I
CHAPTER I
THE FIGHT FOR THE PLANET
Cloud Strife heard the piercing whistle and sat up sharply, his eyes darting around the unlit carriage for traces of movement. The sound had dragged him unkindly from his thoughts and the murky world he had entered as he listened to the gentle rumble of the cargo train's engine. He scolded himself for allowing his concentration to drift, and exhaled, letting his tense body fall back into its slumped position against the shuddering wall once more. With a single rub of his weary eyes with the back of his brown fingerless gloves, he lowered his hands to his knees, resting them on the baggy dark blue combat trousers of his old uniform. Beneath him, he could feel the train gradually slowing, watching the dusty wooden crates of the hold tremble each time the brakes of the MK600 were applied.
"Crap," he muttered in a low voice, pulling himself from the hard floor and adjusting the spiked armoured pauldron on his left shoulder.
He braced himself as the train pulled into the Sector1 industrial station, his body emitting a faint moan as he leant forward to reclaim his Buster Sword. The great silver blade was made of resilient steel alloy, trimmed at its hilt with gilded carvings around two circular slots. Its parallel edges were unequal in length, the shortest of which ended after four feet, but grew half a foot farther in order to meet the other at a deadly point. Cloud snatched the heavy weapon from the floor and held it aloft for a second, the taut red leather around the thin handle a comfort against his fingertips.
As soon as the locomotive had drawn to a halt, he slung the greatsword over his back where it clung to the magnetic holder on his braces, and crossed the carriage to the shutters on the far wall. The doors were weak and rotting, and opened easily. He stepped out into the shadowy depot, the night air cool against his tired face. The nearby broken bodies of two unconscious guards were sprawled awkwardly on the concrete platform, the neck of one badly twisted. Ahead, he could see the giant figure of Barret, their leader, hastily climbing the steps to the depot's north entrance. Cloud scanned the compound, preparing himself for a possible assault on whatever security remained. When at last ten uneventful seconds had passed, he moved swiftly into the open.
"Hey," came a shrill whisper from above. Cloud turned to see Wedge, another of the team, perched on the curved roof of the train. Again he cursed under his breath that he must quickly regain his acute vigilance.
Wedge was stout in build, his rotund features emphasised by the tight yellow t-shirt and utility belt he wore, with a mane of hair hidden beneath a scabby do-rag. Cloud guessed he was a couple of years younger than himself, possibly eighteen or nineteen. Wedge had been the least outgoing of the five-member team for the brief minutes Cloud had spent with them, listening intently as Barret dictated exactly how he wanted his operation to be executed. Now, as he peered up at the teenager, Cloud saw him point a grubby finger towards the tall portal exit a short distance from the front of the train.
"Area's secure," Wedge reported. "Head for the Reactor. I'll clean up here."
Cloud nodded, and began to jog across the platform, the dull thumping of his military boots echoing in the stillness of the yard. The station opened onto a wide cobbled pavement, the round stones shimmering in the brilliant jade-coloured glow of the lampposts. The factory buildings and warehouses on either side of the street appeared old and unkempt, their graffiti-laden walls chipped and grimy. In the distance, west of the depot, stood the high gateway of the Reactor complex, its menacing silhouette looming over the network of paths like an ever-watchful sentinel. Keeping to the shadows, he stealthily edged along the road, creeping in and out of the green hue. As he approached, he could make out the shapes of Biggs and Jessie huddled together at the side of the gates.
He had encountered both previously, but had heard their names only in passing. Biggs was a Slumborn youngster who, unlike Wedge, had made his presence at their briefing known. His sleek black hair was tied back by a red bandanna, his brown-eyed gaze cocky and arrogant. Jessie was in her mid-twenties and the only female of the team, and had been identified as the computer expert, a skill their leader had considered crucial. She was fiddling with her laptop when Cloud emerged behind them, having connected it to the control panel on the hulking facility doorway.
He waited without sound for a long while, closely studying Jessie's efforts to gain entry to the Reactor. A series of meaningless binary codes flashed back and forth over the screen as the decryption program hacked the system, the pulsing digits almost a blur. She swore as sweat gathered on her brow, running her hands anxiously through the auburn locks she had thrown casually in a ponytail.
"You used to be in SOLDIER, right?" Biggs said finally, the suspicion evident in his tone. He continued to stare at the laptop, tapping his foot rhythmically against the damp street, caressing his thin goatee. "Not every day ya find someone like you in a group o' freedom fighters like AVALANCHE."
"SOLDIER?" squeaked Jessie. "Aren't they the enemy?"
"Ex-SOLDIER. He quit an' is one o' us now," elaborated Biggs, choosing this moment to turn around. He offered Cloud a quick half-smile. "I didn't catch your name."
"Cloud."
"Cloud, eh? I'm-"
"I know who you are," he grunted, his eyes narrowed as he scoured the surroundings for patrolmen. "Listen, I'm not a SOLDIER and I don't work for AVALANCHE. I'm only being paid to get this job done. Once it's over, I'm outta here."
"Whatever, man," Biggs muttered, tightening his bandanna. A tense silence ensued, the teenager's expression one of ridicule as he returned his focus to the screen. "I just-"
"Hey!" hissed a gruff voice, startling Biggs. They each glanced back to witness the formidable profile storming down the deserted alley towards them.
Barret Wallace was an unnaturally tall man of almost seven feet, his broad muscular shape gargantuan in comparison to most. Clad in green combats and an unbuttoned brown leather jacket whose sleeves had been torn from the shoulders, his dark-skinned chest was exposed above a silver waist-guard. He had a shaven crew-cut and a grisly beard, and the constant growl of his fierce sunken eyes always seemed to threaten the party. However, it was neither his furious glare nor the deep scar on the right side of his face that intimidated them most.
Barret had long since lost his right arm but, in its place, attached to his bulging limb slightly below the elbow, was a six-barrelled gatling-gun. Its thirty-five millimetre ammo was compressed into the wide disc between the weapon and his joint, the coil of bullets wrapped within its greasy walls. He held his arm high as he charged, the stained metal dark and grey. It was his symbol for rebellion; for his war against Shinra.
"What the hell're ya doin'?" he spat again, his wide nostrils flaring.
"We're breakin' in," replied Biggs sarcastically.
"I thought I told you never to move as a group?" Barret snarled as he neared them. Wedge could be seen stumbling behind, struggling to catch his breath. "Idiots!"
"But..." started Biggs.
"Shut up," snapped Barret. "How we doin'?"
There was a bleep from the control panel and Jessie took a step back. From within the complex, there came a faint rumble of machinery, and with a great groan, the gate began to part.
"Doors opening," she whispered.
"Good work, Jessie," said Barret. "Right, I'll go over it one last time. Our target's the North Mako Reactor. Meet on the T-junction bridge at its entrance. Security shouldn't be very tight, given the time, but be careful. If anyone gets caught, you're on your own. Okay, move out!"
The group warily entered the dark enclosure, Barret commanding the route he wished each of them to follow. As they separated, Cloud found himself glancing up at the shell of the main building. Its exterior was shaped like an enormous fin, housing an entire office wing, and acting as the casing for the industrial furnace. He clenched his jaw as his eyes fell upon the red Shinra Diamond painted at its height, and remembered his days in the Shinra Army, swearing his allegiance to the Company, and all they stood for. How times had changed: a once-loyal member of SOLDIER, returning as a mercenary to haunt the very people who had deceived him.
Trailing a north-westerly path, Cloud came to the bridge quicker than he had anticipated, encountering only a few Shinra guards as he slipped silently through the black maze of crates and chemical containers. He had covertly knocked most of them unconscious, leaving their still bodies hidden in the shadows. The bridge was not really a bridge at all, but a suspended metal grid connecting the outer shell of the facility to both main exits. Several hundred feet below, Cloud could see the Sector1 Slums spreading out from the belly of the Reactor. The ruined landscape was a slur of brown and grey from this height, disappearing under the Plate to his left, and towards the outskirts of Midgar to his right, as if in a great effort to remove itself from the upper-city's leering glare.
He chose to stay in the dimness of the passage, delaying his crossing of the walkway until he was certain it was secure. I've already made two mistakes tonight. There won't be a third. Minutes passed as he remained in the exit, peering out over the bridge as he waited for the appearance of another of the group. All that could be heard were the distant cries of disturbed birds and an occasional drunkard's holler from the sector's suburb a number of miles off. He observed the thick bursts of smoke as it escaped the domed head of the Reactor's chimney, and stared, mesmerised, as it soared into the cold night air in unsynchronized spurts of pale green mist, obscuring the midnight sky.
Cloud's gaze shot back to the slender tunnel opposite him, the sharp clang alerting him to his senses. He saw Barret and Jessie waiting in the opening, their voices lowered, and stepped momentarily out from the darkness to reveal his position. Barret nodded in acknowledgment of his presence and, scanning the area carefully, he motioned for Biggs and Jessie to follow him. Cautiously, they made their way towards the centre of the grid. Cloud hung back for a second, but moved out as they reached the perpendicular junction, knowing that if they had been seen, an ambush would have already taken place.
"Hey, newcomer, hurry up," ordered Barret. "It's this way."
They marched hastily across the bridge, quickening their step as they passed through the entrance of the plant. Cloud turned to see Wedge signal to him, remaining stationary in the tunnel as lookout. The four continued down the wide unattended hallway, a series of orange filament lamps their only light, until they came to a dead end; a single electronically-locked door was their only means of proceeding farther into the facility. Jessie looked up at Barret as she crouched next to the security card reader and, when his nod of satisfaction finally came, she pulled her laptop from the battered and bruised rucksack she carried and began to work at the panel.
"This your first time in a Reactor?" Barret asked as he and Cloud stood over her, counting the seconds before their next move.
"I used to work for Shinra," he snorted. "What do you think?"
"The world's full of Mako energy," Barret said, frowning. "People here use it every day. It's the lifeblood of the Planet, but the suits at Shinra keep suckin' it out with these weird machines. The more they suck out the Mako, the weaker the Planet gets. It's only a matter of time before-"
"Look, I'm not here to listen to your speeches," Cloud interjected coldly. "Let's just hurry and get outta here."
"Ex-SOLDIER, huh?" growled Barret. "Tifa's old friend don't cut it for me; I don't trust ya. You're comin' with me from now on!"
"Figures," he muttered.
"Code deciphered," said Jessie, redirecting Barret's attention as he opened his mouth to reply. There came a thunderous clunk, and she and Biggs stepped forward to heave the heavy doors apart. They opened into a second, slimmer hallway, many corridors and stairways branching off from the polished tile floor.
"Which way?" asked Biggs.
"Straight ahead," said Jessie, her eyes locked firmly on the monitor of her laptop, reading from the blueprints of the Reactor's interior. "Take the third turn on your right. Big doors. It's marked 'Machine Room'."
Biggs led them as instructed, carefully checking the relative corridor before disappearing into its shadows. He brought them to a large, spacious chamber, adorned by several tall pipes and oil-stained pistons throughout. The air inside was tight and sticky, irritating to breathe, a few useless ventilation turbines rotating endlessly overhead, the multiple clicks inharmonious. A row of computer panels lined the back wall, the faces of all but one dead, above which hung numerous caution signs, warning of the dangerous gases present in the building's lower levels.
The rusting silver doors to an elevator stood in one corner, the lift seemingly the only other access to the machine room besides the adjacent office. All but Biggs crossed the long room and entered the elevator. The interior was a mass of buttons, their markings letters of an ancient alphabet. Cloud hit the 'down' button by the door and, when all three were safely inside, they began to descend.
"Little by little, the Reactors'll drain out all o' the Planet's life, and that'll be that," Barret continued to lecture. Cloud looked up at him blankly, shrugging, but made no effort to respond. "Don't you get it? The Planet's dyin', Cloud!"
"That's not my problem," came the flat reply. "The only thing I care about is finishin' the mission before Shinra send in any soldiers or security robots."
Barret gritted his teeth, his eyes screaming with rage, but said nothing. He turned away from Cloud and pulled the bullet belt from around his waist. Sliding open the slot on his gun-arm, he thrust the belt inside, cursing in silence. Cloud looked up to see Jessie staring at him, but she glanced away quickly, her expression growing nervous. There was a drone from the elevator wires and, with a smooth deceleration, their ride came to a gradual halt. When the doors finally parted, Cloud and Barret moved hurriedly out.
They emerged on a balcony overlooking the pale green pool of liquid Mako that danced around the base of the Reactor. Cloud calculated that they were now beneath the earth; the vibrant streams only in abundance below the surface. Before them, a single walkway extended out over the depths to the core activation system and pressure valve at the centre of the main Reactor. The valve was the control device for the enormous cylinder that was the protective casing to the Reactor's internal machinery. It grew both high above and low below them, a mass of large pipes penetrating it at many different stages, arcing down to extract the energising Mako from the rivers. The substance swirled around the foot of the cylinder, staining its thick metal walls. Bright mists of the toxic fumes rose up through the tower, seeping onto the walkway where the two stood, and all the platforms they could see on the levels above.
As predicted by Barret, there were no scientists or technicians working at that time of night, a single sleeping guard the only other life. The man sat in his chair by the activation system at the far end of the grid, his arms folded, his red cap pulled down over his face, snoring. On the large monitor beside the guard, Cloud could see himself, captured by the overhead surveillance system. They would have to be quick now that they were in full view of the enemy.
He began forward, his strides long and purposeful. The twin metal grating lines below his boots rattled noisily as he stalked across the walkway. Drawing nearer, he saw the man stir in his chair. The guard groaned, stretching his arms into the air, and glanced up, his eyes filling with fright. As he reached for his gun, Cloud's fist connected devastatingly with his face, the spray of blood splattering over his uniform.
The man howled in pain and confusion, groping clumsily at his nose as he tried to stand. Cloud kicked him hard in the stomach, the blow forcing him to double over as he cried out a second time. He stared vacantly at the helpless guard, his thoughts cold and merciless, watching as Barret pushed past him and grabbed the man by the throat, effortlessly hurling him backwards into the control system. The panels crackled and died as he smashed against them, a faint smoke escaping as he slumped to the floor.
Barret towered over the unmoving body and grinned with vengeance, his hatred for Shinra leaking through the glazed expression. After a moment, he looked away, his focus fixed on the pressure valve of the Reactor, the machinery's only manual shutdown mechanism. It was placed on a semi-circular panel which extended from the main cylinder, surrounded by a series of diodes and levers. The red diamond emblem had been painted slightly above the valve, the words 'Shinra Electric Power Company' written across it in gold. There came a strange humming sound from within, the noise dull and infectious.
"When we put this place into meltdown, it ain't gonna be nothin' more than a hunk o' junk!" snorted Barret, motioning for Cloud to join him by the valve. "Okay, SOLDIER-boy, you set the bomb."
"Shouldn't you do it?" Cloud asked, puzzled.
"Just do it! I wanna make sure you don't pull nothin'."
"Whatever, man."
Taking the device from Barret, Cloud found the small plastic explosive lighter than expected. He knelt down, concentrating as he searched the panel for a suitable resting place for the time bomb, but stopped. There came a sharp, piercing drone in his ears, and his body was numbed beyond control. His mind ached, sending him into a haze of wild thoughts.
"Watch out," he said as he hauled the door aside, "it appears this isn't just a Reactor…"
"...what the hell?"
"Huh?" stammered Cloud. He looked over to see Barret glaring at him.
"What's wrong? Hurry it up."
"Yeah...sorry," he mumbled, and leant forward to place the bomb directly below the valve.
He could hear Barret's heavy breathing behind him as he punched in the code, the deep, throaty gasps annoying. Cloud set the countdown to twenty minutes, leaving them enough time to reach a safe distance. Suddenly, as he pressed the button to initiate the bomb, the alarm overhead burst into a scream, its low wail a continuous resonance within the high sweeping walls of the Reactor. Cloud sprang to his feet, heaving his greatsword from over his shoulder.
"Heads up!" shouted Barret. "Here they come."
A barrage of bullets rained down upon the two intruders, the twang of chipped metal ringing out over the grid. Dozens of Shinra soldiers were swarming onto the platforms above Barret and Cloud, the sights on their automatic rifles fixed on them. Sparks flew in all directions as the shots bounced off the ground, flames of flickering orange dancing at their feet. Cloud risked a glance towards the elevator, Jessie's beckoning wave seeming a thousand miles away.
There came a deafening roar as Cloud broke into a sprint, deflecting the bullets with rapid and skilful sword movements, Barret's gun-arm exploding into life as he came pounding along the walkway. The shells of the spinning gatling-gun tore through armour and flesh, the wounded infantrymen toppling over barriers and plunging into the deadly rivers below. Shots whizzed over his head, buzzing as they zipped past his ears. Running and ducking, and diving out of the way of the onslaught of enemy fire, they grew nearer the elevator, their legs pumping harder as their goal became ever closer. Jessie slammed the doors shut as they launched themselves inside, shielding herself from the trail of bullets that followed, and punched the button to take them back to the Plate.
The ascent seemed to last only seconds, Cloud's head thumping with the echo of gunfire. Darting into the machine room as the lift doors slid apart, he pulled his loosening braces and the Buster Sword's magnet tighter against his back, his thoughts a whir as he charged alongside Jessie across the grubby floor, their entire surroundings now a flashing red. Barret barked unheard commands at the stunned Biggs from behind them, his booming voice barely penetrating the shrieking klaxons as he warned of their chase.
Taking a few seconds to heed the anxious cries of Jessie for him to run, Biggs spun on the spot, racing along the hallway to the main corridor. Reaching the turn, Cloud saw the boy's face fill with terror, skidding to a halt and ducking as a throwing knife sailed inches over his head, embedding itself in the plastic wall next to him. As if in a single motion, he took off again, disappearing down the passage from which they had entered the facility.
Cloud hurtled around the corner next, swinging his sword with all his strength as a glint of silver caught his eye. The might of his parry sent the flying blade back towards its wielder, forcing the young woman to leap agilely for cover behind the office stairwell. In the instant it took for his brain to register her outfit, a great swell of realisation coursed through his body, turning him on his heels instinctively.
"Run!" he bellowed, tearing down the corridor after Barret and Jessie. "They're here!"
Adrenaline raged around his veins as he came to the bridge, the stampede of boots growing from the hallways behind. He heard Jessie call out to him from the tunnel at the opposite side of the junction, but chose to ignore her, his trained mind working at speed. Turning quickly, he could make out the blue figures of the approaching soldiers through the dimness, and knew that they would be upon him in seconds. Grabbing the leather brace on his chest, he yanked a hand grenade from his pocket, pulling out the pin as he let the bomb fall to the grid.
"Get down!" he shouted, watching the others shield themselves as he dashed along the walkway towards them.
Hurling himself into the tunnel, Cloud felt the blast rip the bridge from beneath him, showering him with acrid dust and steel as he landed heavily on cold stone. Scrambling hastily to his feet, he peered back at the smouldering entrance to the facility, met only by the furious burning gaze of the woman. Through the thick smog he saw how pale she seemed, her dark bobbed hair falling across one side of her thin face. She wore the tight black suit uniform that he had come to know so well; an ill omen for most who witnessed it. Taking his eyes from hers, he looked grimly back at the others as they slowly stood, nursing their aching limbs, and realised they had no time to catch their breaths before the Army came for them again. Without sound, he set off down the tunnel, his determination driving him to reach the nearby sewers, and his escape into the night.
The detonation eventually came, a huge fireball soaring into the sky, the red flames of the crumbling Reactor lighting up the city. Cloud pulled the manhole cover closed as he surveyed the remote blaze beyond the rooftops, until all was submerged by smoke. Trotting silently down the dark cobbled lane, he caught up with the others a number of paces in front of him, his ears still resonating with the blast. Even as far from the Sector1 limits as they were, the ripples of energy had found them, shaking the cramped sewer walls around them, and a sense that something had gone terribly wrong seemed to envelope the party.
The alley brought them at last to the Sector8 town square, bustling with the commotion of frightened and bewildered citizens. Taking a few seconds to blend in with the crowds, they retreated to the shadows of the bordering tenements, wary of suspicious eyes. Small pieces of jagged stone had come hurtling down from the side of the Les Marronniers Hotel not far from where they stood, smashing into thousands of fragments on the pavement, sending wisps of dirt swirling about their legs. In the aftermath of the explosion, there had ensued an eerie silence that smothered even the startled wails of people, now fading in the rising sound of emergency sirens. Thick smoke continued to belch from the distant site, black and heavy, disappearing into the night.
"That was much bigger than I'd imagined it'd be," muttered Biggs at last, gazing up at the sinister cloud far above the clock tower. The large oval clock face had lost its minute hand, now simply reading 'one'. "But, at least it should keep the Planet goin' a little longer."
"Yeah," agreed Jessie quietly, shivering in the cold, her grime-covered face lowered towards the ground.
"Now what?" said Wedge.
"We'd better get outta here," replied Barret in a hushed voice. "No doubt the Shinra've already dispatched SOLDIER to catch us. Everyone, rendezvous at the Sector8 station as planned. Split up and get on the train."
"Hey!" hissed Cloud, grabbing Barret's arm as he jogged off.
"If it's about your money," snapped Barret, pulling away, "save it 'til we get back to the hideout."
Cloud frowned as the group departed, leaving him alone in the chaotic Fountain Plaza. Remaining where he stood for a few moments, his jaw clenched with resentment, he stared straight ahead, absently watching as the street lamps began to splutter and die, the blast having destroyed the electrical circuits. He could feel the faint droplets of grey fallout on his bare arms and face, the taste of burning on his tongue. Beyond the archway that led to Theatre Avenue, the advertisement posters of Robson's Playhouse for the Loveless and Velvet Voix productions had been torn from the wall, the bright colours of the long banners now dissolving into the path. The windows of Goblin's Bar had shattered, the glass strewn across an upturned car on the road. He closed his eyes, feeling the anger and confusion of the people around him, listening to their yells for answers, and it was then that he heard her.
"Excuse me?" came the soft voice from behind, scarcely detectable amid the turmoil. Cloud turned slowly, a strange sensation taking hold, and found himself gazing into the large, pale green eyes of a young women. She smiled, brushing a strand of fringe from her angelic face. Her hair was long and brown, tied back with a ribbon and bobble of flower petals, plaited as it reached down her spine. She was dressed in a pink, ankle-length dress, the buttons undone below her knees, and carried a small basket with her, the yellow and white lilies inside concealed somewhat by the thin blanket of dust that had settled. "What happened?"
"I...uh…I don't know," Cloud said quickly, shifting his eyes from the girl to the gathering squad of Shinra infantrymen at the base of the broad stone stairway opposite.
The armoured plating of their royal blue Security Division uniforms stood out against the weakly lit backdrop, the flickering lampposts reflected in the golden visors of their helmets as they spoke amongst themselves. The soldiers strained under the eagerness of their snarling guard hounds to break free from their leashes, some resorting to kicking the less tame of the canines in order to maintain control. Apparently acting on radioed orders, they suddenly moved sharply off down a nearby street, unwilling even to help the wounded in their path.
"Are you alright?" asked the girl, returning Cloud's attention to her.
"I…um…yeah…" he stammered, conversing idly as the soldiers passed from sight. "I don't see many flowers around here."
"Oh, these?" she beamed, holding out the basket. "Do you like them? They're only a gil."
"Huh?" Cloud stared at her blankly.
"How about this one?" she offered, selecting a large white lily from the bunch.
"You…uh…" he faltered, his mind screaming for him to leave. Without concentrating, he pulled a small golden coin reflexively from his braces and tossed it into the basket, accepting the flower from the girl.
"Thank you," she said, smiling gratefully "So, do you…?"
"I have to go," Cloud interrupted abruptly, the words wilfully escaping his mouth.
"Oh," she responded, a faint hint of disappointment in her voice as she glanced sheepishly at her feet, "I just thought…it doesn't matter. I'm sorry to keep you…"
Although Cloud knew that his time window to reach the rendezvous point was thinning by the second, his heart desperately bade him not to desert the flower girl. He was mystified by this inner reaction, frustrated by his inability to overcome the abnormal feeling. I need to get outta here. But, this girl...I've never seen her before, yet she seems so familiar. What the hell's wrong with me?
Growing annoyed with his mixed emotions, he took one last look at her pale complexion, and shook his head, stuffing the lily into his pocket as he started across the square in the direction the others had followed. He passed the large circular water fountain at the centre of the chequered area, picturesque but for the graffiti smear on its white marble rim that read 'AVALANCHE: Protectors of the Planet', and down a narrow alleyway between two rows of apartment blocks.
The lane brought him to a wide path, branching off to reveal a small segment of railway below, the dark tracks fading into the underground tunnel. A low wall enclosed the section, a plastic signpost for the nearby station nailed to the brown granite. Only the discarded paper pamphlets for Loveless dancing at his feet seemed to disturb the tranquil spot, some clinging to his legs, others fluttering across the road in the early morning breeze.
"You there!" he heard a man call suddenly as he stepped out onto the path. "You with the weapon! Show some identification!"
Cloud glanced up to see a second team of Shinra soldiers edging towards him from the adjacent street, their rifles raised at his chest. The faces of the privates remained hidden behind the screens of their masks, but he knew each one bore a menacing stare. He had forgotten about the Buster Sword, still fastened to his back, and knew he could be arrested for its unlicensed possession. Without warning, there came the lasting screech of a train's whistle, and the rumbling underfoot grew heavier and heavier.
"I don't have time to be messin' around with you guys," he said defiantly, sprinting forward and leaping onto the stone wall.
"Halt! That's as far as you go!" roared the infantrymen. "Someone grab him!"
Cloud closed his eyes again. For a moment he felt at peace, a sense of freedom washing over him. He heard the thunderous rush of boots storming along the street; it was in vain. The shrill whistle pierced the night again, the sound within touching distance. It reached out to him, summoned him. The chilled wind quivered against his face, its icy fingers crawling along his skin. With a final breath, he looked up, catching a glimpse of the tall Shinra Headquarters against the sleepless landscape of Sector0 at the city's centre. As the soldiers prepared to fire in a frantic attempt to prevent his flight, he exhaled, and threw himself from the wall.
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