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Description
The Phoenix Eye
Chapter 7
The Beginning of the End

-- South of Midgar, the Next Morning:

Yuffie stood on a hill, overlooking the valley before her.  Somewhere behind the approaching storm clouds to the east, the sun had risen, for the abandoned city of Midgar suddenly became visible through the morning gloom.  The young ninja warrior began to shiver slightly as the wind picked up speed and the temperature dropped.  She heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

“I thought you might need this.” Shelke said as she neared, holding a black winter coat identical to the one she was wearing.

Yuffie took the offered gift, but paused briefly when she noticed the silver emblazoned “WRO” across the back.

“It’s what we have.” Shelke explained smiling.  “Now put it on before you freeze.”

“Ninja’s don’t freeze.” Yuffie countered while donning the coat.

Shelke laughed.  “Come on, there are others keeping watch and they want to have a meeting before we leave.”

The two of them then turned away from the scene of the derelict former metropolis and headed back to camp.  The WRO military had set up base in a ravine south of Midgar in an attempt to keep their presence hidden from anyone in the city.  Troops and supplies had been slowly filtering in during the night.  Cloud’s team, as it had quickly come to be called, had arrived in the pre-dawn to find everything already in place for a full invasion of the city.  Yuffie and Shelke now descended into this same camp, aiming for the main tent where most of the group had congregated.  The mobile HQ, as they called the massive mess-hall sized tent, remained open on the North and South ends, facilitating the constant traffic of officers and couriers scuttling about like ants around the many tables and hanging maps.  A radio and satellite communications center was tucked into the east wall with a few extra partitions to further protect the equipment from the elements.  Cloud and Reeve were the most prominent figures in the tent, Reeve because every WRO operative snapped to attention whenever he said anything, and Cloud because he too was actively discussing strategy and his hair simply stood out in any crowd.

The rest of the group, however, had taken on a more passive role, waiting for a storm much more dangerous than heralded by the approaching clouds.  Tifa sat on a large rock just inside the tent border.  Nanaki lay on the ground beside her, letting the martial artist idly run her fingers through his mane as if he were her favorite pet.  And though Nanaki was a noble intelligent creature, and definitely nobody’s pet, he didn’t seem to mind the gesture.  Barret and Cid had commandeered a table at the far end of the tent, where the two men drank and pretended to play cards.  Vincent stood in a dark corner, quietly watching everything that was going on but participating in nothing.  Yuffie wondered to herself if the quiet gunman had instinctually found the darkest corner of the place or if it had only become dark after he had claimed it.

“Ah, good.  You’re here.” Reeve commented upon noticing Shelke and Yuffie arriving.  “We’re about ready to set off.”

“So, how’re we getting in?” Yuffie inquired.

“Were going to take two armored trucks,” Cloud explained.  “…keeping enough distance so that one explosive can’t hit both vehicles.  We’ve found a mostly intact highway that will take us most of the way into sector 4.  After that, if our friend has not yet shown his face, we search on foot.”

It seemed simple enough to Yuffie.  She had been about to ask another question when suddenly the tent went quiet.  Booted footsteps crunched the sandy soil behind them, and somewhere in the back of Yuffie’s mind she thought she heard a familiar twangy guitar theme.  All heads turned automatically to the four black-suited figures outside the tent.

“Did you really think we’d let you guys hog all the fun yo?” one of the newcomers asked, his shocking red hair waving like fire in the wind.

“Reno,” Cloud started, his eyes narrowing into a slight glare.  “What are the Turks doing here?”

A taller, bald man with sunglasses and multiple ear piercing stepped forward.  “We’re helping.” Rude stated bluntly.

Elena, a smaller woman with short blond hair leaned forward with confidence and added “Whether you like it or not.”

Reeve sighed.  “Unfortunately we cannot accept outside help.  Our team must go in alone.”

“Ah yes,” the fourth Turk responded casually, stepping forward.  “The threat note… You see, we managed to get a copy of that.”  Rude, Reno, and Elena all backed down as their leader Tseng, advanced on the tent.  Compared to his subordinates, Tseng was very calculating and business like.  Whereas the other Turks mostly liked to get their way through force or intimidation, he preferred simply to be a man who was hard to say no to.

“If you saw the note…” Cloud began carefully.  “Then you should already know that you cannot accompany us.”

“Ah, but that is where you are wrong…”  Tseng was smiling now drawing out his pause for dramatic effect.  “You see, the note only said ‘no police or military,’ and since we are neither police nor military there is no reason why we cannot accompany you.”

“The note only said to bring Cloud’s friends who had defied Jenova!” Yuffie contended, leaning angrily into Tseng’s composed expression.

“I am hurt you do not consider us friends after all we’ve been through.” the Turk said in a show of indignation.  Yuffie snorted.  “And besides, did we not help defy Jenova during the ‘Meteor Incident’?”

“You were more hindrance than help the way I remember it.” Tifa interjected.

“And did we not help rescue Yuffie from the clutches of Don Corneo?” Tseng added with an air of self righteousness.

“Only because the snot had captured one of your own as well.” Barret countered.

“And we even fought beside you against Kadaj and his gang of hoodlums.” the leader of the Turks announced with regal bravado.

“You did more loosing than fighting” Yuffie added with a malicious smile.

“Oh that does it” Reno spat, launching himself at the smug ninja.  Beside him the emotionless Rude simply reached out a hand to catch the back of the hot-tempered Turk’s collar, preventing the now squirming red-head from approaching an inch closer.

Tseng leaned forward, donned a more serious expression, and spoke directly to Cloud.  “Besides, there is one more reason why you cannot refuse our help.”  Everyone was silent now, even Reno.  “Even if we did not accomplish much against Jenova, we did try.  The remnant will not see bringing us as violating his instructions, and you need all the help you can get.”

Cloud looked at Reeve.  Reeve looked at Cloud.  And everyone else glanced back and forth the between the two of them and Tseng.

“He’s probably right.” Cloud said reluctantly.  “If we can only bring in a limited number of people, we should bring everyone we can.”  Heads nodded, the group accepting the decision of their long time leader.

“So…” Reno said breaking the silence.  “I overheard that we’re taking the highway into town… which of the ladies gets to sit by me during the ride?”

All of the females present, including the Turk Elena, clapped their hands to their faces in exasperation, and made plans not only to avoid sitting next to Reno, but if possible, not to even sit in the same vehicle.

--------------------

-- Midgar, Sector 4, An Hour Later:

The heavy-treaded tires of the unmarked armored truck slowed to a grinding halt on the rubble strewn wet highway.  Lightning split the cloud-choked sky, illuminating for a moment the terrifying visage of the surrounding ruined city.  A moment later the thunder cracked, echoing unchallenged through abandoned buildings and alleyways.  The driver’s-side door of the vehicle swung open, and Cloud’s heavy boots planted themselves firmly on the ground.  The legendary young warrior stood, his muscles relaxed, yet ready.  Rain streaming unheeded down his face and shoulders.  Slowly he turned his head, scanning the area, his heightened senses assimilating his environment to the smallest detail.

“All clear so far.” he said aloud.

“Good.” came Reeve’s reply through his radio earpiece.  “Unload the rest of the first vehicle.”

The sound of opening doors greeted the warrior as he reached behind the driver’s seat to retrieve his weapon.  Cloud had not needed to relay the order as all members of the team had received their own communicator.  With speed and skill he assembled the parts of his favored fighting instrument.  Constructed by the same master weapon smith that made his mentor’s weapon, the Buster Sword, the First Tsurugi was in indeed a force to be reckoned with.  Composed of six separate blades of varying lengths, weights, and thicknesses, each of which could be used individually or could combine to form a massive crush sword, the First Tsurugi offered a skilled fighter a wide span of weapons to choose from.  Cloud was far more than just a skilled fighter.

Setting his fully assembled sword into its harness strapped across his back, Cloud pulled a pair of silver rimmed shades from a pocket and pushed them up his nose.  A normal human would have been nearly blinded by the combination effect of the dark storm and the tinted glasses.  But Cloud’s enhanced vision was hampered little, and he wanted to keep the rain out of his eyes.  Around him his freshly unloaded companions where making their own evaluations of their surroundings.

“Clear” Tseng called from behind the vehicle.  Cloud heard the voice echo in his earpiece.

“I don’t smell anything” Nanaki Reported. “Though with the heavy rain, I’ll probably only smell him if he gets close.”

“Clear on this side.” came Rude’s voice from the left side of the vehicle, realizing that he wasn’t likely to find anything Cloud or Nanaki had missed.

“Clear here too.” Reno said finally, waiting to make it seem like he could perceive as much or more than his comrades.

There was a silent pause as the group waited for the last member of the advance group to report.

“Vincent?” Reeve called tentatively over the com link.

“Wait…” his voice came softly.

All heads turned towards the red-cloaked gunman, who walked slowly up the center of the road in front of them.  He walked right up to the edge where the highway ended, having collapsed long ago onto an underpass.  Slowly he scanned the rooftops of the industrial buildings to the right, everyone present following his gaze.  Though Cloud’s earpiece was silent, he could feel Reeve back at the camp, as well as the passengers in the second vehicle, listening intently for Vincent’s report.  Several long moments passed and the gunman did not move.  Cloud considered asking if he had sensed something or was just being cautious when the angry wind suddenly shifted, pulling the gunman’s tattered cloak and revealing that Vincent’s right hand was clasped firmly on the handle of his gun Cerberus.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating the rooftops for a brief moment.  Cloud frantically scanned the profiles of ventilation shafts and air conditioning units, glancing from a fire escape to a small microwave tower.  He saw nothing human, but there had been something out of place.  He felt the danger.  An impatient Reno came up behind Cloud intending on asking him to hurry up.  But Cloud’s left hand sprang back to catch Reno before he could say anything.  The hot-headed Turk was about to retaliate when he felt the intensity of Cloud’s stance, and the suspense silenced him.  While keeping his left hand firmly on the Turk’s shoulder, Cloud reached back his right hand and began slowly drawing his weapon.

In an instant Vincent’s tri-barreled gun was out and firing, a split second before a dark form launched itself noisily from the rooftop and down towards the highway below.  Two beams of light flooded the street from the descending figure.  Twin sets of quad-barreled machine guns rained bullets down on the scattering warriors.  Man-sized steel talons sank in the rain soaked asphalt illuminated by the truck’s headlights, as the seventeen-foot tall, eighty-five ton battle walker robot finished its deadly landing.  Reeve was urgently demanding a report through the radio lines, while Reno generously provided a running string of profanity to punctuate the chaotic sounds of battle.  A beam of brilliant blue energy shot from the mechanical construct, disintegrating the military truck in an expanding sphere of orange and purple plasma.

Even through the torrential rain, Tifa could see the explosion from her position in the front passenger seat of the second vehicle parked one hundred meters further back.  She didn’t need any more instructions.

“Let’s go!” she yelled, almost ripping her door off of its hinges in her haste, not waiting for the others present to acknowledge or caring if they followed.  Barret, Cid, Yuffie, and Elena did not take more than a moment, though, to agree with Tifa’s assessment and exit the vehicle.

“Will someone give me a report of what’s going on!” Reeve screamed through the radio over the sounds of melee and gunfire.

“The first vehicle has been destroyed.” Elena responded as she sprinted after Tifa.  “Second team approaching as backup.”

“Yeah.” Tseng’s voice echoed through the radio.  “We’ve been attacked by a…” the transmission cut off as another large explosion tore through the city.

“Tseng!!!” Elena called, her voice changing from alarmed to hysterical by the time she had finished the name.  She raised her hand to her ear, pushing in the radio as far as the flesh would allow.

“I’m Ok…” Tseng’s struggling voice came through the radio.  “Cloud has just removed its left arm.”  Elena shook with relief, though she did not stop running.

“What’s attacking?” Reeve’s voice demanded urgently.

“The Prototype Shinra A-1 Mobile Siege Platform.” Rude announced.  “It was supposed to have been decommissioned after the Deepground Incident.

“Well it sure doesn’t look very ‘decommissioned’ now!” Reno complained loudly.  “Don’t anyone dare tell me that this is payback for the time I said I would miss not seeing this thing in action.”

Tifa was approaching close enough now to make out the man-made instrument of destruction raining bullets and large explosives on the evading humans.  She slowed her pace slightly as she cycled through possible attack strategies in her mind.  Coming up beside her, Barret had a simpler idea of what to do.

“Eat lead, chrome dome!” he bellowed, unleashing his own spray of bullets from his cybernetic gun arm.

The robot paused and turned.  And even through the heavy rain, Barret could tell that the machine was now training its long range guns on him.  The large gunman stopped, transfixed like a small woodland creature frozen in approaching headlights.  Tifa threw herself at Barret, slamming him aside as two rockets flew through the space he had just occupied.  The slender martial artist continued her momentum, dragging the larger gunman as a stream of deadly machine gun fire traced inches behind them.  The onslaught stopped short, as Tifa recognized the sound of her husband’s gigantic sword slicing though metal.

“Thanks for the distraction.” Cloud’s voice came through the radio.  “You ok back there Barret?”

“Just fine,” he responded.  “Tifa pulled me outta’ the way.”

Yuffie, Cid, and Elena rushed forward, taking flanking positions to the side of the metal monster.  The group was together now and on the offensive.  The battle robot struggled, having already been relieved of most of its weaponry.  But it had been designed well and was not adverse to kicking, stepping on, or falling on its opponents.  Cloud, being the heaviest hitting melee fighter by far, kept up a constant bombardment of chopping and thrusting attacks.  Deep gouges decorated the armored body of the mechanical titan from Cloud’s mighty sword, and several limbs were missing altogether.  The other lighter melee fighters – Tifa, Cid, Nanaki, Shelke, Rude, and Reno – kept further back, only moving in to strike at vulnerable spots when the opportunity presented itself.  Yuffie danced gracefully through the air, throwing her large ninja shuriken many times, always finding her mark, and always catching her weapon on the rebound.  Barret continued to offer indiscriminate auto-fire support while Vincent, Tseng, and Elena kept a stream of more precise shots with their respective semi-automatic hand guns.

With the team working together it was not long before the mighty war machine was brought down to a quivering heap of scrap-metal, the unrelenting rain seeping through the many gashes and bullet holes to reap further havoc on the electronic circuitry inside.  The team rested silently, letting the rain cool their heated bodies, gentle steam rising from their sweat-soaked clothing.

“Well Reeve, we’ve got this one wrapped up.” Cid called into the radio.  Reeve having long since given up on asking for minute-by-minute reports.

A soft beeping noise was suddenly heard, chiming in regular intervals.  The group looked around nervously, and quickly surmised it was coming from the robot.

“Everyone stand back.” Cloud instructed.  “I’ll check it out.”

The swordsman advanced on the crumpled form, carrying his sword in his off hand.  After a few moments of listening and zeroing in on the sound, Cloud emerged with a small black box which had been strategically placed out of harm’s way.  The box had a small red LED light, flashing in time to the beeps, the only other thing of interest being a round green button labeled “play.”  After a moment’s hesitation, Cloud pushed the button.  The beeping and flashing stopped and was replaced by a voice recording.  And though the recording was quiet, everyone heard it repeated through Cloud’s transmitter.

“You know,” the recorded voice explained.  “This could have been a bomb you just activated.  But of course I don’t really know who pushed the button and why give you a reason not to trust me in the future.”  Everyone instantly inferred that this was the voice of their remnant, Samuru.

“If you are hearing this recording then my robot is dead and I have been sent all the details on your arrival electronically.  If everything went according to plan you arrived by the main highway, as I thought you would, and there are now a few less of you standing and breathing.”  The team glanced around smiling at each other, glad that he had been wrong about the second point.

“Travel north from the end of the highway one hundred and thirty meters to a small street named ‘Rosemary.’  Don’t worry, the street sign is still there.  Then follow the road East by North-East for another fifty meters.  If you have followed my advice and haven’t brought the police or military, then further instructions will be waiting for you.  Otherwise… well, I’ll just leave that to your imagination.  Oh and, why not… after all, you were stupid enough to push the button anyways…”

The recording stopped abruptly.  With lightning reflexes Cloud launched the black box skyward, an instant later the box detonated only a few feet above his head.

“You alright Cloud?” Reeve asked through the radio.

“Fine.” he responded.

“This guy’s leading us into a trap” Yuffie announced, walking in closer to Cloud.

“Yeah,” Cid chimed in.  “What’s to prevent him from leading us all over the city in a wild goose chase fighting these stupid machines until we fall over from exhaustion?”

“There was only one prototype.” Rude informed the group.

“If he could activate a decommissioned Shinra Prototype” Reeve called in over the radio.  “He could activate other robots or automated defenses.”

“I don’t see that we really have much of a choice.” Cloud finalized.  “We can either play his game, proceeding with caution, and try to beat him at it.  Meanwhile our friends and family remain safe.  Or we can pull in the military to comb over this rat’s nest inch by inch, a feat that could take years, or even decades.  And hope we catch him before he takes hostages or murders innocents trying to get to us.”

“Cloud’s right.” Reeve informed them over the radio.  “Spread out, move in formation, and be careful.  We’ve got helicopters and artillery ready as soon as you can flush him out of whatever hole he’s hiding in.”

“Ok.  That’s that then.” Cloud responded in agreement.  “Let’s move out.”

Description
The Phoenix Eye
Chapter 7
The Beginning of the End

-- South of Midgar, the Next Morning:

Yuffie stood on a hill, overlooking the valley before her.  Somewhere behind the approaching storm clouds to the east, the sun had risen, for the abandoned city of Midgar suddenly became visible through the morning gloom.  The young ninja warrior began to shiver slightly as the wind picked up speed and the temperature dropped.  She heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

“I thought you might need this.” Shelke said as she neared, holding a black winter coat identical to the one she was wearing.

Yuffie took the offered gift, but paused briefly when she noticed the silver emblazoned “WRO” across the back.

“It’s what we have.” Shelke explained smiling.  “Now put it on before you freeze.”

“Ninja’s don’t freeze.” Yuffie countered while donning the coat.

Shelke laughed.  “Come on, there are others keeping watch and they want to have a meeting before we leave.”

The two of them then turned away from the scene of the derelict former metropolis and headed back to camp.  The WRO military had set up base in a ravine south of Midgar in an attempt to keep their presence hidden from anyone in the city.  Troops and supplies had been slowly filtering in during the night.  Cloud’s team, as it had quickly come to be called, had arrived in the pre-dawn to find everything already in place for a full invasion of the city.  Yuffie and Shelke now descended into this same camp, aiming for the main tent where most of the group had congregated.  The mobile HQ, as they called the massive mess-hall sized tent, remained open on the North and South ends, facilitating the constant traffic of officers and couriers scuttling about like ants around the many tables and hanging maps.  A radio and satellite communications center was tucked into the east wall with a few extra partitions to further protect the equipment from the elements.  Cloud and Reeve were the most prominent figures in the tent, Reeve because every WRO operative snapped to attention whenever he said anything, and Cloud because he too was actively discussing strategy and his hair simply stood out in any crowd.

The rest of the group, however, had taken on a more passive role, waiting for a storm much more dangerous than heralded by the approaching clouds.  Tifa sat on a large rock just inside the tent border.  Nanaki lay on the ground beside her, letting the martial artist idly run her fingers through his mane as if he were her favorite pet.  And though Nanaki was a noble intelligent creature, and definitely nobody’s pet, he didn’t seem to mind the gesture.  Barret and Cid had commandeered a table at the far end of the tent, where the two men drank and pretended to play cards.  Vincent stood in a dark corner, quietly watching everything that was going on but participating in nothing.  Yuffie wondered to herself if the quiet gunman had instinctually found the darkest corner of the place or if it had only become dark after he had claimed it.

“Ah, good.  You’re here.” Reeve commented upon noticing Shelke and Yuffie arriving.  “We’re about ready to set off.”

“So, how’re we getting in?” Yuffie inquired.

“Were going to take two armored trucks,” Cloud explained.  “…keeping enough distance so that one explosive can’t hit both vehicles.  We’ve found a mostly intact highway that will take us most of the way into sector 4.  After that, if our friend has not yet shown his face, we search on foot.”

It seemed simple enough to Yuffie.  She had been about to ask another question when suddenly the tent went quiet.  Booted footsteps crunched the sandy soil behind them, and somewhere in the back of Yuffie’s mind she thought she heard a familiar twangy guitar theme.  All heads turned automatically to the four black-suited figures outside the tent.

“Did you really think we’d let you guys hog all the fun yo?” one of the newcomers asked, his shocking red hair waving like fire in the wind.

“Reno,” Cloud started, his eyes narrowing into a slight glare.  “What are the Turks doing here?”

A taller, bald man with sunglasses and multiple ear piercing stepped forward.  “We’re helping.” Rude stated bluntly.

Elena, a smaller woman with short blond hair leaned forward with confidence and added “Whether you like it or not.”

Reeve sighed.  “Unfortunately we cannot accept outside help.  Our team must go in alone.”

“Ah yes,” the fourth Turk responded casually, stepping forward.  “The threat note… You see, we managed to get a copy of that.”  Rude, Reno, and Elena all backed down as their leader Tseng, advanced on the tent.  Compared to his subordinates, Tseng was very calculating and business like.  Whereas the other Turks mostly liked to get their way through force or intimidation, he preferred simply to be a man who was hard to say no to.

“If you saw the note…” Cloud began carefully.  “Then you should already know that you cannot accompany us.”

“Ah, but that is where you are wrong…”  Tseng was smiling now drawing out his pause for dramatic effect.  “You see, the note only said ‘no police or military,’ and since we are neither police nor military there is no reason why we cannot accompany you.”

“The note only said to bring Cloud’s friends who had defied Jenova!” Yuffie contended, leaning angrily into Tseng’s composed expression.

“I am hurt you do not consider us friends after all we’ve been through.” the Turk said in a show of indignation.  Yuffie snorted.  “And besides, did we not help defy Jenova during the ‘Meteor Incident’?”

“You were more hindrance than help the way I remember it.” Tifa interjected.

“And did we not help rescue Yuffie from the clutches of Don Corneo?” Tseng added with an air of self righteousness.

“Only because the snot had captured one of your own as well.” Barret countered.

“And we even fought beside you against Kadaj and his gang of hoodlums.” the leader of the Turks announced with regal bravado.

“You did more loosing than fighting” Yuffie added with a malicious smile.

“Oh that does it” Reno spat, launching himself at the smug ninja.  Beside him the emotionless Rude simply reached out a hand to catch the back of the hot-tempered Turk’s collar, preventing the now squirming red-head from approaching an inch closer.

Tseng leaned forward, donned a more serious expression, and spoke directly to Cloud.  “Besides, there is one more reason why you cannot refuse our help.”  Everyone was silent now, even Reno.  “Even if we did not accomplish much against Jenova, we did try.  The remnant will not see bringing us as violating his instructions, and you need all the help you can get.”

Cloud looked at Reeve.  Reeve looked at Cloud.  And everyone else glanced back and forth the between the two of them and Tseng.

“He’s probably right.” Cloud said reluctantly.  “If we can only bring in a limited number of people, we should bring everyone we can.”  Heads nodded, the group accepting the decision of their long time leader.

“So…” Reno said breaking the silence.  “I overheard that we’re taking the highway into town… which of the ladies gets to sit by me during the ride?”

All of the females present, including the Turk Elena, clapped their hands to their faces in exasperation, and made plans not only to avoid sitting next to Reno, but if possible, not to even sit in the same vehicle.

--------------------

-- Midgar, Sector 4, An Hour Later:

The heavy-treaded tires of the unmarked armored truck slowed to a grinding halt on the rubble strewn wet highway.  Lightning split the cloud-choked sky, illuminating for a moment the terrifying visage of the surrounding ruined city.  A moment later the thunder cracked, echoing unchallenged through abandoned buildings and alleyways.  The driver’s-side door of the vehicle swung open, and Cloud’s heavy boots planted themselves firmly on the ground.  The legendary young warrior stood, his muscles relaxed, yet ready.  Rain streaming unheeded down his face and shoulders.  Slowly he turned his head, scanning the area, his heightened senses assimilating his environment to the smallest detail.

“All clear so far.” he said aloud.

“Good.” came Reeve’s reply through his radio earpiece.  “Unload the rest of the first vehicle.”

The sound of opening doors greeted the warrior as he reached behind the driver’s seat to retrieve his weapon.  Cloud had not needed to relay the order as all members of the team had received their own communicator.  With speed and skill he assembled the parts of his favored fighting instrument.  Constructed by the same master weapon smith that made his mentor’s weapon, the Buster Sword, the First Tsurugi was in indeed a force to be reckoned with.  Composed of six separate blades of varying lengths, weights, and thicknesses, each of which could be used individually or could combine to form a massive crush sword, the First Tsurugi offered a skilled fighter a wide span of weapons to choose from.  Cloud was far more than just a skilled fighter.

Setting his fully assembled sword into its harness strapped across his back, Cloud pulled a pair of silver rimmed shades from a pocket and pushed them up his nose.  A normal human would have been nearly blinded by the combination effect of the dark storm and the tinted glasses.  But Cloud’s enhanced vision was hampered little, and he wanted to keep the rain out of his eyes.  Around him his freshly unloaded companions where making their own evaluations of their surroundings.

“Clear” Tseng called from behind the vehicle.  Cloud heard the voice echo in his earpiece.

“I don’t smell anything” Nanaki Reported. “Though with the heavy rain, I’ll probably only smell him if he gets close.”

“Clear on this side.” came Rude’s voice from the left side of the vehicle, realizing that he wasn’t likely to find anything Cloud or Nanaki had missed.

“Clear here too.” Reno said finally, waiting to make it seem like he could perceive as much or more than his comrades.

There was a silent pause as the group waited for the last member of the advance group to report.

“Vincent?” Reeve called tentatively over the com link.

“Wait…” his voice came softly.

All heads turned towards the red-cloaked gunman, who walked slowly up the center of the road in front of them.  He walked right up to the edge where the highway ended, having collapsed long ago onto an underpass.  Slowly he scanned the rooftops of the industrial buildings to the right, everyone present following his gaze.  Though Cloud’s earpiece was silent, he could feel Reeve back at the camp, as well as the passengers in the second vehicle, listening intently for Vincent’s report.  Several long moments passed and the gunman did not move.  Cloud considered asking if he had sensed something or was just being cautious when the angry wind suddenly shifted, pulling the gunman’s tattered cloak and revealing that Vincent’s right hand was clasped firmly on the handle of his gun Cerberus.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating the rooftops for a brief moment.  Cloud frantically scanned the profiles of ventilation shafts and air conditioning units, glancing from a fire escape to a small microwave tower.  He saw nothing human, but there had been something out of place.  He felt the danger.  An impatient Reno came up behind Cloud intending on asking him to hurry up.  But Cloud’s left hand sprang back to catch Reno before he could say anything.  The hot-headed Turk was about to retaliate when he felt the intensity of Cloud’s stance, and the suspense silenced him.  While keeping his left hand firmly on the Turk’s shoulder, Cloud reached back his right hand and began slowly drawing his weapon.

In an instant Vincent’s tri-barreled gun was out and firing, a split second before a dark form launched itself noisily from the rooftop and down towards the highway below.  Two beams of light flooded the street from the descending figure.  Twin sets of quad-barreled machine guns rained bullets down on the scattering warriors.  Man-sized steel talons sank in the rain soaked asphalt illuminated by the truck’s headlights, as the seventeen-foot tall, eighty-five ton battle walker robot finished its deadly landing.  Reeve was urgently demanding a report through the radio lines, while Reno generously provided a running string of profanity to punctuate the chaotic sounds of battle.  A beam of brilliant blue energy shot from the mechanical construct, disintegrating the military truck in an expanding sphere of orange and purple plasma.

Even through the torrential rain, Tifa could see the explosion from her position in the front passenger seat of the second vehicle parked one hundred meters further back.  She didn’t need any more instructions.

“Let’s go!” she yelled, almost ripping her door off of its hinges in her haste, not waiting for the others present to acknowledge or caring if they followed.  Barret, Cid, Yuffie, and Elena did not take more than a moment, though, to agree with Tifa’s assessment and exit the vehicle.

“Will someone give me a report of what’s going on!” Reeve screamed through the radio over the sounds of melee and gunfire.

“The first vehicle has been destroyed.” Elena responded as she sprinted after Tifa.  “Second team approaching as backup.”

“Yeah.” Tseng’s voice echoed through the radio.  “We’ve been attacked by a…” the transmission cut off as another large explosion tore through the city.

“Tseng!!!” Elena called, her voice changing from alarmed to hysterical by the time she had finished the name.  She raised her hand to her ear, pushing in the radio as far as the flesh would allow.

“I’m Ok…” Tseng’s struggling voice came through the radio.  “Cloud has just removed its left arm.”  Elena shook with relief, though she did not stop running.

“What’s attacking?” Reeve’s voice demanded urgently.

“The Prototype Shinra A-1 Mobile Siege Platform.” Rude announced.  “It was supposed to have been decommissioned after the Deepground Incident.

“Well it sure doesn’t look very ‘decommissioned’ now!” Reno complained loudly.  “Don’t anyone dare tell me that this is payback for the time I said I would miss not seeing this thing in action.”

Tifa was approaching close enough now to make out the man-made instrument of destruction raining bullets and large explosives on the evading humans.  She slowed her pace slightly as she cycled through possible attack strategies in her mind.  Coming up beside her, Barret had a simpler idea of what to do.

“Eat lead, chrome dome!” he bellowed, unleashing his own spray of bullets from his cybernetic gun arm.

The robot paused and turned.  And even through the heavy rain, Barret could tell that the machine was now training its long range guns on him.  The large gunman stopped, transfixed like a small woodland creature frozen in approaching headlights.  Tifa threw herself at Barret, slamming him aside as two rockets flew through the space he had just occupied.  The slender martial artist continued her momentum, dragging the larger gunman as a stream of deadly machine gun fire traced inches behind them.  The onslaught stopped short, as Tifa recognized the sound of her husband’s gigantic sword slicing though metal.

“Thanks for the distraction.” Cloud’s voice came through the radio.  “You ok back there Barret?”

“Just fine,” he responded.  “Tifa pulled me outta’ the way.”

Yuffie, Cid, and Elena rushed forward, taking flanking positions to the side of the metal monster.  The group was together now and on the offensive.  The battle robot struggled, having already been relieved of most of its weaponry.  But it had been designed well and was not adverse to kicking, stepping on, or falling on its opponents.  Cloud, being the heaviest hitting melee fighter by far, kept up a constant bombardment of chopping and thrusting attacks.  Deep gouges decorated the armored body of the mechanical titan from Cloud’s mighty sword, and several limbs were missing altogether.  The other lighter melee fighters – Tifa, Cid, Nanaki, Shelke, Rude, and Reno – kept further back, only moving in to strike at vulnerable spots when the opportunity presented itself.  Yuffie danced gracefully through the air, throwing her large ninja shuriken many times, always finding her mark, and always catching her weapon on the rebound.  Barret continued to offer indiscriminate auto-fire support while Vincent, Tseng, and Elena kept a stream of more precise shots with their respective semi-automatic hand guns.

With the team working together it was not long before the mighty war machine was brought down to a quivering heap of scrap-metal, the unrelenting rain seeping through the many gashes and bullet holes to reap further havoc on the electronic circuitry inside.  The team rested silently, letting the rain cool their heated bodies, gentle steam rising from their sweat-soaked clothing.

“Well Reeve, we’ve got this one wrapped up.” Cid called into the radio.  Reeve having long since given up on asking for minute-by-minute reports.

A soft beeping noise was suddenly heard, chiming in regular intervals.  The group looked around nervously, and quickly surmised it was coming from the robot.

“Everyone stand back.” Cloud instructed.  “I’ll check it out.”

The swordsman advanced on the crumpled form, carrying his sword in his off hand.  After a few moments of listening and zeroing in on the sound, Cloud emerged with a small black box which had been strategically placed out of harm’s way.  The box had a small red LED light, flashing in time to the beeps, the only other thing of interest being a round green button labeled “play.”  After a moment’s hesitation, Cloud pushed the button.  The beeping and flashing stopped and was replaced by a voice recording.  And though the recording was quiet, everyone heard it repeated through Cloud’s transmitter.

“You know,” the recorded voice explained.  “This could have been a bomb you just activated.  But of course I don’t really know who pushed the button and why give you a reason not to trust me in the future.”  Everyone instantly inferred that this was the voice of their remnant, Samuru.

“If you are hearing this recording then my robot is dead and I have been sent all the details on your arrival electronically.  If everything went according to plan you arrived by the main highway, as I thought you would, and there are now a few less of you standing and breathing.”  The team glanced around smiling at each other, glad that he had been wrong about the second point.

“Travel north from the end of the highway one hundred and thirty meters to a small street named ‘Rosemary.’  Don’t worry, the street sign is still there.  Then follow the road East by North-East for another fifty meters.  If you have followed my advice and haven’t brought the police or military, then further instructions will be waiting for you.  Otherwise… well, I’ll just leave that to your imagination.  Oh and, why not… after all, you were stupid enough to push the button anyways…”

The recording stopped abruptly.  With lightning reflexes Cloud launched the black box skyward, an instant later the box detonated only a few feet above his head.

“You alright Cloud?” Reeve asked through the radio.

“Fine.” he responded.

“This guy’s leading us into a trap” Yuffie announced, walking in closer to Cloud.

“Yeah,” Cid chimed in.  “What’s to prevent him from leading us all over the city in a wild goose chase fighting these stupid machines until we fall over from exhaustion?”

“There was only one prototype.” Rude informed the group.

“If he could activate a decommissioned Shinra Prototype” Reeve called in over the radio.  “He could activate other robots or automated defenses.”

“I don’t see that we really have much of a choice.” Cloud finalized.  “We can either play his game, proceeding with caution, and try to beat him at it.  Meanwhile our friends and family remain safe.  Or we can pull in the military to comb over this rat’s nest inch by inch, a feat that could take years, or even decades.  And hope we catch him before he takes hostages or murders innocents trying to get to us.”

“Cloud’s right.” Reeve informed them over the radio.  “Spread out, move in formation, and be careful.  We’ve got helicopters and artillery ready as soon as you can flush him out of whatever hole he’s hiding in.”

“Ok.  That’s that then.” Cloud responded in agreement.  “Let’s move out.”