White Desire

Chapter 20

"Heidigger!" Scarlet sounded especially angry when she screamed over the PA system. Her blonde eyebrows were knit together with irritation. How could this have happened! She was looking over a sheet of paper and everything seemed in order except one little thing. There was a typo. She was not fond of mistakes, no matter how small they were. If there was room to make a small mistake, there was room to make an even bigger one. A bigger mistake could lead to the downfall of the company and then her life of luxury would be over. She could only hope that she could pin this mistake on someone else, because she was most certain it was not her fault.

The rather heavy-set man strolled into her office and gave a loud sigh. He hadn't been in the middle of anything important, but he didn't exactly want her to know that. He wasn't getting paid to sleep on the job. Oh, wait. Yes, yes, he was. What Rufus didn't know wasn't going to hurt him. "Yes, Scarlet? I hope you've got a good reason for calling me here and wasting my time." When she lifted up the sheet she had been looking at, he took it from her and glanced over it, an eyebrow arching out of interest. "Oh, isn't that interesting? I didn't know we were so fond of things like this. This wasn't on last year's announcement, was it?" When she shook her head, he handed back the sheet to her.

It sounded as though Heidigger wasn't the one responsible for the typo. Then again, that would make sense because he didn't work much anyway. He was usually in the lounge on the sixty-fourth floor eating his way to the top of the ladder. Perhaps his plan had been to roll over the others and crush their bones. At this rate, if he even tripped and fell onto Rufus, the company would be in great need of a new presidence and rather quickly. She sat down on the surface of her desk and enfolded her arms over her chest. "If you didn't do this and I didn't, then who did? We need to find the person responsible and make them pay the consequences. You know the rule. Any mistake made on the announcements for the company or advertisements are paid for with the termination of employment." That was a rule that she had instated. They used it once and left it that way. It was one of the few times Rufus liked one of her ideas, not that he'd ever mention it anyway.

The bearded man pointed to the painted portrait of the Shin-Ra family on one of the walls of Scarlet's answer. There was one of those paintings in at least every office for all four departments of the company, and then there was one in each of Rufus's offices. Because there had been no one added, the paintings were of his mother, his father, and himself, the same picture that had been used since Rufus was twenty-one before his father passed away. Before that time, they'd used the picture from when he was about fifteen or sixteen. Most of the others in the business wondered when and if Rufus would ever add another person or something of the sort. The bet was on a negative answer. It didn't seem that was likely at all.

Scarlet's gaze switched between the painting and Heidigger and she shot him a clueless glance. For as smart as everyone thought she was, just one conversation would prove otherwise. It wasn't like she was dumb, though. Scarlet had a good way of making plans, but that was about it. The beauty was all on the outside. The inside was something else, completely. When she saw Heidigger's expression, she knew she was missing something and she followed his gestures between the painting and her desk. Yes. In Rufus's office there was a desk. She'd only been there a couple of times, but took the time to remember everything that was located in the room. And instead of Rufus sitting at his desk, it was--"It's that damned harlot! That female! Miss Lockhart!" If she could, she wanted to pin every and any little thing on the brunette. After all, she was the reason that Scarlet was so unhappy.

There was an agreeing nod from her companion and she marched over to the speakers again, flipping the switch on. "President Rufus Shin-Ra, please come to my office immediately! There is an urgent discussion taking place!" Once she had turned it off, her posture faced Heidigger and there seemed a very smug smile taking place upon her lips. Things were about to be very sweet for her. Lockhart would be no more, and Rufus would be hers. Finally, she could pull that strawberry-blonde into her office closet and shag him hard. Then, she'd be the vice president of the company and do away with him. And once that happened, the company, no--everyone in the world would have to bow to her. The only thing that could make it sweeter, was for Rufus to still be alive at the time. She wanted to look into his eyes and know that he would do absolutely anything for her, even if meant licking the dirt off of her beautiful ruddy-coloured heels.

Like he could be any more irritated. He loathed being disturbed when he was busy at work. And for the last couple of days, he'd been doing all the work since he let Tifa go on a vacation. He was really beginning to miss her though. If she'd been there, he could have used her as an excuse not to go to Scarlet's office. It didn't look like he was going to be lucky any time soon. He could not wait for Tifa to return. Reluctantly, he left his important life at his desk and excused himself to his...rival's sanctuary, a place he most often tried to avoid.

The moment he stepped into her office, he was nearly bombarded with questions, all of which he chose to ignore. Only when he had sat down and looked as aggravated as he possibly could, did he manage to look between the two. What could they possibly be thinking now? No matter. They cannot stop me. No one can. He was more than certain of that. Not a single person knew what his plans were and he intended to keep it that way. When his scheme was successfully executed, Scarlet and Heidigger would be no more. The sooner that happened, the better. "There had better be a good reason I was called here."

Scarlet was quiet for a few moments. He did not looked pleased, but she knew she had to say something. The worst that could happen would be him suspending her from work without pay. Of course he wouldn't do something so drastic; not if he knew what was good for him. He couldn't fire her because she was technically under his father's contract, although the old man was probably in his very own Promised Land. That same smirk from before came over her lips and she handed the announcement sheet over to him. "Second paragraph, eighth line, twenty-fifth column." She'd studied it long enough to know that information. And once he saw it, she was hoping his face would be filled with as much anger as he'd had when he walked in.

Rather than what she expected, however, an eyebrow arched and then he handed the paper back to her. "A spelling error, I see. Is that your way of spending Shin-Ra's hard-earned money? Your erroneous ways have not yet escaped my eye, Scarlet." That, in his opinion, was not worth his time, and although he was quite peeved with her for wasting his time in such a manner, he was capable of hiding it. "What is this really about?" He turned his attention back to her, feeling it probably wasn't appropriate to ignore her completely.

He wasn't taking her seriously? He thought she was just being...playful? She couldn't conceal the expression coming over her and she approached him. "This is about this!" She lifted the sheet up again and waved it back and forth frantically, as though trying to catch his eye. "You know the rule!" She didn't want to have to remind him. That definitely wasn't her job. The look he gave her was one of indifference, which frustrated her further. A hand reached out and gestured at him with the forefinger. "You have to terminate Miss Lockhart's employment immediately!" She hadn't even asked if it was the brunette's doing. It was easier to just blame her and then see the chaos break out.

Is she joking? No matter how amused she was by the situation, Rufus merely looked at her. On the inside, he was filled to capacity with disbelief. His head turned, the blonde bangs falling into his eyes before a hand rose to slide them back from his view. He looked over Heidigger who nodded in agreement with Scarlet. So it seemed that Tifa had been right at the fund raiser. The only minor difference was that she should have been worried about her well being, and not his. It seemed that the two were more against her than they were for him. That was fortunate for him. Now he had the time to uncover the plans and put them to a grinding halt. Finally he shook his head at Scarlet and rose to his feet. "Miss Lockhart was not responsible for this error. She is on vacation currently and will not be back until she is called for. Hence, it is impossible that she was able to do so, for these were printed late last night."

Damn it. The young woman had an alibi. She'd pulled back when he stood and took her place behind her desk again. She'd have to find the person responsible for the error and fire them on her own time. "I see." Her voice lowered as the president began to excuse himself. She wasn't going to stop him. To do that would be risking her next paycheck. "...What a shame." She was dying to smile at that comment. She would eventually do something to be rid of that other female. She was certain of it. She only had to wait for the opportune moment.

Rufus stiffened in the doorway and his eyes narrowed at the comment. This woman. This treacherous snake of a woman would never learn. He'd refused all of her advances in the past and would continue to do so. He did not need a woman nagging him to work, or to spend time with her. He had no desire to ever be wrapped up in a relationship like that. He was not his father, however, and would not treat the woman who would be his future wife in that same way. If he really needed to have a future with a female, he wanted one who was like his mother. Not spending much of any time with women, he had only his life-giver and Scarlet to use as references...and to him, those two were on opposite sides of the spectrum. When he turned his gaze back onto her face, he made no intentions of moving any where towards her. "Do not think that I am not heeding your actions with Heidigger. That night at the fund raiser will not go as forgotten." Perhaps he feared for Tifa's life. He knew that if he was not careful, he would be putting the young lady's life in danger. Any other time he would not have cared at all, but for some reason, one that he could not place, there was a type of concern he held for his secretary. And without any more thought on the situation, he dismissed himself, hoping that he would not have to grace this room with his presence again any time soon.

"Well, that went rather well! What do you think?" Heidigger was his normal cheerful self. No matter what happened, nothing ever seemed to get him down. Perhaps it was because he had a lot to look forward to in his future. Or perhaps it was because he continuously had fantasies about the lovely ladies that worked around him. First there was Scarlet. She might have not been so smart, but she was certainly a looker and it was her vindictive spirit that he found attractive. Besides, he'd heard that blondes were fun in bed, and he really did need that fun. On the other hand, Miss Lockhart dressed quite conservatively. She seemed the more 'naughty librarian' type and no man in his right type of mind would be able to turn that down. He'd be her student any time, and he'd be more than pleased to spend 'detention' with her.

Scarlet scowled at his optimism and shook her head. "He's onto us!" she hissed angrily. Of course, she should have expected that. Rufus was no idiot. He was incredibly smart and observant. He didn't even have to talk with someone to get an inside knowledge on them. If he really wanted to, he could hire any member of the Turks to spy on someone for him. When it came to her though, she was aware that those five young men wouldn't come near her. She'd done well to scar them for life and more than likely, they would never approach her again. Taking a seat, she looked over the announcement again and remained quiet, trying to think of what more she could possibly do. They needed a new plan, and she knew there was one beginning to formulate in her mind. She wished it would hurry. "What do we do now?"

While waiting for a response, she read through the announcement once more and then a small smile came over her face. "Wait, wait. I have an idea, Heidigger." She looked towards him, raising a hand to rest her chin within the palm. With her other hand, the fingertips brushed over the white laminated sheet in a tender, caressing manner. "The masquerade ball is coming up very soon. While Miss Lockhart is on vacation, there will be no contact between her and the president. I shall demand Rufus to attend with me, or else I will...happily use the Turks to my disposal, since they are beneath my order." She seemed rather happy by this new idea and then gestured to her companion. "And then you may have the...honour of escorting Miss Lockhart. We'll meet together and take care of that young woman ourselves...or with my loyal minions' help." All she would need to do would be to speak to the leader of the Turks about this. Of course, he would have no qualms...if he knew what was good for him.

Her heavy companion gave a rather ecstatic nod. He was more than pleased with her plan. Of course, how could he object? She'd mentioned the magic name and now he was bound to fall in line behind her. No matter what she was doing or to whom, Heidigger was insistent upon helpng her and that's how things would always be. It seemed there was some type of unspoken loyalty between the two (typically Heidigger's for Scarlet). "Whoo! I'm going to be scoring at the masquerade ball! Gya, ha, ha, ha!" Now, if only time would speed up to that paricular event. He wasn't very good at waiting or being patient, but it seemed in this case that he didn't have a choice. Instead, he would choose to celebrate with Scarlet, who rolled her eyes at his comment, inwardly wishing that she could just get rid of him too.

The next plan of action was to call on the Turks. Surely they could solve any problem that was confronted by the company.