Valentine's Day 5: Symphony of Destruction (Vincent)
Vincent sat in a local bar, Chaos dormant for the time being. There were stories of Tseng killing a coroner because he'd come too close to identifying the mastermind behind the killing spree. Vincent could only chuckle. Tseng wasn't a threat. Despite being a technical mastermind, Tseng wasn't your typical homocidal maniac. No, that honor belonged to Vincent alone. Then the news came on, and quickly became a source of interest.
"And in recent news... There's been a breakthrough in deciphering Dr. Hojo's computer. It appears to be a database of some sort. Entries include the identities of the late doctor's experiments. Police are attempting to locate these subjects in order to gain solid evidence to identify and arrest the man responsible for the recent wave of death and destruction. Police also suspect Tseng was responsible for the explosion that killed Dr. H. E. Forester last Monday night. Citizens are asked to remain indoors until Tseng has been apprehended. Stay tuned to this station for further developments as they occur."
The bartender turned it off without being asked. The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering who those poor people could be. For them, it was idle speculation. But for Vincent, it was the beginning of a new era. He had to keep the police from finding those other subjects! He knew all about the database, but hadn't thought it important until now. Chaos rose up and overwhelmed him once again, leaving him breathless with fear and loathing. One thought resonated in his deranged mind... Find and kill the other subjects. He left the bar without paying for his wine. The bartender shook his head and wrote the charge on Vincent's tab.
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Luisa, one of Dr. Hojo's more fortunate subjects, was nursing her newborn son at the kitchen table. She still had nightmares about what he'd done to her... So she was startled by someone knocking on her door. She rose gracefully, her husband taking the baby, and stood behind the door.
"Who's there?"
"Luisa Alcott?"
"Yes. Can I help you?"
"I hope so, Luisa. It's Meris. Can I come in?"
Luisa gasped aloud and opened the door for her only friend from their days in the lab. Sure enough, it was Meris! They embraced then moved to the kitchen.
"Meris, this is my husband Alberto. Alberto, honey, this is Meris. We were in the lab together."
"A pleasure, Meris. Luisa, I'm going to put Robert in his cradle and go for a walk."
"Okay. Be careful... There are Turks around."
Alberto laughed softly and kissed Luisa's cheek. After he put his precious son to bed, he walked out the door to get some fresh air. He was completely oblivious to what his wife and her friend were talking about in the kitchen.
"Luisa, have you heard about the killing spree?"
"Who hasn't? It's on all the news stations."
"Luisa, I want you and your family to leave town. Reno, Rude and Elena are all dead."
"What?"
"They were murdered."
Luisa gasped, horror written on her face. It was as if she knew who was responsible.
"What I'm about to tell you is to be kept a secret."
"Of course, Meris. I wouldn't dream of hindering your investigation."
"Thank you, Luisa. I have reason to believe one man is behind it all. Even Dr. Forester's death."
"Who?"
"This isn't easy for me to say, Luisa."
"Tell me."
"Okay... You asked for it. I think it's Vincent Valentine."
Luisa's hands flew to her mouth in horror. Vincent Valentine was a monster in human clothing! Her teacup teetered slowly, then spilled, making a dark brown stain on the tablecloth. Meris leaned forward and placed her flesh-and-bone hand on Luisa's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you."
"It's all right. I needed to know."
"There's one other thing I need to tell you."
"Let me guess. You saw him kill Hojo."
"Yes. But I wasn't alone... Tseng was with me."
"Oh, no! Meris, he's a target now too!"
"I know. And so are all of you."
"You mean everyone in the database?"
"Yes. Vincent knows about all of you. You can be sure he'll come after you to silence you."
"Oh, Meris... Thank you for the warning. Alberto wanted to take a vacation..."
"Now seems like a good time. Tell noone where you're going. And for God's sake, leave the baby with someone."
"I will, Meris. Now go warn the others. We'll be gone in the morning."
Meris nodded, hugged Luisa tightly and let herself out. Alberto waved cheerily as he went back inside to his wife and infant son. When Luisa told him what was going on, he agreed. Meris, meanwhile, had gotten into her car. She didn't know Lucrecia, Vincent's long-vanished lover, was her identical twin sister. Lucrecia was dead, long since swallowed by the Abyss. But her legacy lived on... And it would lead to the destruction of Meris's career. But not before she ended the crime spree...
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I can see her house in the distance. She's waiting for someone to come and take her away from it all... Little does she know I'm going to be the one who sets her free. I knock on the door, smiling urbanely and being rather suave and debonair. She knows me. She's afraid. Her fear feeds Chaos and I strike out with an open hand. The slap sends her into the far wall. She's screaming for help now. But nobody's coming to her rescue... She lives alone in a desolate part of town. Even if someone did hear her, they wouldn't be able to stop me in time. Her blood spatters on my face, sending me into a rapturous daze that ends only when her screams stop. But she isn't dead... She's only passed out. This is going to be a moment to remember! When she finally does wake up, she's tied to her bed and I'm sitting at the foot of it. Her eyes are wide with fear, one arm sitting discordantly.
"What do you want?"
"I'm afraid you know too much about Dr. Hojo."
"What? No! You don't understand..."
"You were one of his test subjects."
"No. I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"You are Teres Magnute, are you not?"
"Well, yes, I am, but I'm not..."
"Silence!"
That one word is enough to make her see that I'm no dummy. She just looks at me for a long moment, then sighs and closes her eyes. What she says next astounds me to no end. For once, I was wrong about someone!
"I'm not one of his test subjects. I had a crippling disease in my hand that was slowly degenerating the bones into mush. He was the only one who could save my life. If the disease had progressed any further, I'd be dead. Dr. Hojo took my hand and replaced it with a metal one, much like he did to you. But I was never considered a subject."
"I... I'm sorry, Miss Magnute. I never knew. Your name is in his database."
"What?"
The surprise in her voice takes ME by surprise. She'd actually believed she wasn't in his database! Chaos is jarred loose and I take this opportunity to untie her.
"Go. Leave, before I wind up killing you too."
"What about you? Vincent, you're not alone. You know that."
"Please. Don't make it come back."
She knows I'm talking about the Chaos Demon. Getting dressed in a hurry, she bolts out her front door. She's left it wide open... But, smart woman, she took her keys and strongbox. See, we don't have banks here in Midgard, so people always have money on hand. Usually in an embarrassing quantity, like Teres. I walk out the door and go the opposite way she did. If I had known someone was following Teres, I never would have let her go alone. Her scream makes me turn around in shock. Running as fast as I can, I get there in time to see someone looking exactly like me, even down to the metal hand attached to my right arm, let her eviscerated and now lifeless corpse drop to the ground. The doppelganger disappears with a malign laugh, leaving me standing over her steaming remains. Just my luck... A cop! Dammit! I have to hide! Finding a dumpster, I jump in, just in time to see the car stop.
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Meris got out and stared sadly at Teres Magnute's corpse. She'd been too late. But then again, maybe she wasn't... She had her own ways of ferreting clues from fresh bodies. Gritting her teeth, she put her hands to Teres's head. The Arbiter rose up and plucked the conversation she'd had with Vincent from her memory. Meris sat back on her heels, bemused.
"I never knew she wasn't a subject. She seemed like the kind he'd use...."
A familiar wave of energy made Vincent's hackles stand on end. He knew that signature... And so did Chaos. The Arbiter manifested herself in the alleyway, making him stifle a gasp.
"I know. I think this is why Vincent let her live, Meris. She didn't fit the pattern."
"But if Vincent let her live, then who killed her?"
"I think I have an idea, but I can't be sure. I need more proof."
Vincent found himself creeping forward, wanting to get a closer look at Meris. The Arbiter detected him before he got close enough to see her. She waved one hand and Chaos was temporarily held at bay, unable to affect Vincent. He stood and walked into view. Meris got a good look at him and her eyes widened.
"Vincent!"
Vincent got a good look at her and his breath caught in his throat. It was her... But she seemed different somehow. He held out his metal hand, the light glittering off the clean steel tines. Meris held out her hand, then took his in a firm grip. Chaos, still entombed within Vincent's skeleton, let out a screech that drove him to his knees.
"Arbiter! What's wrong?"
"It's Chaos! It doesn't like you!"
Meris let go of his hand, fear darkening her eyes. The Arbiter took that opportunity to retreat back into her human host. Vincent lay on the pavement, gasping for air as Chaos slowly released its grip on his lungs. Meris kneeled in front of him, maintaining a safe distance between them.
"Are you all right?"
Her genuine concern made him look up at her. She was worried about him? Nobody ever worried about him, not even Lucrecia. So this meant she wasn't his lost lover. But there was a strength about her that was present even when the Arbiter was not. Chaos tried desperately to take over and remove her from the land of the living. But he couldn't, not while the Arbiter's spell remained in effect. As a result, Vincent's words were choppy and semi-coherent.
"Go... Differences... worry Chaos... Kill you too."
The Arbiter translated it internally for Meris.
*He means "Go now. There are differences about you that worry Chaos. If you stay, he'll make me kill you too." But I wonder...*
**I wonder too, Arbiter. I'm going to try something.**
Meris moved one hand carefully to the synthetic skin covering her metal arm, watching for signs of possession in his eyes. When she came to the velcro flaps that held it in place, she tugged gently, but hard enough to separate the pieces. With a soft hiss, the skin slid down to the ground, revealing half of what Dr. Hojo had done to her. The flashes of red in his eyes subsided, leaving him normal.
"You too?"
"Yes. I'd show you the rest, but it's kinda inside me."
"Your heart?"
"Yes. But how...?"
"I was the one who did the cap."
His confession made her sit back on her heels. He knew who she was... Or did he?
"What's my record number?"
"You mean you don't know?"
"No."
"Your database record number is 12-RTY-903."
The Arbiter made a note of the number. Meris reached out with her normal arm and her fingertips brushed his forehead. Too short... He leaned forward and captured her hand in both of his. There was something in his eyes that made her heart race...
"You were destined to be the perfect Shinra soldier. But I... I couldn't let that happen. Somewhere along the way, you became more than a test subject. I... I fell for you."
"So you let me go."
"Yes."
Snippets of data floated into her mind, gathering and coalescing into a ball of information that made her skin go cold. She tugged her hand free and moved out of range.
"Vincent, I'm not her."
"I know. I think that's why Chaos doesn't like you."
"I could never be her. But I do know that I can't stand to see you behind bars."
"You're too kind for your own good, Meris. That could get you killed."
She looked at him then... And she could see into his soul! He let her look, not knowing what was going on. She read his soul, finding enough snippets to form a story of how he'd come to be possessed by the Chaos demon. Losing Lucrecia had wounded him so badly, it had been easy for Chaos to move in. The Arbiter stirred within her, then completely withdrew. She now stood behind Vincent, holding a Spirit Jar.
"You weren't the only one, Vincent... You were cloned."
"CLONED?!?"
Cloning was considered the work of the devil, even in Midgard. Anyone accused of or caught cloning was killed on the spot and their notes destroyed.
"Can you identify who did it?"
"Yes. It was our mutual "friend" Dr. Hojo. But the clone had already been awakened. It thought it was you. And there's one more thing... The clone's been possessed too. By Discord."
Chaos reared up and took over then, catching all of them unaware. But instead of killing Meris and fleeing, Vincent just sat there. Finally, he spoke. But Meris could tell he wasn't Vincent.
"Discord is far worse than I. Arbiter, I give myself over to your justice. Protect them, for Discord will stop at nothing to destroy the world."
Chaos released Vincent then, letting him be himself for the first time since losing Lucrecia. He let the Arbiter capture him in the Spirit Jar, sealing it with Runes of Power. The Jar disappeared in a flash of brimstone. Vincent gave a weak smile, then collapsed. Meris was barely able to catch him.
"Take us home before someone sees us like this!"
The Arbiter made a gesture and the three of them were taken to Meris's loft apartment. Meris laid Vincent on the bed and moved toward the bathroom. The Arbiter retreated into her human host again.
*What do we do with him?*
**We protect him until we can stop the clone. With all the information being retrieved, I'm sure there's a record of the cloning process. Dr. Hojo was a very arrogant man. He kept records of everything.**
Then she got into the shower, washing away the stench of the streets. Vincent, meanwhile, was discovering he hadn't been totally abandoned after all. He still had some of Chaos's powers... Like telepathy, telekinesis and astral projection. But he wasn't consumed by the madness anymore... He sat up after a sound sleep, only to find Meris asleep beside him. She looked so much like Lucrecia it hurt. His normal hand came up and gently caressed her cheek. The phone rang, waking her instantly.
"Yeah."
"Meris, it's Lacey."
"What is it, Lacey?"
"You might wanna get down here... The Chief's giving a press conference today. He's going to make the contents of Hojo's database public knowledge."
"WHAT?!?"
"I thought you'd react that way. How soon can you get down here?"
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. And I'm bringing a guest with me."
She hung up, then told Vincent what Lacey had told her. His eyes widened, then a stream of extremely foul epithets spewed from his mouth.
"That's what I was thinking. I need you to crack the database records for me before the conference."
"But if I were to go in like this..."
"I know. That's why I always keep some of Darik's clothes on hand."
"Darik?"
"My uncle's best friend."
"Ah."
When he was finished getting dressed, he looked completely different!
"Wow! Are you sure there's no magic involved?"
"None whatsoever. And yes, that's possible."
He got so carried away that he swept her into his arms and kissed her. She looked at him, something akin to shock in her eyes. He dropped his arms, embarrassed beyond reason.
"We'd better get going. Do you need anything from your old clothes before we destroy them?"
He grabbed a set of keycards and a datapad, then stood with a nod. The Arbiter spirited them to the back door of the police station. She did that whenever Meris came in late. Vincent stood there, eyes wide, as officers walked by without trying to arrest him on the spot.
"Where's the computer, Lacey?"
"Down the hall, third door on the left."
"Thanks!"
They bolted down the hall and dashed into the computer room. Meris closed and locked the door, Warding it with a "Keep Out" spell. Vincent sat down and promptly inserted a keycard into the right slot.
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I feel so alone without Chaos here... But I have work to do. This keyboard is so obsolete it isn't funny.
"It doesn't have keycard function buttons on it!"
"Damn! Arbiter?"
The keyboard changes before my eyes, becoming the one I used so frequently while in Dr. Hojo's lab. Typing frantically, I decode 5 files with the first keycard. They print off at a rapid-fire pace, gliding silently from the roller. The second keycard unlocks the Tseng files.
"Well, I'll be damned. Here's Tseng's!"
"Can you find any reference to an electronics background?"
"Yes. There's even a schematic for his cybernetic double in here."
"Okay. What else we got?"
I have to use 3 more of the keycards to unlock the Subjects database. Then I get an alert that Meris's file is keyed to Alpha level clearance.
"What's that number again, Arbiter?"
"12-RTY-903."
"Thank you."
I enter that code and hit enter. We all wait anxiously, myself and Meris with bated breath. There are a series of clicks and whirrs, indicating authentication in progress. Then the file opens, leaving me giddy with excitement.
"Here it is... Here's your file, Meris."
She takes the printout as it emerges, stacking the pages neatly. When they've all been printed, she staples them and starts reading. Meanwhile, I'm searching for the red keycard with a black V on it. That's my personal keycard... The only one that can unlock my files.
"Dammit! Where the fuck is it?"
"Where's what?"
"My keycard!"
"What's it look like?"
"It's red with a black V on it. And without it, my personal files will remain encrypted for the rest of time."
Meris reaches into her pocket and removes the keycard I need. I take it from her with a smile.
"Thank you."
"No, Vincent. Thank you."
"For what?"
She shakes the pages she's holding with a smile. I grin, then duck my head and insert the keycard into the slot. She doesn't see my hands tremble as I tap the keys to retrieve the data. My grin slowly fades, soon replaced with a frown and a curse. She looks up again and sees what's made me so upset: The files have been encrypted and I don't have the code!
"Oh, no. You didn't do this?"
"No."
The Arbiter does something to the computer, making the files open. I give her a grateful smile, then turn back to the keyboard. Tap tap tap... The printer starts up again, spewing out the records for the cloning process that Dr. Hojo had hidden in my personal database to make it look like I had done it.
"Or at least gone along with what he was doing."
"Possible, Meris."
I keep reading, scowling softly. Then I suddenly look over at Meris, eyes wide. She'd read my mind! She's looking at me with the same look on her face that's on mine. There's a tap at the door...
"Meris?"
"Yes, Lacey?"
"The Chief wants those files buried. He changed his mind."
"What? How?"
Lacey, as she called him, can hear the surprise and confusion in her voice. I'm surprised too. From what I've heard, this Chief isn't the type to change his mind on a whim!
"He said he wanted to talk to you and your guest about it when you're done in there. I think he knows what you're doing."
"Thanks, Lacey. Carry on..."
The footsteps fade as Lacey walks away. She's upset... I can feel it, even though it doesn't show. The printer finally stops exporting pages, having used all the paper. Meris replaces the roll, and printing resumes. She won't look at me... I stand up and touch her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"We'll talk later. Somebody might recognize your voice."
So that's it... She doesn't want me to get arrested. I nod and say okay, then sit back at the computer. There's a red blip on the monitor.
"Shit!"
"What?"
"Someone's trying to break into the computer from an outside terminal!"
"Do something! If they get this information..."
She doesn't have to finish that sentence. I insert a green keycard and immediately the red blip goes green. From outside, there's an aggravated shriek as the attempted hacker gets "spiked".
"What was that?"
"The hacker just lost his computer. I spiked him."
We gather all the printouts and shut down the computer. My keycards get hidden in a pocket, safe for another use. The Arbiter resumes her usual "cousin" form and we exit the computer room. I can see Meris trying to hide her curiosity. So I lean forward and whisper in her ear.
"The red-haired fellow at the end on the right."
Meris looks at me, shock darkening her beautiful brown eyes. She can't believe it was Jacoby... But it was. My keycard had identified his terminal before sending the spike. As she passes his desk, sure enough, there's a graphic representation of a spike on his now-useless monitor. We get to the Chief's office with no further delays or problems.
"You wanted to see us, Chief?'
He closes the door behind us and sits at his desk.
"What just happened out there?"
I answer him after laying the printouts on his desk.
"Jacoby tried to access the computer while I was working on it. I didn't appreciate the interference, so I spiked him."
"In other words, his computer is now a paperweight?"
"Yes."
"Well, I can't say I approve of your methods, but they were effective nonetheless. Thanks to you, Vincent, we've identified the mole."
I stare at him in shock and growing horror. How the hell had he known it was me? He'd never heard my voice! If I were to look over my shoulder, I'd see the same look on Meris's face.
"I got a phone call before you arrived. Meris, your uncle and his friend were found dead in your apartment."
I close my eyes and feel an emptiness well up inside, an emptiness so big it threatens to engulf my entire being.
"It's started."
The Chief finds the cloning files and reads them avidly. When he's finished, he looks up at me. There's a solemnity in his eyes that's accompanied by something else.
"If you can find and stop this clone, is there any way you can pin the previous murders on him?"
"No. I know I killed the others. It's only a matter of time before they find out there's 2 of me."
"Not if we rig the evidence."
"Chief? What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, Meris, that if you don't rig the evidence to make it look like the clone is responsible, you'll lose him again. Do you really want that?"
The Arbiter, standing so silently behind us, makes a move that diverts the Chief's attention. Ours as well.
"Arbiter? What is it?"
"He's going to finish what Vincent started. He already killed Teres and Luisa."
"Oh no! The database records!"
"Luisa... Oh dear God. We have to stop him. One way or another, he will die!"
We all look at Meris, shock on only the Chief's face. The Arbiter and I know her well enough by now not to flinch. Silently, I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She takes comfort from my touch and speaks in a calmer frame of mind.
"We have to set him up for a fall. We have to make him think he's outwitted us."
"How do we do that?"
Without knowing where this information came from, I step back and close my eyes. From my back emerges a set of wings. This has happened before with Chaos, but unlike the previous times, the wings come out red. The Arbiter bites off an oath and opens the red Spirit Jar on her belt. From it comes the previous Arbiter, now forgotten by time. He takes possession and once again, I'm fueled by a demon. But this time, it isn't Chaos. It's...
"Justice."
"Yes, Vincent. Your time has come. It is my turn to reside in the Jar. I'm sorry, Meris. But it is destiny."
*She doesn't have to do it. There can be 2 Arbiters.*
"You don't have to go. He says you can both be Arbiters."
"I never thought it possible..."
"What is your Title down there?"
"They call me Retribution."
The demon takes over now, leaving me with a sense of completion I'd only previously felt with Chaos. But I now know those feelings were false.
"Demon of Retribution, I charge you to remain as you are, an Arbiter. I also charge you to share the tasks that come with the job."
"Demon of Justice, I accept your charges. I also charge you to listen when you think something isn't right."
"Charge accepted."
They take hands, sealing their bargain. A loud scream from the outer area makes Meris open the door and peek out. Jacoby is lying on the floor, sprawled out with a large hole in his chest.
"He's dead!"
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She couldn't believe her eyes... Jacoby was dead! She looked back over her shoulder, then stepped out to see what had happened. The Arbiter of Retribution was right behind her.
"He was a servant of the Chaos demon. He didn't want you to succeed. At all. When Chaos was sentenced, he lost all his followers."
Behind her were Vincent and the Chief. Vincent knelt and examined the body, using the senses given him by the Arbiter of Justice. He looked up and shook his head, signalling both death and the true cause.
"It wasn't Chaos. It was Discord."
"What?"
"Jacoby was a test subject."
"Oh, God... It's started already."
Jacoby's left hand seemed to self-destruct, flesh exploding and flying everywhere. There, for all to see, was a ghastly metal hand. Meris held her arm defensively. If they were to know the truth...
"And Chaos wasn't sentenced. He had freely admitted his crimes and was released. But he had to do something for the Council."
"What would that be?"
"He had to promise them Discord within 45 days. Or he'd be destroyed."
Meris couldn't believe her ears! Her entire life was falling down around her, and they were talking about Demonic justice! One more secret wouldn't really matter... But it would. The TV turned on by itself, signalling an incoming disaster.
"This just in... Police officer Meris has been identified as the identical twin sister of the maniacal Lucrecia, believed to be Vincent Valentine's diabolical lover. Valentine, the prime suspect in the Midgard Slayings, is believed to have killed Lucrecia and dumped her body so as to seduce her sister and make her give up the investigation."
They all turned to look at Vincent and Meris. Both faces wore a look of utter disbelief. Meris tried to say something, only got out a few nonsensical syllables, then fainted dead away. Vincent followed her shortly thereafter, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor with one hand resting on Meris's face.The Arbiters, both wearing human form, lifted their hosts and made to carry them from the room. But what the TV said next made them stop in their tracks.
"Also believed to be running amok in Midgard are the Arbiters of Justice and Retribution. Beware, for these two will stop at nothing to do their jobs."
The Chief aimed a kick at the TV and shattered it, scoring 3 points.
"Get them out of here before I get even more Discord around here!"
They needed no further urging. They took Meris and Vincent to a nearby warehouse. It had been abandoned for years, so it was perfect. When that was done, they looked at each other.
"She's the One, isn't she?"
"Yes. She read his soul without him being aware of it."
"He has the keys as well."
"You mean Teres's keys?"
"No. He has the Keys."
Vincent and Meris lay on a pile of blankets, resting for the first time in days. The Arbiters stood watch, Wards gleaming like gossamer threads. If they had known someone had followed them, they would have set Ley Lines. But that wouldn't have stopped their pursuer. For they were being followed by an agent of Heaven... Their pursuer was one of Gabriel's Archangels, called Vengeance by the mortals. Her Name was Runithea. And she would stop at nothing to complete her task...
Vincent sat in a local bar, Chaos dormant for the time being. There were stories of Tseng killing a coroner because he'd come too close to identifying the mastermind behind the killing spree. Vincent could only chuckle. Tseng wasn't a threat. Despite being a technical mastermind, Tseng wasn't your typical homocidal maniac. No, that honor belonged to Vincent alone. Then the news came on, and quickly became a source of interest.
"And in recent news... There's been a breakthrough in deciphering Dr. Hojo's computer. It appears to be a database of some sort. Entries include the identities of the late doctor's experiments. Police are attempting to locate these subjects in order to gain solid evidence to identify and arrest the man responsible for the recent wave of death and destruction. Police also suspect Tseng was responsible for the explosion that killed Dr. H. E. Forester last Monday night. Citizens are asked to remain indoors until Tseng has been apprehended. Stay tuned to this station for further developments as they occur."
The bartender turned it off without being asked. The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering who those poor people could be. For them, it was idle speculation. But for Vincent, it was the beginning of a new era. He had to keep the police from finding those other subjects! He knew all about the database, but hadn't thought it important until now. Chaos rose up and overwhelmed him once again, leaving him breathless with fear and loathing. One thought resonated in his deranged mind... Find and kill the other subjects. He left the bar without paying for his wine. The bartender shook his head and wrote the charge on Vincent's tab.
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Luisa, one of Dr. Hojo's more fortunate subjects, was nursing her newborn son at the kitchen table. She still had nightmares about what he'd done to her... So she was startled by someone knocking on her door. She rose gracefully, her husband taking the baby, and stood behind the door.
"Who's there?"
"Luisa Alcott?"
"Yes. Can I help you?"
"I hope so, Luisa. It's Meris. Can I come in?"
Luisa gasped aloud and opened the door for her only friend from their days in the lab. Sure enough, it was Meris! They embraced then moved to the kitchen.
"Meris, this is my husband Alberto. Alberto, honey, this is Meris. We were in the lab together."
"A pleasure, Meris. Luisa, I'm going to put Robert in his cradle and go for a walk."
"Okay. Be careful... There are Turks around."
Alberto laughed softly and kissed Luisa's cheek. After he put his precious son to bed, he walked out the door to get some fresh air. He was completely oblivious to what his wife and her friend were talking about in the kitchen.
"Luisa, have you heard about the killing spree?"
"Who hasn't? It's on all the news stations."
"Luisa, I want you and your family to leave town. Reno, Rude and Elena are all dead."
"What?"
"They were murdered."
Luisa gasped, horror written on her face. It was as if she knew who was responsible.
"What I'm about to tell you is to be kept a secret."
"Of course, Meris. I wouldn't dream of hindering your investigation."
"Thank you, Luisa. I have reason to believe one man is behind it all. Even Dr. Forester's death."
"Who?"
"This isn't easy for me to say, Luisa."
"Tell me."
"Okay... You asked for it. I think it's Vincent Valentine."
Luisa's hands flew to her mouth in horror. Vincent Valentine was a monster in human clothing! Her teacup teetered slowly, then spilled, making a dark brown stain on the tablecloth. Meris leaned forward and placed her flesh-and-bone hand on Luisa's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you."
"It's all right. I needed to know."
"There's one other thing I need to tell you."
"Let me guess. You saw him kill Hojo."
"Yes. But I wasn't alone... Tseng was with me."
"Oh, no! Meris, he's a target now too!"
"I know. And so are all of you."
"You mean everyone in the database?"
"Yes. Vincent knows about all of you. You can be sure he'll come after you to silence you."
"Oh, Meris... Thank you for the warning. Alberto wanted to take a vacation..."
"Now seems like a good time. Tell noone where you're going. And for God's sake, leave the baby with someone."
"I will, Meris. Now go warn the others. We'll be gone in the morning."
Meris nodded, hugged Luisa tightly and let herself out. Alberto waved cheerily as he went back inside to his wife and infant son. When Luisa told him what was going on, he agreed. Meris, meanwhile, had gotten into her car. She didn't know Lucrecia, Vincent's long-vanished lover, was her identical twin sister. Lucrecia was dead, long since swallowed by the Abyss. But her legacy lived on... And it would lead to the destruction of Meris's career. But not before she ended the crime spree...
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I can see her house in the distance. She's waiting for someone to come and take her away from it all... Little does she know I'm going to be the one who sets her free. I knock on the door, smiling urbanely and being rather suave and debonair. She knows me. She's afraid. Her fear feeds Chaos and I strike out with an open hand. The slap sends her into the far wall. She's screaming for help now. But nobody's coming to her rescue... She lives alone in a desolate part of town. Even if someone did hear her, they wouldn't be able to stop me in time. Her blood spatters on my face, sending me into a rapturous daze that ends only when her screams stop. But she isn't dead... She's only passed out. This is going to be a moment to remember! When she finally does wake up, she's tied to her bed and I'm sitting at the foot of it. Her eyes are wide with fear, one arm sitting discordantly.
"What do you want?"
"I'm afraid you know too much about Dr. Hojo."
"What? No! You don't understand..."
"You were one of his test subjects."
"No. I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"You are Teres Magnute, are you not?"
"Well, yes, I am, but I'm not..."
"Silence!"
That one word is enough to make her see that I'm no dummy. She just looks at me for a long moment, then sighs and closes her eyes. What she says next astounds me to no end. For once, I was wrong about someone!
"I'm not one of his test subjects. I had a crippling disease in my hand that was slowly degenerating the bones into mush. He was the only one who could save my life. If the disease had progressed any further, I'd be dead. Dr. Hojo took my hand and replaced it with a metal one, much like he did to you. But I was never considered a subject."
"I... I'm sorry, Miss Magnute. I never knew. Your name is in his database."
"What?"
The surprise in her voice takes ME by surprise. She'd actually believed she wasn't in his database! Chaos is jarred loose and I take this opportunity to untie her.
"Go. Leave, before I wind up killing you too."
"What about you? Vincent, you're not alone. You know that."
"Please. Don't make it come back."
She knows I'm talking about the Chaos Demon. Getting dressed in a hurry, she bolts out her front door. She's left it wide open... But, smart woman, she took her keys and strongbox. See, we don't have banks here in Midgard, so people always have money on hand. Usually in an embarrassing quantity, like Teres. I walk out the door and go the opposite way she did. If I had known someone was following Teres, I never would have let her go alone. Her scream makes me turn around in shock. Running as fast as I can, I get there in time to see someone looking exactly like me, even down to the metal hand attached to my right arm, let her eviscerated and now lifeless corpse drop to the ground. The doppelganger disappears with a malign laugh, leaving me standing over her steaming remains. Just my luck... A cop! Dammit! I have to hide! Finding a dumpster, I jump in, just in time to see the car stop.
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Meris got out and stared sadly at Teres Magnute's corpse. She'd been too late. But then again, maybe she wasn't... She had her own ways of ferreting clues from fresh bodies. Gritting her teeth, she put her hands to Teres's head. The Arbiter rose up and plucked the conversation she'd had with Vincent from her memory. Meris sat back on her heels, bemused.
"I never knew she wasn't a subject. She seemed like the kind he'd use...."
A familiar wave of energy made Vincent's hackles stand on end. He knew that signature... And so did Chaos. The Arbiter manifested herself in the alleyway, making him stifle a gasp.
"I know. I think this is why Vincent let her live, Meris. She didn't fit the pattern."
"But if Vincent let her live, then who killed her?"
"I think I have an idea, but I can't be sure. I need more proof."
Vincent found himself creeping forward, wanting to get a closer look at Meris. The Arbiter detected him before he got close enough to see her. She waved one hand and Chaos was temporarily held at bay, unable to affect Vincent. He stood and walked into view. Meris got a good look at him and her eyes widened.
"Vincent!"
Vincent got a good look at her and his breath caught in his throat. It was her... But she seemed different somehow. He held out his metal hand, the light glittering off the clean steel tines. Meris held out her hand, then took his in a firm grip. Chaos, still entombed within Vincent's skeleton, let out a screech that drove him to his knees.
"Arbiter! What's wrong?"
"It's Chaos! It doesn't like you!"
Meris let go of his hand, fear darkening her eyes. The Arbiter took that opportunity to retreat back into her human host. Vincent lay on the pavement, gasping for air as Chaos slowly released its grip on his lungs. Meris kneeled in front of him, maintaining a safe distance between them.
"Are you all right?"
Her genuine concern made him look up at her. She was worried about him? Nobody ever worried about him, not even Lucrecia. So this meant she wasn't his lost lover. But there was a strength about her that was present even when the Arbiter was not. Chaos tried desperately to take over and remove her from the land of the living. But he couldn't, not while the Arbiter's spell remained in effect. As a result, Vincent's words were choppy and semi-coherent.
"Go... Differences... worry Chaos... Kill you too."
The Arbiter translated it internally for Meris.
*He means "Go now. There are differences about you that worry Chaos. If you stay, he'll make me kill you too." But I wonder...*
**I wonder too, Arbiter. I'm going to try something.**
Meris moved one hand carefully to the synthetic skin covering her metal arm, watching for signs of possession in his eyes. When she came to the velcro flaps that held it in place, she tugged gently, but hard enough to separate the pieces. With a soft hiss, the skin slid down to the ground, revealing half of what Dr. Hojo had done to her. The flashes of red in his eyes subsided, leaving him normal.
"You too?"
"Yes. I'd show you the rest, but it's kinda inside me."
"Your heart?"
"Yes. But how...?"
"I was the one who did the cap."
His confession made her sit back on her heels. He knew who she was... Or did he?
"What's my record number?"
"You mean you don't know?"
"No."
"Your database record number is 12-RTY-903."
The Arbiter made a note of the number. Meris reached out with her normal arm and her fingertips brushed his forehead. Too short... He leaned forward and captured her hand in both of his. There was something in his eyes that made her heart race...
"You were destined to be the perfect Shinra soldier. But I... I couldn't let that happen. Somewhere along the way, you became more than a test subject. I... I fell for you."
"So you let me go."
"Yes."
Snippets of data floated into her mind, gathering and coalescing into a ball of information that made her skin go cold. She tugged her hand free and moved out of range.
"Vincent, I'm not her."
"I know. I think that's why Chaos doesn't like you."
"I could never be her. But I do know that I can't stand to see you behind bars."
"You're too kind for your own good, Meris. That could get you killed."
She looked at him then... And she could see into his soul! He let her look, not knowing what was going on. She read his soul, finding enough snippets to form a story of how he'd come to be possessed by the Chaos demon. Losing Lucrecia had wounded him so badly, it had been easy for Chaos to move in. The Arbiter stirred within her, then completely withdrew. She now stood behind Vincent, holding a Spirit Jar.
"You weren't the only one, Vincent... You were cloned."
"CLONED?!?"
Cloning was considered the work of the devil, even in Midgard. Anyone accused of or caught cloning was killed on the spot and their notes destroyed.
"Can you identify who did it?"
"Yes. It was our mutual "friend" Dr. Hojo. But the clone had already been awakened. It thought it was you. And there's one more thing... The clone's been possessed too. By Discord."
Chaos reared up and took over then, catching all of them unaware. But instead of killing Meris and fleeing, Vincent just sat there. Finally, he spoke. But Meris could tell he wasn't Vincent.
"Discord is far worse than I. Arbiter, I give myself over to your justice. Protect them, for Discord will stop at nothing to destroy the world."
Chaos released Vincent then, letting him be himself for the first time since losing Lucrecia. He let the Arbiter capture him in the Spirit Jar, sealing it with Runes of Power. The Jar disappeared in a flash of brimstone. Vincent gave a weak smile, then collapsed. Meris was barely able to catch him.
"Take us home before someone sees us like this!"
The Arbiter made a gesture and the three of them were taken to Meris's loft apartment. Meris laid Vincent on the bed and moved toward the bathroom. The Arbiter retreated into her human host again.
*What do we do with him?*
**We protect him until we can stop the clone. With all the information being retrieved, I'm sure there's a record of the cloning process. Dr. Hojo was a very arrogant man. He kept records of everything.**
Then she got into the shower, washing away the stench of the streets. Vincent, meanwhile, was discovering he hadn't been totally abandoned after all. He still had some of Chaos's powers... Like telepathy, telekinesis and astral projection. But he wasn't consumed by the madness anymore... He sat up after a sound sleep, only to find Meris asleep beside him. She looked so much like Lucrecia it hurt. His normal hand came up and gently caressed her cheek. The phone rang, waking her instantly.
"Yeah."
"Meris, it's Lacey."
"What is it, Lacey?"
"You might wanna get down here... The Chief's giving a press conference today. He's going to make the contents of Hojo's database public knowledge."
"WHAT?!?"
"I thought you'd react that way. How soon can you get down here?"
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. And I'm bringing a guest with me."
She hung up, then told Vincent what Lacey had told her. His eyes widened, then a stream of extremely foul epithets spewed from his mouth.
"That's what I was thinking. I need you to crack the database records for me before the conference."
"But if I were to go in like this..."
"I know. That's why I always keep some of Darik's clothes on hand."
"Darik?"
"My uncle's best friend."
"Ah."
When he was finished getting dressed, he looked completely different!
"Wow! Are you sure there's no magic involved?"
"None whatsoever. And yes, that's possible."
He got so carried away that he swept her into his arms and kissed her. She looked at him, something akin to shock in her eyes. He dropped his arms, embarrassed beyond reason.
"We'd better get going. Do you need anything from your old clothes before we destroy them?"
He grabbed a set of keycards and a datapad, then stood with a nod. The Arbiter spirited them to the back door of the police station. She did that whenever Meris came in late. Vincent stood there, eyes wide, as officers walked by without trying to arrest him on the spot.
"Where's the computer, Lacey?"
"Down the hall, third door on the left."
"Thanks!"
They bolted down the hall and dashed into the computer room. Meris closed and locked the door, Warding it with a "Keep Out" spell. Vincent sat down and promptly inserted a keycard into the right slot.
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I feel so alone without Chaos here... But I have work to do. This keyboard is so obsolete it isn't funny.
"It doesn't have keycard function buttons on it!"
"Damn! Arbiter?"
The keyboard changes before my eyes, becoming the one I used so frequently while in Dr. Hojo's lab. Typing frantically, I decode 5 files with the first keycard. They print off at a rapid-fire pace, gliding silently from the roller. The second keycard unlocks the Tseng files.
"Well, I'll be damned. Here's Tseng's!"
"Can you find any reference to an electronics background?"
"Yes. There's even a schematic for his cybernetic double in here."
"Okay. What else we got?"
I have to use 3 more of the keycards to unlock the Subjects database. Then I get an alert that Meris's file is keyed to Alpha level clearance.
"What's that number again, Arbiter?"
"12-RTY-903."
"Thank you."
I enter that code and hit enter. We all wait anxiously, myself and Meris with bated breath. There are a series of clicks and whirrs, indicating authentication in progress. Then the file opens, leaving me giddy with excitement.
"Here it is... Here's your file, Meris."
She takes the printout as it emerges, stacking the pages neatly. When they've all been printed, she staples them and starts reading. Meanwhile, I'm searching for the red keycard with a black V on it. That's my personal keycard... The only one that can unlock my files.
"Dammit! Where the fuck is it?"
"Where's what?"
"My keycard!"
"What's it look like?"
"It's red with a black V on it. And without it, my personal files will remain encrypted for the rest of time."
Meris reaches into her pocket and removes the keycard I need. I take it from her with a smile.
"Thank you."
"No, Vincent. Thank you."
"For what?"
She shakes the pages she's holding with a smile. I grin, then duck my head and insert the keycard into the slot. She doesn't see my hands tremble as I tap the keys to retrieve the data. My grin slowly fades, soon replaced with a frown and a curse. She looks up again and sees what's made me so upset: The files have been encrypted and I don't have the code!
"Oh, no. You didn't do this?"
"No."
The Arbiter does something to the computer, making the files open. I give her a grateful smile, then turn back to the keyboard. Tap tap tap... The printer starts up again, spewing out the records for the cloning process that Dr. Hojo had hidden in my personal database to make it look like I had done it.
"Or at least gone along with what he was doing."
"Possible, Meris."
I keep reading, scowling softly. Then I suddenly look over at Meris, eyes wide. She'd read my mind! She's looking at me with the same look on her face that's on mine. There's a tap at the door...
"Meris?"
"Yes, Lacey?"
"The Chief wants those files buried. He changed his mind."
"What? How?"
Lacey, as she called him, can hear the surprise and confusion in her voice. I'm surprised too. From what I've heard, this Chief isn't the type to change his mind on a whim!
"He said he wanted to talk to you and your guest about it when you're done in there. I think he knows what you're doing."
"Thanks, Lacey. Carry on..."
The footsteps fade as Lacey walks away. She's upset... I can feel it, even though it doesn't show. The printer finally stops exporting pages, having used all the paper. Meris replaces the roll, and printing resumes. She won't look at me... I stand up and touch her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"We'll talk later. Somebody might recognize your voice."
So that's it... She doesn't want me to get arrested. I nod and say okay, then sit back at the computer. There's a red blip on the monitor.
"Shit!"
"What?"
"Someone's trying to break into the computer from an outside terminal!"
"Do something! If they get this information..."
She doesn't have to finish that sentence. I insert a green keycard and immediately the red blip goes green. From outside, there's an aggravated shriek as the attempted hacker gets "spiked".
"What was that?"
"The hacker just lost his computer. I spiked him."
We gather all the printouts and shut down the computer. My keycards get hidden in a pocket, safe for another use. The Arbiter resumes her usual "cousin" form and we exit the computer room. I can see Meris trying to hide her curiosity. So I lean forward and whisper in her ear.
"The red-haired fellow at the end on the right."
Meris looks at me, shock darkening her beautiful brown eyes. She can't believe it was Jacoby... But it was. My keycard had identified his terminal before sending the spike. As she passes his desk, sure enough, there's a graphic representation of a spike on his now-useless monitor. We get to the Chief's office with no further delays or problems.
"You wanted to see us, Chief?'
He closes the door behind us and sits at his desk.
"What just happened out there?"
I answer him after laying the printouts on his desk.
"Jacoby tried to access the computer while I was working on it. I didn't appreciate the interference, so I spiked him."
"In other words, his computer is now a paperweight?"
"Yes."
"Well, I can't say I approve of your methods, but they were effective nonetheless. Thanks to you, Vincent, we've identified the mole."
I stare at him in shock and growing horror. How the hell had he known it was me? He'd never heard my voice! If I were to look over my shoulder, I'd see the same look on Meris's face.
"I got a phone call before you arrived. Meris, your uncle and his friend were found dead in your apartment."
I close my eyes and feel an emptiness well up inside, an emptiness so big it threatens to engulf my entire being.
"It's started."
The Chief finds the cloning files and reads them avidly. When he's finished, he looks up at me. There's a solemnity in his eyes that's accompanied by something else.
"If you can find and stop this clone, is there any way you can pin the previous murders on him?"
"No. I know I killed the others. It's only a matter of time before they find out there's 2 of me."
"Not if we rig the evidence."
"Chief? What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, Meris, that if you don't rig the evidence to make it look like the clone is responsible, you'll lose him again. Do you really want that?"
The Arbiter, standing so silently behind us, makes a move that diverts the Chief's attention. Ours as well.
"Arbiter? What is it?"
"He's going to finish what Vincent started. He already killed Teres and Luisa."
"Oh no! The database records!"
"Luisa... Oh dear God. We have to stop him. One way or another, he will die!"
We all look at Meris, shock on only the Chief's face. The Arbiter and I know her well enough by now not to flinch. Silently, I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She takes comfort from my touch and speaks in a calmer frame of mind.
"We have to set him up for a fall. We have to make him think he's outwitted us."
"How do we do that?"
Without knowing where this information came from, I step back and close my eyes. From my back emerges a set of wings. This has happened before with Chaos, but unlike the previous times, the wings come out red. The Arbiter bites off an oath and opens the red Spirit Jar on her belt. From it comes the previous Arbiter, now forgotten by time. He takes possession and once again, I'm fueled by a demon. But this time, it isn't Chaos. It's...
"Justice."
"Yes, Vincent. Your time has come. It is my turn to reside in the Jar. I'm sorry, Meris. But it is destiny."
*She doesn't have to do it. There can be 2 Arbiters.*
"You don't have to go. He says you can both be Arbiters."
"I never thought it possible..."
"What is your Title down there?"
"They call me Retribution."
The demon takes over now, leaving me with a sense of completion I'd only previously felt with Chaos. But I now know those feelings were false.
"Demon of Retribution, I charge you to remain as you are, an Arbiter. I also charge you to share the tasks that come with the job."
"Demon of Justice, I accept your charges. I also charge you to listen when you think something isn't right."
"Charge accepted."
They take hands, sealing their bargain. A loud scream from the outer area makes Meris open the door and peek out. Jacoby is lying on the floor, sprawled out with a large hole in his chest.
"He's dead!"
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She couldn't believe her eyes... Jacoby was dead! She looked back over her shoulder, then stepped out to see what had happened. The Arbiter of Retribution was right behind her.
"He was a servant of the Chaos demon. He didn't want you to succeed. At all. When Chaos was sentenced, he lost all his followers."
Behind her were Vincent and the Chief. Vincent knelt and examined the body, using the senses given him by the Arbiter of Justice. He looked up and shook his head, signalling both death and the true cause.
"It wasn't Chaos. It was Discord."
"What?"
"Jacoby was a test subject."
"Oh, God... It's started already."
Jacoby's left hand seemed to self-destruct, flesh exploding and flying everywhere. There, for all to see, was a ghastly metal hand. Meris held her arm defensively. If they were to know the truth...
"And Chaos wasn't sentenced. He had freely admitted his crimes and was released. But he had to do something for the Council."
"What would that be?"
"He had to promise them Discord within 45 days. Or he'd be destroyed."
Meris couldn't believe her ears! Her entire life was falling down around her, and they were talking about Demonic justice! One more secret wouldn't really matter... But it would. The TV turned on by itself, signalling an incoming disaster.
"This just in... Police officer Meris has been identified as the identical twin sister of the maniacal Lucrecia, believed to be Vincent Valentine's diabolical lover. Valentine, the prime suspect in the Midgard Slayings, is believed to have killed Lucrecia and dumped her body so as to seduce her sister and make her give up the investigation."
They all turned to look at Vincent and Meris. Both faces wore a look of utter disbelief. Meris tried to say something, only got out a few nonsensical syllables, then fainted dead away. Vincent followed her shortly thereafter, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor with one hand resting on Meris's face.The Arbiters, both wearing human form, lifted their hosts and made to carry them from the room. But what the TV said next made them stop in their tracks.
"Also believed to be running amok in Midgard are the Arbiters of Justice and Retribution. Beware, for these two will stop at nothing to do their jobs."
The Chief aimed a kick at the TV and shattered it, scoring 3 points.
"Get them out of here before I get even more Discord around here!"
They needed no further urging. They took Meris and Vincent to a nearby warehouse. It had been abandoned for years, so it was perfect. When that was done, they looked at each other.
"She's the One, isn't she?"
"Yes. She read his soul without him being aware of it."
"He has the keys as well."
"You mean Teres's keys?"
"No. He has the Keys."
Vincent and Meris lay on a pile of blankets, resting for the first time in days. The Arbiters stood watch, Wards gleaming like gossamer threads. If they had known someone had followed them, they would have set Ley Lines. But that wouldn't have stopped their pursuer. For they were being followed by an agent of Heaven... Their pursuer was one of Gabriel's Archangels, called Vengeance by the mortals. Her Name was Runithea. And she would stop at nothing to complete her task...