Chapter 6

"Throw him in here." The guard said cruelly. Tseng felt himself tossed threw the air, landing hard on the cold concrete floor of the dark room. As there was barely any light, Tseng wasn't surprised that the guards thought he was still unconscious. They had beaten him badly, but nothing he hadn't been through before. "It's fitting, someone broken physically as he is being thrown into a cell with someone who is broken mentally. Maybe they'll get along." The guard said chuckling. Tseng heard the cell door slam, and the guard's footsteps echoing through the halls as he headed back upstairs. Waiting until he could be sure they were gone, Tseng climbed to his feet. Looking around the small cell, he saw it was bare except for two beds, and a crude sink with a matching toilet.

"Even Shinra has better cells than this." Tseng found himself thinking out loud. Taking a closer look, he noticed one of the beds were occupied. Walking over to the open bed, he sat down on it. What had happened to Elena? Had she gotten back to the portal? Were Shinra still planning their attack? What would become to him? All the question raced through Tseng's mind, but he soon managed to ask himself the important question. How do I get out of here? He asked himself. No windows, and just the one cell door that looked pretty solid. He searched himself quickly, checking to see if they missed any of his weapons. Sure enough, he was cleaned out. The only thing he managed to find was a lighter he kept concealed in a hidden pocket. Pulling it out, he flicked it on, casting a dim light over the room.

"Put that damn thing out!" Tseng's cell mate demanded, sitting up. "Do you wanna get their attention?"

Quickly, Tseng put the flame out, and put the lighter back. He watched as his cell mate stoop up and stretched his arms. His long coat was dirty, even in the darkness. Probably from years of being locked up here. His hair was long, and ratted. It was probably blond at one point, but like his coat, was filthy.

"Who are you?" Tseng asked.

"Shut up." The man cut him off. "Do you want to get out of here or not."

==##==

Zack Fair stood in the scientific observation room, staring down at the portal that lead to the other world. Where they really going through that tomorrow to fight an unknown enemy? Something didn't feel right about the mission, but he knew it was his job as a SOLDIER to carry out his orders. He heard the door slide open behind him.

"Zack? What are you doing here?" He heard someone behind him ask. Turning around, he found his friend Cloud standing by the door.

"I don't know, do you feel like there's something Shinra's not telling us?" Zack asked him.

"I feel like that all the time, but to be specific, this mission does sound odd. I mean, if they really attacked us, why isn't there any sign of damage?"

Cloud has a point, Zack thought to himself. They were told that they were attacked full force, barely able to hold off the enemy. Yet, there was no damage anywhere.

"Cloud, when we go through tomorrow, stick close to me." Zack said. "I sense something bad is going to happen, and soon."

Suddenly, a commotion from the lab interrupted the two friends. Zack turned around, looking down into the lab.

"Someones coming through." Some one yelled. Sure enough, the portal had began to glow. Seconds later, someone emerged from the portal, causing the guards to aim their weapons at them.

"Hold your fire!" The person yelled, a woman. Zack recognized the clothing, it was a Turk suit.

"Hold your fire!" Zack echoed. "She's one of ours."

As soon as the guards lowered their weapons, the woman collapsed. Zack jumped into action, rushing out the door and down the stairs into the lab. "Everyone back." Zack said, as he pushed his way through the crowd. He could sense Cloud behind him. Upon reaching the woman, he found her barely conscious.

"Tseng... he's been captured." She said, her voice weak. Zack understood immediately. He knew Tseng all to well, it was actually him who had recruited Zack. Quickly Zack stood up.

"Get her to the medical floor." He said, grabbing Cloud by the arm and pulling him back through the crowd. "We have to go tell Rufus what's happened."