It had been more than a year since Professor Faremis Gast had suddenly resigned from his position as the Head of the Science Department for ShinRa. Since then, the Turks had been sent out on many reconnaissance missions to locate him, but each mission only yielded small bits of information or mere rumors regarding Gast's whereabouts. But even though Gast had managed to evade Shinra for more than a year, his luck was about to run out.
Pofessor Hojo -- who had been appointed the new Head of the Science Department after Gast -- shuffled his way towards the office of President Shinra. He walked hunched over, his arms crossed behind his back in his usual shady posture. He coughed as the thick fragrant smoke from one of the President's cigars escaped through the office doors. The room was already occupied by the President, who was seated in his large leather office chair behind his oversized desk, and General Heideggar, whose obnoxious laugh Hojo had heard echoing through the halls long before he arrived.
"Professor Hojo," President Shinra said as he stood up. "We've managed to locate Professor Gast in the northern continent at the Icicle Lodge. I've ordered Heidegger to send a small unit to recover any research and equipment, and to terminate Gast if negotiations for a return to the company fail."
"Ah, good," Hojo replied with his usual drawl. "I trust I will be accompanying them, then?"
"Wh-what!? You don't need to--" blurted Heidegger.
"Don't be stupid!" snapped Hojo. "Your doughboys couldn't be trusted with the valuable research or delicate equipment."
Veins began to pop out of Heidegger's forehead as he started to open his mouth to say something.
"In fact, it would be best if I was put in command of the unit for this mission." Hojo suggested with an unhidden tone of superiority.
"Why, you--"
Heidegger's outburst was cut short by a glare from President Shinra, but the anger made itself apparent on his grisly features. The President puffed on his cigar as he pondered for a moment. He promptly extinguished
it in an ashtray decorated with ShinRa's logo as he came to a decision.
"Hojo has a point, Heidegger. I want him to be in charge of the deployed unit for this mission. We really can't afford any more losses or fumbles with such sensitive information. Gast has caused us enough trouble."
A wry grin spread across Hojo's thin lips.
"Why, thank you Mr. President. I'm glad to see you've got your head screwed on well enough to make a good decision. But that's why you're the President, after all."
Hojo turned towards Heidegger, whose face was now boiling red.
"Oh, don't give me that look. You really need to learn to share your toys with others, anyway! Ahahahah!" Hojo cackled. Heidegger's head looked near ready to pop. Some unfortunate soldier was certainly going to suffer the General's wrath later.
"One more thing, Hojo," the President added as Hojo reached the office doors. The scientist stopped, not even bothering to turn around to face the President of the ShinRa company.
"Don't try anything funny."
Hojo made a motion neither Heidegger nor President Shinra could decipher before responding.
"Ohh, don't you worry, Mr. President. I'll make sure you know your decision was the right one."
Nobody could see the malicious glare in Hojo's eyes, or hear his restrained cackling as he shuffled his way out of the office doors.