Viral Love

I awoke shackled to a very unconscious, bleeding Hojo. Six men with automatic rifles sat beside us. I closed my eyes again before they could see my wakefulness.

“What the fuck are we doing taking these losers?” A man asked. “I thought Scarlet and Heideggar wanted them killed.”

“Idiot,” another answered. “Quinn bought them.”

“So that’s why we’re flying to Nibelheim?”

“Idiot,” the harsher-voiced man said again. “You’ve said too much already.”

Silence reined awhile. Someone lit a cigarette. “So, how much did he pay for them?”

“Quinn? Bought these two for a little bit of nothing. Something about pre-approval on the ethics committee.”

Hojo had mentioned Samuel Quinn to me. He was an agent of New Midgar Alliance, and headed the ethics committee. He’d agreed to give Shin-Ra a clean bill of health if they sold Hojo and me to him.

“How much longer we got?”

“We refuel the chopper in Costa del Sol, I think.”

“Heh. Got the time for a piece of ass?”

“Probably.”

“Won’t take but a minute.”

Laughter. These men offended me. They smelled bad, spoke even worse, and hadn’t a shred of brains. Is this what happened to the mighty Shin-Ra corporation? They employed unprofessional or half-trained men? If these idiots went through the SOLDIER program, I’d eat Hojo’s gun.

No, I didn’t have that anymore. I could bet he didn’t have his knife or his materia bracelet, either. And, these men at least knew how to bind us in the most hampering way. My right to Hojo’s left, wrists and ankles. Scarlet definitely supervised this little aspect of our capture; she’d know Hojo was a leftie, and that my dominant hand was the right.

“We’re flying into turbulence,” a voice said over a nearby radio. “Are the prisoners secured?”

“Haven’t moved,” someone answered just before the helicopter pitched a little. “Maybe we should land?”

“Over the ocean?” the radio voice laughed harshly, then cut out.

Another wild, reeling pitch made the helicopter lurch. Hojo fell into the floor, dragging me with him. I continued to feign unconsciousness as several guards put us upright again. “Nice job securing the cargo,” a man snickered.

“You shut the fuck up, Daniels. They don’t have to be in good shape just for Quinn.”

“That’s good, because I think you caved the quack’s skull in.”

“No loss.”

Hojo suddenly woke up. I continued to fake it, wishing he’d had that good sense to do the same. Now I’d have to take these cretins by surprise at the perfect moment instead of any moment I chose. Goddamned impulsive mad scientist!

“The quack heard you,” Hojo informed, his voice pissed off and strident. “Who are you dunderheads, hm? You didn’t go through SOLDIER or I’d remember you.”

I didn’t wince when I heard someone punch him, but I couldn’t help “waking up” when he dragged me into the floor and the shouting began. Hojo had about a thousand tentacles out, but all of them only wrapped around a single man. The other men had rifle butts slamming down onto him, but he completely ignored the vicious beating. He was determined to twist that guard like a dishrag, and, by the screams, he was succeeding admirably.

No help for it. Time for a real knock-down, drag-out fight.

I got onto my side and grabbed one of the guards with my legs, breaking his neck. The next one saw me awake and a threat, and raised his gun to fire into me. I kicked it from his hands, then kicked again and shoved his nasal cartilage into his brain.

“Holy shit, they’re both awake!” One of the last two yelled, and they both fired into me. I felt pain awakening my demons…

“Goddamn it, Valentine!” Hojo shouted, slapping me in the face even while he continued twisting a man to death. “Don’t you fucking dare! Don’t transform!”

But…

I wanted to…

Redness hazed my vision. I felt myself growing, sprouting bone at my skull and fangs from my mouth. Oh, Shiva, it hurt, but it felt so good to draw out the change. I gave into my animal slowly, enjoying the fear he inspired.

“Valentine!” Hojo’s voice became less distinct. “I hope I can hang onto you, you big oaf! Did you forget we’re chained together?”

I had a very attractive, smaller creature hanging from me like a bracelet. I held him up for a good view. Non-threatening. Quite willing for me to spread him open. Lust and fear made a good mix.

Something pierced my leg, making me howl in pain. I spied a man pulling something shiny from my leg and drawing back to do it again. I kicked him and he didn’t move anymore.

“There’s one more!” the bracelet-tasty shouted.

He wanted me to kill? I loved to kill.

I grabbed the last man and ripped him apart, loving the hot spray of blood and the splatter of intestines. But, wait. He wasn’t the last. There were two beyond a metallic door.

“Valentine, we’re in a helicopter!” the bracelet man shouted, thumping me on the arm frantically. I ripped the barrier off and beheaded one man before he could even turn. The next one I simply yanked out and crushed.

“Oh fuck! We’re going to crash!” The one I’d decided to mate, grabbed my shoulders. “Get us out of here, Vincent!”

He wanted out of the falling metal box? I could do that. I shouldered open the side door, and barrel-rolled into the wind.

I wished he would stop screaming…