AUTHOR'S NOTE:Hey guys. Sorry for the late update. I have been feeling a little down lately so I decided to take some time off of writing. Also The last of Us part 2 came out and I have just been processing that whole experience. But I'm back and I feel much better so i will try to update regularly again. Maybe not a chapter a day like I had been doing but definately more then this last month. I want to thank everyone who is reading and reviewing my story and I hope you continue to follow.

A Few Hours Earlier:

Out in the Midgar outskirts Zack was following up on a lead that some resistance fighters were running amok. Lazard informed him of a large gathering in a cave a few miles out of the city. Zack left the city bright and early to get the missions over and done with so he can go spend the rest of his day with Aerith. The Helicopter dropped him off about 30 yards out form the target area. With the Buster Sword firmly on his back magnet Zack walked toward the mission area.

As Zack wandered closer to the secret Avalanche base he found a few patrols checking the perimeter.

' Patrols this far out? They must be guarding something important.' Zack thought. Zack was not very far from the drop zone so the fact that any patrols were this far out was surprising. From what Zack could count there looked to be about 5 guards in his line of sight. There could be more though.

" You see anything?" Guard number 1 asked the guard closest to him. Zack heard the guard speak up and decided to listen in from behind some rocks.

" You mean other then the dead dirt and canyons around us? No, I don't see anything." Guard number 2 asked sarcastically.

" Jeez, what up your ass?" Guard 3 asked.

" I'm just sick of doing these shitty patrol jobs. We never see anything out here. I want to see some action." Guard 2 explained.

' Oh you will see some action soon enough' Zack thought.

" Well from what I hear, we will be moving out soon." Guard 1 said.

" Wait, we are? Where too?" Guard 4 asked.

" I hear later today we are joining up with the city crew." Guard 1 explained.

" No way, seriously?" Guard 2 asked.

" Yeah. So quit complaining and just do your job, we don't have to much longer now." Guard 1 barked and the guards all went back to there routes. Seeing that the conversation was over Zack decided it was time to take the patrol out.

Using his enhanced speed Zack rushed to the closest guard to him and slammed his head into the ground knocking him out cold. Zack then rushed over to cover once again. He scanned the area to see if anyone noticed him before charging toward another guard. Zack rushed toward the unsuspecting guard and kicked him hard sending him flying into the Rick face and knocking him out. Zack ran onward to the next guard and with a swift chop to the neck the guard falls to the ground. Zack quickly grabs the man before he does though and slowly lowers him to the ground quietly. The last guard Zack saw he sneaks up on from behind and quickly puts the guy in a choke hold that he can't get out of.

" Agh, the hell, get...off." The guard said as he struggled to get out of Zack's grasp but it was futile.

" You and your Avalanche buddies, what are you doing out here?" Zack asked as he held the guard in place with ease.

" Damn Shinra dog" The guard mumbled as he continued to struggle. Zack squeezed a bit tighter on the guy.

" I'll ask again, What are you doing here?" Zack asked. The guard was winding in pain from Zack's grip. He eventually stopped struggling.

" We are... just on perimeter check." The guard said.

" For where?" Zack pressed.

" An Avalanche base just up ahead." the guard explains.

" Why is there a base out here?" Zack asked.

" Come on man, I'm just a grunt, they don't tell me shit." The guard says trying to get out of the predicament he found himself in. Zack just slams the guard into a rock and holds him against it.

" Last chance buddy." Zack says with a growl. The guard looks terrified of the first class SOLDIER.

" Th-th-they were digging for something. Some sort of Materia. They said something about gathering a bunch of em. That's all I know I swear." The guard spilled the beans. Zack gave the guard a quick smile.

" Thank you." Zack punches the guy in the face. knocking him out cold. As the guard falls to the ground Zack takes a moment to take a deep breath. He grabs the buster sword and holds it to his head. Zack continues to breath in deep for a few moments before he calms down.

" I hate doing shit like that." Zack says to himself as he puts the buster sword away. Zack then continues on toward the base.

Along the way Zack takes out a few more patrols with out being noticed. Stealthily picking off Avalanche soldiers one by one. Not once using the Buster sword for combat. Zack managed to find the entrance to the base with little difficulty. The few guards poster outside weren't much for him ether. Zack entered the base and saw just how massive this place was. It appeared to be a large mine that was converted into a makeshift military camp. Zack looked down and couldn't even see how far it went. He took his phone out and checked the time. It was 10:55 am.

" Damn. So much for my day with Aerith." Zack said to himself. Zack thought about how Midgar had been getting pretty crazy latley. The slums especially. Monster's have been getting more and more rowdy. And if what he heard earlier with the patrols was true, Avalanche could be in Midgar right now. Suddenly Zack had a bright idea.

" Cloud!" Zack said. Zack quickly opened his phone up and messages Cloud.

Zack: Hey buddy. Can you do me a huge favor?

Zack waited a few minutes before his blond friend actually answered.

Cloud: what's up?

Zack: I promised Aerith I would help her with her wagon today but I don't think I will make it back to town today. My mission is a bit more difficult then I thought. Do you think you can help her out today?

I will make it up to you I swear.

Cloud: I mean yeah of course but why cant you just reschedule?

Zack: Honestly I just don't want Aerith to be alone right now. The slums have been getting more and more crazy recently. Whenever I go see her I always have to fight monster's off.

Cloud: Yeah man I will head down there right away then.

Zack: thanks man I owe you one.

' Good, now Aerith will have Cloud watching out for her.' Zack thought. Zack proceeded into the base. He encountered some resistance as he went through. Mostly some guards poster on each floor. Zack made quick work of them before they could even send for back up. So for the first few floors down Zack went relatively unnoticed. That changed however when he reached a large drill blocking his path.

" A dead end?" Zack wondered out loud. He listened for any blowing air or any sort of muffled talking but he couldn't hear anything. Zack looks up at the drill and wonders to himself what he could do with that. Suddenly a light bulb goes off in his head. Zack smirks and hops up on top of the drill and powers it up. The drill shakes to life making Zack almost fall off. Zack grabs on to the drill and rides the machine further down.

Down below a man with slicked back brown hair and glasses was going over some notes. He looked to be in deep thought when the entire facility begins shaking. The man looks up and smirks.

" It seems they have finally found us." The man said. He turned around to the Avalanche soldiers all lined up. and ready to fight behind him.

" My friends. Today is the day we save our beloved planet. We will release her from the metallic hands of Shinra who continues to suck the life blood of our planet with those infernal machines. All in the name of "Progress"." The man says as he paces in front of the crowd of soldiers.

" We have been patient. We bide our time. And now they are at our door step to sniff us out, Will we let them?" The man asks.

" NO!" the crowed says.

" Will we let them continue to harm the planet as they do?" the man asks.

" NO!"

" Then raise your weapon and fight for what is right. TODAY MIDGAR BURNS!" The man yells.

" FUHITO! FUHITO! FUHITO!" The crowd all cheered for there leader. The man who gave the speech, Fuhito, smirked. Men in SOLDIER attire approach Fuhito and give him a bow.

" Apologies sir, but we have something that you may find interesting." The Ravens say as the open a case to show a glowing graying white materia. Fuhito took one look at the materia and his eyes grew three sizes.

" My, you found it. Then our Intel was correct after all." Fuhito said as he grabbed the materia. He attempted to use the materia but nothing happened.

"Is it broken?" one Raven asked.

" No no, my friend, it is simply part of a set. With this, we have 2 out of the 5. Elfe is searching for the others as we speak." Fuhito explains.

" So what's next sir?" The Raven asks.

" Now, we wait."

Zack rode the drill down for a while before the machine suddenly stopped. Zack jumped off and took a look around. The drill had brought him right down into a large area with metallic walls and floors. It looks like he had found the base proper. Zack had made a whole new tunnel that seems to go right to the lower levels. This did not go in noticed however. The doors open and a platoon of Avalanche soldiers all rush over to surround Zack. Not only that, some reprogrammed sweepers turned on and moved to surround Zack as well.

" Oh, there you guys are. I've been looking everywhere for you guys." Zack joked as the soldiers surrounded him.

" It's only one guy. We can take him down." A soldier says as they all point there guns at Zack. Zack sighs and quickly grabs the Buster sword and attacks.