Chapter Four
"When I give the signal run over there!", Cloud said as he and Tifa ducked for cover as a barrage of bullets came at them. He ran over to another pile of debris and then motioned for Tifa to do the same. Tifa obliged and ran over to him. "What is all this about Cloud?" He looked at her and shook his head. "Maybe Weiss thinks that we know where Vincent is."
Tifa took this chance to pick up one of the lighter pieces of debris and proceeded to throw it at one of the gunmen. "Nice shot!" Tifa shrugged her shoulders like she could have done that in her sleep and began getting more and more debris to throw when something caught her attention. "Cloud. Look at this."
He looked in her direction and saw what looked like a grenade. "We should use this to our advantage." He picked up the grenade and pulled the clip before throwing it at the gunmen. The blast was deafening and it took awhile before either of them could really hear what the other was saying. "We should go check out their uniforms." Together they walked over and examined the group of six gunmen that had tried killing them.
"That is not a Shinra insignia. Looks like you were right Cloud."
"Looks like Weiss still has people loyal to him in Deep Ground."
Tifa looked at one of the gunmen more closely and bent down to get a closer look. "He has something on him."
"It looks like an executive order. Can't really tell what it says thought due to the charcoal around it."
"We could always take it and have Shera examine it when we get back."
Cloud smiled and together they exited Mako Reactor Zero.
Weiss had seen the whole battle play out and had to say that he was most displeased. "These are the troops you gathered for me Cecil? What a bunch of washouts."
Cecil, one of Weiss' new recruits, looked uneasily at the dead gunmen he had sent to kill Cloud and Tifa. "How was I supposed to know that they would find a grenade under all this rubble?"
"Are you talking back to me?"
Cecil began to shiver but tried his best not to let his discomfort show. "I'll try harder next time sir."
"You better. I can't stand to see the members of Avalanche continually get away. Have you heard anything new about Vincent?"
"No. Our informant says that he hasn't showed himself even after what happened in Edge."
"So it looks like Vincent is abandoning his friends to the slaughter."
Cecil looked up and could have sworn that he saw a figure moving across the rooftops of Midgar. "Yeah. Looks like."
Barret couldn't believe what he was considering. For as long as he could remember he hated the Shinra so teaming up with them now didn't seem like an option. "Look Cid. I don't want to step on anyones toes but with all that they've done can we really trust the Shinra?"
Cid shifted in his boots and sat down on one of the barstools that filled the tavern in Kalm town. "I don't like it either but Rufus seems to know how Weiss could still be alive. Maybe if we get lucky he'll even lead us to Vincent."
"I doubt that Vincent is still interested in what happens to us."
Cid looked around and still saw no sign of their comrades. "Where is everyone? We were supposed to meet up by now."
Barret looked at the time and saw that it was fifteen minutes passed the time they all agreed to meet. He rested easy after seeing Yuffie, Red XIII, and Cait Sith enter the tavern. "What took you so long?"
"We were helping the Turks settle into their rooms.",Yuffie said with a hint of disgust in her voice.
"It's only temporary Yuffie. This isn't going to be easy for any of us."
Cait Sith looked down and shook his head. "It's not that Barret. Were just all a little on edge having to trust Rufus."
Cid looked at each of them and nodded. "Who said we have to trust them? If Rufus is going to betray us he'll let it slip eventually." He saw Reno, Rude, Elena and Tseng enter the tavern and added,"We all know Elena has a big mouth so she'll have to brag if they even get a little close to a victory."
The group nodded in unison and motioned for the Turks to join them. Whatever Rufus was planning wouldn't take long for them to figure out.