Crisis: The Final Fantasy 7 Novel

Chapter 1 - Lowcity

The meeting spot, a blown-out office building. His phone rang right on time. Blocked number.

"Hello?"

"...Hold please..."

Elevator music. Cloud tapped his toe in anticipation until the line went live again.

"Good evening."

"Snakeman there?"

"Who's calling?"

"It's Cloud. I've got the videogames you wanted."

"Ah. Hello Mr. Strife. We've been expecting your call. How will you be accepting our credit-line?"

"Uh, gil. You know, that green stuff that makes food appear on your table."

"Unfortunately, we're having a cash-flow problem at the moment. Can you front?"

"Oh man, I need the money bad."

The line went dead.

"Sonofa—" he dialed another number. It rang three times. He paced.

"Wassup G?"

"Barret, your guy bailed on me."

Silence.

"He what?"

"He clicked on me, man! No sale!"

"Da'hell u mean no sale?"

"I mean I asked for cash and he bailed. Call him back for me."

"I don't got his number."

"How do you not have his number?"

"This ain't ebay shit! Ain't no customer service! U go through a network of fronts and blinds. U think I was born yestaday? U trying to case me!"

"Look I got the stuff right here—"

"Yeah and you gonna call me back in ten minutes sayin' you got robbed. Nigga I know how this works!"

"Oh my god Barret. Just call your guy!"

"I like you Lil' Mo, but if you don't got my $50,000 gil by last call, you better be real good at hide' n' seek."

He heard the cold cock of a gun barrel, then the line went dead.

Heart rate increasing. This little red delivery package was more grief than it was worth...or was it? He broke his own rule: He looked in the package.

Inside were packs of C4, Semtex, and a kilo of powdery Dancer. He freaked against the side of his bike.

"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. I'm dead! What do I do? What am I gonna do?! What am I—"

SLOW COUNT BACK FROM TEN!!

A Voice, in his head.

"Wait..Whuh?"

JUST DO IT!

Deep breaths, gasping air, he started counting.

"10...9...8..."

That's it.

"...3...2..."

He coughed...and felt calm.

Call your man.

"What man?"

Silence. His thoughts became still. The Voice rescinded back into his subconscious. He whipped out his phone and dialed without thinking.

"H'llo?"

"It's Cloud. You want ice cream?"

"...Yeah. You got some?"