The Soldier comes out of his memory wipe pliant and docile as always. He opens his mouth, has the bite guard removed, is unstrapped from the table. He hates the table. He doesn't know why. He doesn't remember the agony of having his mind destroyed over and over to erase his memory, but no matter how they try, they cannot erase every bit of trauma involved. The edge of something still remains in him, no matter the damage they cause.
He steps down off of the table and says, “What are my orders?” His voice is bland and without inflection. A sign that the mind wipe was successful.
“You have one target. His name is Kunsel Zantos. You are to kill him,” his handler says, handing him a file. The file has all the information they have for one Kunsel Zantos, former SOLDIER first class. The Soldier understands he will be a problem because of this. Zantos has the same enhancements as he does, according to the file.
If the Soldier could feel anticipation, he would have been excited about fighting someone equaling his strength.
“You'll be working with Dr. Roscoe,” the handler continued. “He will be – ”
“Why am I working with a civilian? I'm the Ghost Soldier. I don't need help.”
The handler presses a pair of glasses further up his nose. “Because you do need the help, Soldier. You failed to kill him last time.”
The Soldier is aware of his abilities, aware that he is not the only one with them. He knows that this Zantos character has abilities too. It shouldn't have been a surprise, but they didn't often send him with civilians or backup to help him.
He remains silent as the handler takes the file back from him. “Do not fail us again, Soldier.”
Dr. Roscoe is a small man, made to look even smaller by the perpetual hunch of his shoulders. He is visibly nervous, sweat beading on his brow as he looks around the small cafe located in Junon where he had agreed to meet the nosy ex-SOLDIER. He's early.
He is nervous because he's setting Kunsel Zantos up for an execution. It's common knowledge these days that Zantos will do just about anything for information, and currently, he's researching the Ghost Soldier. Roscoe knows very much about the Ghost Soldier, though he doesn't intend to tell Zantos much about him. Just enough to lure him into a trap.
His nervousness can easily be attributed to the fact that the remains of Shinra have been systematically taking out people too open with information. He hopes Zantos will buy it.
The plan is simple – to lure Zantos out into a nearby warehouse, where they will have 'privacy.' The Soldier is waiting for them across the street, dressed in civvies and reading a newspaper. He has a coffee he bought from a street vendor, but he isn't drinking it. (He had made a face when he had tried it. The guy must not like coffee, Roscoe figures. It's weird to think about the Soldier having preferences.)
The Soldier will follow them and take Zantos out in the privacy of the warehouse, where no one will interfere this time. Backup for the Soldier isn't possible at this time – he is a one man army today. Shinra doesn't have an army to back him up any longer. But no matter. It's been reported that Zantos recognized the Soldier. Information has it that they used to be friends, back when the Soldier was a person (another weird thought). That's a weak point, and they intend to use it.
Roscoe wipes his brow again, glancing around the cafe nervously.