Chapter 3: The Day the World Went Away


Despite only being a few hours since the incident, an entire crew of workers had already been called in and were piled around the hole in the Shinra Building. Even if they continued their work into the early morning, by day break, the damage would still be visible. This was the main reason most of them were standing around, idly chatting about the attack instead of actually working. A few feet away stood three black suited individuals who had entered the lobby moments before. They too were mesmerized by the mess on the left side of the building. The foreman took notice of them and turned back towards the workers.

"Damn it all, get to work!" he shouted. In a low voice he added, "Some of those Turks are watchin' us.. get movin'!"

The workers turned to see the three Turks and decided that it would be in their best interest to pick up the pace. In truth, the Turks weren't even paying attention to the workers. Their focus remained on the hole until one of their cellphones rang. The owner, a tall man with stylish black hair swished to one side, took it from his inner jacket pocket and flipped it open. He brought the phone up under this dangling black hair on the right side of his head. "Drake here. Yes sir, we're here. Yes sir, right away."

He shut the phone and spoke aloud, "Veld, asking if we've arrived yet.."

"Lemmie guess," another one piped up, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "It's about this unexpected renovation?" He smiled at his own joke and pushed a gloved hand through his brown hair.

The third Turk, a woman with short blonde hair replied, "Astute as always, Marcus." She spoke in a serious tone, sunglasses obscuring her eyes as she surveyed the area. "And judging from the temperature, it seems they damaged the HVAC system as well.."

She glanced around and noticed that several employees stationed in the lobby were fanning themselves. "I imagine it's not much cooler upstairs.. Seeing as heat rises," she muttered.

"Well thank you for the science lesson, Ms. Pierce, but we should be moving on.." Marcus replied.

Sometimes Becca's pragmatic way of speaking annoyed the hell out of him, and with the temperature increasing the further they moved into the building, it began to get on his nerves. They left the scene and entered one of the elevators. The doors shut and after Drake pushed a button, they made their way to the upper floors. After a few moments, Marcus piped up, "So, what do you think created a big hole in the lobby, Drake?"

"I'm not sure, but I have no doubt we'll find out when we get to Veld's office." As the elevator traveled to the 42nd floor, he pushed himself away from the wall. "At least our shift is over, so Reno and Rude will get to jump right on it. Samantha and August will probably be called in as well."

After a bit of silence between the three, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open to reveal a hallway lined with many offices. The heat hit them like a brick wall. It was overbearing and Becca secretly wished she could skip the meeting and head home. But she followed Drake as he exited the stifling metal box and walked down the hall. Marcus brought up the rear and Drake opened the door to the Turk's office.

The room was large with a few personal offices scattered on either side. Desks sat in a line, each belonging to a certain Turk. The surfaces were void of any decorations, containing a name plate, a telephone, and a cup holder with a few pens and pencils. Drake noticed that several fans were placed around the main room in an attempt to cool the space. Veld sat in his office in the far corner ahead of everyone, eyes closed as he faced a stationary fan. He sat motionless, letting the cool air blow over him.

"God, it's like an oven up here…" Marcus groaned, ruffling his sweat laden hair.

Becca wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve as an eerily familiar voice spoke from one of the desks behind the trio. "Yea, it's the tits, isn't it?"

Marcus spun around on hearing the familiar voice and narrowed his gaze. A man sat in the chair, his pale snake-skin boots kicked up onto the desk and a narrow pair of sunglasses obscured his eyes. His fiery, orange hair was slicked back, small curls of it poking out from behind his ears. "What the fuck are you doing here, Jale?" Marcus growled.

Jale smirked, an unlit cigarillo curling up with the cat-like grin. "Good to see you too, Cupcake," he jested.

Marcus responded by producing his electro-mag rod and flicked the switch near his thumb. Electrical energy crackled to life on the metal rod and he leveled it at the man. "Ooo, still pissed about Wutai I see," Jale snickered through the words.

Drake inhaled sharply and Becca pushed her sunglasses up in disbelief. "Jale. I can't believe they let you in here.." The unease in her voice was difficult to disguise. "What happened to being under house arrest?"

"What can I say? President Shinra missed having someone around who could get shit done," Jale's words were cutting and taken as the insult he intended to deliver.

He swung to the side, bringing the snake-skin boots to the floor with a loud stomp. Marcus had had enough and was ready to deliver some much overdue discipline to this loud mouth. But Veld interjected, "I take it you saw the fiasco downstairs. I assure you that is why I called you up here."

He had left his office and was now standing at the desk Jale as seated at. He greeted the small group, calling them each by name. He rested his gaze on Drake. "Seems like we are starting to have more trouble with that damnable rebel faction. One of their agents breached the security and was caught. However, she escaped during the attack by Genesis and well, now there's a gaping hole in the side of the building. The President wants to find her at all costs. He's furious at the amount of damage that's been caused."

Drake noticed that Tseng was in the doorway of his office. He didn't see any of the other Turks around, but guessed they might be on their way. Veld continued, "It is possible that there were more Avalanche members involved. I find it unlikely that she acted alone.."

Marcus shook his head and looked away from Jale's grinning face. "Sir, what is he doing here?" he asked without any regard to his tone.

"Mr. Gerrick is here at the behest of President Shinra. And we're all going to cooperate for the common goals before us… Aren't we, Mr. Gerrick?" Veld said, his voice full of contempt.

As he trailed off, a pair of individuals entered the office. The first to come through the door was a lanky man with bright red hair and a ponytail. His counterpart who closed the door was much larger, bald and sported a dark pair of sunglasses. Reno let loose a loud whistle and shook his head. "Man-o-man, it's hotter than a behemoth's nut sack up here." He spoke with little regard to the room's occupants.

Rude clamped a hand on the young man's shoulder and nodded towards Becca. Reno cringed and tried to laugh off his tactless remarks. "Uh.. Hey guys.. And gal." He noticed Jale sitting behind the group and slapped Rude's shoulder. "Holy shit, Rude, look who it is?! Ol' 'who gives a fuck about my team'!"

"I'm flattered you remember me so fondly," Jale mused.

Reno's distaste was palatable and Rude stared stone-faced at the one they dared to call 'Legend'. "Who did you have to blow to get back in here?" Reno started.

Drake shook his head in disbelief and covered his face with a sweaty hand. Marcus stifled a laugh and Becca looked away from the group. Reno continued, "Was it Scarlet? I always knew she had something besides a steel trap between her legs—"

Veld’s arm shot out, his fist slamming onto the desk in anger. "Enough!"

The outburst shut Reno up and the others stood at attention. "Like it or not," Veld seethed, "Jale is a part of this team once more! If I hear one more off-colored joke about how this happened, so help me, I will have everyone suspended without pay! Do you understand!?"

The Turks were stunned to silence by Veld's sudden outburst. It was out of character for him to yell, especially at them. Veld eyed them all for a moment before turning back to his office. "My hope right now is that maintenance can fix the air system because I feel like I am going to pass out at any moment.."

He sighed and looked back to Drake's group. "What about Genesis..?" Drake asked. "I heard that Angeal was seen assisting him.."

Veld shook his head and sighed, "We have our orders, which are always subject to change. But Director Lazard will be handling the deserters, Genesis, and anyone who assists them." He paused to write some notes and then looked back up. "Go ahead and leave as scheduled. Reno and Rude will continue the search for now. Samantha and August will pick up where they leave off in the morning. And then you three will continue the search tomorrow afternoon."

"One thing puzzles me," Rude spoke. "How did she manage to escape from the cell block in the first place?"

Veld shrugged and entered his office, turning to face the fan. "That is one of the many mysteries about her,“ he called out. "The security cameras were mysteriously disabled during the time her cell was unlocked and when she escaped."

"Perhaps she tampered with it or had knowledge in the way the doors work?" Becca suggested.

"Perhaps. But I'm not so sure," Veld tapped his finger against his desk, "there was no evidence found in the cell to support that she may have dismantled the door's locking mechanism. It seemed to unlock on its own.."

Tseng pinched his brow in agitation. "So there's an insider.."

Veld pointed to him. "My thoughts exactly. Good call, Tseng."

After a bit more contemplating, Veld began to stack his papers to keep the fan from blowing them away. "Well you all have your orders. I for one am going home. It's been quite a night."

He dismissed the group to their own devices and excused himself. Reno and Rude left with their orders, taking to the streets to continue the search for the woman. Drake, Marcus, and Becca took their leave and headed for the cafeteria. "What do you make of them bringing Jale back?" Marcus asked after they were out of earshot.

"My guess? The President doesn't trust us to do our jobs.." Drake replied.

"That's such bullshit. After that stunt he pulled in Wutai, I'd have locked him up and thrown away the key. He almost killed me not to mention the poor saps that got caught up in the explosion. He cost the Company a lot of money and men.." Marcus scowled at the thought of it all.

"It's not our place to question.." Becca reminded him.

Marcus scoffed. "We're expendable.. Get the job done, at all costs. Shinra's motto."

~~~

With the meeting adjourned, Jale left the confines of the Turk's office and made his way to the elevator. He rode it to the 59th floor and crossed over to the second set of elevators that would take him to the upper levels. He had orders to report to President Shinra after the reunion was over. Upon stepping into the lift, the temperature dropped instantly. He knew that the lower floors were susceptible to the damage from the attack on the building, but it was such a relief to feel cool air being pumped through the vents. The doors shut and Jale leaned his head against the cold metal wall. Once he arrived at his destination, he made his way to the 70th floor. Upon reaching the top, he saw that the office door stood wide open. There was no secretary at the main desk and the room ahead was darkened.

"Just in time," called a voice. "Come in.."

Jale did as instructed and entered the office. The lone light in the room came from a computer screen which illuminated the face of the speaker. "Vice President Rufus.." Jale started. "Where's Old Man Shinra?"

Rufus scoffed and sat back in the plush seat that his father usually resided in. "Probably having a scotch before heading to bed," he mused.

He gestured for Jale to approach. "I'm the one who sent for you. Father merely signed off on it." Rufus explained.

Jale stopped before the desk and Rufus offered him a seat. "Please. This could take a moment."

He sat as asked, playing with the cigarillo between his lips. Rufus tossed a lighter across the desk and it slid to a halt before the reinstated Turk. He scooped it up and admired the Shinra Company logo that adorned it. He lit the end, puffing away. "So, why did you pull me out of Costa del Sol? I was having the time of my life there.." Jale asked, sliding the lighter back towards Rufus.

Rufus leaned back and drummed his fingers together, choosing his next words carefully. "I needed someone I could trust. To do the job, no questions asked."

Jale puffed a circle into the air and shook his head. "You mean someone you could control.. Seems your Turks have gone soft since the war."

"Oh you noticed that, did you?" Rufus had reclaimed the lighter and was idly flipping the lid, enjoying the slight snapping sound it made.

"Among other things. It looks like Veld's seen better days. What is he, pushing sixty now? Might be time to, you know, put him out to pasture," He puffed out another smoke circle while making a gun motion against his temple. "Alright, trust or control. It doesn't matter to me; as long as the pay is good. The quicker I get this job done, the quicker I'm back on the beach with the bikinis. What do you need me to do?"

Rufus set the lighter back in its spot on the desk then reached into his inner jacket pocket. He fished out a paper check and slid it across to Jale. The Turk retrieved the check and brought it to his eyes for a better view.

"I need you to infiltrate Avalanche."

Jale choked on the smoke on seeing the amount but he managed to turn it into a laugh. "That's it? For this amount? Done."

"It's not that simple. I need you to do more than infiltrate them. I need you to feed them information as well. You see… I need them to hit the Company in all the right places… Destroy a little bit of the city, nothing too major. But enough that the army gets called in to… restore order."

Jale had taken to leaning on his knees, listening to everything Rufus said. He burst into laughter, rocking back in the chair. "Oh.. Ho ho, that's rich! never thought I'd get to witness this.."

Rufus stared the man down, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "Witness what exactly?"

"Oh you know.. That moment, when you'd finally get tired of playing second fiddle to your old man.. You're trying to overthrow the old coot. I mean, I don't blame you. Like I said earlier, the Turks are getting a little soft in their cockles and need a reminder of who signs their paychecks."

He waved the hefty check a bit before stuffing it into his pants pocket. Rufus remained emotionless as Jale looked around the office. "And planning the coup in your own father's office. You've got balls to boot. I admire that."

Rufus chuckled and closed his eyes. "So.. You'll do it?"

"Oh of course. I've already had my fun being a reckless asshole. Now it's time to try my hand at being a double agent. I take it, this is between just the two of us?"

"Your discretion is appreciated." Rufus replied.

The Vice President produced a small folder and handed it across the desk to Jale. "Here is your identity. It's open, so you can add whatever flair you feel is necessary, but try to stick to the main points.. If anyone tries to look into the name, they will discover information that fits what you tell them."

Jale flipped through the skinny folder, rolling the diminishing cigarillo from one side of his mouth to the other. "Got it.. And when did you want me to bring… 'Diego' here to life?"

"Tomorrow evening. After your shift ends. I had Veld pair you with Drake and Marcus so you will be on their rotation." Rufus explained.

"Oh, that ought to be fun," the Turk grimaced. He thumbed through the next few documents. "Says here I report to some egghead named Fuhito. Is he some kind of scientist type? I hate scientist types."

"Fuhito has already cleared 'Diego' to join Avalanche. No one will question your sudden appearance."

Jale furrowed his brow. "So if you've already got this guy in your pocket, why the hell do you need me? Not that I am questioning your plan. Call it curiosity."

"I didn't bring you back across the ocean to be curious." Rufus snapped.

Jale raised his hands to show he meant no disrespect. "Hey man, sorry. No offense meant. Just wondering what my part is in all this if you've already got sympathizers in Avalanche."

Rufus adjusted his stance and leaned back in the chair. "You're passing information. It's gotten too risky to do it myself. Security has been tightened since the mass soldier desertion. Genesis couldn't have picked a worse time to pull this stunt. My father already suspects that someone high up is working against him. This will help take some of the heat off for a while."

Jale shut the folder. "Orders received."

"Good. We'll meet again in a week. There's a duffel bag on the floor by your feet. It's got a few burner phones and some clothes."

Jale looked down, seeing an outline of the bag in the dim light. He leaned over and grabbed the straps, hoisting it onto his shoulder. "I presume this conversation never took place?" he asked as he turned to leave.

"You presume correctly."

~~~

The sun sat low in the early morning sky. It nestled comfortably among the thin clouds that spread out across the horizon. Long shadows stretched across the landscape, casting most of the area in darkness. In the distant forest, the birds sang their morning songs to help rouse the rest of the sleepy woods. The sun left its comfort zone and rose higher into the sky; rays of pure sunlight falling upon the earth. The grand city of steel and mako basked in the warm glow. The shadow it created cast the city of Kalm into darkness until at last the sun overcame it and soon nothing could escape the light.

After the incident that annihilated the city and killed many of its inhabitants, Shinra took it upon themselves to rebuild the ruined town. Their version of the story painted a different picture. The public was told that a military miscalculation had targeted the town. This was true for the most part. What Shinra had glazed over was that it was no accident and the injured survivors were taken to Nibelheim to unwittingly take part in experiments under the surveillance of Professor Hojo. Veld was among the survivors pulled from the wreckage. Though the one who had orchestrated the entire event, getting killed himself wasn't part of the original plan.

He had been put in charge of the operation, an attempt to squash out an information leak. But he was torn as Kalm was also where he resided. When he wasn't leading the Turks, Veld took his weekends at home to spend time with his wife and their daughter.

Susan.. Felicia..

But orders were orders and he would follow through with them to the bitter end. The Turks had received word that individuals with sympathy for Avalanche were leaking Company information to the resistance group. President Shinra ordered that the leak be stopped at all costs. The town would be the accidental target of a missile strike, and though Veld pleaded with his superiors to reconsider, the plan was set in motion. He could at least lesson the toll it would take and save his family. He convinced his wife to take Felicia to the chocobo farms that fateful day. He wanted her to pack a picnic lunch and he would meet them there later. The attack on the town could be carried out and his family would survive. The same consideration could not be given to his neighbors.

The plan was made, the day arrived and Veld was a nervous wreck. The President was counting on him to follow through. He had reminded his wife the night before that she should be on the road no later than ten in the morning. Everything proceeded as planned.

Until his wife returned to Kalm with Felicia.. She had forgotten the kite they intended to fly later. She called her husband to let him know she was running a little late.

Veld was mortified. He tried to halt the operation, but the sequence had already been sent to the military boats that were positioned offshore; the attack was imminent. Veld left his post, a small group of black vans outside of town by the coast. He stole a motorcycle and raced it towards Kalm. As he arrived, the missiles struck the town's clock tower. Brick and mortar rained overhead as he sped to his house. Townspeople came out into the streets as a burst of fire and stone crashed all around from above. More missiles struck the town. Flames erupted, debris flew in every direction. The motorcycle was taken out from under Veld in an instant and he hit the ground, rolling to minimize the damage. His house was ahead; if he could just reach it..

A missile screeched overhead and Veld watched in slow motion as it slammed into his garage. The windows shattered and glass exploded all around him. "Felicia! Susan!" he bellowed amid chokes from the surrounding smoke.

He stumbled to his home as the fires consumed it. He heard Susan scream from the kitchen. "Felicia! Get down!" she cried.

"Susan! I'm here!" Veld yelled while choking on black plumes of noxious air.

He took one final step across the threshold and the roof above him collapsed. The town was razed in the wake of the missiles. Within five minutes, it was all over. The question on everyone's mind, who was responsible? Who was to blame for this? As the missiles were no doubt owned by Shinra, spinning a story against Avalanche would prove too difficult. They fell back on the tried and true 'miscalculation scenario'. Missiles intended for a military target had hit Kalm instead. It was a horrible tragedy. Relief funds were set up to help the families of those who died and to help rebuild the town. Time passed, the story faded and people focused once more on their lives and personal problems. Another incident that the Shinra explained away with money, misdirection, and power.

Veld woke up in Nibelheim on a gurney. He could only see out of one eye, the other was bandaged up along with most of the left side of his body. He tried to reach up with his dominant left hand, but he twitched in pain. On glancing over, he saw to his horror that his left arm was gone. Nothing was left except a blood soaked bandage on a stump. He passed out once more and didn't wake for days. He went through rehabilitation and the realization sank in that he was the sole survivor..

He grieved the loss of his wife and daughter in silence. Their blood as well as every single person in Kalm was on his hands.. But he had stayed in line and done as he was told. He could not bite back at the hand that feeds. For his duty to the Company, Veld was fitted with a robotic arm fashioned from a prototype and sent back to work. He still followed his orders, but his heart wasn't in it as before. He had committed a heinous act in the name of 'just following orders' and for that, his family paid the ultimate price..

Veld tightened his black tie in place and looked upon his haggard appearance in the mirror. The scar on his face seemed deeper these days and reminded him of the time his heart got the best of him when he saved Tseng's life. He touched it but then tore his eyes from the mirror, unable to look upon his own reflection without an overwhelming feeling disgust. He left the small bathroom and grabbed his gun holster from the back of the chair in the kitchen. He slid his arms into the straps, pulling his suit jacket on. He then placed a beaten trilby hat on his head and left the tiny apartment. Still bathed in the shadows and spots of rare sunlight, he made his way through his neighborhood to the train station in Sector Five. He wanted to be the first to arrive so that he could speak to Reno and Rude about their findings.

~~~

In the hulking metropolis, many shops were opening for a day of business. Fresh bagels and cinnamon rolls were in abundance at the local bakeries on the main street in Sector One. At another shop, they were opening their doors to offer their customers piping hot lattes and fresh brewed tea. After grabbing their morning fuel, many of the customers headed off to start a lengthy day at work behind a desk. While they took to the trains and carpools, the news of last night's attack on the building spread through the commuter's conversations. The local news reported that eco-terrorists had attacked the building in an effort to displace residents as well as to create havoc and widespread panic. Everyone knew someone who had a cousin that was on the scene and there was a different story for each one.

Some said that Avalanche was trying to take down the whole city of Midgar. Others said it was the Shinra Company due to their unethical means of mako production. There was even a rumor that someone on the inside was the one funding the terrorists. Whatever the reason, it put the citizens on edge and caused more than a few to use vacation time to get out of the city for a few days.

Just beneath the upper plate of Sector Six, the underground bunkers bustled with activity. Kess awoke sometime around five and had already visited the makeshift gym located near the infirmary. The area had a bench press, a few chin up bars, and a small rack with worn dumbbells of varying sizes. Kess came here early before anyone else had a chance to invade the space. Despite agreeing to work with those around her as comrades, she enjoyed her solitude. It gave her time to think..

She stayed there for about an hour before deciding to leave. It was a little past six and she wanted to freshen up and change before meeting up with Ashe. Getting ready didn't take too long. Once finished with her shower, she dressed in brown cargo pants and a black tank top. She grabbed a brown jacket from a hook on the back of the door and slung it over her shoulder. Before leaving, she put a camo green, military cap over her damp hair. She slammed the door and spotted Ashe leaning against the wall across from her room. He smiled on seeing her. "Ashe." she said with a hint of surprise in her voice. "I figured after getting shot, you'd take this opportunity to sleep in."

The man laughed and kicked off the wall, moving over to her. He wore a red t-shirt, the right sleeve was rolled up over a thick bandage and his arm was in a sling. He wore the same cargo pants and his jacket was tied around his waist. He wore a similar cap but it was light brown. Both hands held medium coffees and he handed one to her. "Well, I thought about it. But I knew you'd be craving some real brew. Not that swill in the commons that Hobbs tries to pass as coffee.."

She burst out laughing as they walked away from the dorms. "Swill! Better not let Shears hear you say that. I bet he's on his third cup by now.. Shears is not a morning person."

They laughed and Ashe took a drink of hot coffee. "So what's on the agenda?" he asked as they rounded the corner.

"Had a message this morning that everyone is gathering in the main area for a debriefing. My guess is that Fuhito has come up with an idea on how to use the information I brought back," Kess explained. She took a sip too and nodded in approval. "I take it back. That stuff Hobbs makes is comparable to swill."

"Told ya."

The balcony over the ground floor came into view and the closer they got to the entrance way, the more crowded it became. Kess and Ashe pushed through the crowd and made their way to the balcony overlooking the main floor. Avalanche members of all creeds and backgrounds gathered here. As Kess gazed out across the sea of people, she felt a certain kinship with these strangers that had all been wronged by Shinra in some way. Ashe leaned on the railing on her left and she glanced over to the bandaged wound.

"Where's Shears?" Ashe muttered. "I see Elfé and Fuhito. Bet he slept in again."

Kess wanted to say something to him but the words wouldn't come. He had taken a bullet for her last night. Everything happened so quickly, she never got a chance to thank him for helping her get back to base. She was about to force the words but he spoke again. "Hey, there he is." He pointed towards the stage with his left hand that held the coffee and Kess looked ahead.

Shears walked up to Fuhito and Elfé, giving a slight nod to those assembled. He then glanced around the room and addressed everyone. "Good morning. I trust that you are ready for some good news."

The room erupted into cheers and applause. A few whistles here and there rounded out the enthusiastic response. Fuhito turned to Elfé and said, "Let's begin then."

Elfé stood up, pulling her hands from the table. She tossed her cape over one shoulder, her hair sweeping back from her face to show the serious expression she wore. "The Shinra are hungry.." she began and took a short pause, "..they are hungry for power.. for money.. and for mako. The very life blood of this planet! That is why those before us formed this organization; to cut the Shinra's hands off at the wrist. To stop them from taking any more resources. Stop them from ruining any more lives. We must stop them, at all costs.. At any cost!"

Her stern gaze swept across the room, looking over the many faces. "If they continue this reckless and unregulated draining of mako, there will be nothing left for our children.. or their children."

She paused, a few 'here-here's' coming from the crowd. A group in the back of the audience was starting to chant the word Avalanche over and over. Elfé continued once she had picked her words. "We are here to save the planet, to keep it sacred for all things. This group started with a dream in Cosmo Canyon. But our brother and founder, Aldin Spears, died before he could see his vision come to fruition. I took up the reigns. Fuhito, Shears, all of you, have joined our fight, and now we have a mission to carry out."

She was getting louder, as were the people in the back chanting; soon others were joining in. "The light of the Cosmo Flame ignited our cause, and it burns ever brighter in our hearts." She stepped up, gesturing to the crowd. "There is not one among us who hasn't been mistreated by Shinra. With chapters growing all over the world, we gather under a unified banner to bring their reign to a swift end. We have fought their wars, mined their mythril, some have even paid the ultimate price. But our soul only burns brighter with each fallen brethren! We are Avalanche!! And we will do whatever it takes to end Shinra's reign!"

The crowd flared into cheering and chanting. Everyone was clapping with the words, those powerful words. "Avalanche, Avalanche, AVALANCHE!"

Someone shouted, "Down with Shinra! Down with Shinra!" He jumped out in front of the crowd, his fist pumping high into the air with the powerful battle cry. The entire crowd joined in the chant. "DOWN WITH SHINRA!! DOWN WITH SHINRA!"

Elfé shouted the loudest over them all. Fuhito gripped her shoulder, whispering into her ear and she nodded to his hushed words. She withdrew from the stage and took a seat near Shears who was looking out over the noisy room. "Alright," Fuhito began, "settle down then.. It's been a while since we've had any real missions. So it is my pleasure to inform you that we are going to be stepping it up a notch."

The chanting died off while the man spoke. Though quiet in nature, he commanded the attention of those around him. There were murmurs throughout the crowd but everyone paid attention for the most part. "Last night, we received an abundance of intelligence. Due to this, there will be new assignments all around. We will have missions in Junon, various Sectors here in the city. We will need everyone ready to give their best! Failure is not an option!"

Cheers rose through the room once more and the chanting picked back up. "Down with Shinra!! Down with Shinra!"

"DOWN WITH SHINRA!"

--End Chapter 3..