The Lobby

The lobby was completely empty, the central desk surrounded by a **** field. It was late, Cloud allowed to himself.

"Do you have any idea where they might be holding Aerith?" Tifa asked. Cloud looked puzzled.

"I'm thinking a research facility. That'd make the most sense."

"And where is that?" Barret said.

"Upper floors… maybe near the top...?" Cloud flushed. He was sounding like an idiot. Come on, SOLDIER!

"Maybe!?" Barret asked incredulously.

"Maybe we can use the console at the reception desk to find out. This building's incredible," she said, admiring the sleek combination of marble, leather, and steel.

"Hah! A shining monument to corporate greed. One of these days I'm gonna tear it down and burn the rubble," Barret boasted.

"But not today," Cloud reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah," Barret said.

They looked at the central desk, protected by the energy barrier. Cloud looked around, seeing the suspended light fixtures above.

"Tifa ... why don't you climb the escalators and then hop from light to light until you can just hop down to the top of the central desk?" Cloud offered. "As the lightest one here, you've got the best shot." Tifa just blinked at Cloud.

"That's fucking stupid, Cloud," she said. She ran at the central desk, and with one leap, she landed on the top of it, then entering through the hole. She hit a button, disabling the **** fields and grabbing a key card. "It says we can only get to the 59th floor. Aerith must be higher up."