Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 1: Arrival

TWENTY-NINE

At the end of the curving hallway, we found an elevator waiting for us at the top of the sloping floor. It was probably the same one that we'd have ridden up from utility access if we hadn't been forced to take this little detour. As I followed Cloud and Barret inside, I flexed my fingers and took a deep breath. Just a few more doors and it would be time for us to thrash Shinra's mech in front of everyone.

"Almost game time," Barret grinned as we rode the elevator.

I tightened my gloves. "Yeah. Nearly there."

Cloud didn't say anything, just stood there with his arms folded in front of him. Typical, but also reassuring in a way. He nodded, and the barest hint of a smirk crossed his face as he looked at me. I smiled back for a moment, knowing he was always ready to help me out and stick it to Shinra. No matter what problems he might have, Cloud was still my friend, and I was his. I'd be there for him, too.

I hadn't seen anything yet to help me figure out what was going on with him. From our talks together since I'd first found him at the train station just over two months ago, I had found out there were things he knew that he shouldn't, at least according to my own memories. There were also things he should've known but didn't. That, along with those strange attacks he'd been having, worried me.

I hadn't said anything to Cloud yet, though. I wasn't sure what that might do to him. So all I could do, at least for now, was keep an eye on him. But as I thought about it while the elevator took us up to the first floor, I wondered if he had shared anything with Jessie. They'd gotten a lot closer, after all. I decided to ask her about it later.

After a soft beep, the elevator doors opened, and we went out onto the first floor. On the opposite side of the room, the door stood closed and locked. A short connecting passage just ahead of us and to our left led to the main control room, and we hurried into it. There were lots of displays and computers, but what caught my eye was a large console on the right side of the room. It was long, like a table, and had controls on either side of it. I didn't have a clue where to start.

Luckily, Jessie appeared on the large screen behind me. "Good, you made it! Been watching ya, and I'm sure Shinra has, too. I don't know if they're aware of what we're doing, though."

"Too late for us to bail now," Cloud pointed out.

"Do you think they know you're helping us, Jessie?" I asked.

She swallowed. "I... I don't know, Tifa. I haven't had any trouble on this end. Biggs and Wedge are watching the door so no one gets in here and finds me. We're almost home, though."

I nodded. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I will," Jessie nodded. "Anyway, moving on. About the emergency override, you remember me telling you it's kinda tricky? Here's why. It's a triple-activation sequence. Once I access the main control board, you should see three different panels light up."

She looked down for a minute as she input a few commands on her tablet, and a few seconds later, the long console in front of us hummed to life. Just like she'd said, three flat, rectangular panels suddenly lit up, white and bright. Cloud and Barret moved to stand in front of the two on the left side while I took the one on the right.

Barret looked past me to the monitor. "Okay, we all set, Jessie. Tell us what's next. We hit 'em?"

"Yeah," she answered. "All at the same time. Exactly the same time. If you're off by even a second, it won't work. You can keep trying if you don't get it right away, though."

"Good to know," Cloud said. "Ready?"

I held my hand over the panel. "Ready, Cloud."

Barret did the same. "How's about a little countdown, Jessie?"