(AN: Once more, I own absolutely nothing created by Square Soft/Enix, Sony, Final Fantasy VII, or Crisis Core. The only thing that I own is my own character, which this story be mainly about, which the storyline itself I do not own except for any twists I plan to put in. Please R&R, and if you don't like it, just explain and I'll do my best to try and improve.)

Spirits of the Lifestream

Chapter 3: Questions, a New President, and Escape

Security Log: #1051

Time: 04/12/2313 1:12 A.M

To be at all honest, I believe that this will be my last "security" log in my journal, since what I had just seen in the president's office will remove me of my doubts. You see, what I saw wasn't too pretty; I saw lying on his desk, face-down, was the president himself, blood pooling around him, and saw that long katana struck into his back. I knew it wasn't at all likely that he was still alive, so the group, as well as I, cannot say anything to him now. I sighed a bit, knowing that it couldn't be helped, since Sephiroth was, in it of himself, a demon of sorts, or so he seemed in my eyes. I tried to stay out of the group's conversation when they spoke, but I couldn't help but wander around the area a little. I did hear that Cloud recognized the sword as Sephiroth's, and that only he could use it.

I would never truly understand who Sephiroth is, or what his intentions are, but something says that he's not a good person. I even heard Barret say that, "If Sephiroth is against Shinra as well, so why don't we consider him as an ally?" Of course, I agreed with what Cloud had said that Sephiroth is never to be trusted, mainly because though Sephiroth had come to slay the beasts, he still would've killed me, had Richter not intervene. I sighed a bit again, silently to myself, still not understanding why Ricter had done that; to protect me by taking his own life. It's something I may never understand; even he had a better chance with being with Cissnei than I did, even though I seemed to change that earlier.

Regardless, I was still wandering, but when I walked by a pillar, I saw one of the employees of the Shinra Weapons Development, Horris. He didn't notice me because I was behind him, and he was looking from behind the pillar to look at Cloud and the group. This might be one of my few chances to prove myself to the group, so what I did was walk up to him, and when he heard my footsteps, he jumped, and that was when Cloud and the large man took notice. Horris was about to run, but I managed to grab both of his wrists and held them behind his back, prepared to use my handcuffs if I had to.

He was struggling, of course, but Tifa had walked by to help hold him in place, so I wouldn't have too much difficulty. That was when I took my handcuffs, and bound his wrists together, and only I had the keys to unlock them, so now he couldn't really fight back too well. Aside from the rifle I had, I also had a small and basic handgun that I rarely use, so I pulled that out, and against all thoughts, I pointed it against his head. Cloud, taking advantage of the situation, explained to him, "If you want to survive this, you better give us some answers, otherwise he just may end up killing you…" He explained, and though I wouldn't shoot him, Cloud did sound serious, and I would've believed him if I was in that situation. Horris, it could seem, wanted to doubt him, but Cloud's mako-infused eyes made all the difference he needed.

So, still keeping a hold on Horris with Tifa, Cloud began to ask Horris the questions the group needed to know; I really don't want to explain the whole thing, but to put it simply, all our suspicions were correct. Sephiroth had come to the Shinra building, taken Jenova's cells, and had killed several Shinra employees including the president. But, amidst the talking, I took notice of a helicopter fly outside, and saw the Shinra logo on it, and I knew it had to be either a high-ranked Turk, or even the vice-president. It was at that moment Horris used his strength get out of both Tifa's and my own grasp, and dashed for the door, and while I was knocked away, Barret had his arm change in his gun, but he was already out of sight before a shot could be let out. My handgun slipped from my grasp, and slid across the floor several feet from me, but I quickly got up to retrieve it, and placed it back in its holster, before following Cloud's group outside the door and onto the balcony.

Once there, I watched as the Helicopter flew close to the ledge, and outside the side door, the man in all white stood there. He had blond hair, but his hairstyle was slicker than anything about him, and I eyed the specifically customized shotgun that was at his side, knowing it was meant to shoot precisely at any range up to 50 feet away. With the president dead, I knew that by default, Rufus was to become the next President of Shinra, to replace his father. Once he stepped out onto the balcony, he had already begun a speech of his when he was to become the president. I knew very well that he enjoyed making speeches, especially when they weren't exactly needed; to put it simply, he was just describing that he'll do plenty better than his father.

Once his speech was finished, he desired to know the people he was dealing with, and when it came to me, I simply explained that I'm a former Shinra troop. Of course, since Cloud was an ex-SOLDIER, Rufus simply shrugged and inspected everyone from a distance, though I could see that Barret wanted to kill him. But thankfully, when Rufus asked which of us would take him on, Cloud immediately stood up for the task, and told all of us to leave immediately, and that he'd follow shortly. When everyone left, I was the last to follow, and I could tell that Cloud could take care of himself, and watched him take his sword in hand, and prepared himself for battle.

Once we got to the floor under the President's office, Tifa watched as we walked through the door, and before I could realize what she was up to, she closed the door, and jammed the door for the moment. We heard her say that she would wait for Cloud her, and wanted us to press on, and that was what we did, following the stairs down a floor, but when we reached the elevator, I knew it can only hold three people at once. The group needed to be on the lower floor faster than I did, so I explained to them to take the elevator, and I might be able to meet up with them on the lower floor. I didn't pay attention to what was in the other elevator at the time, but I wanted to hurry, so I took my rifle from my back, and prepared myself to fight.

I was barely at the stairs when I encountered some troops and a SOLDIER 2nd Class, but they didn't seem to know I've betrayed them. I decided to take advantage of this moment, and told them that the president wanted this entire building searched for Sephiroth and/or any beasts, and eliminate them. Of course, since it was an order from the president, they believed me, and with that, they all scattered down the stairs, while I followed the SOLDIER, since he was the strongest at close range, and I could help him from a range, until it was good from there. He may not survive every attack we run into, but he would suffice until we reached lower level where I could stand on my own two feet, as the saying goes. Of course, he was already wounded, so I healed him whenever I had the chance with the materia I had, and in exchange, he handed me some ether potions to restore my ability to cast healing powers, and also my fire magic.

The fights varied in length, since there was some fights that had machines like the one I fought earlier with Cissnei, and also the beasts that I first fought alongside Richter. I was able to hold my ground when beasts lunged towards me as I shot at them, and I let the SOLDIER deal with a lot of the beasts and machines that went for him. To be honest, we were fighting like this for several floors, and some of the lights had been brought back on due to the back-up power running through the building. No doubt it wouldn't last for too long, but hopefully long enough for me to get to the bottom floor.

However, a few floors down and he was killed by a machine, which I had destroyed shortly after with the armor-piercing rounds my rifle could let out, but not without getting a bit wounded. Sadly, I could not bring him back or heal him enough so he would live, so I went back to trying to get to the bottom floor, but sounds other than guns came to my ears, and when I approached, I watched as two men in Turk suits rushed by, as if trying to get to a lower floor, and I recognized one as Decus (his hair was a giveaway), and I heard a voice from the hall cry out, "Cowards!" I recognized the voice Cissnei's, and knew I had a debt to repay to her when she helped me out earlier. So I rushed down the hallway, saying that I'll be there to help her myself, my rifle at the ready as it always was, hoping I would get there in time.

Short chapter, I know, and I apologize, but I promise for a bit better chapter next time; and depending if you review or not, it might be one you can enjoy or flame…