Chapter Fourteen

The Skyscraper of Iron and Steel

October 19th, [ μ ] – εγλ 2000

It didn't take long for the threatened meeting to arrive, in the form of Rude 'escorting' him to the President's office on the top floor of Shinra tower. At least it had interrupted his oh-so-thrilling task of approving expense claims.

"Take a seat," the president said, as soon as Cloud had reached the top of the stairs. Taking a brief look around him, he could only see Tseng in the room, standing silent and vigilant near the entrance. Nodding slightly, he pulled a chair up to the president's enormous desk and sat down.

"Let's be clear, Mr. Cloud. You have me hostage, like Hojo did," Shinra started, standing from his own overly pompous chair, pacing back and forth in the small cubicle his desk made as he gave his speech. "Without someone who can make new SOLDIERs, we lose our biggest military advantage. You clearly know this. However, there are limits. I still have the resources to restart the SOLDIER program from the beginning if you become a liability. Am I clear?"

Cloud shrugged. Honestly, he had tuned out most of it. Both the president and his son had a tendency to make everything a long drawn out speech. He'd made a game of interrupting Rufus as much as possible, just to see how long it would take for him to stop. He never did. "Not really. I take it this is about my trip to Nibelheim?"

"It is a warning for the future." Shinra pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket, expertly clipping the end off and lighting it in one smooth motion. "So, tell me, why the sudden trip to Nibelheim?"

"It was about the Jenova project." Cloud glanced over at the Turk standing silently at the entrance. "It would be best to talk about it privately."

Shinra took the cigar from his mouth, letting out a long stream of smoke that caused Cloud to cough irritably. "Tseng has been involved in all aspects of this latest… incident. He can hear this too."

"Fine. I went to Nibelheim to get some of the… materials that Hojo left behind."

"You decided not to inform me of this?" Shinra glared back, wedging the fat cigar back into the side of his mouth.

"I could not risk anyone getting there first," Cloud replied. "Even that didn't work. Jenova was gone when I got there."

"Is that all it was for?" Shinra let out an amused horse laugh, standing from his desk once more to pace around. "We haven't needed Jenova in years."

"Perhaps you should be more concerned." Cloud rubbed his temples. Just when you became wary of the man, thinking he was sharper than he looked, he would say something profoundly idiotic. "If someone has Jenova, they could create their own SOLDIER program. In months, not years."

"If someone tried," Shinra said with a complete lack of concern, "we would know who took her. They would be crushed in a day."

"Everything I went to Nibelheim for. Jenova. The research in the mansion library. Everything that you and Hojo left lying around," Cloud said, growing more annoyed as the president dismissed each problem he listed like it were a joke. "They are all the ingredients anyone needs to make their own SOLDIERS, to make their own Sephiroth."

"I can see this concerns you, Mr. Cloud. Please, tell me what you found there."

"There wasn't much. Nothing in the reactor was forced open, at least outside the chamber. Unless Jenova walked out of there herself, it was someone who had access codes." He had his suspicions, not that he was ready to share them.

Plucking the cigar from his mouth, Shinra lay it carefully down in his ashtray, leaving it to smoulder. "You said there was research there as well? Is that what Tseng saw you carry up?"

"At the mansion where Hojo had his lab. I took the books that would be useful and burned the rest. If that information fell into the wrong hands…" He left off the part where Shinra would be included in his description of 'wrong hands'.

"I see." The president looked over Cloud's shoulder to Tseng, who just nodded his head.

"All of this, lying around where even the townspeople could wander in." Another verbal poke in the ribs.

Shinra sighed, folding his arms on the desk and leaning towards Cloud. "What do you suggest I do, then?"

Cloud thought on this for a moment, trying to decide on an actual suggestion. He knew what he needed to do, what he wanted to do and what would be best for Shinra. Somehow, there was a way to balance those, even if for only the short term. "Find all of the research projects and labs that the Science Department has hidden," he replied finally. "Not just Hojo's. Destroy them and bring the research back here."

"There is a lot of money invested in those projects. Is this about your… ethical concerns with the Science Department?" How did he make 'ethical' sound like a dirty word?

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that Genesis defected because of research he found lying around. If people find out about those projects, or if it falls into the hands of your rivals…"

"Rivals? There are no rivals to Shinra left. And the people…" Shinra laughed. "The people will object to what I tell them to object to. They will approve of what I tell them they approve of. Concern yourself with the running of your department, Mr. Cloud, and I will concern myself with the running of my company. We will be having a board meeting in a ten minutes on floor sixty-six, I expect you to be there."

Taking that as a dismissal, Cloud nodded to his boss and rose from his chair, walking to the door without another word.

"Mr. Cloud," the president called just as he was about to reach the stairs. Cloud turned, raising a querying eyebrow at him.

"I know you have your own agenda, and I don't particularly care. Just don't cross me, and we'll do fine."

Cloud gave him a short nod and left the room.

Not wanting to be interrupted by anyone before the meeting, Cloud took the elevator directly to the meeting room, stopping to grab an energy bar from one of the vending machines in the hall. Shouldering the door open while he unwrapped the bar, he grabbed a seat at the long wooden table and munched happily away while waiting for the other executives to arrive.

A sudden unpleasant smell reminded him that not only was security terrible in this building, but the general design was as well. The air duct that served the board room lead directly to the toilets, a fact that had allowed him to eavesdrop on the executive meeting on his mission to rescue Aerith, but now only served to put him off his food. He carefully placed the bar back in the wrapper, shoving it into his pocket just as the doors to the room opened. Scarlet, wearing a full evening dress like she was preparing a night out at the opera, was flanked by the enormous bearded Heidegger, his military uniform lined with medals he had awarded himself.

Scarlet sauntered towards Cloud, a venomous mockery of a smile frozen into her face. "So, you must be the new Hojo," she said, slowly chewing on a lip as her eyes roamed the full length of his body. "Well, at least you're more pleasing to the eye."

Cloud narrowed his eyes at the woman. His dislike of the woman was on behalf of his friends — she had attempted to have Tifa executed and succeeded in the destruction of Barret's hometown — and he had reason enough to be wary of her on his own. She was after all the most competent, and most dangerous, of any of the members of the executive board. Well, apart from perhaps Reeve, but it was a long time since he had thought of his friend as being a member of the board.

"You will not introduce yourself? Manners, my dear boy!" She let out a laugh that Cloud could only describe as 'less maniacal than usual'.

"Cloud Strife," he mumbled.

"My name is Scarlet," she replied, leaning in. "And the pleasure, my dear, is all mine."

"Heidegger," introduced the large man. For once, he was glad to actually interact with the man, and took the proffered hand quickly, giving it a firm shake. The action seemed to amuse Scarlet, who let out another chilling laugh.

"I am the Head of Weapons Development here at Shinra. We've had a wonderful relationship with the Science Department, I do hope that can continue."

Heidegger let out a mocking huff, before turning to find his position at the desk. The man was a buffoon, and Cloud had little to worry about from him. But Scarlet, she was ruthless. He had no doubt that she was already plotting to increase her power in the company after the demise of Hojo.

"Ah, you must be…"

"The new head of the Science Department," Scarlet finished for the newcomer. "Hello, Reeve."

"Scarlet," Reeve nodded at the woman before taking another sip from his coffee. Cloud took a seat at the table, picking a seat opposite from Scarlet and Heidegger.

"I heard that you had a rather harrowing journey in your first week," Reeve noted as he sat down.

"I heard that you had Hojo killed to get his job," Scarlet added. "I hope that's not a precedent you're setting."

"He wouldn't be the first one," Heidegger mumbled behind his beard.

"Well, I had just heard that your plane was shot down," Reeve continued, ignoring the other two. "It is good to see that you made it in one piece."

"And back in time for the meeting," Scarlet said with a wide smile. "So very punctual."

He avoided any particular unpleasantries as the final suits entered: Palmer, the incompetent buffoon that was heading the space program and Lazard, administrative director of SOLDIER. Once they were all seated at the table, President Shinra arrived to take his seat at the head of the board, flanked on one side by a stoic Tseng. Cloud noted with interest that Veld, the head of the Turks he had heard mentioned, was not present.

"I am sure that by now you have all heard the news that SOLDIER First Class Genesis Rhapsodos has gone missing while leading our ground forces in Wutai. I have recently had word from the front that many SOLDIER Second and Third classes have also failed to report in, everywhere from Junon to Midgar, but mostly in Wutai. This is no coincidence; we are dealing with a mass desertion."

"How many soldiers are we talking about?" Scarlet asked.

"My current estimate is a little over a hundred," Lazard said, his fingers coming together to form a peak as he leaned forward on the desk.

"A hundred soldiers?" Scarlet blurted out incredulously. "There are a hundred mako-enhanced super soldiers that have turned against the company? What have you morons being doing?"

"There was no way we could have seen it coming!" Heidegger protested loudly.

"We believe Hollander may have been involved," Tseng added, breaking his long silence. "We found many documents missing from the Science Department archives. It is unlikely to be a coincidence that these events coincide."

"Professor Strife has made his concerns on… information security known," Shinra said, all eyes turning to him as he spoke. "For now, I want every department to tighten security. Professor, you are to work with the Turks to close down any external research sites. Scarlet, Reeve, you are to work on our electronic security."

Cloud eyed the President warily. From the way he had reacted at their little meeting, it didn't seem like the President had taken any of what he had said seriously. Still, he could not afford to be looking a gift horse in the mouth just at the moment. Closing down the research sites would be an incredible opportunity to purge the most vile aspects of Shinra's empire.

"And about Wutai?" Heidegger asked. "With Genesis gone, our forces no longer have a commander."

"We will send Sephiroth to take command," the president replied.

"SOLDIER First Class Hewley will also be sent," Lazard added, "we are evaluating his student for a possible promotion to First Class."

"His student is Zack Fair?" Cloud asked.

"That is correct. He was the one that accompanied you," Lazard confirmed.

"Well, I can evaluate right now that without him I'd be dead, so I think he'd make a good First Class." He couldn't say he was above using his influence to help out his friends.

"I will take that under consideration," Lazard said, his voice dripping with polite diplomacy. "But we require a thorough evaluation before promoting a SOLDIER to First Class."

"If that is all," President Shinra interrupted. "Then this meeting is finished. If you want to talk about a specific soldier, take it to your office."

The rest of the executives quickly filed out, eager to get back to whatever work they had planned. Lazard, however, stayed behind with Cloud and turned to the other blond once the rest of the meeting had left the room.

"I am always wary when the Science Department takes an interest in one of my SOLDIERs," Lazard warned. "I would ask you to keep your distance from Fair."

Cloud narrowed his eyes. Like that was ever going to happen. Zack being alive was the one good thing to come out of this mess and no one could take that away from him.

"You won't tell me who I can't be friends with, Lazard," Cloud growled. "And I doubt you can tell Zack that either."

Lazard looked utterly pole-axed. "You're… friends?" he asked as if the possibility was completely alien to him. "Well, I uh… suppose that's different then."

Lazard stood from the desk and coughed, smoothing down his jacket before awkwardly turning away from Cloud and mumbling under his breath. It was only with enhanced hearing that he could catch what was said.

"I suppose if anyone… Fair would… of course Fair would…"

Tseng was well used to Reno's various eccentricities by now. In a way, they were useful, since they allowed him to read the younger Turk in ways that got around his infinitely more cagey words. For instance, he was now late to their regular meeting on Cloud Strife's surveillance, which meant he had something worth sharing — worth enough to risk Tseng's ire at keeping him waiting.

When Reno did eventually walk through his office door, Tseng took a quick glance at his clock — seven minutes late. He had something good then, but not good enough to really keep Tseng waiting. Something about the way Reno walked in caught Tseng's attention, though. He was expecting a cocky grin and brief crack before the other Turk slumped into the chair. Not the stiff, almost haunted look. Reno was keeping professional, and that was worrying.

"Did you find anything interesting?"

"Yeah, you could call it interesting," Reno said. His voice lowered slightly and he shuffled a little closer to the desk. "Freaking weird is more like it, though."

Tseng raised an eyebrow slightly. He was used to Reno's flair for the dramatic and usually refrained from indulging that side. But there was something else here, something that was screaming at his instincts.

"He rented out a locker down in the slums," Reno said. His voice was down to a whisper and he leaned over the desk. "Found some stuff stashed away there, including a phone. Not his Shinra one, he has a second phone."

"He has not been with the company long. That does not seem surprising by itself."

"Yeah, but get this… it's crazy advanced — shit, it took me a while to realise it was a phone."

That caught Tseng's attention. He leaned in as Reno showed him a picture he had taken of the phone. Thin, but rather large. The screen took up the entire area of the phone and there were no buttons to be seen. It looked rather similar to the computing tablets that the science team used when monitoring experiments, but this was much smaller and from what he could see of the screen, definitely a phone.

"Did you manage to get anything from this phone?"

"Nah, nothing," Reno said, scratching the short hair at the back of his neck. "Couldn't jack the data, couldn't even put a bug in it. Wouldn't accept any of our software."

Tseng leaned back in his chair, digesting the information — and what a piece of information. It was very much like Strife, he noted. Plain, honest, out in the open… and completely impossible to decipher.

"Extremely advanced technology is not unusual for Shinra's Science Department. But Strife has not shown an interest in it before."

"I've seen him confused by a coffee machine, man. Technology is totally not his thing."

"Then we need more information for this to make sense," Tseng said with a sigh. It was a conclusion he was coming to a lot lately when it concerned the new executive, but each new piece of information made things less, not more, clear. It was a Turk's worst nightmare. "You're dismissed."

Tseng was on the phone as soon as the door closed. He could tell Reno was conflicted, perhaps even lying to him.

That was not acceptable for a Turk.

"Rude. My office, now."