Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 1: Arrival

FORTY-SIX

Wedge was moving people toward the gate on the other side of the plaza when Biggs and I stepped off the stairs and onto the ground. As I helped him across the clearing, I noticed Aerith was gone. She must've already left to find Marlene. Good. There was also a motorcycle with a stuffed toy cat on it parked nearby, but I hardly noticed it as we hurried across the plaza to meet up with Wedge.

"Biggs! I thought you were dead!" he gasped.

"Not yet," Biggs winced in pain but flashed us a crooked grin at the same time. "I still got some fight left in me, buddy. Enough for another platoon or two, at least. Maybe more."

I handed him over to Wedge. "Can you take care of him? I've gotta get back to the pillar and help the others."

He nodded. "Will do, Tifa!"

"Heh..." Biggs laughed. "Thought that was my job."

Wedge slid an arm around his waist to help hold him up. "Not this time. You've always looked out for me, Biggs. Now it's my turn to do it for you. Just leave everything to me!"

Biggs chuckled. "Guess I'm in good hands, then."

Just then, we heard commotion coming from the gate. It was a part of the chain link fence that divided Sector 7 from the road leading into Sector 6, and I realized it was still closed. Two Shinra soldiers stood in front of it, and one of them was arguing with someone standing on the other side. I wondered who'd be trying to get in here when things were so bad right now that everyone else wanted to get out.

"I said, let me in!" a girl's voice yelled. "I didn't run all the way here from Sector 5 just to get shut out!"

My jaw dropped. "Lena!"

"What!?" Biggs and Wedge gaped.

"I repeat!" the soldier said. "No one gets in or out!"

Lena was fuming. "My brother and boyfriend are in there! I've got to help them! Open this damn gate!"

The soldier brandished his gun. "No! Get lost!"

"Oh, the hell with you!" Lena snarled.

Backing up, she ran right at the fence, jumped, and grabbed onto it with both hands. Then she started climbing over it. I tightened my fist as the soldier lifted his gun, but his partner surprised me, pushing him away and letting Lena drop down to the other side.

The first soldier stared at his partner. "Are you insane?"

"I'm not gonna let you hurt an unarmed woman!" the other guard insisted. "Doing our job's one thing, but that's not right!"

"Back to your post!" the first one ordered.

His partner did, but reluctantly. "Yes, sir. For now..."

Lena waved at him. "Thanks! But I'm not unarmed. I'm not here to cause any trouble, though."

"Lena!" Biggs called to her. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes widened. "Biggs! You're hurt!"

"You should be home in Sector 5!" Wedge told her.

"No way!" Lena shook her head as she ran over to us. "Not without you guys. I'm getting you and everyone else outta here! You two are my whole life, and I'm not gonna lose you!"

I looked at her. "I've gotta get back to the pillar, Lena. Can you help Biggs and Wedge while I'm gone?"

"That's why I'm here," she said. "I—"

Just then, a Shinra helicopter flew toward us, and I realized for the first time that Sector 7 was ablaze. The chopper dropped low above the pillar complex and hovered long enough for a squad of grunts and elite grunts to drop to the ground not twenty feet away. I narrowed my eyes and raised my fists as I strode toward them.