Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted materials contained herein. They are the rightful property of their respective creators and/or associated companies. I make no money from this whatsoever and I have no intention of changing this at any point in the future. I write because it's fun and because there are those who enjoy reading my stories. Therefore I would appreciate it if no legal action was taken against me. I can promise you that whatever you managed to get from me wouldn't cover even a fifth of your legal fees.
Wutai Royal Palace
Prince Godo's POV
"Report Commander Gorki," Emperor Kisaragi commanded from his throne with his usual imperial tone.
"We have completed a search of the rubble but did not find any signs that someone was still inside when it burned to the ground," Commander Gorki replied after bowing with great respect. "No bodies, charred or otherwise. I have Staniv conducting a search of the capitol for the culprits responsible."
"You are certain that the fire was not the result of an accident? Perhaps a moment of carelessness on the part of Mister Howlett set the place ablaze," Chi-ryu proposed condescendingly from his position to the right of the platform on which the throne sat.
"With all due respect, Advisor Chi-ryu, I find your estimation of Mister Howlett to be… inaccurate," he said from his smaller throne to the left of his father. "The owner has been in business for over a year without incident. The likelihood that he would get 'careless' after all that time is unlikely."
"No one is immune to carelessness, young prince, regardless of how much time has passed," Chi-ryu sagely said, as though speaking to a naïve student.
"Too true," he said with implied meaning. "The consequences of carelessness can be quite severe and the odds of escaping them more than once low indeed. Let us hope that if Mister Howlett is still alive that he proves himself wiser in the future."
A slight widening of the eyes confirmed that the advisor was smart enough to understand that he hadn't forgotten the man's actions from so long ago. Ever since that day, he'd done his best to monitor his advisor's actions in order to ensure that no further abuses of power occurred, but there'd been times when other obligations had forced him to take his eyes off the pompous windbag. In fact there had been one dinner with his father and a prominent noble recently where he'd been unable to discern what Chi-ryu had been up to. He still had his allies in the palace sniffing about to learn more but he truly didn't think that the man was so stupid that he'd try something as bold as this. The man was never one to get his own hands dirty if it could be avoided and tended to favor tactics that offered him the safety of plausible deniability. Burning down the home of a man who'd embarrassed him and potentially kidnapping him or killing him was not Chi-ryu's style.
Still, it was not wise to let the man bask in his bit of 'good fortune' any more than absolutely necessary.
"With all due respect to Advisor Chi-ryu, your highness, I do not believe that the fire was started due to a kitchen mishap," Commander Gorki stated with his usual discipline. "Based on the remnants, I believe it started well away from the stove and rather close to the window. Unless Mister Howlett intentionally set fire to his business, I am afraid we must consider the possibility of foul play."
"Then we must determine who had the motive, means and opportunity to do such a thing," he said, turning to his father to show his resolve on the matter. "If they have captured Mister Howlett then he must be rescued and if they killed him someplace else then they must be brought to justice for murder."
"While I admire the young prince's passion on the matter, your highness, I believe it would be unwise to overly commit resources to such a venture," Chi-ryu said while bowing respectfully to Emperor Kisaragi. "Given the stories about Mister Howlett's prowess in battle, if these unknown people succeeded in capturing him then they must be even more formidable than he is. Our own forces would suffer significant losses both in trying to rescue the young man and in trying to bring his killer to justice. Should we really sacrifice so much just for one man?"
"If these unknowns are as dangerous as you fear, Advisor Chi-ryu, then it would be foolish to remain ignorant of who they are and what they are capable of," he said, trying to argue in favor of action rather than inaction. "If they one day decided to target someone more… important to Wutai, it would be best if we were prepared for them."
"There are other ways to gain valuable information on potential threats rather than direct confrontation," Chi-ryu said with a narrowing of his eyes. "However since I sense that you are unwilling to let this go, I offer a compromise: allow me to dispatch a team from the Royal Investigations Bureau. They can search more discreetly than our soldiers can and have their own personal network of informants that hear a great many things. If they are successful we may learn much and if they are killed we will have only lost four men instead of forty."
"And if they're slain we will be no closer to finding out who the enemy is and Mister Howlett, if they have him, will that much harder to rescue," he pointed out, not satisfied with a mere four men.
"Send your four men, Advisor Chi-ryu," Emperor Kisaragi said before anyone could say anything more. "However make sure that they are SKILLED men. While Mister Howlett might not have been born in Wutai, he rescued my son from assassins and aided in the exposure of a traitor. I may be unwilling to commit more than four men to finding him but I will NOT taint my honor by abandoning him entirely or by sending incompetents to search for him."
"I would NEVER allow such a thing to happen, your highness," Chi-ryu declared, sounding almost sincere. "I assure you the agents dispatched will be imminently qualified. It would take people of incredible skill or impressive number to detect them, much less kill them."
"Then make it so and have them report to me DIRECTLY when they return," Emperor Kisaragi ordered before taking on a countenance that chilled everyone who saw it. "I will be most… displeased… if they are late in making their report for WHATEVER reason."
"I shall leave orders with the palace gates to have them escorted to you immediately upon their return," Chi-ryu said, for once sounding like 'creatively' interpreting his orders was not something he'd attempt.
With those words the advisor bowed with respect before striding quickly towards the door to the throne room, obviously intent on carrying out his orders immediately.
"Do not think me ignorant of the visits you made to Mister Howlett's bar, my son," Emperor Kisaragi said without turning his head. "I was content to permit this so long as you exercised a degree of discretion with your appearance and your identity. However, to deploy soldiers and spies on the scale you would no doubt prefer would make many wonder why the imperial royal family would expend such an effort to help a mere bar owner. It would draw attention, to him and to us, that no one would wish to have focused upon themselves."
These words tempered him somewhat. While he didn't like the entanglements that came with being a member of the royal family, that didn't mean he didn't understand the need for them. When you were a member of the imperial royal family, certain responsibilities came with the blood and, as much as they chaffed, he would not bring shame to his father by disregarding them. As much as he considered Xander a friend, he reluctantly conceded that sending out the troops to find and rescue him would only send the ones responsible to ground. In their position he would have ordered at least one ally to remain in the capitol city in order to monitor or impede pursuit. It would be easier for four men to slip away than forty and, assuming that Chi-ryu didn't lie when he said he'd be putting skilled men on the job, it would increase the odds of Xander being found.
"I understand, father," he said respectfully, nodding his head in the man's direction. "I just hope that Mister Howlett doesn't wind up paying the price for our… caution."
"So do I, my son," Emperor Kisaragi said in an unusually sympathetic tone of voice. "So do I."
Royal Investigation Bureau Offices
Advisor Chi-Ryu's POV
"Do you understand your orders?" he asked the leader of the team standing before him.
"Yes," the man replied. "We are to locate the forces that kidnapped Mister Howlett and facilitate their departure from Wutai."
"And the reason you are being ordered to do this?" he asked in order to ensure that the team would not waver.
"Mister Howlett is an unknown that has shown a tendency to attract trouble," the man replied without a change in composure. "So far that trouble has only come for him but, if it escalates, it could come to endanger all of Wutai. Therefore he must be removed in order to preserve our country's peace."
"And on the matter of witnesses?" he asked, knowing that this would be the tipping point for most people.
"Their sacrifice for Wutai will be long remembered," the man said, still not showing a single crack in his composure.
"You are a loyal agent, my friend," he said with a reassuring grin. "Your hard work will be rewarded."
"Thank you, sir," the man said and with a bow of respect he led his men out of the shed that had been chosen for their meeting point.
It would all be over with in less than two days.
A Shinra Chopper
Hojo's POV
It was not often that a new project ensnared his interest so but he had to admit that Subject X was doing just that.
Even as he looked out of the window of the Shinra chopper as it descended towards the Gongaga Mako reactor, he recalled the reports that he'd received thus far. His sedative had proven quite effective initially but, assuming the barely adequate agent's report could be trusted, the subject had actually begun to show a developing resistance to it. Considering the fact that he'd actually put some effort in devising one specially designed to render it pointless to use either heal or restore materia, that was impressive. He'd already finished a rough draft of a new sedative and, once he got to the labs hidden beneath the reactor, he'd be able to put it together. While he would not require it for all of his experiments, it would prove useful to stifle the annoying screaming the subjects often did both during and after he worked on them.
Feeling the bump of the chopper's landing gear touching down, he watched as one of the drones opened the door before exiting and then he followed.
It was predictable that their arrival had been scheduled for after sundown in order to avoid attracting the attention of the insects that lived close by. Nevertheless he was so looking forward to what he could learn from the subject that he'd let the idiots play their little games so long as they didn't take too long. Walking towards the reactor, he mildly hoped that President Shinra had not slacked off on the upkeep of the labs because he would be quite put out if he had to wait for updated equipment and restocked resources. `
Once they were inside they made their way to the elevator that, as far as the workers knew, only went to three levels.
Unless they knew to look for the hidden set of buttons kept in the last place a civilian would think to look.
If they did find the buttons it'd give them access to over fifteen sublevels containing both various laboratories as well storage rooms for many of Shinra's more questionable assets. Anything from people who'd never see the light of day again to items that, if their existence in Shinra's possession, became known, would lead to the largest lynch mob in history being formed. Naturally even those employees of Shinra were only allowed access to floors their clearance levels permitted and those that strayed… facial recognition software attached to automated turrets were quite effective.
Effective at discouraging the curious and the stupid from poking their noses where they didn't belong, that is.
He didn't need to tell the trooper what level to take him to, the orders were given by that idiot Heidegger, so he entered the elevator with him and let his thoughts go to more important things as they descended. Obviously the most important thing to determine was the full extent of Subject X's regenerative abilities, since knowing that would play a key part in how the experiments that followed would proceed. Oh, once he was finished with the experiments that required that the subject be alive he'd terminate it so that he could begin the exploratory surgery, the dissection and the extensive disassembly but that would happen later. By the time he was finished, he would know everything worth knowing about Subject X and then he could begin dreaming up ways of incorporating it into his existing projects while dreaming up new ones.
He'd give President Shinra something to pacify the fat fool, maybe soldiers that could heal at three times the normal rate, and explain away any 'disappointments' as the complexity of subject's biology.
The idiot never questioned the excuses he provided so long as he threw the man a bone from time to time and promised that he would EVENTUALLY get his human-cetra hybrid that would lead them to the Promised Land. Indeed, all he often needed to do was piece together a half-assed excuse with the words 'Promised Land' fitted in and he'd get whatever he wanted. For the moment, though, Project S was still years away from producing a viable specimen but he'd be able to divide his time equally between Subject X and that without too much of a delay. If he could impart even HALF of the regenerative capabilities of his new specimen onto Project S, then he will have achieved something NO ONE would be able to surpass.
He would be a GOD among men.
When they finally reached the desired floor he could feel the anticipation growing within him made him feel impatient as well and it was only growing in strength. He was almost willing to just push his 'escort' aside and run to the examination room where the specimen was currently restrained, but that would be undignified for a man of his stature. Thus he tolerated their slogging pace, albeit reluctantly as they turned at the right corners and walked down the correct length of hallways until they reached the doors labeled 'EXAM ROOM 12-B'. Watching as the doors parted, a genuine smile blossomed on his face as his eyes fell upon Subject X lying restrained on the metal table and still unconscious.
"You've done your jobs, now go," he said dismissively as he moved to the forefront. "Go back to Heidegger so he can pat you on the head like the good little dogs you are."
He heard them grumbling but that didn't matter to him as he forced everything irrelevant from his mind and instead picked up the first tool he would use to begin collecting data: A simple hypodermic needle. With it he would extract a blood sample from the specimen, after which he would extract examples of other bodily fluids. It was important to establish a baseline for Subject X's physiology in order to properly quantify whatever changes occurred as a result of his efforts. Once the baseline was established he would begin administering an assortment of toxins, potions and chemicals in order to measure how long it took for the specimen's regenerative abilities to purge them. As tedious as it'd be for him, he would start using amounts that would kill an ordinary human and then increase them until it became clear that another increase in dosage would kill the specimen. After that he would begin using blades and other crude implements to time the wounds took to heal with the targeted areas, ranging from non-fatal to almost instantly fatal. Then finally he would use various materia with destructive properties, starting with the weakest spells before finishing shy of the ones that almost certainly would overwhelm the specimen's regeneration ability.
Once the limits of the regenerative ability had been established and the periodic samples conclusively examined… then the real fun would begin.
Then, of course, there was the unknown metal that made up the specimen's claws and potentially more of the man's skeleton. He had reviewed the recording Shinra's spy had come back with and there had been a few moments in it where there'd been signs that the weapon had been either deflected or stopped entirely when it should have done more damage. Did that mean that only the locations struck were protected by the metal or was it the entire skeletal system? If it turned out to be the former then it'd be all too easy to extract a sample of the metal but, if it turned out to be the latter… it would be more difficult.
Fortunately there were a multitude of cutting implements, ranging from simple hammers and blades to cutting lasers, along with a variety of others still in Shinra R&D. One of them would likely prove sufficient to obtain a sample of the metal for analysis and, once he knew what it was, he could begin formulating potential uses for it. The obvious option was that, if a sufficient quantity could be located, then it could be used to create weapons perhaps even one for when Project S reached completion. Another possibility was a method to contain or restrain certain dangerous specimens that at the moment could not be controlled due to the limits of Shinra resources.
Indeed, he foresaw a veritable cornucopia of discovery in Subject X that would help fill the time he waited for tests attached to Project S to reach completion.
There was nothing he loved more than aiding in the furtherance of scientific progress.
For a true scientist that was the only worthy goal they had.
The only one they needed.
Weeks Later
Xander's POV
"AAAHHHH!" he cried out as acid was poured onto his right arm. "I'M GOING TO FUCKIN' GUT YOU!"
It was a real threat, one he had every intention of carrying out once he got the chance, but like the others he'd uttered, the slimy scientist just ignored him. Didn't mean he'd stop issuing them because, even if they didn't inspire fear in the man's heart like he wanted, it helped him keep his fury at an all-time high.
Fury was the only painkiller he had available to him at the moment, so he was making the most of it.
He'd awoken from his drugged slumber to find himself both seriously restrained as well as completely naked, much to his embarrassment, and after a testing of the metal restraints he found himself quite unable to escape. With that no longer an option he'd looked around the room he'd found himself in for clues as to who'd abducted him while also finding out just how difficult it'd be for him to escape. While the lab hadn't been set up in a rush, it was also clear from the pipes he'd been able to spot that the structure hadn't originally been designed as a scientific laboratory. It'd been made to be something else and merely had a lab installed in it afterwards. Whether this would aid in his escape or hinder it he didn't know but hopefully it meant that the owner hadn't been meticulous with plugging any holes in their security.
It'd only been an hour after he'd regained consciousness that he'd first seen the man who currently was watching the flesh on his right arm grow back. He'd gone fishing for the usual bits of info: who was he, where were they and what was going on. For a long time, though, the man refused to even acknowledge his presence, preferring to look through scattered pieces of paper as well as into nearby microscopes. It was only when he brought out his 'annoy the brainy guy' A game that he finally got a reply but he did he soon came to wish that he'd remained ignorant.
The man's name was Professor Isaac Hojo.
HOJO!
He was in the clutches of a true blue mad scientist responsible for the creation of Sephiroth as well as god knew what else and, considering his 'unique' nature, he'd known instantly what his future held.
He wasn't quite sure how much time had passed since that day, sporadic sessions of torture masquerading as scientific experiments tended to muddle the memory, but he did know that the man had put him through hell like he'd never known existed. Even Tony Harris at his worst never reached the level of pain that Hojo was accomplishing with his experiments and he honestly didn't know whether he'd last one more day or somehow manage one more month. Rage was helping him push the pain away but it still took its toll on his mind and not in a good way. It might've been blurry but he could swear that his five senses were playing tricks on him because one second he could see or smell something and then it was gone as though it'd never been there in the first place. He'd dismissed them as temporary effects at first, something that'd blow over during one of the rest periods, but when they happened even long after the pain had faded, that was his first clue that he was cracking up.
If Hojo kept going with his efforts, he'd likely fall to pieces entirely, being unable to distinguish fiction from reality.
The problem with that idea was that there was never a moment when he wasn't firmly restrained and, while Hojo hadn't done anything to keep him from popping his claws, his hands didn't have the range of motion to do any damage to the table/chair he was in. How Shinra had managed to design a perfect way of restraining him he didn't know but he knew escape wouldn't be possible until someone slipped up with his restraints. If he could get even a single arm free, he could cut his way free in more ways than one and go to ground until the Wutai war began and Shinra had bigger things to deal with than searching for him. He doubted that they'd give up forever, probably just put finding him on shelf until after the war, but it'd give him time to turn himself into the best there is at what he did.
He might not consciously retain anything from Wolverine, he had more than enough evidence to support the theory that his subconscious muscle memory did.
All he needed to do was figure out a way to bring that knowledge, that skill, to the surface so he could use it whenever he wanted to and Shinra's days would be numbered.
"Impressive. Truly impressive," Hojo said as the last of the regeneration finished, leaving no sign that acid had ever touched his skin. "I theorize that complete submergence in acid would be required in order to remove all of the flesh down to the bone. Merely pouring it on cannot counter the rate at which your body repairs itself."
"Try it and I flay you alive before I kill you," he growled, looking at the man right in the eyes, conveying all the hate and fury he could.
"…I'd hoped that you would have realized by now, Subject X, that I care not for anything you say that does not pertain to your unique physiology," Hojo said with some exasperation as he jotted something down on a notepad he'd put down close by. "Continue to interfere with my work by issuing pointless threats and I will introduce a potent paralytic into your I.V."
Right then he was SO tempted to defy the man just to piss the man off.
So it was something of a surprise when he grudgingly decided to hold his tongue since the idea of not being able to move at all wasn't something he liked.
"Better," Hojo said as he finished writing on the notepad.
As the man walked out of his field of view he resumed what he'd been doing anytime he thought that the bastard wasn't looking in his direction. He surveyed the room for anything he could use to escape or at least return some of the suffering he'd experienced since first waking up back upon the people responsible. He knew the restraints were the first step but what to do after he got out of them needed to be planned out as well. Just going with 'pop the claws and kill everyone' was not what he called a good plan. It was more like the sort of plan Buffy would probably go with if someone pissed her off badly enough and she had Adamantium claws. If they had more of the drug they used to knock him out in the first place, all it'd take would be a single confirmed hit and he'd be right back where he started. Taking Hojo hostage would definitely keep any Shinra security force back but he'd have to keep an eye out for any sharpshooters.
Depending on who was calling the shots, they'd probably try to have a sniper take him down the second he provided them with a clear target.
It wouldn't matter if the shot only slowed him down because their objective no doubt would be to provide an opportunity for Hojo to get away. That meant making him loosen his grip enough for the madman to pull himself free and run for the safety of his 'saviors'. A few well-placed shots designed to rob his arms of strength while another knocked him on his ass… that would be all it'd take in the end. As such he needed a way to snag their attention once he made it close enough to the surface that no one would even THINK about keeping him from getting away.
Maybe whatever pipes I'm seeing here are part of a Mako reactor, he thought as he considered Shinra's preferred camouflage for hiding their secret labs. I cut the right places, it shows signs of going boom, they might drop everything to save their own skins or get things under control.
Then again, depending on how far the Mako reactor is from a populated area, he might want to save blowing the thing as an absolute last resort. He wasn't about to sacrifice innocent lives to ensure his own safe escape.
"Now that you have cleared the list of acids I selected I think it's time we move on to something a little more… interesting," Hojo said as he came back into view holding a needle with an unidentifiable fluid. "Suspended in this fluid is a particularly nasty variation of a virus that has been known to eat flesh all the way down to the bone. True, the process usually takes place over the course of several weeks but I've managed to make a few improvements. In an ordinary human this new virus can do the same as the old one over the course of seven days. I wonder how it will react when it comes into contact with your regeneration ability. Let's find out."
With that the mad scientist inserted the needle into one of his major arteries and pressed down on the plunger, forcing its contents into his body.
For a moment he felt nothing but then a tingle that crept through his body like an army of ants on the march crawling through his veins.
Then the pain began and screaming soon followed.
Shinra Building
Midgar
President Shinra's POV
He waited along with the rest of the Shinra board of directors for Professor Hojo's transmission from the lab beneath the Gongaga Mako reactor.
It had been a month since Mister Howlett had been captured and brought there so the time had come to see if their gambit had been worth it. Thus far their informants in Wutai had not detected any sign that the young man's disappearance had been caused by Shinra. The prince of the emperor was pressing quite hard to find his 'friend', eventually going so far so as to have troops begin a search outside the towns and cities, but naturally they wouldn't find anything. Efforts continued to assess the military potential of Wutai as well as identify key points that would have to be taken if 'negotiations' proved ineffective. He still had high hopes that the incentives he was having prepared in overcoming the emperor's foolish honor would work since war was quite a costly bit of business. If he could avoid it then that would be good but it was a basic truth of business that you had to spend money to make money and the benefits that came with getting access to Wutai would make the war worth it.
Especially if it led to the Promised Land that all the legends indicated was a fertile land and that meant rich with Mako energy on a level found nowhere else.
While his company had found deposits of the substance throughout the world, they were modest deposits and it wasn't unreasonable to think that they would run dry within his lifetime. If his company was going to prosper and grow in power, it needed a large, sustainable source that would last long into the future until the time of his great grandson. By that time he had confidence that his bloodline will have found a way to either find a synthetic substitute or an alternative that would prove just as lucrative.
I hope that Hojo has some good news, he thought as he watched the screen indicate that a communications connection was about to be established. If we can imbue Shinra troops with Mister Howlett's regenerative abilities then no force on the planet will be able to stand against us.
As Hojo's face appeared on the screen, he took the almost glowing look of excitement to be a good sign and one of progress.
"I trust you have good news for me, Professor Hojo?" he asked, keeping his tone even and guarded as he waited for a reply.
"Indeed I do, Mister President," Hojo replied adding an excited tone to his expression. "Mister Howlett… words cannot describe what I have learned from Subject X. We are on the precipice of a new age."
"Then you've learned the nature of his regeneration ability?" he asked, keeping his interest under lock and key.
"Indeed. It would appear that there is a unique gene in his DNA that has given him the ability to heal from virtually any injury. Lacerations, burns, poisons, toxins, materia and diseases are all ultimately useless against him," Hojo replied as images of a DNA chain appeared beside his face. "The longest it took to for him to completely recover was one day."
"Impressive. VERY impressive," he said as he looked at the rest of the people present in the room. "Can this ability be replicated? Copied onto others?"
"Oh, I believe we have the potential to do much more than that, Mister President," Professor Hojo replied, his happy grin growing into a smile. "It is my belief that by replicating and introducing this gene into host bodies they will gain abilities potentially even more formidable than Subject X's powers."
An interesting turn and not the answer he was looking for but he was willing to give the head of his science research division a little leeway. "Go on," he said, hoping that the man he was looking at hadn't gotten sidetracked like he sometimes did.
"Based on my analysis of the gene, I believe that the abilities that manifest in the host will greatly depend on their unique genetic structure. It may be possible to nudge the variables into a desired direction but in the beginning we will not know what abilities the hosts will have until they manifest," Hojo explained, not sounding concerned about the unpredictability he was revealing.
"What's the point of giving people powers if we can't control what they are?" Scarlett asked, sounding quite skeptical and dismissive.
Not surprising since, if Hojo succeeded in giving Shinra forces powers far beyond those of mortal human beings, then her own work would be in jeopardy. As head of Weapons Development it was her job to create new guns, new bombs and other technology with which to arm the troops and aid in their 'hostile negotiations'. Indeed, she had a personal fascination with machines as well as weapons of mass destruction. If Hojo's aspirations bore fruit, there'd be no more need for automated robot drones or new guns because their troops would BE the weapons and be more powerful than ANYTHING she could produce. So the only way she could save her budget and the future of her department was to downplay and discredit the discoveries being laid out right now.
"The point, dear Scarlet, is that standardized weapons are predictable and as such it is inevitable that the enemy will find ways to defend against them," Hojo replied with a sharp tone of voice. "By ensuring that each host is unique, it will become necessary for the enemies of Shinra to develop defenses for each and every one of them. Can you imagine the difficulty of devising defenses for ten unique people? For a hundred?"
The man had a point.
The key to any conflict was learning what weapons the enemy had and finding a way to minimize their effectiveness, or neutralize them outright. However this in itself was a weakness if you possessed so many weapons that the cost of neutralizing all of them was more than the enemy could possibly handle. If they created fifty different super soldiers and each of them had a unique ability, then it would take fifty different countermeasures in order to defeat them. The possibilities were monumental but before he got too far ahead of himself he needed to know just what sort of limitations he would have to cope with.
"Assuming that I give you permission to proceed, how long before the 'hosts' are ready to be trained to use their 'gifts'?" he asked, hoping that he would get a favorable reply.
"It… will take some time," Hojo replied with a cautiously optimistic tone of voice. "I already have five different possible methods for grafting the gene onto the host but we are walking into uncharted waters, Mister President. There are so many variables to consider, not the least of which is whether or not only certain specimens are compatible with the gene. If only those with specific DNA configurations can accept and express abilities then it will be necessary to find out what those configurations are, as well as how to identify them."
"I see," he said, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice. "Is there any way determining these 'configurations' could be expedited? I would be quite pleased if at least that hurdle could be overcome sooner rather than later."
"Expediting the matter would require a great deal of test subjects from all age groups and all regions of the world. Both male and female," Hojo replied in his usual analytical tone of voice. "I would hazard a guess at… a hundred to start. With a little luck I should have the data I need before anyone outside of Shinra begins to suspect anything."
He knew all too well that Hojo didn't care one whit about whether or not the masses noticed the missing people. To that man the only thing that mattered was science, discovering the secrets of existence, and if he had to sacrifice the human race to get those secrets there wouldn't be a bit of hesitation. Likely the man was only showing 'caution' because he believed it would be the only way his request would be granted. He wasn't a fool. He knew that Hojo was using him just as much as he was using Hojo. It was a give and take relationship just as much as it was a chess match between the two of them.
Both of them knew that the other had a plan to do away with them when there was nothing further to gain from their 'partnership' but he was confident that he'd come out on top. Why? Because he was Hojo's sole source of resources and as a result he'd be able to monitor carefully everything that entered the man's grasp. He'd even had a private meeting with Gast where he'd confided in the man about the concerns he'd had about Hojo before requesting that the man keep an eye on their mutual acquaintance.
Covertly.
The man was no spy but fortunately Hojo was arrogant enough that it was unlikely the mad scientist would ever consider Gast a threat.
Already some tidbits of useful information had found its way into his hands concerning Project S that had not been in Hojo's official report. Not enough to prompt him to take action but enough to consider heightening surveillance in the near future. He would need to know precisely when the point of no return arrived so he could slip in his own measures to ensure the 'prototype' remained loyal to Shinra. It was a basic rule of business to always make sure you kept the upper hand in any relationship, whether it was with employees or the civilian masses.
The upper hand and everything needed to bring it down like an iron fist on any who stood in his way.
Gongagga Reactor Labs
Hojo's POV
"Experiment sixty-seven," he said as he looked at the tube of glass filled with Mako. "Efforts thus far to impart Subject X's regenerative ability onto a host have failed. While I personally don't care about creating a super soldier army for President Shinra, there exists a side benefit of helping me copy the gene I am referring to henceforth as the X-gene. Attempting to graft the entire gene onto host and then letting it do whatever it wants is too extreme a measure at this point. The current states of the hosts are proof enough that I need to scale back my efforts or else I'll run through test subjects far too quickly.
"As such I have decided to expose Subject X to a substance that has delivered very promising results with Project S thus far and, thanks to my spies, also indicate positive results with Project G: Mako." He nodded to one of the insects that had been assigned to him as an assistant at the Gongaga facility. "It has proven to be a great stabilizer with the Jenova cells, even if I haven't quite managed to determine the ideal mixture. By submerging Subject X in Mako I will be able to see just how violent the reaction will be between the regenerative ability and the substance's natural abilities. If my theory is correct, using Mako as a medium will increase the probability of successful gene grafting by forty-five percent. If not… his regenerative ability should be prove adequate to keep the Mako from terminating his life."
With the sound of gears turning and metal sliding a hatch opened up in the ceiling, Subject X, in restraints, was lowered towards the tube, sedated just right so that the sedative wouldn't interfere with the experiment. The glass of the tube was several inches thick so brute strength would prove ineffective and the clamps around the subject's forearms had been specially designed to keep the claws from deploying. Even if the clamps failed, it would take time for Subject X to free himself from his restraints and the tube wasn't wide enough to allow for powerful swings. By the time the man managed to chip away at the glass enough to break it, the sedatives incorporated into the restraints would stop him in his tracks.
"Open the tube," he ordered and promptly it was proving that at least those underlings he'd been assigned could follow simple orders.
Once the lid of the tube opened up Subject X was lowered inside and immediately he began to notice a reaction as the flesh came into contact with the liquid. It wasn't the typical reaction one would expect from a corrosive reaction but it was definitely greater than what he'd observed in the past with ordinary test subjects. It only got worse once Subject X was fully submerged so he made a note to experiment with various ratios of blood to Mako afterwards in order to learn more. Over the course of his past experiments he'd already extracted several gallons of the specimen's blood, with some of it having been transported to Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim where he worked on Project S. Easily enough to learn what he needed to and, if he needed more, there were ways to replicated it without needing Subject X to be present.
"Status of the subject?" he asked the 'assistant' by the monitor console.
"Readings indicate a sharp increase in life signs. It started the moment Subject X became one third submerged in the Mako," the assistant replied as the imbecile tried to multitask between the readings and answering his questions. "If this keeps up the subject is going to regain consciousness in less than a minute."
"Continue to monitor and begin a thirty percent infusion of the sedative on my order and not a moment before," he commanded even as the signs of the reaction in the tube began to clear up some.
Continuing to observe, he soon came to conclude that the possible reason for the increase in life signs could be due to the regenerative ability's effort to counteract Mako poisoning. It was a scientific certainty that significant exposure to Mako in its concentrated form resulted in severe neurological stress, often ending in catatonia. However Subject X was not like the others he'd exposed to concentrated Mako energy so it would be interesting to see what difference his regenerative ability would make on the outcome.
It didn't take long for Subject X's eyes to open up but encouragingly enough there was indeed some awareness but also of duress, indicating the specimen was at least partially susceptible to the effects of concentrated Mako. Struggling against the restraints soon followed but it appeared to be more panicked than rational and deliberate, so he was not too concerned.
That changed when his eyes detected signs of change from Subject X's hands, causing him to look closer only to see three recognizable bits of metal poking out from between the knuckles.
The specimen's CLAWS!
"Increase power to the magnetic clamps!" he ordered, making it clear there was to be no delay in following these orders.
"I'm trying, Professor, but the Mako is interfering with the energy flow to the clamps!" the assistant said even as the witless fool attempted to overcome the obstacle.
"Imbecile," he said as he walked over to the young man and seized control of the console himself.
It was forever the burden of geniuses such like him to be forced to work with morons that couldn't even be called intelligent, much less qualified. He divided his attention between the tube and the console as he worked to ensure that no more of the specimen's implanted weapons emerged. While he had confidence that the restraints would hold he despised anything less than precision in his experiments and this deviation was not to be tolerated. However, as seconds became minutes, he was forced to grudgingly admit that perhaps the young man's difficulties were not entirely unwarranted since he too was having trouble establishing a solid grip with the clamps. Despite his increasing concentration, the claws made of a metal he STILL had not been able to identify continued to creep ever further from their organic sheathes. At the current rate of progress they would soon be fully extended but this only caused him annoyance so with a huff he ceased his efforts in favor of personally observing the readings displayed concerning the subject's vital signs.
Increased adrenaline, heart rate and breathing, he thought, marking down the specifics efficiently. Consistent with being under duress.
However with a snap that was barely perceivable due to the muffling effects of the Mako and the thick glass he watched in shock as Subject X somehow managed to break one arm free of its restraint. That should have been impossible since he'd conducted impeccable calculations based on the video footage the spy had brought back from Wutai, coupled with his own estimations based on both muscle mass as well as the unusually high weight of the specimen. He'd been certain that he had made sure that the restraints would be beyond Subject X's ability to break but obviously there had been an error in his data.
He typed in the command to begin administering the sedative at full strength since there was little point at doing it at a reduced level as his experiment was already compromised. However, before the chemical cocktail could travel the required distance, the liberated arm slashed clumsily at the plastic tube, preventing the drug from reaching its intended target.
Was the subject doing this consciously or did it instinctively recognize the threat the tube represented?
It didn't matter as, with another slash, Subject X managed to cut through the restraint binding his other arm and, with the drug removed as a method of neutralization, he had but one choice.
"All guards to lab two! Sedative twenty-five load out!" he ordered after pressing the intercom button that would broadcast his voice to everyone on the floor, including the Shinra guards.
While he hadn't really thought of it as necessary at the time, one of the things he'd noticed during his time in the Gongaga lab was that President Shinra had seen fit to equip the guards with semi-automatic dart guns, with each dart filled with his special sedative. He'd considered it unnecessary due to his confidence in his restraints as well as his own intellect but apparently they would be the only means by which the current situation would be contained.
His eyes narrowed in anger as he anticipated President Shinra gloating over how his perceived unnecessary action had actually proven quite fortuitous. He would double his efforts from here on to ensure that he would not have to sit through another afterwards.
It was just as the first batch of guards entered the room with their weapons at the ready that Subject X finished freeing himself from his restraints and began to attack the glass. Much as he'd originally planned the dimensions of the tube made it so that powerful swings were impossible but that proved to be of little aid since, even with only a few inches, the claws still cut. Faster and faster the glass was torn into until finally it could no longer remain intact and a jagged hole was created, causing the Mako inside to spill out onto the floor. The guards backed away a few steps, no doubt fearful of coming into contact with the dangerous substance, but this proved to be a tactical error. With the opposition focused on something else Subject X leapt through the hole it'd created, uncaring of the cuts the jagged glass around the edges created. More like an animal than a man the specimen looked about the room as though evaluating potential threats and, when those eyes landed on him, a spike of fear shot up within him. With a growl of hostility Subject X began to turn towards him but thankfully that same noise had been enough to prompt the guards to open fire.
Best to leave such lowly business to those of appropriate status, he thought as he began to make his way to the nearest exit. Once the specimen has been properly subdued I'll have him put back in his cell and modify my restraint design. Clearly some revision is needed.
As the heavy metal door of the lab slid into place he made his way to the security room where the feeds from all the security cameras in the base came together. Just because he would have to wait to do some experiments with Subject X didn't mean that he couldn't still collect data, no matter how briefly. It didn't take him long to enter the security room and, with a few quick orders, he had all of the monitors display nothing but the lab and made sure it would all be recorded. What he saw on the screens, though, both surprised him and intrigued him because they clearly showed several darts in Subject X but no sign of the sedative within taking effect. More than that a third of the guards that had come into the lab were already dead on the ground, some with limbs completely severed from their bodies along with one case of decapitation.
Intriguing. With that many darts it should be unconscious on the ground and remain in that state for several hours, he thought as his mind worked to consider the possibilities. Could the Mako have somehow enhanced the regenerative ability? It would explain the sudden immunity to the sedative.
This would imply that Mako could successfully be combined with Subject X's biology to great effect and solidified his intent to experiment with mixture ratios in the future. If he could find the ideal combination, he would be one step closer to giving President Shinra his super soldiers while also furthering Project S.
Watching, he saw the last handful of guards turn flee from the man-animal that had killed their comrades. Cowards!
"This is Professor Hojo!" he said after pressing the button on the intercom and speaking into the attached microphone. "All guards are to make every effort to subdue Subject X. Refusal to carry out this order will result in the immediate 'termination' of your Shinra contracts."
While for most Shinra troopers termination of their contracts merely meant they would be unemployed, for those stationed at secret labs and facilities like this one it meant death and being buried in an unmarked grave.
After a few minutes he saw with some satisfaction that the guards had taken his words with all the weight they were due and were attacking Subject X with all their measly strength. Some used the darts filled with sedative while others used normal assault rifles filled with conventional bullets but this did little to improve things. With a slight adjustment and zoom on one of the camera feeds he was able to watch as a flesh wound from a bullet healed entirely after a mere second of it being created. Fascinating! This confirmed that the Mako was indeed enhancing the specimen's natural healing ability since, in previous experiments, it'd taken several seconds longer for such a wound to heal fully. Still, it meant that it would require a weapon capable of inflicting much greater damage than traditional firearms to subdue the specimen. Explosives? No. While precautions had been taken, the use of explosives would risk damaging the Mako reactor, especially since he did not know how many direct hits would be necessary to overcome the enhanced regeneration ability.
Too bad it seemed one of the guards had chosen to ignore the potential risk and had come into view of the cameras with a RPG as well as a bag filled with spare rockets.
"STOP! DO NOT USE EXPLOSIVES!" he yelled into the intercom microphone but the idiot guard showed no signs of having heard him.
One rocket shot forth from the launcher and streaked towards Subject X, only to miss and destroy a section of pipes as well as concrete that was definitely confirmed.
"The speakers in that area must've been destroyed by the gunfire, sir," the guard in the room with him said with rising concern.
"Of course they were, you fool!" he snapped, only just restraining the desire to take out the sidearm he kept tucked under his lab coat and shooting the idiot.
Contemplating the situation he utilized his knowledge of Mako reactors and what would need to be damaged or destroyed in order for detonation to become a possibility. They were rather deep but, in order to draw out the Mako energy from the ground, the reactor went equally deep, with only concrete to shield itself from RPG fire. By his reckoning there were only two or three sections of the structure that would result in complete destruction if they were struck with an explosive. Fortunately two of those targets were five levels above them at the moment and the last was above ground, so as long as they kept Subject X on the current level there'd only be a substantial repair bill to worry about.
Calming down, he watched as the assault continued even as the non-RPG wielding guards made an effort to give their comrade a clear line of sight to his target. Sadly it looked like while a direct hit was successful in knocking the specimen of its feet, the damage didn't linger for very long, much less result in immediate unconsciousness. As much as the increased healing ability fascinated him, it was proving to be an annoyance since it was increasing the difficulty of subduing Subject X.
At the rate Shinra troopers were being killed, it might prove prudent to relocate both himself as well as crucial materials until such time as the specimen was back in chains. Regardless of the outcome, there would likely be damage enough that it would affect the results of any experiments he tried to carry out until repairs were completed. He HATED inaccurate test results.
"Order a contingent of guards to begin moving the containers in storage room F to the eastern elevator and take them to the surface," he ordered the guard with him in the security room. "I will join them as soon as I collect a few things."
Without waiting for the guard he turned and left, heading for the room he'd appropriated to contain most of his papers as well as the computer containing the bulk of his research on Subject X. While the odds of the specimen or one of the troopers fighting him triggering a detonation of the Mako reactor were small, Subject X had already proven to be full of surprises. Coupled with the low I.Q. of Shinra troopers, it would be best to prepare for the worst.
So long as he had the contents of storage room F, his data and a sufficient amount of the specimen's blood, he could still achieve his goals.
Nothing would stop him from achieving them.
Xander's POV
"RRAAAGGH!" he roared as he cut another trooper in half from left hip to right shoulder.
It was all instinct. No conscious thought or rationality.
Why? Because his mind was aflame with information, all of which vied for his attention, making his awareness of the real world muddled at best.
Are you better, son?
Still cold, father.
Seeing something coming at him fast he dove under it, rolling back to his feet with skill he shouldn't have had before charging the source of the object head on. Time was difficult to keep a clear grasp of, so he didn't know for how long he'd been fighting or how many soldiers he'd killed. The only thing that was clear in his mind was that if he didn't kill every last one that attacked him, they'd put him in chains again.
THAT was something he could not permit under any circumstances.
Flashes of images assaulted him. Images of wars, wars spanning decades, and in them he fought side by side with… with… his brother? Then seeing a row of men in military uniforms lined up in front of him with rifles, with at least three pointed right at him like a firing squad. They had executed him, or at least tried to. He wasn't that easy to kill.
What? Where? he thought since he didn't like the thought of suddenly thinking that these 'memories' were his.
They weren't and, even as he cut through the weapon on the soldier's shoulder before doing the same to the trooper, he looked for a way to get out of the place he was in. He needed to get someplace isolated so he could focus entirely on what was happening inside rather than split half his jumbled focus on what was happening on the outside. Seeing something that a part of him identified as a way out, he ran over to the wall of metal with a slit in the center going from floor to ceiling and used his claws to cut through the wall, revealing a shaft with cables dangling in the center. Leaping, he grabbed hold of the cables and began to climb upwards, certain that if he went all the way he'd definitely escape to clean free air.
Even as he climbed the images came as the door to what he presumed was a jail cell of some kind opened up to reveal a man in uniform with the rank of Major. He looked at him and Victor with politeness, like someone intending to do them a favor, but neither of them completely trusted the man.
My name is Major William Stryker. You boys tired of running? Tired of denying your true nature?
What do you care? Victor asked snidely, voicing his distrust.
Oh, I care. What I care about is how valuable you are, Stryker replied, never losing that 'helpful' expression. I'm putting together a special team with special privileges. Now tell me, how would you like to REALLY serve your country?
A feeling like the one he'd only experienced when he was expecting a trap flowed through him but he did his best to shove it aside as the cable he was using to climb began to move.
In the opposite direction he wished to go.
Looking to the side for a means of continuing his ascent, he found an alcove in the side of the shaft that looked to be just big enough so, with a leap, he entered it, flattening himself against the cold concrete. With speed typical of an elevator car the box went by him, avoiding scraping flesh of his chest by less than an inch, providing him an unobstructed route to the surface. Leaping to the cable in the center once more he resumed his climb, doubling his pace in case his enemies tried to send the elevator car back up at him.
Another flash hit him was the top of the shaft came into view, of him rapidly approaching a barn on foot, with rage and revenge the only emotions present.
VICTOR! he yelled, knowing precisely where his brother was by the scent he'd followed.
With a crash he came through the door of the barn, revealing it to be a bar or restaurant of some kind but those details didn't matter in the face of the BASTARD sitting on a stool on the other side of the room.
Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in, Victor said in a mocking tone, completely lacking in remorse.
Guys, whatever this is, take it outside, the bartender said, sounding like he didn't want a fighting destroying his bar.
Why? he asked, feeling it was the only question that mattered to him at the moment.
Why? You don't call, you don't write; how else am I supposed to get your attention? Victor replied with the same cocky, provoking grin that never failed to get under someone's skin.
The scene vanished and he was glad since he was now at the top and, with a leap, crossed the gap to the other side of the shaft before using his claws to pry open the doors. Once he was through he found himself beholding a maze of walkways, pipes, pillars and wiring that made him SO certain he didn't want to even attempt to understand how it all worked together. Instead he took a sniff of the air and sifted through the scents to find the one he wanted: fresh air. Unless the place was airtight, smells from the outside would always find a way to seem in and, even with all the artificial ones cluttering things up, he could track it to its source just the same.
There, he thought as he finally managed to find the fresh air amidst all the rest.
Moving as quickly as he could, he navigated his way through the labyrinth, never letting himself stray too far away from the direction he sensed the fresh air coming from. It wasn't long though before more soldiers appeared to once again try to capture him and return him to the torment that he had been submerged in for so long. They fired at him with their weapons but they did little more than cause him pain, the force of the bullet impacts breaking his stride at random. He might not be able to see the fear on their faces due to their helmets but he could smell the growing terror on them as he got closer to them with no sign of stopping despite their best efforts to arrest his approach. As soon as he was close enough he tore into them, either disarming or killing them depending on what was easier to do at the moment.
What the remaining five did next though threw him for a loop they all came at him at once with daggers drawn but, instead of using some skill or strategy, they just lunged at him intent on dog piling him. Even as he tried to fight them off with his claws all they did was use their daggers to make sure they couldn't be thrown away by digging them deep into his flesh. Whether they did so intentionally or not, some of them even angled their weapons so that they'd hook around his bones, making them that much harder to remove. He tried to figure out why they were doing this when his ears picked up a familiar sound, causing him to look up in time to see two rockets heading towards him.
The five were sacrificing themselves.
He only managed a second or two of renewed and upgraded struggling before the RPGs struck, engulfing him in fire, shrapnel and shockwave. However the pain was nothing compared to what he'd endured in the past few weeks so it was relatively easy for him to force himself back to his feet even as his flesh knitted itself back together, extinguishing the flames on his body in the process. As the last bits of shrapnel were expelled from his body, he looked in the directions he figured the RPGs had been fired from and soon found the ones who'd attacked him. Since being peppered by more was unappealing to him, he advanced on their positions intent on gutting both of them so they could no longer send more projectiles at him.
Without their fellows to pin him down it was easier to evade the rockets sent his way, causing them to strike at the machinery and piping around him. Following the quickest route to his targets he leapt from walkway to walkway, up pipes that had handholds he could use and even used some thick cables that'd been within reach. In the end he came to within one leap of getting to his first target and but, even as he did so, the soldier managed to get one final rocket off. Whether it was due to luck, skill or chance he executed a backhand that managed to knock the rocket off course without detonating it, causing it to spiral off to the side and out of his field of vision. Landing on the soldier, they both got knocked off their feet but, as soon as he got a clear shot, he thrust his claws home impaling the trooper clean through.
BOOM!
That was a little bigger than it shoulda been, he thought even as he got to his feet and looked back in the direction he'd knocked the rocket towards.
His surprise only rose when he located a rather large section of obliterated machinery, with flames billowing upwards into the air.
"WARNING. PRIMARY COOLANT PUMP OFFLINE," came a synthetic voice through the P.A. system. "MAKO REACTOR CORE TEMPERATURE RISING. REACTOR OVERLOAD IN T-MINUS TEN MINUTES."
Fear shot up within him as he realized the danger he was in and he cast aside any idea of going after the remaining RPG soldier, hoping that the man would have sense enough to prioritize survival over success. Taking another sniff of the air, he reestablished the sensory lock on the fresh air and then tore off as quickly as his feet could carry him. He had no idea how big a Mako reactor explosion would be but what little had been shown in the game made it clear that distance would play a big factor in whether or not he'd survive. Opening what doors were unlocked and slicing through any that were not, his concern rose with every one that didn't reveal the outside world but in the end his determination was rewarded. With one final push he emerged into open air and it felt WONDERFUL both on his skin as well as in his lungs.
He didn't let himself get distracted, though, since he still had the 'small matter' of the impending reactor explosion to outrun.
Picking a direction at random he sprinted away, determined to get as far as he could and hopefully it'd be enough to keep the damage he'd have to live through to a minimum. He soon entered the forest that surrounded the Mako reactor and it slowed him down some as he had to navigate around trees, boulders and various other things but there was nothing he could do about that. Trying to claw himself a straighter path would've slowed him down even more no matter how sharp the blades were so it was better to just adapt to the environment rather than try to change it.
He didn't know how much time had gone by or how close the reactor was to blowing up but, with the suddenness of a freight train hitting him, his waiting came to an end. With a power and a brightness he'd never experienced before the shockwave of the explosion slammed into him, driving the air from his lungs while tossing him into the air. He was airborne for only a handful of seconds before he hit the ground but soon after he did, other things that'd been tossed slammed into him from behind but that didn't last long.
Or at least he didn't think it had but it was a little hard to be sure when the heat and the fire from the explosion reached out to touch his body.
He screamed at the top of his lungs as the heat seared his skin and another scene flashed into his mind.
When it starts, whatever the reason is that you're doing this, focus on that, the woman said as she finished drawing the lines and circles on his body. Maybe it will help.
Trust me. I've been through worse.
No. You haven't. the woman said before walking away.
Pain unlike even the torturous experiments he'd been put through suffused his being and might've even succeeded in breaking him mentally. Fortunately the human body, even one with a mutant gene, had built in safeties to prevent this from happening and so unconsciousness swallowed him whole.
Would he awaken once more a prisoner or retain the freedom he'd fought so hard for?
Only time would tell.
Midgar, Shinra HQ
Two Days Later
President Shinra's POV
"This… this is quite the problem you've handed me, Hojo," he said as he put down the final report on the Gongaga situation. "Not only has virtually the entire town been destroyed but so has the majority of the population. If you had at least successfully recovered Subject X I'd be more inclined to accept this incident as the price of future success. However, without him…"
He let the man fill in the blanks since there was no shortage of fodder thanks to the gossip that'd been floating around the building as well as what was in the newspapers.
"I… understand, Mister President," Professor Hojo said, feigning regret and apology. "I have no excuse for this… problem. I had taken every precaution necessary. It was not enough."
"Evidently not," he chastised as he got up off his chair and walked to the window overlooking Midgar. "Fortunately we were able to foist the blame for the blast on 'a dangerous radical movement' that opposes the use of mako reactors. We haven't given the movement a name since that'd just make people try to find out more. It also allows us to take action against a few troublemakers by claiming that they're a part of the 'movement'. The excuse will only last a few weeks at best before people get suspicious but that'll be long enough."
Indeed, he already had the Turks making up a list of Shinra's enemies with the necessary background to feasibly connect them to the fictional movement. By tomorrow they'd be able to make up a plan for rounding them up while orchestrating an appetizing drama for the masses in order to make Shinra out to be 'heroes of justice'.
"However in order to ensure that something can be salvaged from this debacle, I need to know that you can continue with the superhuman project as you originally outlined," he said with moderate intimidation in his tone.
"Indeed, sir," Hojo replied, sounding as though his mood was improving. "Through my experiments on subject X I have made great strides towards giving Shinra superhuman soldiers. Indeed, the events leading up to subject X's escape were crucial in bringing about those strides. All that is required is to ascertain the right mixture of mako and the gene responsible for subject X's powers. From there I can begin administering it to suitable test subjects."
"I am afraid that for the time being acquiring 'volunteers' in the usual manner is not possible," he said, recalling what he'd been told about the public climate at present. "Before, it was easy enough to offer the poor and the destitute work. Few would miss them and those that spoke out, no one would listen to. However, if we're to sell the story about a movement being responsible for Gongaga, we need to ensure that any disappearances or 'apprehensions' can be feasibly connected to that."
"I understand, sir, but without human test subjects, it could take years before I can promise reliable results," Hojo said, sounding worried about his proper research.
"I might be able to send you a handful of test subjects a year in the form of troublesome employees but that would be it," he said, knowing that there would always be employees too foolish to face reality.
"Perhaps… perhaps I can propose an alternate method?" Hojo said as an eerie light blossomed in his eyes.
"I'm listening," he said, knowing that occasionally the scientist had bursts of brilliance that extended beyond his usual field of expertise.
For the next hour he listened to Hojo's plan and he had to admit that it was inspired.
Not only that but it would provide a sizeable financial boost to Shinra that would compensate for the 'humanitarian aid' they were sending to the survivors of Gongaga as well as anyone in the surrounding area that was affected by the reactor's explosion. It was a little more long term than he would've preferred but it was a necessary sacrifice in order to ensure that no one would suspect the truth of the matter.
As things stood there would not be a need for superhuman soldiers for some time yet. They were still in the beginning stages of their efforts to expand into Wutai and it was his choice that they pursue covert methods for getting what they wanted. Talks had begun with the various noble families of the country that would prove receptive to Shinra and could be convinced to act on the company's behalf. At the same time plans were in motion to weaken the current emperor's standing with his people so that a new clan could take control of the country. If all went well then there wouldn't be any need for open combat or violence of any kind.
He would wait to see how the subtler methods turned out first before assuming a more aggressive posture.
"Very well, Professor. Your plan is sound and any 'tragedies' can be easily explained away with a panel of 'experts'," he said with a nod of permission. "However keep in mind that there must be NOTHING that could connect Shinra to what happens. No one can recognize your work or determine that what happened was artificial in nature."
"I completely understand, Mister President," Hojo said with a nod of gratitude and acceptance. "I shall keep you apprised of all developments of significance."
With that the scientist left, giving him his office entirely to himself.
Walking over to his desk, he pressed a button that would connect him to the one person capable of keeping tabs on Hojo.
"Veld? Hojo's leaving for Nibelheim to continue his research," he said to the leader of the Turks. "However, with Professor Gast's lack of expertise in surveillance and the changes in Hojo's situation, I believe more observant eyes are required. I want you to send an agent to Nibelheim under the cover of protecting the scientists there as well as Project S. If Hojo inquires, he is to be told that the Gongaga incident might spark random attacks from upset civilians and that this is just a precaution. Understood?"
"I'll send, Agent Valentine," Veld replied after a moment of consideration. "He's new enough to the Turks not to suspect anything shady but sharp enough to catch Hojo if the madman tries anything."
"Good. Impress upon the young man that he's not to break his cover unless something truly important is afoot," he said, making sure the importance of the stipulation was understood.
"Understood," Veld said before rudely terminating the call.
Still bothered by Kalm, I see, he thought as he recalled the mild miscalculation that'd lead to the town's destruction. If he doesn't get over that soon, I might need to place someone close to watch him.
It was a sad fact that not everyone was cut out for the sort of work the Turks were called on to do and more than a few had been unable to kill their pesky consciences quickly enough. As a result they were 'reassigned' and, once they reached their new post, they 'disappeared', never to be seen again. Lesser members of the group were easily gotten rid of and replaced but Veld had proven he could get results and, aside from his bouts of defiance, could focus on the mission at hand. So for the time being he'd let the man go about his business and only arrange a formal meeting should his efficiency levels drop.
Good help was hard to find, after all.