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Hojo tapped his pencil impatiently as he waited on hold. He snarled as he checked his watch. 'Who do they think they are thinking they can put me on hold like this. I have a great deal to get down. Imbeciles! They are nothing but bumbling lab monkeys.' He thumbed mindlessly through the small calendar planner and paused on one day that was circled with a red pen.
The wait music suddenly cut off followed by a distant male voice.
"Sorry to keep you waiting sir, how can I help you?"
The pencil paused in mid-motion. "You can start by doing your job. Common courtesy."
There was a brief pause before the voice continued. "What is the equipment and supplies you request, Dr. Hojo?"
Hojo twirled the pencil. "I need A.I. bovine equipment."
There was a typing sound. "Level one, two or three?"
"Three, you dolt. They don't have any other ones other then actually using the real bull." Hojo sighed. "I need it ASAP."
There was more typing. "Sir, what is the reason for breeding equipment? I thought you were studying a Cetran."
Hojo pursed his lips all the while the pencil circled around between his nimble, long fingers. "That is confidential. Get it here."
There was another pause. "The equipment will arrive a week from today."
Hojo nearly broke the pencil in two. "This experiment is time sensitive! I must have that equipment within two days. And I will do what is needed to get here with the utmost speed."
The voice wavered. "Of course, sir. The order has been set and will be sent out tomorrow."
Hojo snarled. "Today."
There was more typing. "It will be shipped today." His grip on the pencil relaxed.
"Excellent. That is what I want to hear."
"Is there anything else I can do for you sir?"
Hojo could hear the man's voice tremble, but not enough to affect the overall conversation if one would consider any discussion with Hojo a conversation.
"And whatever we normally order for supplies. One can never be too cautious."
There was more typing in the background. "Anything else, sir?"
Hojo placed the pencil down. Suddenly he felt he needed to end his call. "That will be all." Hojo hung up and dialed another number. Once the other end answered, he hung up as he looked up at the partially opened door.
"I know you are there Mr.Velincia." Hojo slapped the calendar shut.
"It's Valentine, sir."
Hojo stood up and approached the open door where the Turk stood. Hojo peered at the blue suited man with scrutiny.
"Do you think I really care?" He pushed past Vincent and made his way toward the lab. Curious what Hojo was up to, he entered the small office and looked at the phone. Picking up the receiver, he hit the redial.
"Papa's Pizza Palace, how can we dish it to you?"
Vincent frowned. 'Hojo was calling a pizza place? There is not a place like that out here.' He knew that could not be right.
"Sorry, wrong number." Vincent hung up confused. The only thing he could figure is that Hojo was covering up the initial call and redial only works with the last immediate call made.
As promised by the lab tech back at the Shinra research lab, the equipment arrived via copter along with other more mundane household supplies. Taking care to carry the large black suitcase like box, Hojo quickly made his way back to the laboratory. The past two nights, DNA models and formulas whirled around within the darkest depths of his mind. He would have preferred a less intrusive approach in producing his specimen, but during his genetic research he found he had a probability of trouble with Jenova's DNA.
Taking in account how old Jenova's DNA, it's age made the structure fragile and unstable. If one tried to replicate the genes without consideration to the deteriorated state two things would take place: one would that the structure would eventually collapse on itself or that the specimen would grow into a mishap of shallow genetics. Variation was key to having a strong, solid genetics. By adding variation, or fresh blood, as some would crudely say, would help stabilize the ancient DNA. With both the introduction of Hojo's genetics as well as that of Lucrecia's would give that very diversity that would strength Jenova's code and make it possible to clone.
Hojo looked around before he entered his room and closed the door. He opened the case and examined the equipment with a certain sense of pleasure. His promotion, fame and fortune were just with a few months reach. He just hoped that it would only take one try. Normally such a procedure required multiple treatments, but Hojo knew he could not afford that concerning the unwillingness of the carrier. He had to get this right the first time since there would be no next time. Closing and locking the case, he slipped it underneath the bed and removed another case, much smaller in size. Inside was arrangements of bottles were filled with either liquids, powders and pills. Selecting one bottle, he slipped it into his lab coat. That would make sure there was no complaint from the carrier.
Finding everything silent in the mansion, Hojo crept down the stairs. He had made sure the Turk was well asleep. He could not afford interference at this stage of the project. Reaching the entrance doors, Hojo unlocked them and found the two Shinra soldiers waiting patiently outside.
"You're late." Hojo whispered harshly. The soldiers only nodded in response. "Just don't stand there, get in here." Once inside, Hojo closed the door and locked it. They stood waiting for their next set of orders. Pushing back his sleeve as he glanced at his wristwatch. "It's three now. We do not have much time. It's up the stairs and the second door on your right. Make sure she does not wake up. If that happens, I will have to remedy the situation. And I assure you, neither of you will care to see that." Hojo warned.
The soldiers saluted and in uniform movement, they crept up the stairs and disappeared past the second landing. Hojo rubbed his hands in anticipation. It was to begin.
Lucrecia woke up with a start finding her abdomen twisting itself into a familiar cramp. Sitting up in her bed, she found it was still dark outside with rain falling at a heavier rain then had been she had retired. Rubbing at her face, she turned on her bedside lamp and looked at the clock. Sighing, she got out of bed and fumbled through her desk drawer for a bottle of aspirin.
Once dressed, Lucrecia went down to the lab to find Hojo was already hard at work processing some of the samples that had been pulled recently. Filling her mug, she walked past him and into the stacks. Hojo allowed himself a brief smile as he looked through the microscope. With a foot, he made sure the case that held the probes and the catheter was well under his desk and out of sight.
"Good morning, Doctor."
Lucrecia looked up and found Vincent standing the entrance, his arms folded casually. Sighing, she rubbed at her eyes and then looked at her empty mug.
"I don't know if it is the weather, darkness or both, I just can't seem to wake up." 'Never mind I had the weirdest dream about being abducted by aliens. That is the last time I mix alcohol with coffee.' Lucrecia offered a friendly smile. "But of course you are not here to listen about that, are you Mr. Valentine?"
Vincent looked away briefly. "I am going to accompany Hojo up to the reactor today. I think it would in the best interest of the project that I do a simple inspection. This of course is dependant on your approval, Doctor."
Lucrecia sat back in the chair. "I am sure Hojo is not aware of your intent, is he?"
Vincent offered only a brief flicker of mischief. "Not yet."
Lucrecia shook her head. "Good. I would come myself, but as you see, I kinda have a stack of work that seems only to grow bigger." Her eyes glanced over the stacks of files and books.
Vincent turned his back. "Indeed. If there is not anything else, I will excuse myself and prepare." The Turk paused at the entrance between the towering bookshelves before entering the lab former.
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Rolling the needle between his fingers, he looked down at the two soldiers who lay strapped to the tables in the back storage room of the reactor. Still under the heavy hold of the anesthetics, Hojo prepared the first Jenova injections. Writing down the amount of cell solution in cc's, Hojo approached the first on and slid the hypodermic needle into the large vein on the inside of the elbow. Hojo smirked as he emptied the needle. Tapping another needle, he repeated his ritual and injected the second solider with the same amount of cell solution. His experiment suddenly halted upon hearing unusual noses coming from the canine cages. Cursing, Hojo set his work down and picked up his flashlight and left the hidden backroom.
'I know the Turk left hours ago. I made sure of it. I thought it was a nice touch when Lucrecia decided to join us only to have a violent reaction to the Mako. Poor girl.'
Hojo shined the narrow beam of light on the row of cages where the dogs were kept. Everything seemed in order until he found two of the cages were twisted and destroyed. Rubbing at his chin in thought, he approached upon closer inspection. The bars and wire had been literarily chewed away leaving blood and fur behind as the only indication of how two of his specimens gained their freedom.
A shiver took over his body. Hearing something drop to the ground and echoing, Hojo spun around in time to flash the light into the dog's glowing eyes. The animal charged the scientist and threw Hojo the ground. His flashlight flew from his grip and clattered to the ground until the light rested on a far concrete wall.
Kicking at the dog, Hojo struggled to get away from the specimen. The mutated canine whimpered at the pain granting Hojo a moment window to get up off the floor and run. The dog's eyes flared as he growled at the scientist. Hojo cursed and ran toward the table where he had placed the soldier's hand pistols.
The dog snapped his teeth into the tail of coat and pulled the man down to the ground. Hojo rolled over in time to see the dark maul of the canine. Instinctively, he held up his arm in defense. The dog took and sunk his teeth. Hojo clenched his jaw and with his free hand and reached for a piece of pipe lying within reach. Grabbing it, he cracked it over the animal's head. The jaw's gripe on his arm loosened as it staggered back.
Grabbing one of the guns with his uninjured hand, he shot the animal repeatedly until it stopped moving.
Panting, he saw had already lost a great deal of blood. Using his lab coat, he wrapped it around his wound until he could reach the first aid kit.
Taking a brief break at a rock, Lucrecia placed her head into her hands and closed her eyes. 'What happened back there?' It hit so suddenly, she was not sure if there was something about the Mako, bad food or a little of both.
"Are you sure you are well? Do think you need to see the doctor?" Vincent inquired earnestly. Lucrecia looked up and offered a forced a smile.
"I am will be fine. I have not been feeling quite right all day and it may be that I trying to fight off some sort of sickness." Standing up, she quickly tested her knees and legs and found they had regained some of their initial strength.
Vincent was only partially convinced by her words, but he could he argue otherwise. Checking his gun, they continued their trek back to town from the reactor. It was a strange trip resulting only in Hojo being greatly irritated by their presence. Vincent failed to find anything weird. It was neither too clean nor too suspicious. It was, as it should seem. The Turk tried his hardest to find even the slightest thing out of place, but found nothing. Despite the appearance, Vincent could not shake the feeling that something was not quite right.