"Red alert, all stations; levels one through four evacuate immediately," blared the loud speakers. Alarms were going off everywhere as if panic had spread out and it had. A man collapsed on the floor, just as the building was rocked with a series of explosions. Fire and smoke engulfed the sky.

"What level of security is the situation?" asked Col. Evans.

"Priority one sir. Containment was breached before the explosions. Plus there was a man inside the building at the time. Strife...but somehow he survived. I think we may have some serious problems on our hands." spoke Lt. Burkes.

"Why Lieutenant...whatever gave you that idea? Christ, if word of this gets out..."

"What about..."

"No! We'll have to keep this top secret. And if necessary we will eliminate Strife."

"Yes sir!"


At a nearby hospital a patient lay in bed. The pain and agony coursed through his body like blood flowing through a vein. His mind wandered to thoughts of Project OMEGA and of the final moments before the explosion. He wondered about his condition and of how he was able to survive and get out. Jack Strife rose from his bed and looked towards the window. His eyes flashed as a bolt of lightning crashed in the skies. A dark storm was coming. A nurse nearby Jack's room was making the routine checks for her shift when she heard a crash. She rushed into Jack's room and saw the bed was empty and the windows broken. She looked to the outside and on the ledge she saw a dark figure looming in the rain. The creature took one glance at the nurse before lifting up and flying away into the stormy night. Then the nurse fainted.

*****

The creature's massive wings flapped as it descended after a long night of flying. It folded it's wings and headed towards a nearby cave. A homeless man stumbled out from the cave's opening. He swayed his arms and slurred his speech trying to ward off the stranger trying to invade his personal space. A flash of lightning gave the hobo a glimpse of the creature and he screamed. The beast leaped onto the man, snatched him up and tossed him aside into the bushes. The bum ran away terrified but glad to still have his life. His scream disappeared and faded until the only sound left was the gentle splash of the raindrops onto the earth. The mighty creature slumped into the cave and nestled into the darkest corner. It sighed heavy and then it slept.


Daylight shone on Colonel Evans' face as he was awakened by his phone ringing.

"Hello?" he spoke groggily.

"Good morning sir. I just wanted to be the first to let you know that Strife escaped last night from the hospital," said Lt. Burkes.

"What?"

"A nurse on duty last night states that she was making rounds and heard a loud noise from his room. She went to check on him but when she got there he was gone and the window was broken. She mentioned something about a monster on the ledge that flew into the night."

"Dear god! The chemical GR61. It's been successfully bonded with Strife?"

"Uh, it appears so sir."

"Keep watch Burkes. I want to find him and quickly. He's now designated with the codename "Cloud". I want him captured live or under duress. Do you understand me? If the boys from Shin-Ra find out about this...we'll both be in a world of shit."

"Yes sir!"

"Oh, and get a hold of Sephiroth. He may be useful in helping us catch Strife."

"Right away sir."


*****


Strife awoke in the cave, cold and unaware of the previous night's events. He got up still dazed and not quite balanced. He walked toward the entrance of the cave, leaving his source of shelter. The rain had long since stopped but the wind chilled his naked body in the morning breeze. He needed help badly and fate was about to provide. He looked out and realized he was in the city park. Nearby a figure was jogging past and recognized Jack.

"Jack? Is that you?" said the woman.

"Aerith! Thank god it's you." he said in awe. Jack covered himself but to no avail.

"Jesus, what are you doing naked in the park?"

"Yeah...about that. Uh, I was robbed last night. The guy must have hit me over the head and taken my clothes as well." he replied, thinking fast in his head for a decent answer.

"Ok. Here, take this..." Aerith took off her zippered jacket and wrapped it around Jack's mid section and tied it.

"Now, let's get you to my car and I can drive you home."

"Thanks. So what are you doing home? If I may ask?" She blushed.

"Well, I took time off for the summer. Decided to relax, reorganize myself, take things easy and return to school in the fall. Maybe actually finish up this time."

"I'm glad you're here. I've been meaning to write you but things happened..." he trailed off and she just held him closer as they walked. Nothing else needed to be said and she drove him home. Aerith waited in the living room as Jack walked off to get some new clothes and freshen up. The silence was still calm as he walked back to her later on. He asked her if she wanted some breakfast and she agreed. He walked to the kitchen to find what he needed.

"So how have things been since I left last year Jack?" Aerith asked. But before Jack could answer the apartment building shook as an explosion rippled outside. Strife's memory flashed to the night of the accident and froze in shock.

"They found me." was all he could think He went to warn Aerith about getting down but it came too late. She stepped back just as another barrage of hits rocked the complex. The wall towards the front of the building collapsed as if ripped away by unseen hands. Jack glimpsed out to see the source of the attack and then looked back to check on Aerith. As he did the remaining ceiling of his apartment caved it, crumbling around and covered her up in a pile of rubble. He screamed out to her and in that same instant his entire body shook and trembled deep inside itself. He collapsed on the floor in a heap as he body contorted as he writhed in pain. Unable to control his actions, Jack felt his bones crack and shift. His skin stretched into ungodly shapes and positions. His feet, his face, his entire being changed shape metamorphasizing into the creature from the previous night. Massive wings formed as Jack continued to scream in agony. His voice deepened into something more sinister. His vision blurred and finally the pain subsided as the change was finished. The creature surveyed his new surroundings. It remembered the girl and once again screamed out. Its roar was so loud that the windows from the surrounding apartments and all the glass around Jack's apartment shattered and burst out. The creature leaped from the gaping hole in the wall where Jack's apartment used to be and flew away. Below, Sephiroth and Burkes watched the entire scene play out.

"Why didn't you take him out?" asked Burkes. Sephiroth pulled down his binoculars. He took a second and pointed up the building and rubble.

"Because...our insurance for his capture is laying right up there. Still breathing and perfectly safe. Send in a recovery team and get her out. We'll take her back to HQ." Sephiroth pulled his cellphone from his coat and dialed a number.

"Sir. We lost track of "Cloud" but we have the bait. She was with him at his apartment so we had to intervene and obtain. We've got her and will be back shortly to brief on the next phase."

"Good." said Col. Evans as he hung up his phone. He looked out to the morning sun and took note of the birds in the sky.

"I hope you enjoy it Strife. Enjoy the sun and the clear skies and the freedom while it lasts."

*****


Aerith awoke on a musty cot in a badly lit room.

"Where am I? Jack?" A soft click echoed in the darkness.

"Miss Gainsborough? Please remain calm and all will be well."

"Ok, but where am I? Where's Jack?" The click once again split the silence.

"You are in a safe place and as long as Mr. Strife is willing to cooperate with us then you will go free."

"Why are you doing this? What does Jack have to do with all of this? Answer me...who are you?"

The click didn't come this time. Aerith sat in the darkness for a moment and then a bright flash broke light into her face and then away. She could see a dark tall man with silvery hair and bright emerald green eyes.

"My name is Sephiroth." Aerith looked into his eyes. They looked cold and dead to her...serious. She fell back into the darkness and passed out.


*****


"He'll show up if he knows we have her. I know it." Sephiroth looked across the table in the war room at Evans.

"Yes, but can you anticipate everything? Remember the briefing we gave you on the compound chemicals from the lab. GR61 is untested in a human subject. We truly have no idea what his capabilities are. We've got to keep a lid on this before it gets more out of hand." spoke the colonel.

"Based on bioscans from the apartment on the creature, I believe if we can send out a high frequency ultrasonic carrier signal, we can get a message to "Cloud". Let him know Aerith is alive and that we have her. Then when he arrives, we capture and contain."

"Do it."

*****


Strife landed on the roof of the main complex of Base HQ just as a pair of guards burst out from the stairwell access door. He leaped over at them and tossed them aside like rag dolls. He clamored across the rooftop trying to calm himself to see if he could regress his body back to human. He did and was naked once again. He headed down the stairs and inside to look for some clothes and for Aerith. After finding a barracks room with clothes that sort of fit Jack began the search for Aerith. He headed towards Evans' office to look for files that might lead him to her. He reached Evans' office relatively easy which made him suspicious. He opened the door and calmly walked into the room. Evans appeared from a side room adjacent to his desk and asked Jack to sit down. He complied and watched as Evans called Sephiroth to bring Aerith into the office. Evan offered Jack a drink but he refused; thinking that the colonel would have drugged it with a sedative of some sort.

"Jack!" cried Aerith as she was led into the room, her arms held by Sephiroth.

"You let her go! I'm what you're after." replied Strife.

"How sweet and picturesque...the hero and his girl." said Evans.

"Why don't you take her..." Evans began but Jack wouldn't let him finish. He stood up and reached for her pulling her out of Sephiroth's grip. He punched Sephiroth across the face and the two began to wrestle. The two men swung around the room fighting as Evans reached into his desk for a tranquilizer gun. Jack caught a glimpse of it and swung Sephiroth into Evans' desk. In a quick motion he snatched the gun away and rolled into the side room, landing between Aerith and the men. He quickly shot off two rounds. Evans ducked while Sephiroth fell to the floor unconscious. Jack grabbed Aerith and helped her into the hallway out from the side room.

"Jack? Where do you think you can hide? I was wrong...I figured Sephiroth could handle you but I can see I shouldn't have sent a boy to do a man's job." Evans voice crept out into the side room as he hid behind cover.

"You still want me? You want this grotesque monster that resulted from the accident? Huh? You want me, you got me." Jack said as he motioned Aerith to stay back and get to safety. She was still confused by all this but was glad Jack was here. Jack focused his mind and thought about the creature as he silently slid across the side room's wall that separated him from Evans. He could feel the creature, feel it rising in him, gathering strength on his terms and sprung from the wall and around the corner leaping across the desk at Evans' hiding spot. He clawed at Evans' head as he rose and the two, man and beast, fell backwards on the ground. Evans quickly turned his body and punched Strife in the jaw. Jack slashed at him with his hand which was now the creatures claw ripping a gash across his chest and shirt. Jack grabbed Evans around the waist and lifted him up and leaped out of the office windows into the air. His wings flew out from his back but his body remained somewhat unchanged. He had control of the beast and could now choose which parts to use. He changed his grip on Evans and held him high in the air by his ankle with one hand.

"Don't do it Jack!" screamed Aerith from the broken out window of Evans' office.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't drop this bastard right here and now."

"Because I know the good in you Jack. You're not like that, no matter what's happened to you. And if you do...you'll be just like him. Just like that Sephiroth guy."

Jack lifted Evans up and turned him around, holding him by his shoulders to his face.

"I'll spare your life. But if you ever try to find me or come after Aerith again....so help me, I'll do worse things than drop you from the sky." Jack changed his face and voice to the creature's.

"Believe me. I'll take my time and make you wish it were quick." Evans just gasped as he pissed himself in fear. Jack held him out with one hand and grabbed Aerith with his free hand. He flew them both up to the roof and set them down. He regressed his wings, arms, face and voice back to human. Aerith just looked at him still in shock with what she was seeing. He walked towards her as Evans ran away back inside the building. Jack reached out for Aerith but a loud shot rang out. Sephiroth stood behind him holding a gun that he lowered as Jack's body collapsed, falling forward on the ground. Aerith screamed as Sephiroth laughed and walked over and stood above Jack's body. He looked down at Jack's unmoving body and then back up at Aerith. He raised his gun to take aim at her and in a split second a pair of claws reached up and around his arm. They twisted back and around until a sickening snap was heard. He dropped the gun and Jack stood up. He grabbed his other arm and broke it as well. It was rare for him to show emotions, but Sephiroth cried aloud in pain.

"In case you thought about trying something else with your good hand." Jack said sternly.

"But how? How did you do that? I shot you in the heart." asked Sephiroth.

"I don't really know. Guess I've got a sort of healing factor as well." Jack looked over at Aerith and finally held her in his arms. He egressed his wings once again and lifted her up in his arms. He carried her as he flew away to start a new life.



The End