Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 3: Pursuit

TEN

Then I went back to work, watching the monitors again. I also kept the audio channels open, both frequencies now so I could stay in touch with everyone and help coordinate things. I'd be in the thick of it later, of course, once Shinra had reached the wall, but until then, I had to be here. Cloud and the others looked at the displays as intently as I was. I was a little more nervous than I wanted to admit, but Tifa's hand on my shoulder as she stood behind me helped me focus. To calm my nerves, I did one last systems check on the sentries.

Then we all looked up at once as we suddenly heard them go off. A series of machine gun pops like firecrackers exploding in the distance. The sentries were going at it. Their ammo magazines had been filled to capacity, a thousand rounds each, and as we stared at the monitors, we could see the numbers for the outer two dropping fast as they took out the front lines of Shinra's attack force.

"Eight hundred on A," I noted, my eyes glued to the monitors. "B's right behind it. They're out there, alright."

"Look at them ammo counters go," Biggs breathed.

The numbers on the digital display were a blur as the sentries kept firing. "You're not kidding. A's down to seven hundred now, seven-fifty for B. Lena, Barret, can you guys hear it?"

"It's like a goddamn shootin' gallery," Barret answered.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," I quipped. "Lena?"

She came back a second later. "Yeah, Jessie. The ravine walls make it echo a lot. So I can definitely hear it."

"You guys get ready, then," I told them. "Stay sharp."

"Copy that," Lena said.

Barret followed. "Gotcha. An' Jessie... we ain't gonna have a repeat of Sector 7, ya hear? An' I don't jus' mean that we gonna save this place. Which we will. But we ain't gonna lose you again."

"Thanks, Barret," I smiled.

From behind me, Tifa gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We'll all make it this time, Jessie. Including you."

"Count on it," Cloud added.

"We will," I agreed, reaching back to take Tifa's hand for a moment. Then I let go and focused on the screens again. "A gun's half-empty, B's at five-thirty. Looks like they've taken a few hits, but they're still going, even with all the heat Shinra's throwing at 'em."

Biggs whistled. "Tough little buggers, ain't they?"

"Shinra technology at its finest," Edwyn agreed. "I bet the company never thought it'd be fighting itself."

"Don'tcha just love the irony?" I smirked.

Cloud pointed at the screen. "Yeah. A's at two-fifty now and falling fast. Just over three hundred on B."

I nodded. "I see it. They're wall to wall down there."

"Sounds like it," Tifa said.

We could all hear the gunfire and explosions going on at the end of the ravine just around the corner. As I'd expected, they'd approached us from there, which was the normal and easier way to get here, instead of by the steeper slope near the right side of the wall. There'd still been no word from Wedge, and all we could do was hope he was okay and that he'd bring us those reinforcements in time.

"Cloud, you and Aerith better get into position," I said. "Once they break through, it won't take long for them to get to the wall, even with all our other little surprises. I'll join you soon."

He was already heading for the door. "On my way."

I turned back to the monitors. "A gun's at a hundred, B's at one-ten. It's about to get real, guys. Game time."