Chapter 4—Whispered Panic
As he and Cid sped back to Midgar, Vincent thanked the higher powers that had made Cid leave the Sierra home for a tune-up and bring the much faster and more heavily armed Highwind on their trip today.
Their trip to Kalm for supplies should have been simple and routine, but as they had been loading the lumber for the expansion onto the airship, several troop transports had flown overhead, dropping troops in grey and blue uniforms and launching a large-scale assault.
Cid had nearly screamed himself hoarse to get the crew of the Highwind to launch and deflect the helicopter assault while he and Vincent took care of the ground troops. Vincent understood their reluctance and fear—they were just simple airship crewmen, not combat pilots of heroes.
But Cid Highwind wasn't the captain for nothing. He'd gotten the crew into the air and they had taken out the helicopters before too much damage had been done to the city.
They were mopping up the last of the ground troops when Vincent's phone rang.
"Valentine."
"Vincent," Tifa's voice was deeply worried. "You guys need to get back here. Midgar is under attack."
"As is Kalm. We will be there when we have finished here."
"Vincent, they're attacking your neighborhood. Yuffie called us for help but we can't get there anytime soon. Rude and Reno are tied up on the other side of town. You guys are pretty much their only hope for back-up."
"We'll be there as soon as we can." Vincent snapped his phone closed with a barely suppressed surge of panic. "Cid!"
The pilot turned at his shout. "What's up, Vince?"
"Midgar is under attack."
Cid trotted up to him, spear in hand. "What, you don't think the others can handle it?"
The gunslinger turned worried eyes to his friend. "They're at my house. And none of the others can get there."
"Shit!" Cid pulled his own phone out of his pocket. "We'll be out of here as soon as we can grab the ladder."
Vincent nodded as Cid spoke rapidly to his crewmen. A moment later, the Highwind dropped low enough for the two to grab the ladder and climb aboard. They weren't even halfway up before the ship sped off toward Midgar.