"Is everything in place and prepared for the assault?" asked the hooded blond man. His companion nodded, white laboratory coat gleaming in the near dark. "Good," said Rufus Shinra. "Your payment will be available whenever you decide that it is necessary. As agreed."
The scientist pulled a photograph out of an inside pocket. "I want this," he stated flatly.
Rufus startled backwards. "But…sir, do you realize what you're asking for?" The scientist slid a gun off the belt at his waist and pointed it at the other's head.
"You said anything I wanted, as long as your security was guaranteed." The scientist's voice dripped with malice. "Trust me, what I'm about to undertake is of far more importance to me than even the life of President Shinra's son. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life babysitting you." He shifted his arm so that the muzzle of the gun rested against Rufus' temple. "And you would do well to remember that."
Rufus sighed. "Very well." Really, what was one supposed to say to a slightly lunatic person holding a gun to one's head? He gestured to the door. "Hatchway C-30." The scientist bowed at the waist, then straightened and exited from the tiny, steel-walled room. A small piece of paper fluttered in his wake and settled to the floor. Leaning forward in his seat, Rufus stretched out a hand and plucked it from the floor.
Vincent Valentine's crimson eyes stared out from the photograph.
x-x-x
A group of individuals crept through the labyrinth of buildings on the outer perimeter of the mako reactors. One figure detached from the main unit and slid forward to reconnoiter. A pervasive green glow lit up the area for two hundred meters around the circumference of the reactor. The figure carefully skirted the edge, slipping into the shadow cast by a towering building.
Cid Highwind pushed his goggles higher into his thin blond hair and spat on the pavement by his feet. "Give me Sierra any day," he grumbled. Sticking his hand into the light, Cid made a fist and rotated his wrist, extending two fingers in the AVALANCHE signal for all clear, proceed with caution. One by one, his companions joined him. Cid shifted his spear to the other hand. Green light glinted off the drying blood on his face. Barret Wallace poked Cid.
"What beastie jumped out and bit ya this time?" he growled, probing the myriad of cuts and bruises on Cid's face with careful fingers. The latter pushed Barret's hand away impatiently.
"Black-haired he. Red-eyed he. Tall and highly skilled he. That's all I know about he, all right?" Cid snapped. "Probably one of those blasted Turks. Now, let's move out and kick his butt along with all them other planet-killers."
Barret nodded grimly and hefted his right arm, checking the gun attachment. He swept his other arm, indicating that they should all proceed.
"Move," he growled. "We've got work to do before sunup."
x-x-x
Vincent leaned against the concrete wall beside the hatch, balanced on his heels with elbows resting on his knees. To the casual glance, he appeared to be asleep, but his ears were attuned to every little sound around him. Like that leaky water pipe. The constant drip-drip-drip was about to drive him completely mad. The floor was wet and dirty; the air was chilly and smelled of sulfur. Vincent shifted a little so that his back would slide free of the pebble lodged between it and the wall.
It was too still. According to his timepiece, two hours had passed, with no sign whatsoever that AVALANCHE was attempting an attack on the building.
Vincent got to his feet and patted his pocket. Dang. His phone must have fallen out during the fight earlier. With no way of knowing what was occurring at the other hatchways, Vincent paced in circles, clenching and unclenching his fist on Cerberus' hilt.
Finally, he decided to check on Rufus Shinra. He turned about and hit the light switch. Immediately, the reactor interior was bathed in light. Vincent winced. Too bright. He flipped the switch to the off position and started across the floor, spots dancing in front of his eyes. He turned left when he reached the first hallway and rapped on the door.
When no answer came from within, he pulled a key card from his belt and slid it into the slot. The door clicked open and Vincent stepped inside. He could just make out the shape of someone sitting in a wheelchair, slumped over the back. Rufus?
Vincent spun towards the door, intent on finding whoever had managed to sneak inside a heavily guarded facility and harm the President's son. A black shadow stood in the doorway. Vincent snatched Cerberus from his side, but a thin tendril of light snaked out from the figure and wrapped around the gun, yanking it from his grip.
"My, my, Mr. Valentine, is this all you've learned in the service of the Turks? How disappointing." The figure flicked his wrist and the lightwhip entangled Vincent's arms. He struggled to pull free, but a single tug from his opponent tipped him off balance. From his position on the floor, Vincent could see that Rufus was now sitting upright in the wheelchair. What? he thought fuzzily. His legs wouldn't move. The last thing Vincent heard before blackness claimed him was Rufus' far away voice.
"He's all yours…Hojo."