Well, this is the very rough draft for Part 2 of my FF7 story 
so there's probably several stupid spelling or grammatical 
mistakes lurking around.  For some unknown reason, 
I can't seem to find any pre-readers for this... it makes me wonder 
if there isn't something majorly wrong with with it.  ^_^;;

And before anyone asks, yes, I'm polishing up Part 4 and working 
on the draft of Part 5 of TIGER CLAW.   ^_-

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate any comments & criticism people 
are willing to give me (on this or any of my other stories).  

The previous part of COI is located on my webpage at:

	http://members.aol.com/madamhydra/COI.html

Previously, in part 1....
	The WEAPONS have suddenly reappeared.  Cloud manages to fall off 
a cliff and has an unfortunate reaction to the doctor who examines him.
That's basically it....

======================================================================
				CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
======================================================================

A Final Fantasy VII fanfic 

---------------
Disclaimer:
	All rights and privileges to Final Fantasy VII and its characters
belong to Square Co., Ltd.  The characters of this series are used
without permission for the purpose of entertainment only.  This work
of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.                
	All original characters are the creation of the author.  All
copyright privileges to these characters are reserved for the author. 

---------------
Author's notes:

	Warning: Adult language.

	This is primarily a CONTINUATION fanfic and contains major
SPOILERS for the game.  However, since I've taken some liberties with
the official storyline, this story also qualifies as an ALTERNATE
REALITY fanfic.

Text Conventions
	(  ) are character thoughts
	/  / and //  // are mental dialogue
	[   ] are miscellaneous effects

=========================
PART 2:  IT'S A GREAT DAY... FOR SCIENCE
=========================

------------------------------------------------------
PART 2#:
------------------------------------------------------

	In Reeve's office, Cid and the others stared at pictures of the
WEAPONs, thumbed through printouts, and browsed through computer
files.  They also received the unwelcome report of a strange red
tentacle-like object sticking out of the sand on an obscure little
island to the southeast.

	Cid muttered sourly.  "Ruby."

	Red sighed and said, "Well, I guess that settles it.  I think we
can safety assume that Diamond has also returned.  Now to decide our
course of action."

	Yuffie said, "Do we have to do anything?  I mean, they don't seem
to be doing nasty at the moment.  Why not just leave them alone for
now?"

	Cid exhaled a big cloud of smoke.  "Hate to admit it, but the
kid's got a point.  It's kinda useless to try and destroy the damned
things right now.  The Planet's only going to keep putting them back
together.  We gotta figure out what made them show up again in the
first place.  You come up with any news or info about Jenova?"
	
	"Not yet."  Reeve got up and started pacing.  "Actually, over the
last several months, I've been steadily gathering every file on Jenova
I could get my hands on and trying to find a secure place to put them.
 At the moment, they're locked up in a big room two floors below under
24 hour guard.  But the files are in a real mess at the moment.  If
you want to find anything specific, someone's going to have the fun
job of sitting down and sifting through all those file boxes one by
one."

	There was a chorus of groans.
	
	Vincent said, "You realize that none of us are really trained for
the that sort of information analysis, nor are any of us scientists. 
We could easily miss vital clues."

	The Shinra executive sighed.  "I know, but the problem is we're
sort of on our own here.  We can't rely on Shinra scientists for too
much help.  Hojo was a lousy record-keeper so there's no real way of
knowing just who worked on his projects and who didn't.  For all I
know, a good quarter of the surviving science staff had connections to
or actively participated in Hojo's research.  Anyone with expertise in
this area probably got it while working with the old lunatic."  

	Yuffie muttered, "Oh, terrific."

	Cid flung up his hands and yelled, "Mad scientists!  Is that all
we've got?  A bunch of mad scientists?  Isn't there a SINGLE scientist
out there who's got their head screwed on straight?"

	"I'm currently in the process of trying to find some competent
independent scientists or somebody from Dr. Gast's old team, but
they're pretty damn scarce."  Reeve shrugged and grinned faintly.  "I
think it's the nature of the business.  A person probably needs to be
a little crazy to interested in messing around with Jenova.  Anyway,
I've also sent a technical team to Nibelheim to retrieve any
information and equipment still left in the Mansion.  I would have
done it much sooner but...."

	"But if what you've said is true, isn't that rather like giving
candy to a child?" murmured Red.
	
	"Or drugs to an addict?" Yuffie chimed in.
	
	"Well, I hired Reno and the Turks to keep an eye on them."
	
	"What!?"
	
	Reeve shrugged.  "The Turks are professionals and they have no
interest in Jenova or in Hojo's work.  Besides, their ruthlessness
will hopefully keep those scientists in line." 

	"I don't envy them that job," Cid muttered.

	Red swished his tail thoughtfully before asking, "What about the
Mt. Nibel reactor?"
	
	"I checked Shinra's records as you suggested.  According to all
reports, the reactor was stripped clean long ago when Shinra started
their little cover-up in Nibelheim.  The advance team on site says
that all the pods and the Jenova chamber are now totally empty."

	Cid said, "Yeah, but all that equipment's still there.  It
probably wouldn't take an expert too long to make that place
operational again."

	"I know.  I'm seriously considering getting the Turks to demolish
it, although I'm sure Reno will charge me extra for that little
service."
	
	"Well, it's nice to know that they've got their uses," Cloud said
as he and Tifa entered the room.

	Cid grinned and said, "Well, I see you finally woke up.  I thought
you might decide to snooze through this mess and leave us with all the
dirty work."  On a more serious note, he added, "What the hell
happened to you?"

	Cloud's face turned bright red with embarrassment.  "On my way
here, I got a little sidetracked by the scenery.  When I got off my
chocobo to get a better look at Midgar,... whoosh!  Half the cliff
collapses and down I go with it."

	Red cocked his head and said, "So it was just an unfortunate
accident.  We were afraid that you had been the victim of an ambush."

	Cloud shrugged.  "Nothing so exciting.  I just ended up standing
on the wrong place at the wrong time."

	"Man, I know that feeling," Cid mumbled.

	Reeve's intercom suddenly made a strident buzz.

	"Yes, what is it?"

	"Sir, a Dr. Aston wants to report an attack on a Shinra facility."

	Everyone in the room suddenly stiffened and started playing very
close attention.

	"An attack!?  What kind of attack?"

	"The director refuses to say, sir.  Says it's confidential, for
the president only."  His assistant sounded rather miffed.

	"All right.  Reeve here."

	"This is Dr. Aston.  ESSARUF has just been raided by some
unidentified creatures."

	"Hold it, hold it!  The what?"

	"ESSARUF."  The doctor sounded both irritated and offended by
Reeve's ignorance.

	"What the hell's ESSARUF?"

	There was a sigh of exasperation.  "ESSARUF stands for
'Experimental Specimen Storage and Auxiliary Research Unit Facility'."

	Red's tail suddenly twitched.

	"'Experimental Specimen Storage...'?  So what attacked you?"

	Dr. Aston said snappishly, "If I could tell you what kind of
monsters they were, they won't be 'unidentified', would they?"  

	Reeve gritted his teeth and said, "All right.  You were attacked
by entities or creatures unknown.  Would you happen to have any idea
WHY you were attacked?"

	"It's perfectly obvious.  They were trying to steal something."
	
	Cid rolled his eyes and muttered, "What did I tell you guys about
these Shinra scientists?"
	
	Reeve took a deep breath.  "I see.  Perfectly obvious.  And how do
you know THAT?"
	
	Dr. Aston sounded as if he was lecturing a group of particularly
stupid school children.  "When intruders break in, head directly for a
specific area, ransack said area, then fly away carrying an object,
one reasonably assumes that they were deliberately trying to steal
said object."

	"And what do you have that can possibly be worth stealing?"  Reeve
was getting noticeably annoyed with the man.  Nobody could really
blame him.
	
	Dr. Aston's voice bristled with offended dignity.  "We have some
extremely valuable and irreplaceable specimens here!  Of course, we
have a great deal worth stealing...."

	Reeve rudely interrupted the doctor's outburst.  "Do you know what
was taken?"
	
	"Not with absolute certainty.  We're currently running a full
inventory but the results won't be in for a few hours."
	
	Reeve glanced up to see Cloud holding up a hastily scribbled note
which read, 'Ask about Jenova.'
	
	"You won't happen to be storing any samples of Jenova, would you,
Dr. Aston?"

	The man's reply sounded clearly disgruntled.  "No, of course not! 
We're only an 'auxiliary' facility.  Major specimens like Jenova would
have been under Dr. Hojo's personal supervision and control.  But we
do store some specimens from the secondary projects like SOLDIER and
other similar...."

	"So you DO have some specimens with Jenova cells."

	"Didn't I just say that?  But we're not authorized to do anything
with those specimens.  They just sit here in archival storage.  A
waste of perfectly good research material, if you ask me...."  

	Reeve's thoughts were moving at a terrific pace.  He flicked a
quick glance at Cloud for confirmation.  Cloud nodded grimly.

	"Where are you located, Dr. Aston?"

	"In the mountains east of the old reactor at Fort Condor.  It's
the old Mako reactor that used to have a huge bird perching on it."

	"I'm familiar with the site.  I'm sending a team out to take a
look around.  I expect you to extend them EVERY courtesy.  They should
be there in a couple of hours.  Don't touch anything!"

	"If that's the way you want it.  There are some wounded personnel
but we can leave them right where they are...."  They could just
picture the man callously shrugging at the prospect of leaving injured
people untreated for hours.  

	Reeve closed his eyes, counted to ten, then said very calmly,
"Take care of any casualties, of course, but don't touch anything else
unless you absolutely have to.  Reeve out."

	"Sheesh!  What an asshole!" said Yuffie as she idly juggled a few
shuriken.

	Red growled softly, "I do not like the smell of this.  The timing
is just too convenient."  At the same time, Vincent emerged from his
corner, adding his silent agreement.

	Almost a bit too quietly, Cloud said, "It reeks of... Hojo."

	Tifa automatically protested, "But he's dead!"

	Cloud didn't answer but only gave her a long, steady look.

	"You got any particular reason or are you just shootin' in the
dark?"  Cid watched Cloud carefully.

	"I'm not sure.  It's just that....  I just keep thinking back to
that fight on Sister Ray.  How he controlled those monsters like
extensions of his own body...."

	"You think that he somehow managed to survive and he's trying to
do... what?"

	"I don't know, Cid."

	Tifa said, "Cloud, it could be someone other than Hojo.  Maybe
it's some of his assistants or coworkers."

	"I know."

	Cid said, "But you don't think so."

	"No, I don't."

	"How come?"

	Cloud shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure.  It's... just a gut
feeling."  

	Reeve didn't miss the quick exchange of looks between Cloud, Red,
and Vincent.  At first, he didn't quite get the significance, then he
realized that of all of his friends, those three were the ones with
the closest contact with Hojo -- at one time or another, they had all
been subjects of Hojo's twisted experimentation.

	Cloud suddenly shook his head.  "All this guessing is useless.  We
need to get down to that storage facility and look around."

	"Cloud, are you feeling up to this?"  Tifa gave him a worried
look.

	He gave her a wry grin and said, "Don't worry.  I'm fine."

	Cid snorted and said, "Hell, Tifa.  He just bumped his head.  It's
not like it's anything really important."

	Cloud gave Tifa an 'I told you so'-type of grin.  "Thanks for the
concern, Cid."

---------------------------

	As the others left the office, Cloud lingered behind to speak to
Reeve.

	"What's up, Cloud?"

	"The doctor in the infirmary...."
	
	Reeve looked a bit surprised.  "You mean Dr. Stephen?"

	"I think that's what his name tag said.  Did you know that he was
one of Hojo's primary researchers?"
	
	The Shinra exec's narrowed.  "What?  How did you know?"
	
	"I've... met him before."

	"Where?"

	"At Nibelheim."  Cloud's voice was flat, drained of emotion.  

	There was a long pause, then Reeve said softly, "I see."

	"Dr. Stephen was intimately involved in a lot of Hojo's Jenova
research.  He probably knows something useful.  The odd thing is...."

	"Yes?"

	"Well, Tifa and I ran into him as we were leaving the infirmary
and he seemed positively terrified.  He took one look at us, screamed,
then locked himself in his office.  And from all the noise, I think he
was doing his best to barricade his door."

	Reeve looked very surprised.  "Really?  When the last time Cait
Sith saw him, he certainly seemed his usual smug, obnoxious self. 
That was less than an hour ago.  What could have scared him so badly
in such a short period of time?  A message, maybe?"

	Cloud shrugged.  "No idea."

	Reeve made a quick call to Security, but soon hung up frowning. 
"Well, if Dr. Stephen got a message, it didn't come through official
Shinra channels.  That doesn't mean much.  He could have his own
private phone.  By the way, he's not in his office."
	
	"Huh?  That's really strange, considering the way he was acting."
	
	The intercom chirped.  Reeve drummed his fingers on his desk as he
listened.  Turning to Cloud, he said, "Damn it!  One of the security
guards reports that she saw him getting aboard the transport carrying
the technical team to Nibelheim."
	
	Cloud frowned and turned to stare out the large glass window in
Reeve's office.
	
	"I'll tell Security to send him back as soon as the plane lands."
	
	Cloud was silent for a long moment.  "No, wait."  He turned to
face Reeve.  "He must have gone to Nibelheim for a reason.  But what?"

	"To escape?"  Reeve scowled.  "No, that doesn't make sense. 
There's no need to go all the way to Nibelheim for that.  Why coop
himself in a plane where we could easily track him down?"

	"Maybe he HAD to go to Nibelheim first."

	"You think that he went there to do something?  Or maybe retrieve
something?"

	Cloud said, "Could be.  There's no way to be sure.  Although...."

	"Yes?"

	"There might be a way to scare him into doing something careless. 
If you get Reno to tell the team that the Turks are planning to
demolish the Mansion and the Reactor after they're done...."

	Reeve slowly grinned and said, "He'll think this is his one and
only chance.  He just might get careless.  Cloud, sometimes you can be
incredibly sneaky."  

	The only response he got was a faint grin and that familiar shrug.


	"You're right.  It'll be a good way to panic Stephen into doing
something stupid.  It might even work on some of the other scientists.
 I'll let the Turks know."

	"Thanks.  See you later."  Cloud left to join the others at the
Highwind.

	After talking to the Turks, Reeve's thoughts returned to Cloud. 
He hoped that his friend would be all right.  Cloud seemed oddly
disturbed by his brief encounter with Dr. Stephen.  Then again, Reeve
was in no position to judge how odd or how normal his friend's
reaction to Dr. Stephen might be.  He knew almost nothing about
Cloud's experiences after the burning of Nibelheim, only that Cloud
had been Hojo's prisoner and experimental subject for a long time. 
There was so much he didn't know about his young friend's complicated
past and there had been a good seven years of his life basically
unaccounted for.... 

	Reeve suddenly paused.  That wasn't really correct.  Even if Cloud
hadn't been a SOLDIER, he had been a Shinra trooper for nearly two
years.  There should be a detailed personnel file on Cloud, especially
if he had applied for the SOLDIER program.  

	Surrendering to an overwhelming sense of curiosity, Reeve asked
his assistant Max to locate and pull the personnel files of one Cloud
Strife, Shinra trooper, private second class.

	Max was not happy and whined, "But sir, if he left Shinra over six
years ago, his files would be in the inactive archives in the
basement."

	Reeve said irritably, "Aren't we supposed to be able to pull up
even the archived files on the computer network?"

	"We're supposed to, but Meteor wrecked a good part of the system. 
And since the inactive files are a pretty low priority item, no one's
gotten around to fixing the access problems."

	"Then go down to the basement and pull the hardcopy files."

	"They may take hours to locate," his assistant moaned.

	"Listen, Max.  Part of your job description is 'go-fer'.  Now, I'm
telling to 'go for' those files and spare me the complaints."

	"Yes sir."  Max sounded resigned.  "When do you need them, sir?"

	By this point, Reeve was feeling a bit guilty for brow-beating his
hapless assistant over something that was just a curious whim.  "It's
not desperately urgent.  Just get those files for me within the next
couple of days.  Oh, and while you're at it, pull the files on a
SOLDIER named...."  He frantically racked his memory but couldn't come
up with a name.  "The SOLDIER who accompanied Sephiroth on his last
mission to Nibelheim about six years ago."

	"Yes sir.  Anything else?"

	"Nope, I think that's it."

	"I'll get right on it, Mr. Reeve."

------------------------------------------------------
PART 2#:  RESEARCH DOCTRINE
------------------------------------------------------

	It was a short flight to the ESSARUF facility.  The research
complex was well hidden in a little valley located surprisingly close
to Fort Condor.  With the majority of the facility being located
underground, the tall chainlink fence and a single, small, three-story
building were the only hints of human presence.  But according to the
information hastily dug up by Reeve, the underground installation was
actually quite large.

	The director of the facility was also a surprise.  Instead of the
thin, scrawny scientist-type they were all expecting, he was a large,
hulking man who rivaled Barret in size.  He looked more like a scruffy
dockworker than a senior research scientist.  

	Aston glared at them and sniffed, not at all impressed by what he
saw.  In a gravely voice, the director growled, "You're Reeve's
'investigation' team.  I'm Dr. Aston, the director of this facility."

	Cloud stepped forward.  "Yes, doctor.  Could you show us where
those creatures...."

	Dr. Aston rudely interrupted by saying, "I'm a very busy man.  Dr.
Montessi will brief you."  With a ham-sized fist, the director
gestured sharply to the person standing next to him before stomping
away.

	Dr. Montessi fit the stereotype of a scientist much more closely. 
She was a pale, painfully thin woman with darkish blond hair and a
nervous, twitchy manner. 

	Cloud sighed, then tried again.  "Dr. Montessi?  About those
monsters...."  

	They were all surprised when the woman suddenly gave Cloud an
incredibly intense stare.  Her gaze moved slowly down his body, then
just as slowly back up.

	Cloud tensed and his eyes narrowed.  Instinct told him that this
woman was a danger -- not necessarily the immediate, life-threatening
sort -- but definitely still a danger.  Struggling to control an
irrational surge of hostility, he addressed her with uncharacteristic
icy tones.

	"Do I KNOW you?"

 	Dr. Montessi ignored his question.  Instead, she edged even
closer, invading Cloud's personal space.  In other situations, he
would have held his ground but something about her gaze made his skin
crawl.  Perhaps it was the look of intense, but dispassionate
interest.  He could have been a rock or a plant or a....

	Cloud abruptly recoiled and retreated a few steps.  Tifa
immediately stepped between them, blocking Dr. Montessi from following
him.  In a very firm voice, she said, "Doctor.  Would you be so kind
as to show us where the creatures went and what they did?"  It wasn't
really a question but rather an order.  Standing behind Tifa, Cid gave
the doctor a cocky smirk.

	A look of annoyance appeared on Dr. Montessi's face.  She
distractedly muttered, "Certainly, certainly.  If you would just
follow me...."  But even as she spoke, she was trying to peer around
Tifa and Cid in an effort to get a better look at Cloud.  Finally,
Tifa grabbed the woman's arm and dragged her toward the building.  

	Cloud ignored their departure.  Instead, he turned his back and
stood staring out across the stony ground with a slightly nauseated
expression on his face.  Red sat down beside him and watched him with
concern.  Cait Sith bounced once or twice before cheerfully saying,
"Hey Cid!  Why don't you and the guys take a look inside?  We'll scout
around up here."

	It probably wasn't the most subtle of hints, but Cid gave Cait
Sith a slight nod.  Before leaving, he muttered, "Hang in there, kid,"
and clouted Cloud on the shoulder.

	After the others disappeared into the building, Cloud muttered,
"God, I hate it when people do that."

	"Do what?" Cait Sith asked, cocking its head slightly.

	"When they look at me like I'm... like I'm a goddamn THING... just
like another curious lab specimen."  He made the last word sound like
an obscenity as his voice shook ever so slightly with suppressed
emotion.  Was it only one day ago that he was feeling reasonably
happy?

	Red uttered a sympathetic rumble.  From personal experience, he
had a very good idea what Cloud was talking about.  He had felt much
the same way himself after being captured by Hojo.  But he had been
much luckier than his young friend in one critical aspect -- no matter
Hojo had done to his body, Red's mind had been his own.  Cloud had not
been nearly as fortunate.  To say nothing of what Sephiroth did to him
later on....

	"Damn it!  Every time I think that it's all behind me, the past
always manages to rear its ugly head."

	Red gave Cloud a reassuring nudge with his head and said, "The
past may be a terrible burden but it also gives us the strength and
knowledge to deal with the future." 
	
	Cloud smiled down wistfully at the great red beast as he ran his
fingers through Red's neckruff.
	
	"Strength...."  Cloud's voice trailed off, then he continued
almost in a whisper, "When I was growing up, I hated myself for being
so weak -- weak in so many ways.  I thought that being strong would be
the answer to all my problems.  All my needs."  He shook his head
slowly.  "I was such a fool.  I had no idea what I was asking for. 
Strength has its own price.  And sometimes the cost can be almost
unbearable."  

	Red somehow sensed that Cloud was not talking about purely
physical strength, but rather another sort of strength entirely.

	Cloud shook off the pensive mood and headed off across the
rock-strewn ground.  "Come on, guys.  Let's take a look around and see
we can find anything useful."

---------------------------

	Tifa gritted her teeth as Dr. Montessi ignored her repeated
questions.  The scientist seemed totally caught up in her own
thoughts.  It wasn't too hard to guess what -- or rather, who --
Montessi was thinking about.  The way that woman had stared at Cloud,
as if he was some fascinating bug or whatnot....  

	Finally, Tifa lost her temper and yelled, "Dr. Montessi!  Will you
PLEASE pay attention!?"

	The doctor started, then sullenly muttered, "Well, if you
insist...."

	As they walked through the facility, the attackers' path was
blatantly obvious.  The creatures left behind them an unmistakable
trail of mayhem and destruction -- deep gouges, scorch marks, blood
splatters....  

	"How many people did you lose?" Tifa asked.
	
	Dr. Montessi shrugged indifferently.  "Ten technicians and two
scientists died.  About the same number were wounded to varying
degrees.  Three people missing."

	"What a cold-hearted bitch!" Yuffie muttered.

	Tifa wondered if there had been something about working for Hojo
that turned people into soulless, uncaring scientists or whether those
types of people were just naturally drawn to Hojo.  But it was a
pointless and unanswerable question -- sort of like the question about
the chocobo and the egg....

	Cid whispered to Vincent, "Man, if any of those scientists Reeve
sent to Nibelheim behave like this bitch, those poor Turks are really
going to earn their fee."  

	The dark man walking beside the pilot said flatly, "Hojo was like
a contagious disease.  His fanaticism corrupted... everything." 

	Cid silently wondered if Vincent had been referring to Lucrecia. 
But Vincent's old love was a topic that was definitely off-limits for
casual conversation.

	They passed through two large metal security doors that had been
shredded like paper, then down several flights of stairs.  A quick
trip down a hallway, then they descended still more stairs.

	"Don't you have any elevators in this joint?" Cid grumbled.

	Yuffie smirked.  "Come on, Cid.  Don't tell me you're getting
tired climbing down a few puny steps."  

	The pilot glared at the ninja girl, but before he could come up
with a scathing retort, Montessi said, "Yes, there is a main elevator.
 However, the creatures severed the cables when they used the elevator
shaft as part of their invasion route.  Four technicians died when the
car dropped fifteen floors."
	
	They ended up in a lobby area.  On one side of the lobby, the
elevator doors had been entirely torn away, leaving a gaping entrance
to the elevator shaft.  On the other side of the lobby was a massive
security door that had been eaten away by some powerful acid.  Just
beyond the door was a large, sterile-looking chamber filled with
floor-to-ceiling cylinders.  Surprisingly, the destruction on this
floor was strictly limited to the lobby area.  Nothing beyond the
security door appeared damaged.

	Before Cid walked through the security door, Dr. Montessi suddenly
turned and snatched the lit cigarette out his mouth.

	"Hey!  What the hell...!?" he sputtered as she chucked it into a
red sealed container in a corner.
	
	"No smoking in Secured Storage.  Can't you read?"
	
	Yuffie sniggered.  Looking around, Tifa asked, "So what happened
here?"

	Montessi shrugged.  "This is the high security archive.  The
monsters came down the elevator shaft, tore open the door, opened one
of the cylinders, removed the sample inside, and left the same way."  

	"How does the bloody system work?" asked Cid as he made his way
into the spacious room.
	
	"Each sample is locked in an individual security container, each
with its own keypad."  She pointed to a cylinder.  "To open any
container, you have to enter the proper authorization code.  If you
try to use force to open the container, you'd probably destroy the
sample."

	Tifa said, "So who has the codes?"
	
	"It depends on the sample.  Some samples can be accessed by a
variety of people but others could only be accessed by the Director of
Scientific Research himself."

	As Yuffie wandered around the room, she said, "You mean that old
freak Hojo."

	"Yes."  Dr. Montessi's response was decidedly frosty.

	Checking around the room, Tifa said, "Only one container opened. 
So the creatures had to know the specific code for this specific
container."

	"Obviously."

	"So who had the access codes to the damned thing?"  Cid rapped the
empty container with his weapon and got a dull thunk from the thick
plastic.

	"We're checking on that information."
	
	"Can't you just look it up in your friggin' computers?"
	
	Montessi shrugged away Cid's question.  "The master access list is
restricted.  Dr. Aston's eyes only."

	"Well, if only one cylinder is opened, you have to know what was
taken," Tifa said irritably.
	
	"Of course."
	
	Cid spun around and glared at Montessi.  "So why don't you just
tell us what the HELL's missing instead of making us wait for the
bleedin' inventory!?"

	In a monotonous voice, Montessi droned, "Because standard
operating procedure clearly states that should any security breach
occur, a full inventory is to be conducted forthwith to ascertain
which, if any, materials have been...."

	Cid finally lost it.  "Cut the bureaucratic bullshit!!!"  He
stalked over to Dr. Montessi and snarled, "Tell Aston to get his butt
down here A-S-A-P with the info on WHAT the hell was in that goddamn
container and WHO had the fuckin' codes for it!  And if he ain't down
here in five minutes, I'm goin' to come lookin' for him and man, is he
goin' to be sorry!"

	At Montessi's dumbfounded look, he bellowed, "TELL HIM!!!"
	
	With the lethal blade of Cid's Venus Gospel flashing only inches
from her face, she stuttered, "Y-y-yes.  R-r-right away."  She ran for
the intercom.
	
	Tifa edged up to Cid and said, "Well, that's one way to do
things."
	
	He glared angrily at Montessi's back.  "Listen to the voice of
experience, kiddo.  If you don't cut through this sorta crap, the red
tape will bury you alive.  I had to go through all this shit before
with the space program.  I didn't take it then and like hell I'm going
to take it now."

---------------------------

	It was exactly five minutes to the second when a visibly irate Dr.
Aston appeared in the doorway.  That was fortunate.  Cid was not in a
generous mood.  Dr. Montessi took the director's appearance as a
dismissal and bolted out of the chamber.

	"Your conduct is totally outrageous!  I was in the middle of a
very delicate...."
	
	"Cut the crap and just give us the goddamn information," said Cid
in an even voice that was more intimidating than any yelling.
	
	The director pulled out a computer printout.  "I have it right
here."  However, instead of handing it over, he smugly added, "But
it's highly confidential.  I can't possibly release it to you without
written authorization from the head of scientific research or the
corporation president."

	Cid was not the only one losing patience with the whole affair. 
Yuffie pounced on the director and mugged him, snatching the printout
out of his hands while simultaneously clobbering him over the head for
good measure.

	"What a shit-for-brains!"  With her back to the others, the ninja
flicked open the printout and started reading before Cid or Tifa could
take it from her.  

	"Yuffie!" Tifa objected.  Ignored by the ninja girl, she then
looked at Cid who merely grumbled, "Damn brat!  She beat me by THAT
much...."  He held his thumb and forefinger a hair's width apart.

	"Blah blah blah... top level... eyes only... yadda yadda yadda...
authorization only...  Well, Hojo was the only one with the codes to
open this baby up."  Yuffie continued to mumble to herself as she
quickly worked her way to the bottom.  Suddenly, she went dead silent.

	"Yuffie?"
	
	The ninja girl didn't answer.  
	
	"What's up?  Gimme that!"  Cid snatched the paper from Yuffie, who
didn't bother to resist as she let him yank the paper from her hands. 
Cid quickly skimmed down to the bottom of the page.  

	"FUCKIN' SHIT!!!"

	"Cid, what's going on!?"
	
	He looked at Tifa with a sour, somber stare.  "God, I should have
known.  No one would bother breaking into a joint like this for some
ordinary piece of crap.  Read the bottom."
	
	Vincent took the paper.  The pertinent lines read:

		CODE AUTHORIZATION:  Director of Scientific Research, Hojo

		*** ACCESS BY OTHER PERSONS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN
		*** MAXIMUM SECURITY MEASURES AUTHORIZED
		*** LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED                  

		SAMPLING DATE:  Day X, Month Y, Year Z
		SPECIES:  HUMAN (PRENAT MODIFIED - JENOVA PROJECT)
		CLASSIFICATION:  SOLDIER (SPECIAL)
		NAME:  SEPHIROTH

	"Oh no."  Tifa's face went absolutely white.  For a brief instant,
Yuffie thought that her friend was going to faint.  The ninja girl
muttered softly, "Guys, I hope you realize that Cloud's probably going
to go totally ballistic when he finds out."
	
	Before they could figure out how to tell their friend about this
nasty bit of news, a soft, delicate female voice murmured, "Excuse me.
 I have some good new and some bad news."

------------------------------------------------------
PART 2#:  EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
------------------------------------------------------

	Cloud and his companions began a systematic search of the area
around the facility.   Cait Sith and Red weren't concentrating too
hard on finding anything.  At the moment, they were a bit more
concerned about Cloud.

	He had a pretty good idea what was going in his companions' heads.
 Cloud appreciated their concern but they really didn't need to worry.
 While Montessi's weird behavior had been really unnerving, it wasn't
anything to flip out over.  He was about to tell his companions just
that when they encountered a technician carrying a small hand saw.  

	Cloud said, "Tell me.  Did you see any of the attackers?"

	"Hell, yes!  Ugh!  Butt ugly critters!  I'll probably have
nightmares for the next week."

	"So what did they look like?"

	"Well, they were....  I mean, they sorta....  They had these
big...."  The tech waved his hands expressively but couldn't quite
find the right words.  "Hey, it'll be a lot easier just to show you."

	"You mean you managed to kill one of them?"  Cloud looked a bit
surprised.

	The tech gave them a cocky grin.  "You betcha!  We may not be some
hotshot combat team like you guys but me and my pals ain't totally
helpless.  We managed to overload the generator for the electrified
fence and fried one of the bastards big-time.  C'mon!"

	As they walked toward the back of the building, the tech said, "I
saw you guys talking with Dr. Montessi.  Wow, what a creepy chick! 
And you should meet her sisters...."

	"....sisters?"   Cloud stopped dead in his tracks.  

	"Yeah.  Montessi's got two of them.  The guys around here call
them the 'Three Weird Sisters'.  You see, the locals around here have
a folktale about three crazy witches that...."  The tech suddenly
noticed Cloud and the others staring blankly at him.  

	"Oh, well.  Never mind.  Anyway, you've already met Montessi. 
She's the twitchy one.  There's Savois.  A real ice queen AND a
titanium-assed bitch all rolled in up in one.  And then there's
Roissy.  Now she does the sweet and innocent bit pretty well, but
trust me, the lady's sharper than the damn scalpels she uses to hack
up her specimens.  Can you imagine that?  Hey, are you okay?"

	Cloud decidedly did NOT look okay.  And yes, he could 'imagine
that'....  An image of a pretty, brown-haired scientist wielding a
bloody scalpel in her delicate white hands sprang to life all too
easily in his mind.  When he realized that Red and Cait Sith were
giving him worried looks, Cloud hastily brushed off the tech's
question.  

	"Oh, I'm fine.  Go on."

	The tech shrugged.  "Anyway, these three docs may be sisters but I
swear that they hate each other's guts.  At least, Savois and Montessi
have a big feud going with Roissy.  When they met, man, you'd better
duck for cover!  She-cat city!  Oh, here we are."

	Walking around to the rear of the building, they found the
slightly charred body.  The monster had a torso and legs of a large
predatory cat, a serpentine head, and was completely covered in
scales.  The creature also had multiple long, muscular tails that were
twice as long as the main body.  It reminded Cloud of the guard
animals that used to roam around the Mako generators in Midgar, except
this creature was well over two times bigger than Red XIII.  Looking
at the oversized fangs and the razor-edged scales covering the body
and tail, it was blatantly clear that the creature was designed for
killing and nothing else.    

	As they warily moved toward the creature's body, Cloud asked, "Was
this the only kind of monster you saw?"

	The technician smirked at their cautious approach.  "Most of them
were like this.  I thought I saw a few smaller flying critters but I
can't be sure."  He playfully wiggled one of the still extended claws
back and forth.  "C'mon!  Don't look so worried!  We toasted this guy
but good.  Actually, I'm planning to grab some of these claws for
souvenirs."  He lifted his saw and went to work.

	But at the first saw stroke, the paw suddenly twitched.

	Cloud whipped out his sword and shouted, "Get back!"  

	It was too late for the tech.  A single flick of the creature's
paw tore the technician in half.  Rolling to its feet, the monster
lashed out with its scaled tails, using them like razor-coated whips. 
Cait Sith's Mog tumbled backwards toward safety while Cloud and Red
both jumped clear.  

	The monster's speed was phenomenal.  If it weren't for Red's
natural dexterity and his own enhanced agility, they would have been
cut down instantly.  As it was, it was all he and Red could do to
dodge and fend off the beast's whipping tails.  Mounting an offensive
attack was out of the question.

	Behind him, he heard Cait Sith yell, *SLOW*.

	Watching the time spell take effect, he thought, (Great.  Now it's
only moving THREE times as faster than any of us!)  But there were
openings.  Now if he could just....

	In a low rumble, Red cast a *SHIVA* summoning.  As the pale blue
entity gracefully blasted the creature with freezing cold and ice
shards, the monster's movements slowed down drastically.  Cloud wasted
no time and landed two massive blows in quick succession.  One slash
severed the thrashing tails.  The other blow sliced through the
monster's spine.  The deadly creature screamed, then collapsed to the
ground, twitching and thrashing.  He took no chances and decapitated
the beast with one final sword stroke.

	Gasping for breath, Cloud got to his feet and said, "Good work,
guys."  

	Red cautiously sniffed the creature's corpse.  "Definitely
unnatural."

	Cait Sith nudged the beast's head with his Moogle's foot.  "Plenty
of firepower here but it doesn't exactly look like the brainy sort. 
It definitely doesn't look smart enough to break into a secure
facility and steal a very specific item on its own.  So how the hell
did it or its fellows know exactly what to take?"

	"It doesn't need to know anything."  Cloud's voice was very soft
and very even.  

	"Huh?"

	Cloud turned and started to walk away.  "If it was created by Hojo
using Jenova cells, it wouldn't need any brains.  Hojo could do all
its thinking for it.  It's really just a flesh and bone... puppet."

	Red and Cait Sith exchanged long looks before following Cloud.

---------------------------

	In the heat of battle, Cloud and the others failed to notice the
two women watching them from the top floor of the building.  In her
usual nervous manner, Dr. Montessi glanced at the woman beside her. 
"You can see that I did not exaggerate, Savois."

	"Yes.  You're quite right.  His mental facilities appear to be in
excellent working order."  Dr. Savois lowered her binoculars.

	"Unfortunately, he seems to have experienced some memory lapses. 
He didn't recognize me at all."

	"A trivial matter.  Clearly not enough to hinder his ability to
function."  Savois stared at Cloud, constantly analyzing his every
movement.  She murmured, "I need to review my data but I do think that
this specimen has  turned out to be a definite success."

	"Are you certain?"

	Savois glanced at her sister.  "You saw the personnel files. 
Prior to treatment, 'Code C' would have been quite incapable of
fighting with such  expertise.  How that young man ever managed to
join the regular army...."  Savois sniffed in contempt.  

	Montessi objected in skeptical tones.  "How can you possibly be
sure that his fighting abilities are solely caused by our treatment? 
You must remember how strongly he rejected the implantation.  Besides,
he was subjected to essentially the same Jenova and Mako treatments as
regular SOLDIER candidates...."

	Savois gave her younger sister a steely look.  "I am well aware of
what the SOLDIER process is capable of doing -- it enhances stamina,
strength, and other physical attributes.  I also know what it canNOT
do.   By itself, the SOLDIER process does not provide the candidate
with the skill to make optimum use of those enhanced physical
attributes.  That was the whole goal of our research, to overcome that
limitation."  

	Montessi gave her older sister a sullen stare and persisted. 
"Still, it's been over a year since he escaped.  With extensive
training...."

	"Hardly.  That young man was already showing substantial
improvement less than a month after his escape."

	"What!?  Less than a month?  You knew he was alive all this
time!?"

	"Yes.  My sources informed me of a blond-haired intruder who broke
into and out of the Shinra Building just over a year ago.  It occurred
at the exact same time as President Shinra's murder."

	Savois' sister could only fume wordlessly.

	"Given that three to four weeks passed between his escape and the
Shinra Building incident, I must agree that training and practice
could explain some of his improvement.  But certainly not all of it. 
And there are other signs -- indicators that are perfectly obvious to
a competent observer."

	Montessi stiffened at the implied insult.

	Savois took a sharp breath as she watched Cloud sheath his sword
with his usual flourish, then smiled to herself.  Oh, she knew exactly
what -- or rather, who -- she was looking at.  

	(It's not just his fighting skills.  It is the other little
things....  Do you see, Montessi?  The way he moves?  The body
language?  The mannerisms?)  

	She had seen it all before, every nuance, in the videotapes of
both practice sessions and actual combat.  Aloud, Savois said, "Have
you told Roissy?"

	"Of course not!  The only thing she'd be interested in is finding
out whether he's FULLY functional or not."  Montessi sneered and
muttered, "The sex-crazed bitch...."

	Savois ignored the last comment and said, "Good.  We'll try to
keep this little discovery to ourselves.  If our sister's lover hadn't
been so stupid, 'Code Z' and 'Code C' wouldn't have been able to
escape in the first place.  Such sloppiness is unforgivable.  Over two
years of my work, lost because of Dr. Stephen's carelessness and
incompetence."

	Montessi sharply corrected her sister.  "Over two years of OUR
work.  And I still think that Sephiroth would have been a much better
donor candidate."

	"Sephiroth was unique -- too unique for our purposes.  He might
have been a brilliant general and a tactical genius, but I always
considered him dangerously unstable.  And events proved me right.  Who
wants an army of mentally erratic geniuses?  'Code Z' was a superb
specimen in his own right and infinitely more stable than Sephiroth."

	As Cloud and his companions headed toward the building, Savois
gave her sister an icy stare.  "It is unfortunate that you behaved so
oddly when you first saw him.  Now it's going to be impossible to
approach him without making him suspicious."

	"Considering that I had thought that 'Code C' had died over a year
ago, I would consider my reaction to be relatively restrained...."

	Savois interrupted by saying, "Excessive excitement, no matter
what the cause, is unbecoming in a scientist.  It indicates a certain
lack of self-control."

	As Savois left the room, Montessi snarled silently at her sister's
back.

---------------------------

	There was a barely noticeable break in Cloud's walk but Red picked
it up instantly.  

	"What's wrong?"

	"I've got the feeling someone's watching us."

	Red casually looked around.  "I see nothing but you're right.  My
neck hairs are prickling."

------------------------------------------------------
PART 2#:  PITFALLS
------------------------------------------------------

	The Mansion was dirty, dusty, and basically deserted except for
the rare wandering creatures.  Cloud and his group had managed to kill
most of monsters already and the few remaining creatures posed no
problems for the Turks, especially since Reeve had taken the trouble
to give the Turks a very comprehensive briefing on the monsters
lurking around the Mansion.

	Despite his vocal complaints about the job, Reno had really
thought that the Shinra exec had been exaggerating about the
scientists.  However, the leader of the Turks soon found out that
Reeve had understated the problem -- badly.  Reno had obligingly
played along with Reeve's suggestion and informed the scientific team
about the supposed demolition of the Mansion and the Reactor.  The
poorly disguised expressions of horror on several of the scientists'
faces told him that Reeve had been right on the money.  More than one
of these guys had their own dirty secrets stashed away in the place --
secrets that they were now desperate to recover.  Reno had to wonder
just how much freelance and unauthorized research had been going on
behind Shinra's and Hojo's back.

	Barely half an hour had elapsed before Elena caught one of the
scientists trying to cram a thick notebook into his jacket.  After a
brief but surprisingly fierce struggle, she successfully pried the
papers from the scientist's bony fingers and tossed it into a secure
lockbox.  And that wasn't the only incident....

	During the lunch break, all the scientists were herded into the
entrance hall, giving the Turks an brief opportunity to relax.  Elena
peered over the balcony and said, "Reno, I seriously think that we're
going to have to strip-search every single one of these guys before we
leave."

	He gave her a sour look.  "Tell me about it."  Reno examined a
fresh set of tooth marks on his hand.  "Man, can Reeve pick them!  The
most disinterested Shinra scientists he could find, my ass!"

	"What happened to your hand?"

	"I caught one of the geeks slipping some computer disks down her
blouse.  When I tried to get 'em back, the bitch fucking well bit me!"

	Knowing Reno, Elena could just imagine his retrieval method --
probably something involving grabbing and groping.  In mock sympathy,
she cooed, "Poor baby!  Did the big, bad scientist hurt you?  Besides,
don't you know how dangerous it is to get between a dedicated
scientist and her research?  Remember, a lot of these guys worked with
loony old Hojo."

	Reno muttered, "I hope she's not rabid."

	"Where's Rude?"

	"He got the short straw.  He's down in the basement keeping on eye
on the library.  He wasn't too happy, either.  Said that all that
weird equipment's giving him the creeps."

	Elena perched herself on the balcony railing.  "But honestly,
where are these guys digging up all these items?  How did all this
stuff get hidden to begin with?"

	Reno sprawled back on the steps.  "My guess is that a lot of these
guys had their own private research projects going on -- stuff that
they didn't want Hojo to know about.  You'd be surprised by the amount
of infighting and backstabbing that goes on when you get a bunch of
intellectuals together.  'Information is power' and all that crap. 
You hide your work so your rivals can't steal it or take credit for
it."

	Elena looked astonished.  "How the hell do you know that?"

	Reno flushed and mumbled something under his breath.

	"What's that about your parents, Reno?"

	He mumbled a bit more.

	In disbelief, Elena said, "Your parents and both your sisters were
all science professors at Midgar University!?"

	He glared at her, his face nearly matching the color of his hair. 
"Yell to the world, why don't you?"

	"Then what the hell are you doing as a Turk?  How come you're
not...."

	"Because I couldn't take the bullshit academic politics they were
always playing, okay!?"

	Elena sniggered.

---------------------------

	After the initial few incidents and minor beatings, the scientists
finally got the message:  "No pilfering."  The upper levels of the
Mansion were soon clear.  All that was left was the Mansion's
basement.

	Under the Turks' intimidating stares, the technicians were soon
hauling away the first load of disassembled lab equipment from the
basement library.  While the techs were hard at work, Elena and Rude
took the opportunity to take a better look around the area.
	
	"What's this?"  Elena walked into a side room that was basically
empty except for a motorized winch mounted on the high ceiling.  One
of the techs followed them into the room.  After poking around a bit,
he said, "Nothing much in here.  Only ordinary mechanical equipment. 
Not worth saving."

	"Hey Rude!  What do you think that was for?"  She pointed upward
at the winch.
	
	He glanced upward and shrugged.  "Hoisting something?"

	"Very funny.  Why put it there?"
	
	Trying to impress the pretty lady, the tech said, "I think this is
the button that operates it...."

	Elena whirled around and snapped, "Don't touch that!" 
Unfortunately, it was too late.  The tech hit the button and the
trapdoor under Elena's and Rude's feet suddenly sprang open.

	"IIIEEEEEE!!!!!" as they plunged into the dark pit.
	
	Reno charged into the room with his Nightstick charged and ready.
	
	"What the....?  Rude!?  Elena!?"
	
	There was a faint splash from the pit, followed by an outraged
female scream.  

	"Get us out of here!" 
	
	"What the hell are you doing down there?"
	
	"Of all the stupid questions!  When I get my hands on that moron
up there, I'm going to rip his balls off with my bare hands!" she
shrieked.

	From the faint light from the opening above, Elena and Rude found
themselves thrashing around in a debris-choked pit filled chest-high
with a nauseating mixture of stagnant water, slime-covered bones, and
other disgusting types of junk.  The reek of decay was overpowering.

	"I think we located Hojo's garbage disposal," muttered Rude.
	
	"God, I think I'm going to be sick.  Reno!"
	
	"Shit!  The winch isn't working.  I've got to find a rope.  Be
back in a couple of minutes."
	
	He hadn't taken but a few steps when a loud screech from the pit
brought Reno running back .
	
	"What's wrong now!?"
	
	As she frantically scrambled onto Rude's shoulders, Elena
screamed, "Something brushed my leg!"

	"Elena, show some goddamn backbone!  Sheesh!"
	
	"Renoooo!" she wailed piteously.
	
	"I'm hurrying!  I'm hurrying!"  Before he left the room, Reno
smiled nastily at the quivering tech.  "You dropped my teammates into
a pit.  That makes me unhappy.  Don't force me to come looking for
you."  The tech nodded nervously and planted himself firmly on a
stool.

	In the pit, Rude muttered, "Elena, do you MIND?"  She reluctantly
slid off his shoulders back into the water.

	"What's taking him so long?"  She would have chewed her nails
except her hands -- and nearly every other part of her body -- was
covered with muck.
	
	Suddenly, there was a loud scream from above.  Elena started to
shout up a question but Rude quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. 
They both froze as more screams erupted, followed by low, bestial
howls and a fusillade of distant gunfire.

	She realized that they were sitting ducks stuck in the pit.  If
the attackers saw them, they were as good as dead.  Flattening
themselves against the sides to make themselves as inconspicuous as
possible, Rude and Elena waited helplessly as the sounds of the
fighting got steadily closer.

	The pit suddenly darkened as something swept across the opening,
then the body -- or more precisely, half of the body -- of the unlucky
tech fell on top of them, followed by a shower of warm blood.

	Elena gritted her teeth and remained silent.  The desperate
screams soon faded in frequency, allowing her to pick out the
distinctive crackle of Reno's Nightstick.  She and Rude exchanged grim
looks and began to examine the sides of the pit.  The algae and mold
made climbing the walls nearly impossible but the two of them were not
about to let a minor detail like that stop them.  Reno was up there --
alone and in trouble.  

	They almost made it out of the pit but twenty feet below the rim
the pit abruptly narrowed and the rough walls turned into slick,
finished stonework.  There would be no climbing those last twenty
feet.  However, after backtracking a bit, they found a open side
tunnel -- a sewer pipe, really.  Elena didn't have too much trouble
moving in the tunnel but it turned out to be a painfully tight squeeze
for Rude and his broad shoulders.  Leading the way, Elena grimly
ignored the unmentionable goo oozing between her fingers and started
to crawl as quickly as possible.

---------------------------

	It was not Dr. Stephen's day.  It started out well enough when he
found the specimen 'Code C' dumped on his examining table like an
early birthday present.  But then everything turned sour.

	'Code C' -- he supposed it had a name but he couldn't remember
trivial details like that -- was clearly in a state of major cognitive
dysfunction.  It was displaying clear signs of paranoia, delusional
behavior, homicidal mania,....  

	In short, 'Code C' was a raving lunatic.  
	
	Dr. Stephen noted that the specimen's mental condition apparently
hadn't improved at all over the last year or so.  Luckily, 'Code C'
had suffered that convenient brain seizure.  Otherwise, he would have
undoubtedly been killed by the maniac and the world would have lost a
great scientist.

	Anxious to get as far away as possible from 'Code C', he had
managed to stow away with the Nibelheim team.  He had thought he was
safe... until the monsters attacked, mercilessly slaughtering everyone
in their path.

	Dr. Stephen had ended up cowering under an overturned coffin in
one of the basement rooms, but the monsters eventually managed to
sniff him out.  They were ready to tear him limb from limb when a
distorted, yet familiar voice said, "Wait.  Bring him here." 

	Clawed arms dragged him from his hiding place and dumped him on
the ground in front of the speaker.  The man's figure was shrouded in
shadow and there was something wrong about the way he moved....

	"So, Dr. Stephen.  We meet again."

	"Hojo!  I heard you were dead!"

	The notorious mad scientist hissed softly in amusement.  "And so I
was.  So I was."

	"What are you doing here in Nibelheim?"

	"Oh, I came back to retrieve some information.  And I was thinking
about using the equipment here to restart my most significant
project."

	"Project?"

	In a perfectly matter-of-fact manner, Hojo said, "Reconstructing
Sephiroth, of course."  With those words, Hojo fully emerged into the
light.  Stephen couldn't suppress a startled gasp at the bizarre
figure standing before him.  Hojo still had a humanoid form but his
skin was entirely green.  His eyes were huge and faceted like an
insects while his body and legs seemed oddly boneless.  Tentacles
sprouted from his torso with the two largest serving as Hojo's arms.

	"A bit of a change, eh?"

	"How...?"

	Hojo giggled, sending his tentacles rippling.  "A sudden massive
ingestion of Mako-infused Jenova cells.  My own private cocktail."  He
waved a tentacle at the disassembled equipment in the library. 
"Unfortunately, it appears that my enemies are all too familiar with
this location.  However, I already have one in mind, complete with its
own little Mako reactor.  Courtesy of Scarlet."

	"But how....  I thought that all the samples of Sephiroth were
transferred to your labs in the Shinra Building.  Those floors were
destroyed by that huge Meteor thing."

	"So they were.  But there was one single sample left, just where
it should be.  The ESSARUF depository.  I retrieved it just today." 
Hojo held up a fluorescent pink cylinder that was about four inches
long and just over an inch in diameter.

	Dr. Stephen was a careless sort of man, as Dr. Savois had so
recently noted.  Without considering the consequences of his words, he
blurted out, "But that's can't be the real.... Eep!"  He hastily
clapped his hand over his mouth but it was much too late.

	Hojo wrapped a tentacle around Stephen's throat and dragged him
forward.  "What do you mean 'can't be the real'?  Answer me!"

	"Nothing!  Nothing!"

	"ANSWER ME!!!"

	"Urkkk...."  Noting that his prisoner's face was turning purple,
Hojo eased his grip on Stephen's throat ever so slightly.

	"It's... not... the... real... sample...," wheezed the terrified
scientist.

	"How can this be!?"  

	"Stolen...."

	"By whom?  Who has it!?  Where is the sample now!?"

	"Don't... know.... where...."

	Hojo smiled ominously at his prisoner.  "Well, let's see if I
can't improve your memory."  A blade-tipped tentacle hovered briefly
in front of Stephen's terrified face, then slashed downward.  

	There was a spurt of blood.

	Stephen started screaming... and continued for a very long time.

(continued)