Professor Hojo labored at his computer in the Shinra Headquarters. The office was dim-lit. The lightning that flashed every so often was his only source of light. Rain droplets tapped at the window as they emptied incessantly from the skies.
A knock on the door interrupted his sequences.
“What is it? I’m busy!” Hojo bellowed in a miserable voice.
The door unbolted as a man dressed in a slick black suit and red tie waltzed in the muted office. His name was Tseng, leader of the secret organization known as the Turks.
“Oh, its you Tseng,” Hojo said annoyed, “Why are you disturbing me at the moment?”
He handed the Professor an envelope with four slips of paper.
“What’s this?” Hojo asked.
“It’s the report concerning the two escapees from Nibelheim.”
Without another word, Hojo read the four slips of paper.
Escapee Report no.1
Escapee Report no. 2
Escapee Report no. 3
Escapee Report no. 4
Hojo furiously slammed the slips onto the desk.
“All the trouble we went through in Nibelheim was all for naught!”
“What should we do now, Hojo?” asked Tseng.
The Professor stood from his chair sauntering to the window. He gazed into emptiness as the rain slowly dripped down the glass.
“Hojo?” Tseng repeated.
“Damn it!” the professor exclaimed agitated, “I’m thinking.”
Finally, after a short while, he turned to Tseng.
“We will forget about subject B for the mean time. If the report is correct about his diminishing consciousness, then he is of no use to anyone right now. His mind is knotted and he most likely doesn’t even know who is. I wouldn’t be surprised if ends up brain dead. But what interests me is the fact that subject B responded so well to the Jenova cells. He would have been a likely candidate for a Sephiroth clone. But that is neither here nor there.”
“Is that all?” Tseng asked.
“No. That is not all,” Hojo exclaimed. “And you, Tseng, why haven’t you gotten that Ancient girl yet?”
“You mean Aeris Gainsborough?” Tseng responded.
“Yes. That flower girl from the Sector 5 Slums. Why has it taken you so long to obtain her?”
“We’re trying to gain her trust. It will be much easier to manipulate her if she has confidence in us.” Tseng explained
“It’s been almost a decade with no results. How do you explain that?” Hojo asked.
“She has proven herself difficult to deal with, and her mother will not be swayed into giving up the girl.”
“That woman is not her mother.” Hojo said angrily, “She is a mere surrogate. Her real mother was also an Ancient who unfortunately died.”
“Escaping from you and your experiments,” Tseng whispered under his breath.
“What was that?” Hojo asked unable to decipher Tseng’s undertone.
“Nothing.” Tseng responded.
“My patience is wearing thin, and so has the president of Shinra. He has advised me to tell you to get the girl. Forcibly if need be. The girl may not be aware of her unique power or even of the fact she is a direct descendent of the Cetra. Aeris is the last of her kind. That is why she is so important to us.”
Tseng folded his arms, “Very well. I’ll get Reno to retrieve the girl. By the end of this week she will be yours.”
“Make it happen, Tseng,” Hojo said with authority, “I want all this wrapped up before the Reunion.”
“Reunion?” Tseng asked curiously.
“Yes, when the Jenova cells will once again rejoin Jenova herself,” Hojo explained.
“Jenova cells?” Tseng said unable to apprehend the concept, “Are you talking about those injected with the cells?”
“Its beyond your comprehension,” Hojo said frustrated by Tseng’s incompetence. “Be gone. I grow tire of you and your questions. You have a job to do so do it!”
Tseng bowed his head with a resentful look, insulted by Hojo’s constant put-downs. He left the professor alone with his thoughts.
The room flashed a bright white as lightening crashed down on the city.
“Fools,” Hojo grumbled, “All of them. Not a single one fit to live,” he suddenly began to laugh, “After the Reunion, things will change for the best…or the worse. Depending on which point of view you’re observing it from. My eyes, on one hand, will see something glorious.”
