Limited Wish
Chapter 3
After a while, a door opened on the far side of the room, and a figure in a white lab coat entered. "Well," it said. "I see youre finally awake."
Audrea remembered that voice all too well. "Hojo. Youre supposed to be dead."
"I had heard the same about both of you," the scientist replied.
"What is this?"
"And wheres Sephiroth, Im sure you want to know." Hojo smiled. "In answer to your second question, hes right here." As Hojo turned on the lights in the lab, she could see him, strapped to a lab table, also in his military outfit, still out cold.
"And as for what I want with you. Well. Youre here for two reasons. I need you to finish my experiment, and then Scarlett wants to talk to both of you."
"Experiments? Havent you done enough damage already?" Audrea spat.
Hojo regarded her. "You never wondered? Why you cant remember? I created you, Audrea, from a shell. Your friends were just practice runs, to see how the de-freezing process would work. You, I created to be the perfect woman for my son." He laughed. "I can finally finish what I started. Yours and Sephiroths child, the culmination of my lifes work!" He laughed.
Audrea smirked. "Youve got another think coming, Hojo. I just found out, Im sterile." It was the first time shed actually said the words aloud and they left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Hojo laughed again. "I can fix that. I did that for a reason. You were destined to carry my sons baby. I wanted to protect that investment, so to speak."
Audrea lunged at him, "You monster!" She yelped as the chains dug into her wrists, forced her back down to the floor. "You beast!"
"Thank you." The conversation was interrupted by another figure entering the lab. "Hojo. Are they awake yet?" Scarletts voice carried across the room.
"She is." Hojo answered. "You can talk to her."
Scarlett approached the chained woman. "Well. Welcome to the new Shinra Headquarters, Commander." She laughed. "Welcome back."
Audrea looked at her. "Ill never work with you."
Scarlett nodded. "Its not you Im really after, you know. Hojo insisted on me bringing you along. Its your dear Sephiroth that I am the most interested in." She stalked over to the lab table, where Sephiroth was starting to come around.
Sephiroth awoke to the realization that he was strapped to a table. He could hear Hojo and Audreas exchange.
Scarlett approached him. "Hes awake." She sat on the edge of the table, leaning over so that Sephiroth had a good view down her red dress. "Hello, general. Weve missed you. Ive missed you." Scarlett reached out and caressed his face.
Sephiroth shuddered and recoiled from her touch, as much as he could. "Whats the matter?" She purred. "You know you want me. You always have."
Hojo stormed over. "Enough. Scarlett, tell him whats going on."
Scarlett sighed. "I need you, General. I need you to take command of my army once again. Well raise Shinra back to its former glory. Youll be the most feared man on the planet once again. Id like you to agree, but I warn you, I wont take no for an answer. I have my ways of making you agree." She stood. "Hojo, come with me." The scientist followed her out the door.