[center][b]Chapter 7: How to Infiltrate an Enemy's Headquarters[/b][/center]

[i]Twilight Town's Surrounding Gummi Space[/i]

The large Brute War Chieftain known as Gryyed only had another few minutes in charge of this defense force, then would be off to warp to the Otherworld-Covenant blockade oitside of The World That Never Was. There had been a long time with no attacks against them, save for the Geth attack inside their defenses, when he saw the ships coming close. Gummi ships. Lots of them. "Arm all cannons," he ordered to surrounding spacecraft.

[i]"Allow us through,"[/i] came a familiar female voice.

"...Lady Diana?"

[i]"Of course it is,"[/i] the demigoddess confirmed. [i]"Let us through, right now, or I can--and will--tell Lord Reaper that you would not. These Gummi ships are filled with prisoners to bring to the base."[/i]

That scared the rhino-skinned, bipedal gorilla alien. Reaper's wrath was what had cause more than a few heart losses, and the beating of Lady Elena. "As you wish." The ships, Banshees and Phantoms, parted, allowing the Gummi ships by.

A few voices far from Diana's comm called out. [size=1]"Let us go!"[/size]

[i]"Quiet, or she dies!"[/i] Diana silenced them with the threat. [i]"The prisoners are armed, but not dangerous anymore. I will be bringing them to the Old Mansion, and am not to be disturbed unless stated otherwise. You understand that, monkey?"[/i]

That was insulting, but no audible response showed Gryyed's anger. "Of course."

All were let in. However, one more ship came through than previously thought before the line closed again, going unnoticed.

-----

[i]Twilight Town[/i]

The ruins were still under construction after the Second Battle of Twilight Town. Granted, there had not been much for the heroes to protect the second time around. Covenant bases were set up across the world, and a Chimeran conversion center was under construction on Sunset Hill.

This was the scene that the heroes passed through. Natives were angered by the reconstruction in the name of Omega, but none could say anything about it, the older, silver-haired demigoddess holding Kairi next to her with the Chicago Typewriter of Spain at her temple to keep them silent. Demi rode the streets on Black's motorcycle slowly, approaching the now-enlarged hole in the wall that marked the entrance to the Woods leading to the Old Mansion. The daughter of a lagomorphic god motioned for the others to go ahead of her. To a nearly-stated objection from Greg she said. "Your friend probably likes her head, wouldn't you say?"

A fearful Kairi looked to the others. "Just do it. Please."

Again, they were sent forward.

A figure vaulted through a hole in the wall behind them as they came through, managing to avoid sight by a passing Splicer patrol by luck.

---

Several bald, emanciated, humanoid figures worked in the computer room in the basement of DiZ's old workplace by the time the group crowded in, carrying the motorcycle between Seifer and Leon.

Demi, still holding Kairi at gunpoint, spoke to the Chimeran Menials. "Open up the way to the computer world. Now."

The mostly-mindless creatures complied, then left the room at a second "request."

The woman looked to the pair of Hunter Covenant troops outside the room meant to guard it. "Nobody comes in or out of that door, understand?"

No response. Then, a short bow, a close approximation of two nods.

The door to the room between the Mgalekgolo pair and the Interferences was closed by the captive Kairi, blocking off the sound from within. Only then did Demi lower the gun.

The woman's hardened face softened. "I'm sorry, Kairi. Did I hurt you? I think I'll be sick, and not what I've been dealing with lately."

"I'll be fine," was the reassurance, though the Princess of Heart rubbed the place she had been gripped rather tightly. "Don't let me really make you angry, though. Did we do well?"

"If we get out of this--"

"Not if," Hayner corrected. [i]"When."[/i]

"Right," Demi agreed. "When we get out of this, you all deserve some kinds of awards."

The others heard shooting outside as Sain and Kira, in computer chips for travel, were uploaded to the digital Twilight Town by Black Paladin. Bullets' sounds as well as plasma fire. Someone was attacking. But who?

"What's going on?" Somnio asked what all were thinking as they watched the door. The rest shrugged.

Before long, a loud thud could be heard, followed by a roar of rage from a Hunter. Shortly after that came another thud, and the gunfire stopped.

Silence reigned for ten seconds long, tense seconds.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

Angel was the one to approach the door at the second knock. He opened it... "TOM!"

The man in the doorway waved, ignoring the pooling luminescent orange blood around his feet, a little in his light blue ponytail, and on his black combat trousers. [u]"Hi,"[/i] Shooter, also known as F. Thomas Feriolos or the Silent Hurricane, said through the synthetic voice of his Duel Disk, Dam as his green eyes looked at each of the heroic Interferences in turn. [u]"So that was an act?"[/u]

"Not proud of it," Demi admitted. "Great to have you with us. Snuck in?"

[u]"Yeah."[/u]

"With a metric ton of firepower?" Grace noted, seeing the rocket launcher, submachine gun, shotgun, and sniper rifle on the ground as Tom picked them up and put them back in Hammerspace. "...Oh."

"Game physics," Hawk guessed.

[i][color=brown]As touching as this is, we need to move on,[/color][/i] Alucard told those with counterparts, Derest relaying the message to the rest with a roll of his purple eyes.

"Agreed," Black stated as the motorcycle was digitized. "Sain, Kira, is everything all right in there?"

[i]"We don't know for how long,"[/i] Kira stated.

[i]"Get in here, stat!"[/i] Sain added.

Without another word, all Interferences entered the digital Twilight Town, in groups of four.

---

Inside the artificial computer room, the Interferences looked around. Many had never been here before. They saw the computer they had used, completely destroyed.

"I think Roxas did that," Riku told those who might understand.

The form of a woman in her early twenties with short blonde hair, brown eyes, and black modern combat armor leaned into the room, holding a longsword in her right hand. "Come on in, quickly!"

A faint sound of buzzing could be heard as the group walked out to the larger room with a green portal.

A man about Kira's age, holding an assault rifle at his hip, stood in the room. He had blue eyes and black hair, wearing armor almost identical to Kira's. Sain spoke. "We've got trouble coming in. Someone's trying to bore into this world from another. Break another barrier. We've held up about ten extra firewalls, but not telling how long that'll last. Maybe five minutes, maybe five hours. You all need to get moving. Hold out your chips for us, and we'll come with you."

"What about--"

Yuffie was cut off by the male program. "The Geth will be there to help. Move it."

As the group came into the portal, Pence, Kira, and Sain stayed behind. The programs put their hands on the floor, and metal walls came up. Row after row emerged and thickened, the firewalls meant to hold off incoming troops at least a little longer. Within twenty seconds, faster than normal due to both working simultaneously, they were finished.

Pence held out the data crystal chips in both hands, and each AI put a hand to his or hers, disintegrating into specks of blue light that was sucked into the chips before they were handed to Kairi. Only then did the trio go into the portal, the buzzing sound of the infiltrators growing louder every second.

---

[i]Betwix and Between[/i]

The group came to the exit to the Alley to Between when the buzzing changed to shouts. Aliens and humans were coming, having seen the firewalls upon making the trans-world pathway and knowing they were in no way naturally there.

"We can't make it into the world safely with them at our backs," Axel noted, knowing that many were probably pouring into the artificial town. "Funny, I was going to die here anyway."

Then, a single figure stepped before the rest. Shooter drew his submachine gun, knowing he needed rapid fire capabilities, and stared at the portal to the town.

Grace and Somnio stood at his sides. "You're not doing this alone," the former told the mute gunslinger.

Angel stepped forward, but Tom's future stared at him. "Tom's you c--"

[u]"We can hold them off. Don't waste your life. Just do me a favor. Kick their a**es."[/u]

"You can he--"

[i][u]"GO NOW!"[/u][/i]

Isaac and Greg had to drag Hawk's future into the portal to The World That Never Was as all else ran in. The Cruxis angel spoke to Grace.

"Give 'em hell."

Just a nod, a hint of a smile. Then they were gone as the first Splicers came through.

---

[i]The World That Never Was[/i]

The Dark City had underwent massive changes. Some pillars of smoke showed the places of the Geth mass effect bombs that helped the anti-Omega force greatly. A Chimeran Tower, dark and ominous as was to be expected, was present far off, at the opposite end of the City from the Memory Skyscraper. An enormous Covenant ship, an Assault Carrier, was hovering near the Castle That Never Was, level with one of the buildings of the City nonetheless. A Scarab could be seen past a few buildings, walking through the streets as patrol before letting off human and Jackal snipers on a rooftop and stopping near an enormous mass of yellowed flesh that was likely the Flood's base of operations for infection.

Gunfire could be heard in the distance as the heroes came through. Not enough to be another army, but rather about three or four people, human from the tone of their screaming voices. Splicers, probably.

Black again boarded his custom motorcycle, brought to allow him to move quickly through the streets to help any who needed it. "Looks like we aren't the only ones here. We need to work quickly. Everyone, we should split into groups, take out as much as we can at once before we are found out, or at least before Kaith gets here. Anyone without an assignment should try to thin out troops if spotted, draw attention from the others if possible." There were no arguments to these ideas. "Demi, you take Kairi and your younger self toward that Assault Carrier," he pointed toward the appropriate ship as the women nodded. "Riku, Derest, Seifer, and the Hawks, get to the Altar of Naught in the Castle. If he's like we think, that will be were to find him. Confirm his presence if so. Reaper probably set up an anti-teleportation device if Kaith's news was right, so don't count on warping up there.cause some damage on the way and you might knock out that guard, though."

Hawk spoke. "If anyone finds Flora, don't kill her. Just knock her out or use healing magic if she attacks, and she'll go back to normal." All nodded to this request.

Black continued. "Hayner, Greg, and Isaac will go to the Chimeran Tower."

At this Greg spoke up. "No. I'm not working with this demonic prick, no matter--" Glares from Kyn and Black silenced him.

Again Kaith's unofficial replacement as leader gave positions. "Vivi, Donald, Aerith, and Ele, go up and give air support to those down below. Your magic can help."

"Ex[i]cuse[/i] me?" Merlin asked, his arms crossed. This was the sage, the magical master, and his skills were being neglected?

"Merlin, we'll need you to send them up there," Black said, not phased by the tone. "Then you can help in the streets. We'll need you to help us back up the fighters."

Axel groaned. "Great, we have to work with--"

[color=purple]"Not the time,"[/color] Derest cut him off.

Vivi did not seem calm at all. "I....I don't know if I can do this. What if I hit someone, mess up?"

Isaac looked to the Black Mage. "You need to try."

Slowly, the Twilight Towner nodded nervously.

Black looked to Ele, his eyes briefly softening. "Flora...be careful."

"I'll try not to die," was the confirmation. Or close enough, as the man hardened again.

Merlin waved his hands, and, in a puff of gray smoke, Vivi, Donald, Aerith, and Ele were gone. Their voices came over the radios.

[i]"Wak! Warn us, ya old--"[/i]

[i]"Thanks."[/i] Ele cut him off.

[i]"Everyone's gonna be okay?"[/i]

Seifer sighed. "Don't worry, Vivi. Just help us out."

[i]"O-okay...."[/i] The radio cut out.

It was time to go. Kynthia walked over to her boyfriend. "Please, try not to get hurt out there." She looked to the ground, unable to meet his eyes. "I don't know what I'll do if you--" Two hands held her shoulders, and one let go as she looked at the angel again. An index finger was put on her lips, quieting her. Their lips met as the finger was let down, both holding the kiss for three full seconds before Isaac and Demi physically dragged them apart.

"Save that for [i]after[/i] the massive battle, okay?" the older demigoddess reminded them.

"Do they always do that?" Tifa asked the others.

[i]"Yes,"[/i] said Kairi, simultaneously with Namine and the present of Lukgar Revak. Black just nodded the affirmative, Demi not objecting. It was true, but that didn't mean she would actually stop, even after a decade, including a five year period in which the future of Greg was missing.

The younger version of a daughter of a god kept her eyes on her love. "Just...just come back to me."

"I will," the youngest Cruxis angel promised. Then they were let go.

"What about us?" Olette asked, meaning those who did not know how to fight, namely herself, Fuu, Pence, and the remaining freed little girls.

Kynthia had an idea. "Pence, give Sain to us. Just tell us if you are having trouble through him and Kira, and we'll tell the others." As the boy did so, Merlin took over.

"Hide in one of these unchanged buildings," the wizard said. To the incredulous looks, he noted, "These confounded soldiers would not look in the normally present buildings for us. We would never aim for them."

With a wave goodbye from Pence and a warning to "be careful" from Olette to Hayner and the rest, they were gone into one of the structures.

"What's the hold-up?" Yuffie asked. "Let's go!" for a shout, the ninja's voice was surprisingly soft, possibly because they wanted to remain unseen.

Everyone tested their radios. Seeing that they worked, the assigned groups split up.

Little did they know, cameras spotted the battle groups, with the exception of the mage team, as they exited the alley.

---

John was not having a good day.

About fifteen minutes ago, the other scouting patrol dropped off the radar. Everyone. His squad of four Splicers, himself included, was now looking for the cause, at the order of the new Splicer lieutenant, Carter Barkley, brother of the previous one.

Kevin was heard screaming in an alleyway. By the time he was found, he had a slash wound across his abdomen. He had only two words for the leader.

"They're....goners." Then he went limp.

Zachary was found a smoldering corpse against a building. Who was doing this? It was down to him and Victor now. This was scary.

Who was this? Whoever it was had a bladed weapon and some serious--and literal--firepower. He though he saw someone on the rooftops briefly. Had that been the assassin?

[i]"Johnny, come quick! I'm a street north of Zach!"[/i] Victor shouted over his short-wave radio.

The man rushed to the scene. He saw the brown haired man, pointing his Tommy gun in an alleyway. "What's up?"

The caller jumped at the sound. "I....I think I found 'im. In here."

John backed toward the alley facing out to avoid being taken by surprise as he threw a fireball from his left hand at a random building. "Come out, y'hear?!"

First came the whoosh of the wind. Then the [i]*squelch*[/i] of metal entering a body.

John knew Victor was dead before he turned around. He didn't expect to be grabbed from behind, though, a hand on his shoulder forcing him to his knees, and a blade being pressed to the back of his neck.

"Where is Reaper?" she was asking him. It was a she after all. The Houdini Splicer felt pathetic. [i]"Answer."[/i]

John was too terrified to articulate defiance. "I...I don't know!"

"Well, then, I don't need you alive."

"Wait!" She did, luckily. "I know who does. Please don't kill me!"

"A name." He paused, trying to keep something to himself. [i]"Now."[/i]

"C-Carter! Carter Barkley! A building over to the east from the Chimera Tower!"

"Thank you. But it won't save you." He felt the metal bite into his skin, then nothing more.