(I didn't get to post it yesterday because Blogger was being screwy. So it probably didn't save what I edited. There may be some spelling errors. I apologize.)
Chapter 4
'Man, what's up with Angeal?' Zack thought to himself. 'How long is he gonna slack off like this? It's been a month now!' He shook his head and sighed. 'Sephiroth's got it all wrong, too! Lumping Angeal together with Genesis. Genesis is a deserter who took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him! He used copies to attack us! Angeal would never condone something like that! He valued his SOLDIER honor more than anyone else! Ugh! Everything is so messed up these days...! Angeal! Just come back, please!'
Zack's phone rang as he was doing some squats in the SOLDIER lounge. He stopped and answered the phone.
"SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack?" came a voice from the phone that he couldn't recognize.
"That would be me." Zack answered. "Who is this?"
"Director Lazard wants to see you." said the mysterious man. "Go to the briefing room."
"Hey! Wait!" Zack said, wanting an answer to his question. The man hung up and Zack made an annoyed groan, putting the phone back in his pocket. "Who was that?" he wondered aloud, then decided that he would probably find out once he got to the briefing room. And maybe Director Lazard would have some information about Angeal's whereabouts.
He made his way there as quickly as possible.
He ran into the room and right up to Lazard, who was sitting in his chair at the table, resting his head on his intertwined fingers, propped up by his elbows. "Any word on Angeal?" Zack asked urgently.
Lazard leaned back in his chair. "He hasn't contacted his family either." he replied.
Zack sighed, then remembered the call that had summoned him there in the first place. "So what's this about?" he asked.
"A new assignment." Lazard said, crossing his arms. "I want you to go to the hometown of our missing SOLDIER 1st Class, Genesis."
"Huh?" Zack asked, wondering why he would be going on a mission like that.
"According the parents, they've had no contact with Genesis whatsoever." He returned to leaning on his elbows, then shook his head. "But, they can't be trusted."
"Why?" Zack asked.
Lazard looked up at Zack. "They're his family."
Zack hummed in understanding, then ran his hand through his spiked jet black hair and paced across the room.
Lazard looked at the computer screen in front of him. "I had already dispatched some staff, but we've lost contact. I want you to go and investigate." Lazard rolled his chair backwards and looked at a point behind Zack. "He will go with you."
A very professional looking man in a black business suit walked forward, towards Zack and the Director. "Tseng, of the Turks." the man introduced himself to Zack in a very serious, monotone voice, which Zack recognized as being the one on the phone earlier.
"This job is looking reeeaally gloomy..." Zack groaned. What Zack did know about the Turks didn't make Tseng appear to be a very fun person, a major contrast to Zack. Turks were Shinra's special group. They handled everything from assassinations to recruiting SOLDIER members to kidnapping to, well, everything. Tseng even looked way too serious. The narrowed black eyes, the slick black ponytail, the tilak in the middle of his forehead, his black tie being PERFECTLY straight. Zack was already annoyed.
"Ready to go?" Tseng asked Zack, still being perfectly professional.
"A routine job, right?" Zack said, punching his left hand with his right. "No sweat!" He then proceeded to pace the room again.
"I wonder..." Tseng said, starting to smile, something Zack didn't expect from him. "Originally, Sephiroth was assigned to this mission." Zack stopped in his tracks. "That means it's a top-priority matter." Tseng got a more serious tone in his voice than before. "Be alert, or you'll fail."
Zack was a bit more serious now as well. He stepped toward Tseng. "And Sephiroth?"
"Refusing to go, apparently." Tseng said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Oh, what is that!" Zack said, about to laugh in disbelief. "They spoil him too much!"
Tseng laughed a bit. "Why don't you say that to his face?"
"Um, no thanks!" Zack stuttered, clasping his hands together in a pleading motion and tilting his head to the side.
The helicopter ride was uneventful. They eventually arrived at their destination, much to Zack's relief. He didn't know if he could stand being in an enclosed space with a Turk much longer.
They got off the helicopter and Zack took a look around the area. There were odd looking white trees that curved over the path into the town like a tunnel, each tree with odd white and purple fruit hanging from its branches. He went on ahead through the tree tunnel, following Tseng.
"Weird-looking trees." Zack said after walking a while in silence.
"These are Banora White trees." Tseng replied, then looked at Zack, who still didn't get it. "AKA dumbapples."
"Wait, that means we're in Banora?" Zack said, taking another look around. "Angeal's hometown?"
"That is correct." Tseng replied. "Genesis and Angeal have known each other for a long time."
Two men in red armor seemed to appear in front of them out of nowhere, taking Zack by surprise. "These guys! I saw them in Wutai too!" 'Genesis copies', as Sephiroth had called them. He got out his sword and took them out quickly, no trouble at all. He put his sword on his back.
"So they are here." Tseng stated, referring to Angeal and Genesis. "We haven't seen any townspeople. They may have taken control of the entire town." He put his arms back by his sides. "When Genesis deserted, he took a large arsenal of weapons with him. The president's orders are to retrieve or destroy these weapons immediately upon discovery."
Zack fistpumped. "Leave it to me!" He ran off down the path, toward the middle of town.
He got to the end of the uphill path and saw a large building. In front of it were Genesis copies and a large, spider-like, deadly-looking machine wielding guns. "The president won't be disappointed!" Zack shouted as he grabbed his sword. He lunged toward the enemies, taking out the Genesis copies first, then going after the machine. Bullets were flying past Zack, who was dodging them as best he could. He slashed his sword at one of the machine's four legs, making it collapse in an uneven pile, still shooting at Zack. He blocked some bullets with his sword and swung at it again, taking off its guns. Finally, he leaped on top of it, plunging his sword into the dense machinery, making it spark and buzz, then go silent. Zack put his sword of his back and walked back over to the red armored people on the ground, kicking one of its helmets off. "A Genesis copy..."
"Where did you hear that?" Tseng asked as he caught up to Zack, then walked past him to go examine the broken machine.
"Sephiroth said it." Zack replied.
Tseng stopped. "The technology was stolen from our scientists."
"Huh?"
"It apperently allows Genesis' abilities and traits to be transplanted... To SOLDIER members, and monsters."
Zack looked at Tseng with wide eyes. "SOLDIER and monsters..." Zack said softly. "We're the same?"
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