Cloud found the little building around noon. It was at the end of the trail of destruction, and all around it there was nothing but desert.
Yep. This was the place.
Hatred for Kadaj welled up in the blonde man's heart, and he gritted his teeth, reaching back with his right arm and pulling out his huge sword. Time for Kadaj to die. He had dared to even go near Tifa, and in Cloud's mind, that was crossing the line. He stalked up to the stainless steel door, and almost lazily kicked it in. It went crashing down the hall to the opposite wall, nearly thirty feet away. The entire place seemed to have metal doors and concrete walls, floors, and ceilings. Which really didn't surprise Cloud all that much.
He checked every door, with each room hoping to find Tifa, or, better yet, Kadaj. He was ready to kill the damned traitor.
It was the last door, at the end of the hall on Cloud's right. If she wasn't in here...
His black-gloved hand reached forward slowly, and he turned the handle. The room was dark, but his pure blue eyes missed nothing. He saw a slumped figure on the floor, with dark brown, almost black hair pooled around where the head should be.
"Tifa!"
Cloud raced forward, grabbing her by her shoulders. Her eyes slowly flickered open, and he quickly stripped the silver duct tape off her mouth. "Tifa, are you alright?"
"Cloud," she murmured, but her wine-colored eyes were still unfocused, like she couldn't see him. She had dried blood on one side of her head, and she held her arm awkwardly against her. "You're here," she said, her voice faint. "You came." Tifa didn't appear to see Cloud at all.
"Yes. Come on, let's get you home." Cloud carefully lifted her up, but when he tried to set her to stand she collapsed again, letting out a faint whimper. Her left leg wouldn't support her weight, he saw with a surge of anger for Kadaj. Frowning, Cloud suddenly lifted her up with one arm, and her head lolled against his shoulder.
"You came," she repeated weakly. "Where were you, Cloud?" Turning his head slightly, the blonde warrior noticed that her gaze was still unfocused.
Suddenly, as Cloud turned down the hallway, there was a silver-haired figure standing about halfway down.
"Brother," purred Kadaj, his snake eyes gleaming. This voice seemed to register with Tifa- her wine-colored eyes went wide, and Cloud could almost feel her trembling. What had this man done to her?
Wordlessly, Cloud bent, sitting Tifa up against one of the walls, behind him. Then he turned to Kadaj, his cerulean eyes snapping electric blue fire under the golden hair. And now he spoke to Kadaj for the first- and what he hoped was the last- time.
"You. Bastard."