Chapter 21: Mad Scientist
The helicopter shook slightly as they continued to ride off through the day. Vincent glared at them both intensely with his handgun at his side, ready to pull it out if he needed to. His hands were folded, resting on his folded knees as he continued to stare without a single blink from his seemly dead eyes.
Aeris and Zack watched him as he stared not daring to move in case he took it as a threat. Zack could slightly see the shine of his large silver sword as he sat there, as still as he could, wanting to pull Aeris behind him so she could sneak and grab his sword but then again, he didn't know exactly how to pilot a helicopter so if he actually succeeded, they both would die anyway in a crash.
"We will be in Midgar soon." Vincent whispered to them as he kept his gazed locked on them.
Zack stayed silent as he watched him, but Aeris jointed back slightly in surprise wondering why they were returning to her hometown because that place was fill with every piece of scum there was on the entire planet.
He tightened his grip to get her to stay still as he felt her suddenly move and took in a deep breath, huffing it back out at Vincent as if in sarcasm.
"They are looking quite forward to meeting you two." Vincent began again as he finally moved to his side and leaned back against the propped up side of the nearby chair. He calmly lifted his hand to his navy blue suit's pocket and swiftly snapped it open as he reached in and pulled out a silky white cloth from it. He gently began to polish his deadly weapon, which he drew slowly from his side from its sheath and then began to speak again.
"We might be able to use her as a nice experiment." He told them with a slight snickering at the end of his sentence as he continued to polish his gun.
Zack clenched his teeth tightly in anger at his remark and eyed him furiously. "What kind of experiment?" Zack suddenly asked trying to contain his rage that was rising quickly through his veins.
"Oh you know, breeding ones, she is one of the last Cetra you know." Vincent explained and Aeris began to shake as her eyes lit up in disbelief at what he was saying.
"Hey, calm down buddy, who knows, you may be the person they breed her with, Zack, so don't worry about her." He said to them snickering at his own remark quickly afterwards.
Zack's fist shook fiercely as he tried at his hardest to control himself from jumping up and attacking Vincent head on which he knew he would be killed for his attempts.
Aeris felt as if she was going pale and cold from fright of what Vincent was informing her was going to happen once they arrived.
"One. one of the last?" She asked, stumbling over her words as she spoke confusingly.
"Well. We're not sure, you could be the last, Aeris, we don't know about the. others." He told her shrugging to her as he explained and a smile spread wide across his dark face as he finished up that sent a shiver down her spine and sent Zack's rage sky rocketing.
Furious, Zack lounged to Vincent, balling up his fist and through it towards Vincent's face.
Swiftly, Vincent swung his arm around to the side of him and slammed Zack in the stomach before he got close enough to connect to him and it knocked him back into the floor. He skidded back towards Aeris, and his head fell into her lap. Vincent glared angrily at them and he lifted his gun to face the end of the barrel towards them. In a panic, Aeris bent over quickly and completely covered his head, and partly his body with half of her own.
Vincent snickered at her bravery and placed his gun back at his side as he looked down at her.
"You stupid Cetra, I wasn't going to kill him, that was only a warning, but if he tries that again, he won't be so lucky." Vincent warned as Aeris slowly lifted her head to face him.
Zack raised his hands up and clasped them around Aeris's hands as he pulled himself back to his sitting position. Aeris took in a deep sigh as she looked down at him and as he pulled himself up, he lifted her and placed her on his own lap, cradling her in protection while eyeing the still demon across from them.
"You can't have her." He whispered to Vincent and he only smiled back chuckling under his breath.
"We already do."
"Sir! We're approaching head quarters! Should I let them know we're coming in?" The man in front of the wheel asked quickly.
"Yes sergeant, report to the new president that we have the two." He commanded and the pilot swiftly reached over and grabbed the nearby microphone and propped it up to his lips, gently pushing the dark gray button that rested on its side inwards to start it up.
"This is Shinra one, we have located and captured the ancient and her guardian, sir." He started, his voice firm and fairly loud.
"Good work, inform Vincent that he is to bring the ancient straight to the lab when you enter the building and the guardian is to be locked up in the back rooms a floor below the ancient, understood?" Another man spoke back, his voice deep and stumbling because of the static that intercepted them.
Slowly a large dark shadow began to cast itself over the windows, blocking out the afternoon sun that once poured through the thin glass.
A shiver ran down Aeris's spine as she sat there, clutching to Zack's thick sweater that was beginning to stick to his chest from the sweat that poured down his face. He's face was steaming red and she could feel the heat from his body rising in anger. "We're here." Vincent whispered, a slight smirk spreading across his face with his eyes glowing slightly, and sharply at them as he watched Aeris cower in fear from his look and buried her head into Zack's chest.
They all could feel the copper begin to lower itself on the roof of whatever it was they were on and the blades from the top began to slow down quickly above them. The man from the front moved quickly from his seat and made his way over to the side door and through it open. Vincent didn't seem to move and the man climbed out a waiting for someone else to go.
"Move it girl.." Vincent commanded as he flipped out his gun from his side sheath and pointed it at her and then to the door.
She hesitated for a moment looking up at Zack as he painfully let go of her and she slowly stood to her feet, every fiber in her body shaking uncontrollably in fear of Vincent and everyone else here that was looking to have her.
Zack began to get to his knees and Vincent shot a bullet passed his ear and shook his head down at him.
"No. You have to stay." He informed him and Aeris turned back frantically not wanting to leave without him. Zack snarled at him as he clenched his teeth together in anger and strapped his fingers against the floor.
"No! I'm not going!" Aeris screamed as the man grabbed her wrist and started to tug her towards a nearby open door. She pulled back against him trying to break his grip but she was too weak to do anything. Quickly without thinking she began to pound at his wrist, trying to hurt him so bad that he had to let go but smacked him upside the face.
Full of rage the man swung a punch at her and knocked her into the ground quickly to stop her and shut her up.
Small pellets of rain began to fall from the dark black sky around them and a small roar of thunder rolled in swiftly afterwards. Aeris laid still on the ground as the rain pelted off her face and body, running down her side and into the floor.
Carefully, the man knelt down beside her fragile body and scooped her up into his arms and started walking towards the door again, his face was concealed behind a large blue soldier hat that was pushed downwards so that the tip was facing the floor. Zack shook violently with rage as he watched him take off with her and Vincent chuckled at him slightly as he watched him.
"Alright. now lets go. out!" Vincent commanded as he got up and kicked Zack in the ribs for the fun of it and pushed him out the open doorway.
Filled with fury he held it in, hoping that he could release it on something else so he could help Aeris get out of where ever she was being held. He remembered the other man say that she would be held a room above him in a special lab, but which floor would he be on.
He looked up into the darken sky as it was suddenly lit by a quick bolt of lightning at the large building in front of him. A huge mark was stretched across it as he watched another flash of lightning light up the area so he could read it.
SHINRA INC. HEADQUATERS
Quietly he turned away from the sign and watched his feet as he continued to walk with Vincent's gun on his back, still with as much anger as he could possibly muster through his veins.
As he was shoved into the building he quickly pushed back his hair letting the water flick back from his spiked up black hair. He eyed the area around him and looked for any sign of Aeris but the man with her had vanished. As he stopped for a moment Vincent came up behind him and shoved him further on into the greatly lit room. The people around them working at their desks ignored him and Vincent as they both walked passed the others slowly towards an elevator.
Zack could only wish now that his sword was resting safely on his back to help himself get out of the area, to just slice everyone's fucking head right of their shoulders. To run and get Aeris and then out the front doors but instead it was laying back in the copper out the front a waiting to be taken from it.
As he was being forced into the nearby elevator he noticed it was see through. He looked on in amazement at the city below that was lit up brightly from the bar and factory lights in a circular pattern, separated into eight sections like a pie would be but it had pitch black high walls spitting this up instead.
Coolly Vincent made his way over to the control pad and gently touched the keys and then folded his arms in front of him looking straight ahead as it began to lift.
"Nice city isn't it?" Vincent asked Zack as he continued to watch the doors. Zack stayed silent as he continued to watch out the window while the elevator launched towards the top floors, making the city grow larger and larger.
"Well, most don't think so, everyone who lives here lives under those brightly lit plates of steel and it's dark down there, poisonous even. Not a single blade of grass beneath it." He explained as he moved his eyes to the side and noticed that Zack was watching his every moment now.
A soft ring alarmed him as the room began to slow and soon after stop. The digital numbers above their heads glowed a soft red showing the number fifty-six. The doors swiftly slid back into the wall to produce a large room that branched out into several nearby rooms. Vincent waited until Zack stepped out and then he unsheathed his gun once more, forcing Zack along his path.
Zack eyed the nearby rooms intensely praying that one of them would show at least a little of Aeris, even of her being pulled off but he could see nothing.
"Please! Let go!" He heard a woman scream and he instantly recognized the voice and stopped quickly turning towards his left, looking in hope he'd see her.
"Aeris!" He cried out but as smacked upside the head with the back of Vincent's gun which sent him to the floor dazed and weak.
"Let go!!! ZACK!" She screamed back as she pushed through the men and tried to get through the nearby door but was caught as she reached the frame. Her emerald eyes lit up as she spotted Zack on the floor, unable to move.
"Bastard!" She hollered at Vincent as she tried to take a few steps more forward but was caught by her arms by a young man in a long bleach white lab coat and was dragged back into the room as she kicked and screamed at him, with the doors closing swiftly soon afterwards by another man.
"Hmph.lousy ancient. she doesn't even know her own powers." Vincent told himself as he switched his gaze over to Zack's sprawled body and kicked it quickly.
"Get up and keep walking!" He commanded as he reached over and gripped the back of his shirt and tugged him to his feet followed by a quick shove from behind to get him going.
Slowly, Zack made his way towards the right side door and passed through it, and started down a narrow long hallway, lined with nothing but plain steel walls.
They finally reached the other end and he was forced around the corner and swiftly into the first room on his left. Zack stumbled a bit as he passed through the door and into a held up bed that was right in front of him. He carefully turned to face Vincent as he had just raised his hand to the side of the door and pushed in a small button causing the door to drop down from the frame and seal him in. As he watched, Vincent gave a small smirk to him, turned to his own left and then walked off back down the plain hallway, when sudden bolts and plates appeared around the sides of the door to seal it in permanently.
Zack collapsed solemnly onto the floor with his back against the propped up bed, his knees pulled up and spread so he could lay his arms on each one. He let out a heavy sigh as he began to try and think of a way to get out trying not to fall asleep. He must find Aeris; the day had gone so fast he had to get her now, especially if they were planning to do what Vincent had informed them earlier.
He looked around the room, gaining every detail he could, seeing the cold steel gray bolted walls with tightly pushed in screws. The solid bed was propped up only inches from the ground, with a soft white prison pillow and a peach plain mattress covered up slightly with a pale peach sheet for warmth.
Curiously, he turned his gaze towards the sealed door and slowly made his way up to it. Examining the bolts around it that held it down began to tap at them, to see if any were even the slightest bit loose.
One after another. they were all hard and pushed in tightly as he had discovered. angered he punched the last one to release his rage and it creaked softly as he turned away from it.
Believing it to be nothing, Zack began to push himself up but then the bolt dropped from the side of the door and began to swing gently back and forth from its loose bolt and then finally feel to the floor.
Quickly, he returned his gaze and knelt down in front of it and grabbed the small plate that was once held on the door. He carefully then lifted it under the next bolt and made it so it would slightly hook under it and stood to his feet, pulling it upwards as hard as he could.
The plate cut through the next one easily and he flipped backwards onto the floor from all the pressure he had put into what he had done. Smiling, he stood back up and went for the next plate, and then the next, and then the next, cutting through each easier each time until he came to the last one.
He looked at this one carefully knowing the door would cave in on him if he didn't take it slow. Smoothly, he lifted his weapon to break the bolts and slid it gently under the last one, and then lifted his other hand to the doorframe window, gripping it tightly as he slowly began to pull the plate through the last one. It screeched even louder then the other ones did and the door began to slide forwards underneath him. He tried hard to hold to the door, pulling it upwards as best he could so it wouldn't slip and fall on him or the floor that fast and he finally snatched through the last plate.
Dropping his cutting device quickly, he through his other hand under the door and pulled it slightly from the ground and dragged it inwards. Praying that there were no guards outside the door he slowly dropped it on the cold floor and then started off through the frame. Zack knew he didn't have a weapon that he couldn't defend himself if he had to but he didn't care; all he wanted was to get Aeris before they began to experiment on her or something.
Swiftly he made his way down the hallway. After checking to make sure that there weren't any guards he smoothly passed through the large brilliantly lit room and made his way towards the door that Aeris had once been standing in.
It had been reopened now strangely but he ignored the thoughts in his mind that tried to answer him why that it was opened as he passed through it.
The room was empty, not a soul in sight could be found, nor a single footstep could be heard. Cautiously, he slowly started walking towards a nearby black elevator that looked to solid like a normal one and rode only to the floor above him.
Where Aeris was.
Zack began to pick up his speed as he walked passed the heavy machines and finally reached the elevator, and pushed the small green glowing button that rested on its right side.
A low humming sound could be heard from above and short sound of the elevator screeching slightly as it made down filled the empty room. Zack eyed the area quickly to make sure that no one could here what he had and then turned back towards the shaft as the elevator finally reached his level.
He quickly jumped on without even a second's thought and slammed his fist into the other button that lead up. Clutching his fists together, and cracking his knuckles, he prepared to fight if he needed to. Scientists couldn't be that hard to fight he believed as it finally reached the floor above and drew back its thinly wired doors.
The machines in this room were much smaller then in the room below but a large bright blue cylinder tank stood out of all the gray steel machines. It glowed a gentle royal blue and something was in it.
Carefully, Zack slowly made his way over to its side and looked down into it. There, resting on the floor was a young woman, curled up in a ball and shuddering violently in the cold fumes that filled the area inside it. He gently knelt down beside her and tapped placed his hand to the glass, hoping she'd get up and see him.
"Aeris.?" He whispered and the woman stopped shaking, and turned her head calmly at him. Her eyes were weak and tired but they glowed with the same sparkle she had in her large emerald colored eyes.
She gave him a weak smile as she slowly pushed herself up and placed her hand to where he had his, her eyes begging him to figure out a way to release her. She mouthed the words 'Help me' to him and he looked around the small room for a way out.
A small sliding door stood out on the side of the tank and Zack slowly got to his feet and slowly walked over to it. Aeris got to her feet as well and followed him within the tank looking to see where he was going without being able to hear anything from within the tank because of the sound proof glass.
As he finally reached the door he gripped the sides and fiercely tried to pull it to the side but it wouldn't budge no matter what he tried. He then thought up something quickly and waved his hand in front of him to make her back up or at least move away from the door and she nodded and backed up a few steps.
Zack then jumped back a couple steps of his own and then charged as fast as he could towards the door, his shoulder down ready to smash through the glass as he neared it. He closed his eyes and prepared for the pain, as he slammed hard into the glass, smashing through it quickly and skidded into the ground.
A soft yelp escaped from Aeris's lips as he hit the floor and she hesitated before she bent down and placed her hands over his face, pushing the broken glass from his body. She quickly raised her hands up behind her head and pulled the large pink bow from her hair and then lowered it to Zack's forehead, wrapping it tightly against it to secure his wounds.
He opened his eyes gently and smiled up at her warmly as she finished her nice tight knot at the side of his head.
"Hey." He whispered as he looked up at her and she smiled back down at him in amusement at his attempt to make her laugh.
Carefully, he lowered his black leather gloved hands to his sides and pushed himself up, shaking his head to his right left and then right to rid it of the broken glass shards that were tangled in it.
Aeris raised herself from the ground as well after he finally got to his feet and humming of the nearby elevator drew their gaze to it. Zack quickly reached over and grabbed Aeris's hand and started out of the tank and looked around for an exit. He quickly noticed a small frame at the opposite end of the room and began towards it, pulling Aeris along side him.
"What are you going to do with the Ancient later?" A man softly asked who was supposedly on the elevator.
"I'm not sure, we must breed her though, but we're not sure if there's another ancient around to make her offspring pure because if it's not we'll loose all our research." The other man explained to him.
"Well then, we'll just have to get started right away on finding a suitable specimen, Hojo." The first one told him.
Zack stopped in his tracks at the sound of the name and turned back towards the wired doors until the top of the elevator came into view, then he turned the corner, dragging Aeris swiftly with him.
As he pulled her around it, he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his hand over her mouth to hush her as he moved his head to the side to listen to Hojo and the other man.
"What about your wife?" The one man asked to Hojo, curiosity high in his voice.
"Ha! My wife is one of my many experiments, she will give birth soon to my greatest creation. My son will become the most powerful creature on this planet and nothing will ever get in his way. I just have to make him fear me and only me and then he will do as I command." Hojo explained, laughing madly as he spoke to the curious young man that was with him.
Zack clenched his teeth in fury as he listened to Hojo decide his wife's fate. Aeris had been listening to and she looked to the floor in pity for Lucrecia. He turned his gaze towards her and lowered his hand from her lips and held her tightly as he started off again near the door across the new the room they were in hoping to get far enough towards the exit the building soon before Hojo and the other man realized she was missing.
The helicopter shook slightly as they continued to ride off through the day. Vincent glared at them both intensely with his handgun at his side, ready to pull it out if he needed to. His hands were folded, resting on his folded knees as he continued to stare without a single blink from his seemly dead eyes.
Aeris and Zack watched him as he stared not daring to move in case he took it as a threat. Zack could slightly see the shine of his large silver sword as he sat there, as still as he could, wanting to pull Aeris behind him so she could sneak and grab his sword but then again, he didn't know exactly how to pilot a helicopter so if he actually succeeded, they both would die anyway in a crash.
"We will be in Midgar soon." Vincent whispered to them as he kept his gazed locked on them.
Zack stayed silent as he watched him, but Aeris jointed back slightly in surprise wondering why they were returning to her hometown because that place was fill with every piece of scum there was on the entire planet.
He tightened his grip to get her to stay still as he felt her suddenly move and took in a deep breath, huffing it back out at Vincent as if in sarcasm.
"They are looking quite forward to meeting you two." Vincent began again as he finally moved to his side and leaned back against the propped up side of the nearby chair. He calmly lifted his hand to his navy blue suit's pocket and swiftly snapped it open as he reached in and pulled out a silky white cloth from it. He gently began to polish his deadly weapon, which he drew slowly from his side from its sheath and then began to speak again.
"We might be able to use her as a nice experiment." He told them with a slight snickering at the end of his sentence as he continued to polish his gun.
Zack clenched his teeth tightly in anger at his remark and eyed him furiously. "What kind of experiment?" Zack suddenly asked trying to contain his rage that was rising quickly through his veins.
"Oh you know, breeding ones, she is one of the last Cetra you know." Vincent explained and Aeris began to shake as her eyes lit up in disbelief at what he was saying.
"Hey, calm down buddy, who knows, you may be the person they breed her with, Zack, so don't worry about her." He said to them snickering at his own remark quickly afterwards.
Zack's fist shook fiercely as he tried at his hardest to control himself from jumping up and attacking Vincent head on which he knew he would be killed for his attempts.
Aeris felt as if she was going pale and cold from fright of what Vincent was informing her was going to happen once they arrived.
"One. one of the last?" She asked, stumbling over her words as she spoke confusingly.
"Well. We're not sure, you could be the last, Aeris, we don't know about the. others." He told her shrugging to her as he explained and a smile spread wide across his dark face as he finished up that sent a shiver down her spine and sent Zack's rage sky rocketing.
Furious, Zack lounged to Vincent, balling up his fist and through it towards Vincent's face.
Swiftly, Vincent swung his arm around to the side of him and slammed Zack in the stomach before he got close enough to connect to him and it knocked him back into the floor. He skidded back towards Aeris, and his head fell into her lap. Vincent glared angrily at them and he lifted his gun to face the end of the barrel towards them. In a panic, Aeris bent over quickly and completely covered his head, and partly his body with half of her own.
Vincent snickered at her bravery and placed his gun back at his side as he looked down at her.
"You stupid Cetra, I wasn't going to kill him, that was only a warning, but if he tries that again, he won't be so lucky." Vincent warned as Aeris slowly lifted her head to face him.
Zack raised his hands up and clasped them around Aeris's hands as he pulled himself back to his sitting position. Aeris took in a deep sigh as she looked down at him and as he pulled himself up, he lifted her and placed her on his own lap, cradling her in protection while eyeing the still demon across from them.
"You can't have her." He whispered to Vincent and he only smiled back chuckling under his breath.
"We already do."
"Sir! We're approaching head quarters! Should I let them know we're coming in?" The man in front of the wheel asked quickly.
"Yes sergeant, report to the new president that we have the two." He commanded and the pilot swiftly reached over and grabbed the nearby microphone and propped it up to his lips, gently pushing the dark gray button that rested on its side inwards to start it up.
"This is Shinra one, we have located and captured the ancient and her guardian, sir." He started, his voice firm and fairly loud.
"Good work, inform Vincent that he is to bring the ancient straight to the lab when you enter the building and the guardian is to be locked up in the back rooms a floor below the ancient, understood?" Another man spoke back, his voice deep and stumbling because of the static that intercepted them.
Slowly a large dark shadow began to cast itself over the windows, blocking out the afternoon sun that once poured through the thin glass.
A shiver ran down Aeris's spine as she sat there, clutching to Zack's thick sweater that was beginning to stick to his chest from the sweat that poured down his face. He's face was steaming red and she could feel the heat from his body rising in anger. "We're here." Vincent whispered, a slight smirk spreading across his face with his eyes glowing slightly, and sharply at them as he watched Aeris cower in fear from his look and buried her head into Zack's chest.
They all could feel the copper begin to lower itself on the roof of whatever it was they were on and the blades from the top began to slow down quickly above them. The man from the front moved quickly from his seat and made his way over to the side door and through it open. Vincent didn't seem to move and the man climbed out a waiting for someone else to go.
"Move it girl.." Vincent commanded as he flipped out his gun from his side sheath and pointed it at her and then to the door.
She hesitated for a moment looking up at Zack as he painfully let go of her and she slowly stood to her feet, every fiber in her body shaking uncontrollably in fear of Vincent and everyone else here that was looking to have her.
Zack began to get to his knees and Vincent shot a bullet passed his ear and shook his head down at him.
"No. You have to stay." He informed him and Aeris turned back frantically not wanting to leave without him. Zack snarled at him as he clenched his teeth together in anger and strapped his fingers against the floor.
"No! I'm not going!" Aeris screamed as the man grabbed her wrist and started to tug her towards a nearby open door. She pulled back against him trying to break his grip but she was too weak to do anything. Quickly without thinking she began to pound at his wrist, trying to hurt him so bad that he had to let go but smacked him upside the face.
Full of rage the man swung a punch at her and knocked her into the ground quickly to stop her and shut her up.
Small pellets of rain began to fall from the dark black sky around them and a small roar of thunder rolled in swiftly afterwards. Aeris laid still on the ground as the rain pelted off her face and body, running down her side and into the floor.
Carefully, the man knelt down beside her fragile body and scooped her up into his arms and started walking towards the door again, his face was concealed behind a large blue soldier hat that was pushed downwards so that the tip was facing the floor. Zack shook violently with rage as he watched him take off with her and Vincent chuckled at him slightly as he watched him.
"Alright. now lets go. out!" Vincent commanded as he got up and kicked Zack in the ribs for the fun of it and pushed him out the open doorway.
Filled with fury he held it in, hoping that he could release it on something else so he could help Aeris get out of where ever she was being held. He remembered the other man say that she would be held a room above him in a special lab, but which floor would he be on.
He looked up into the darken sky as it was suddenly lit by a quick bolt of lightning at the large building in front of him. A huge mark was stretched across it as he watched another flash of lightning light up the area so he could read it.
SHINRA INC. HEADQUATERS
Quietly he turned away from the sign and watched his feet as he continued to walk with Vincent's gun on his back, still with as much anger as he could possibly muster through his veins.
As he was shoved into the building he quickly pushed back his hair letting the water flick back from his spiked up black hair. He eyed the area around him and looked for any sign of Aeris but the man with her had vanished. As he stopped for a moment Vincent came up behind him and shoved him further on into the greatly lit room. The people around them working at their desks ignored him and Vincent as they both walked passed the others slowly towards an elevator.
Zack could only wish now that his sword was resting safely on his back to help himself get out of the area, to just slice everyone's fucking head right of their shoulders. To run and get Aeris and then out the front doors but instead it was laying back in the copper out the front a waiting to be taken from it.
As he was being forced into the nearby elevator he noticed it was see through. He looked on in amazement at the city below that was lit up brightly from the bar and factory lights in a circular pattern, separated into eight sections like a pie would be but it had pitch black high walls spitting this up instead.
Coolly Vincent made his way over to the control pad and gently touched the keys and then folded his arms in front of him looking straight ahead as it began to lift.
"Nice city isn't it?" Vincent asked Zack as he continued to watch the doors. Zack stayed silent as he continued to watch out the window while the elevator launched towards the top floors, making the city grow larger and larger.
"Well, most don't think so, everyone who lives here lives under those brightly lit plates of steel and it's dark down there, poisonous even. Not a single blade of grass beneath it." He explained as he moved his eyes to the side and noticed that Zack was watching his every moment now.
A soft ring alarmed him as the room began to slow and soon after stop. The digital numbers above their heads glowed a soft red showing the number fifty-six. The doors swiftly slid back into the wall to produce a large room that branched out into several nearby rooms. Vincent waited until Zack stepped out and then he unsheathed his gun once more, forcing Zack along his path.
Zack eyed the nearby rooms intensely praying that one of them would show at least a little of Aeris, even of her being pulled off but he could see nothing.
"Please! Let go!" He heard a woman scream and he instantly recognized the voice and stopped quickly turning towards his left, looking in hope he'd see her.
"Aeris!" He cried out but as smacked upside the head with the back of Vincent's gun which sent him to the floor dazed and weak.
"Let go!!! ZACK!" She screamed back as she pushed through the men and tried to get through the nearby door but was caught as she reached the frame. Her emerald eyes lit up as she spotted Zack on the floor, unable to move.
"Bastard!" She hollered at Vincent as she tried to take a few steps more forward but was caught by her arms by a young man in a long bleach white lab coat and was dragged back into the room as she kicked and screamed at him, with the doors closing swiftly soon afterwards by another man.
"Hmph.lousy ancient. she doesn't even know her own powers." Vincent told himself as he switched his gaze over to Zack's sprawled body and kicked it quickly.
"Get up and keep walking!" He commanded as he reached over and gripped the back of his shirt and tugged him to his feet followed by a quick shove from behind to get him going.
Slowly, Zack made his way towards the right side door and passed through it, and started down a narrow long hallway, lined with nothing but plain steel walls.
They finally reached the other end and he was forced around the corner and swiftly into the first room on his left. Zack stumbled a bit as he passed through the door and into a held up bed that was right in front of him. He carefully turned to face Vincent as he had just raised his hand to the side of the door and pushed in a small button causing the door to drop down from the frame and seal him in. As he watched, Vincent gave a small smirk to him, turned to his own left and then walked off back down the plain hallway, when sudden bolts and plates appeared around the sides of the door to seal it in permanently.
Zack collapsed solemnly onto the floor with his back against the propped up bed, his knees pulled up and spread so he could lay his arms on each one. He let out a heavy sigh as he began to try and think of a way to get out trying not to fall asleep. He must find Aeris; the day had gone so fast he had to get her now, especially if they were planning to do what Vincent had informed them earlier.
He looked around the room, gaining every detail he could, seeing the cold steel gray bolted walls with tightly pushed in screws. The solid bed was propped up only inches from the ground, with a soft white prison pillow and a peach plain mattress covered up slightly with a pale peach sheet for warmth.
Curiously, he turned his gaze towards the sealed door and slowly made his way up to it. Examining the bolts around it that held it down began to tap at them, to see if any were even the slightest bit loose.
One after another. they were all hard and pushed in tightly as he had discovered. angered he punched the last one to release his rage and it creaked softly as he turned away from it.
Believing it to be nothing, Zack began to push himself up but then the bolt dropped from the side of the door and began to swing gently back and forth from its loose bolt and then finally feel to the floor.
Quickly, he returned his gaze and knelt down in front of it and grabbed the small plate that was once held on the door. He carefully then lifted it under the next bolt and made it so it would slightly hook under it and stood to his feet, pulling it upwards as hard as he could.
The plate cut through the next one easily and he flipped backwards onto the floor from all the pressure he had put into what he had done. Smiling, he stood back up and went for the next plate, and then the next, and then the next, cutting through each easier each time until he came to the last one.
He looked at this one carefully knowing the door would cave in on him if he didn't take it slow. Smoothly, he lifted his weapon to break the bolts and slid it gently under the last one, and then lifted his other hand to the doorframe window, gripping it tightly as he slowly began to pull the plate through the last one. It screeched even louder then the other ones did and the door began to slide forwards underneath him. He tried hard to hold to the door, pulling it upwards as best he could so it wouldn't slip and fall on him or the floor that fast and he finally snatched through the last plate.
Dropping his cutting device quickly, he through his other hand under the door and pulled it slightly from the ground and dragged it inwards. Praying that there were no guards outside the door he slowly dropped it on the cold floor and then started off through the frame. Zack knew he didn't have a weapon that he couldn't defend himself if he had to but he didn't care; all he wanted was to get Aeris before they began to experiment on her or something.
Swiftly he made his way down the hallway. After checking to make sure that there weren't any guards he smoothly passed through the large brilliantly lit room and made his way towards the door that Aeris had once been standing in.
It had been reopened now strangely but he ignored the thoughts in his mind that tried to answer him why that it was opened as he passed through it.
The room was empty, not a soul in sight could be found, nor a single footstep could be heard. Cautiously, he slowly started walking towards a nearby black elevator that looked to solid like a normal one and rode only to the floor above him.
Where Aeris was.
Zack began to pick up his speed as he walked passed the heavy machines and finally reached the elevator, and pushed the small green glowing button that rested on its right side.
A low humming sound could be heard from above and short sound of the elevator screeching slightly as it made down filled the empty room. Zack eyed the area quickly to make sure that no one could here what he had and then turned back towards the shaft as the elevator finally reached his level.
He quickly jumped on without even a second's thought and slammed his fist into the other button that lead up. Clutching his fists together, and cracking his knuckles, he prepared to fight if he needed to. Scientists couldn't be that hard to fight he believed as it finally reached the floor above and drew back its thinly wired doors.
The machines in this room were much smaller then in the room below but a large bright blue cylinder tank stood out of all the gray steel machines. It glowed a gentle royal blue and something was in it.
Carefully, Zack slowly made his way over to its side and looked down into it. There, resting on the floor was a young woman, curled up in a ball and shuddering violently in the cold fumes that filled the area inside it. He gently knelt down beside her and tapped placed his hand to the glass, hoping she'd get up and see him.
"Aeris.?" He whispered and the woman stopped shaking, and turned her head calmly at him. Her eyes were weak and tired but they glowed with the same sparkle she had in her large emerald colored eyes.
She gave him a weak smile as she slowly pushed herself up and placed her hand to where he had his, her eyes begging him to figure out a way to release her. She mouthed the words 'Help me' to him and he looked around the small room for a way out.
A small sliding door stood out on the side of the tank and Zack slowly got to his feet and slowly walked over to it. Aeris got to her feet as well and followed him within the tank looking to see where he was going without being able to hear anything from within the tank because of the sound proof glass.
As he finally reached the door he gripped the sides and fiercely tried to pull it to the side but it wouldn't budge no matter what he tried. He then thought up something quickly and waved his hand in front of him to make her back up or at least move away from the door and she nodded and backed up a few steps.
Zack then jumped back a couple steps of his own and then charged as fast as he could towards the door, his shoulder down ready to smash through the glass as he neared it. He closed his eyes and prepared for the pain, as he slammed hard into the glass, smashing through it quickly and skidded into the ground.
A soft yelp escaped from Aeris's lips as he hit the floor and she hesitated before she bent down and placed her hands over his face, pushing the broken glass from his body. She quickly raised her hands up behind her head and pulled the large pink bow from her hair and then lowered it to Zack's forehead, wrapping it tightly against it to secure his wounds.
He opened his eyes gently and smiled up at her warmly as she finished her nice tight knot at the side of his head.
"Hey." He whispered as he looked up at her and she smiled back down at him in amusement at his attempt to make her laugh.
Carefully, he lowered his black leather gloved hands to his sides and pushed himself up, shaking his head to his right left and then right to rid it of the broken glass shards that were tangled in it.
Aeris raised herself from the ground as well after he finally got to his feet and humming of the nearby elevator drew their gaze to it. Zack quickly reached over and grabbed Aeris's hand and started out of the tank and looked around for an exit. He quickly noticed a small frame at the opposite end of the room and began towards it, pulling Aeris along side him.
"What are you going to do with the Ancient later?" A man softly asked who was supposedly on the elevator.
"I'm not sure, we must breed her though, but we're not sure if there's another ancient around to make her offspring pure because if it's not we'll loose all our research." The other man explained to him.
"Well then, we'll just have to get started right away on finding a suitable specimen, Hojo." The first one told him.
Zack stopped in his tracks at the sound of the name and turned back towards the wired doors until the top of the elevator came into view, then he turned the corner, dragging Aeris swiftly with him.
As he pulled her around it, he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his hand over her mouth to hush her as he moved his head to the side to listen to Hojo and the other man.
"What about your wife?" The one man asked to Hojo, curiosity high in his voice.
"Ha! My wife is one of my many experiments, she will give birth soon to my greatest creation. My son will become the most powerful creature on this planet and nothing will ever get in his way. I just have to make him fear me and only me and then he will do as I command." Hojo explained, laughing madly as he spoke to the curious young man that was with him.
Zack clenched his teeth in fury as he listened to Hojo decide his wife's fate. Aeris had been listening to and she looked to the floor in pity for Lucrecia. He turned his gaze towards her and lowered his hand from her lips and held her tightly as he started off again near the door across the new the room they were in hoping to get far enough towards the exit the building soon before Hojo and the other man realized she was missing.