Final Fantasy VII: Reflections - Book 1: Descent

TWENTY-EIGHT

Tifa and I crept slowly toward our target, staying carefully hidden behind a low mound of discarded junk. The supply depot was actually an unmarked warehouse tucked away in a quiet corner of Sector 4 well away from the undercity. There weren't any Shinra logos or anything to show what the place was. But the guards standing just outside the main doors were a dead giveaway with their dark blue uniforms and the gray metal helmets that covered their eyes. The troopers used the trio of red scanners mounted on the front to see.

"Looks like this is the place," I whispered.

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. But why would Shinra keep spare parts for the reactors down here instead of on the plate?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. Unless there's more here than that."

"You think they're hiding something?" she asked.

"Could be," I said, gazing at the warehouse. "But the only way we'll know for sure is to get inside and see for ourselves."

Tifa pointed. "Only two guards."

I saw what she was getting at. "Yeah. We can take them by surprise, knock them out, and slip right in. Then we'll have a look around to see what's so special about this place."

"Sounds like a—wait, what's going on?" she blinked.

There was suddenly a bit of a commotion now as two more guards approached the Shinra supply depot dragging a beaten and blindfolded man in between them. He was yelling and struggling against their grip, but the soldiers just ignored him. Tifa and I could hear him protesting and swearing from our hiding spot.

"I'm tellin' ya, I ain't done nothin'!" he said. "Let me go! Goddamn Shinra assholes! You can't do this!"

"Shut up!" one of the guards punched him.

The other guard looked at him as he collapsed with a pained grunt, still in his captors' grip. "This tonight's volunteer?"

"Yeah," one of them said. "Let us in."

"Understood. Just a minute," the first guard said.

I barely stifled a gasp when I got a better look at the guy they were holding. He was young, about my age, with short, light brown hair and a thin, matching beard. A slim build, but toned from all the hours that he spent outside working. The guy was a local, one I'd met before a few times. Not a bad sort, really, if a little boisterous.

"I know him!" I hissed.

Tifa stared at me. "You do? How?"

I went on. "He's one of my customers. Danny. Installed some filters for him and fixed his refrigerator a few weeks ago. He's a nice guy, paid well. Even hit on me a little. Not exactly soft-spoken, though. Or a very big fan of Shinra. He hates them."

"I think I see where this is going," Tifa said.

"He talks to anyone around town here who'll listen about how bad Shinra is and how greedy they are. A bit loudly sometimes, too. But he isn't the type to actually act against them. Danny's all bark and no bite, Tifa. Dunno what they did to him, but griping's about as far as he's ever gone. So there's gotta be another reason he's here."

She nodded. "What did that guard mean about volunteers?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "But I think we should find out. And help Danny if we can. We've got to save him."

"Right," Tifa agreed.

Just then, the first soldier tapped a code into a keypad mounted on the wall. There was a single beep once he entered the last number, and then the large double doors at the front of the building slid open. We'd have to move quickly to get in there, and Tifa and I both knew it. I saw her tensing herself to run, same as I was.