be Cloud, after all. "You were the one sitting back, idiot. Don't think I didn't notice."

"Just wanted to take a break that's all." Jokingly, Zack stretched and fake-yawned, to emphasize his point.

Cloud rolled his eyes and turned back to survey the expanse of concrete and steel before them. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Well, if I were a crazy redhead hellbent on causing destruction, where would I place a bomb?"

"Somewhere that would guarantee the collapse of the support system," Cloud replied.

Zack pulled open his PHS and flipped to an email sent to him by Cissnei earlier, containing the blueprints for the under plate. After disarming Lazard, Sephiroth had finally called Tseng to inform him of the situation. Somehow, in spite of the clear insubordination, the General managed to secure a promise from Tseng not to interfere with his plan, stating that he was in the best position to neutralize Genesis. There was no arguing with that logic; Tseng acquiesced, and turned his efforts to helping Zack and Cloud locate the bomb, while sending the others to redouble evacuation efforts. But it was clear that this was going to be their last chance. If they did not manage to stop Genesis now, it would be completely out of their hands, and there was no way Shinra was going to let their former friend live. The thought of playing executioner to another one of their own did not sit well with Zack at all.

"The blueprints point to this pillar being the main support, so that's probably our jackpot," Zack surmised. He snapped close the device and tucked it into his pocket. Cloud was already moving in the direction Zack indicated, ever the overachiever. They set a brisk pace, wandering through a maze of metal and wires. But suddenly, they heard it.

"Help, please, help!"

Both Zack and Cloud stopped for the briefest of moments, to shoot each other looks of confusion. Then, the SOLDIERs darted toward the source of the noise. It was coming from a spot close to the pillar in question – there, on the floor of steel, was a man, kneeling forward on his hands, as if pressing down on something desperately. The realization of what that something was hit Zack harder than that time he was nearly run over by a stampede of chocobos out in the Midgar Wastes.

Cloud said it aloud first. "A pressure bomb."

Shit. Zack stepped forward, his hands hovering around the poor man. He looked like an engineer, dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit with yellow workman gloves. His curly brown hair seemed matted to his forehead with sweat, and his glasses were precariously close to slipping right off his nose. Zack's eyes moved downward to the man's ID, hanging from the pocket on his chest. "Hey, Isaac," he said, putting on his best cheery face. "I'm Lieutenant Zack Fair, from SOLDIER. This here is my friend, Cloud. We're here to help."

For his part, the engineer managed a sob, that sounded a lot like, "Thank, Gaia."

Cloud crouched on the other side of the man, to get a closer look at the device. It was intricate, complicated, probably much like the former SOLDIER that commissioned its use. Zack could see Cloud's thoughts filtering through those blue eyes. Neither of them had been extensively trained in bomb-defusing, and considering the stakes at play, they could not afford to make a mistake.

"I'm going to call Cissnei," Zack said.

"Call?" Isaac nearly screamed. "But you said you would help!"

Zack could practically hear the man's heartbeat, threatening to burst out of his chest. This was bad. They were hoping for a remote device, one they could disarm simply by using the technology that Cissnei had provided them to scramble any communications to the bomb. But the added wrinkle of a stressed and untrained civilian threw in an element of chaos. It was also unbearably cruel, dishonorable. That fact sent a sharp pang through Zack.

"We are," Cloud said, his voice sharp but calm. A lot like the tone Sephiroth would take, actually. "Unfortunately, neither the Lieutenant nor I know how to disarm this device. But help is on its way, just a few moments—"

"No, no! Get me out of here, now!"

"Wait," Zack tried once more.

"No!"

Suddenly, the man moved, his arms lifting upward. In the following moment, the panic seemed to override everything, slowing down the seconds to fractions and fractions. All Zack could recall was that he had shifted forward, his arms encircling Isaac to pull him away, to shield the civilian from the inevitable. And all that flashed in his mind as the end approached were thoughts of Sephiroth, of Angeal, of Cloud, of Genesis, of Aerith, of his parents, and of how he had failed everyone important to him again.

Then, the moment passed. Zack only heard the buzzing of the metal structures around them – there was no conflagration, no overwhelming heat, no pain, nothing. Only the ticking of a bomb that had still not gone off.

He opened his eyes.

And there was Cloud with his hands pressed down on the pressure plate of the bomb, his blue eyes wide with that steel and fire that seemed to amaze everyone around him. His arms were braced tight, muscles taut and strong. Once again, it seemed that Cloud had beaten him to it. Zack didn't know whether to be impressed, grateful, sad or angry. He decided on a little of all four.

They met gazes, and all Zack could manage was a strangled, "Oh, Gaia, Cloud. What the hell did you do?"