Guilt’s Cost: Part LXXVII

Disassembly

When Vincent woke up, he didn’t know it but he had been asleep for nearly forty-eight hours. He was disoriented and sick to his stomach. His head felt as though he’d been hit by a train. Finally he tried to move, but found himself unable. As he tried, the only thing that he could feel was the distinct pain of his broken right wrist.

He was semi-vertical, affixed to some sort of table. Vincent’s eyes were sluggish to open, and when they finally did, it took a long time for them to focus. First, he examined his surroundings; finding himself locked into a room not unlike the one Tifa was in across the hall. Although he had no idea where she was, it was obvious that she wasn’t here.

After closing his eyes for a moment in a vain attempt to quiet the hangover he had from the drugs Hojo had given him, he looked down at his body. The demon flesh that had covered his chest was gone, and his own ivory skin was again present. This failed however, to console him for what he saw next.

Vincent’s cybernetic lower body had been dismantled. His form was now unnaturally truncated below the hips as his mechanical legs had been removed. The last vestiges of his male anatomy had also gone by the way side, and there were various tubes and wires connecting him to some sort of machine below the table, allowing his body to carry on its normal functions. Even if he and Tifa did somehow survive this, their marriage would never be consummated.

This was why nothing had happened when he had tried to move a few minutes earlier. There was nothing left for him to move.

His eyes stung with bitter tears. Vincent had once thought that Hojo had done his worst to him before, but that now paled in comparison with what he had done now.

Reluctantly, Vincent turned his gaze to his left arm, confirming what he already suspected. Where his cybernetic arm had been was nothing. The point of attachment to his left shoulder stood empty; wires and cables just terminating rudely into space.

Feeling he had nothing more to lose, he looked to his right arm. It was still present and was strapped to the table. His broken wrist hung from it at an awkward angle and was bloody and swollen from the gunshot. It had been long enough that it should have already healed on it’s own, but with Chaos now no more than a memory, his exceptional healing ability was lost.

The door to the room opened and Hojo strolled in with his hands behind his back. "Mr. Valentine, I see that you are finally awake."

Vincent couldn’t bring himself to look at the scientist in his shame. He bit his lower lip to prevent himself from saying anything that would warrant him a punishment. That much he had learned during his first stay in Hojo’s care thirty years before.

Hojo smiled upon sensing Vincent’s submission. The former Turk hadn’t forgotten his fear over all these years and Hojo was pleased. "I suppose you wonder why I took you apart?"

Vincent did not respond, just closing his eyes again in anticipation of the answer.

"I see." Hojo nodded. "You’re not talking to me. Which is sad, because we have a lot to discuss. Anyway, I dismantled you so I could test out some new cybernetic prosthetics on you. Your old limbs were terribly outdated. I have made several advances since then, and I want you to get the chance to test them for me. Those first limbs I perfected on you worked well, did they not? When I sold the patents on those original amendments, thousands of amputees around the world were given their lives back. Don’t you feel proud to have been a part of that?"

Against his better judgement, Vincent answered. "You are quite the humanitarian."

Hojo cocked an eyebrow; surprised that Vincent would respond. "Is that sarcasm, Mr. Valentine? No matter, you are correct. I didn’t do it to help old veterans that had their legs blown off by mines walk again. When I sold those patents, I made millions. Money isn’t everything until you have it, I guess."

Vincent sighed to himself. He wanted to die, but he also needed to try to help Tifa. There had to be some way for him to save her, even in his current state.

The scientist seemed to read Vincent’s thoughts. "Yes, about her. It will be another day before she is ready to give up the gametes I so desperately need. That’s the problem with females; you have to get them to ovulate first. Quite a pain, but I’ve given her some medication to help her along faster. I suppose that just leaves the question of what I should do with her when I’m done. I can let her go, or I could kill her. Which do you prefer, Mr. Valentine?"

"Let her go." Vincent whispered.

"I see." Hojo licked his lips and walked closer. "Maybe I will if you entertain me. You owe me for screwing my wife and setting back the Jenova Project with your… contamination. But if you did one little thing, it might help me decide to let her go. I know she is married to you. Why she would do such a thing, I don’t know, but I would suspect it means that you love her. That is very touching. Will you do something to save your wife’s life?"

Vincent was desperate enough to try anything. "What?"

Hojo grinned widely and leaned right into Vincent’s face. "Beg me, Mr. Valentine. Beg me to cut off your right arm. Plead with me to do that, and I might decide to let her go."

Vincent closed his eyes and let the tears fall. Losing his right arm was up until now his greatest fear, but now the fear of Tifa being harmed surpassed it. Vincent swallowed the last of his dignity and pride. "Please take my arm."

"Hmmm…" Hojo watched bemusedly as the tears began to streak Vincent’s face. "I don’t know if that would qualify as sincere enough. Try again."

Vincent opened his eyes and locked gazes with the scientist. From the depths of his soul he pled. "Hojo, take my right arm in exchange for Tifa’s life. Do whatever you want to me, just please let her go."

Hojo leaned a little closer and allowed his lips to meet Vincent’s for just a moment. He straightened up and took off his glasses. "I have missed you, Mr. Valentine. I regret not finishing my work on you thirty years ago, but things got so complicated. I am very pleased to have you back now."

Vincent had to fight the urge to vomit after the mad man’s kiss. He knew that there were countless unspeakable tortures for him to endure, but for Tifa’s sake he would try. Even if it cost him his life. He would give anything for her. Anything.

Hojo turned his eyes to Vincent’s right hand where it dangled from his arm. He spotted the gold ring upon the third finger. Carefully he reached out and took Vincent’s hand, pulling the ring from it.

Vincent winced in pain, as even the slightest touch to his arm was agonizing. He scowled as the scientist ripped his symbol of marriage from him.

Hojo inspected the plain gold band once it was removed from Vincent. "I think I should put this somewhere safe for the time being. I would hate for it to get lost when your wasted arm gets thrown into the incinerator."

Vincent clenched his teeth, wishing beyond all hope to kill the man before him. Words formed themselves in his throat, and he was unable to stop them. "I hate you, and I will kill you."

Hojo scoffed. "Take a number, Mr. Valentine. Everyone is out to get me. I suppose that even Porter has it in for me. At least, I’m sure he would if he knew what I had done on his behalf."

Vincent recognized the name from the other day. "Porter is your Turk?"

Hojo raised an eyebrow. "Talkative all of the sudden? So be it. Yes, he is. Reminds me a lot of you sometimes. Very weak and easily manipulated. However, I suspect that if he knew what I had done to his ladylove, he would lash out in a most violent way. But at least, he stays away from what is mine, something that you failed to do. Was Lucretia really worth all of this?"

"You killed her, and she was your wife." Vincent dropped his gaze.

"I didn’t kill her, Mr. Valentine." Hojo laughed. "She was unable to adjust to the Jenova that leaked into her body from the fetus. It is the Jenova that killed her, not I."

"You are guilty." He hissed through his teeth.

"Guilt has no meaning." The scientist smiled. "For there to be a consequence to guilt, there would have to be a Hell. I don’t believe in such mythology. We all die and go into the life stream. There is no heaven, no hell. Therefore, I will not ever feel any guilt or remorse for my actions. What I do is for the greater good of man. If a few lives must be lost along the way, then so be it. Lives can be replaced. People breed like rats; there will never be a shortage of subjects. But finding subjects like you, now that is special. I have many things planned for you."

"Fuck you." Vincent growled.

Hojo lost his self-pleased expression and narrowed his eyes. "Don’t tempt me, Mr. Valentine." He reached out and struck Vincent’s broken wrist.

Vincent threw his head back in agony as the force of the strike caused the broken bones to grate against one another. It took several minutes for him to regain his composure. When he opened his eyes, he found Hojo smiling.

"I have to go check on Tifa to see how she is progressing." Hojo turned to leave. "Don’t go anywhere, we’re not finished."