Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 2: Aftermath

FORTY

I found myself at first in a small control room filled with monitors on the other side and a closed door to my right. It was all made of steel, cold and empty just like Scarlet. And as if my thought had summoned her, a large red hologram of her suddenly appeared from a projector on the floor in front of me, rising to almost twice my height and laughing smugly in that harsh, icy voice of hers.

"So, Jessica, you've finally made it to Advanced Weapons Research. You could've so done much here if you'd listened to me, made so many new discoveries and inventions beyond anything you can imagine. But now it seems we'll never know, will we?"

I glared up at her. "I don't regret the choice I made."

She sniffed. "Such a pity. It seems I have another rat to run through my little maze. I think you'll prove to be far more interesting than they were, however. But still quite a nuisance."

"Another?" I asked.

"Ah, yes," Scarlet sneered. "A pair of Wutaian ninjas snuck through here recently a few weeks ago looking to steal the ultimate materia. Of course, we don't have it—yet. But we will."

I blinked. "Wutaians? Here?"

She nodded. "Yes, but not anymore. One of them actually managed to escape, unfortunately, but her partner didn't. He's quite dead now... and, shall we say, in a very dark place."

Something about the way Scarlet said that made me shudder, and I didn't wanna know just what she'd meant. And I decided that if I could, I'd try to get in a little payback for this mysterious ninja girl while I was here. I didn't know the first thing about her or the friend she'd lost, but no one deserved to die in this hellhole.

"You're gonna pay for that," I promised.

"Please, by all means, try!" Scarlet laughed coldly. "Your prize isn't far very ahead of you, Jessica. But can you get out again once you have it? That may prove to be quite a challenge."

I narrowed my eyes. "Bring it, bitch! I'm not afraid."

She leaned forward. "Oh, but you will be..."

Then the hologram faded and went out. As soon as it was gone, the door to my right slid open with a soft hiss. Looked like she wanted me to find the FEX-01, probably so she could throw some of her creations at me and see how well it held up. If that was her game, then I'd play it, but my way. Before I moved to the door, I took out my new transmitter and pressed the button to contact Cait Sith.

"Cait? Are you there?" I asked.

He replied just a second later. "Aye, lass. Ahn I just heard aboot yer situation with Scarlet—yer friends've been busy ahn got word to us. So don't ye worry, Jessica. Help's on the way!"

I blinked. "Who? How?"

"No time to talk right now," Cait said. "I'll be down there soon as I can, lass. Ahn yer other backup's on the way, too. Reeve'll watch things from this end with Janice ahn find ye another way out, so just keep on going for now ahn I'll meet ye further in."

"Understood, Cait," I told him. "And thanks."

He came back at once. "No problem, lass. We'll beat this broad ahn get ye out safe ahn sound, ye'll see."

I looked around. "Know anything about this place?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," Cait answered. "Only that Scarlet does her top secret research here. I dunno what that is, though. Did she ever tell ye aboot it when ye worked fer her?"

"Only that it was off limits, even for me," I said.

He responded as I got moving. "Ye best watch yerself then, lass. It's bound to be dangerous in there. Good luck."