Chapter 3: The Search For An Old Friend
Tifa woke up at Aeris's small house. She slept on the couch, it was nice, but did nothing for her dreams. She saw him again, and again being killed. Tifa ignored the dry tears on her cheeks and took a hot shower.
She went to the living room and saw a note:
Went to the office, be back tonight.
Tifa got dressed and decided to go to her old house. It still had some boxes, and her gun was there. Today she was going to do some serious research, and hopefully find the needle in her haystack.
When she went in her old house, it felt like a friend greeting her. It was quite empty, except for the 4 white boxes in the living room. Her files, badge, and gun. Also inside was her award for assisting in the catch of Sephiroth.
She opened the box she needed. Her gun, badge, and files on Sephiroth were inside. She put them on, then began to read through the files. The one that caught her interest was how Sephiroth escaped.
Apparently he was triple jointed in his shoulders, so after removing the jacket, he proceeded to a blind spot in the cell. When the nurse came, he got her. But how he got out into the open was interesting as well. He climbed into the air vents in the hospital and got out at the minimum security wing. There he posed as a visitor, and simply left.
She looked at some recent files Aeris received and gave to her along with the letter Sephiroth sent.
Tifa] Let's see… stolen evidence including: Some hair samples, blood samples, finger prints… Wait, I thought we found the knife. Yet its not on the stolen list. Another fact that supports our theory.
She tucked some notes away and headed for the door, but something was on it. She closed it slowly and saw what it was.
Written in what looked to be blood was writing:
I am going to continue where I left off on you, my lovely sapphire
Tifa felt pure fear fill her, she pulled her gun and chambered the first bullet. She frantically spun several times, then decided to carefully search her house. Room after room, she found nothing, not even some flattened carpet.
He must have left in a hurry, she thought. But it wasn't like him. He usually knew everything: what time she would have been here, and left. Yet here she was, and no evidence of him anywhere else except at the door. She slowly put her gun away and headed out. She locked the door tightly and looked at the outside of her house one last time.
After doing so one thought came to her mind, more of a fear actually, "Is he going to come after me?"
Aeris got home late that night, Tifa had made dinner and was setting the table.
Aeris] Oh, I'm so sorry I'm late Tifa. I was stuck at the office and crap like that.
Tifa] Hehehe, its alright Aeris, just sit and have some dinner. I made ceaser salad with shrimp.
Aeris] mmm, sounds super.
They sat and drank some wine along with their dinner.
Tifa] So, how was work?
Aeris] Great, almost perfect. Nothing bad at all to report, which is usually rare hehe. Find anything new when you went over to your house?
Tifa] No and… how did you know I was there?
Aeris] Hehe, just a guess really, I suspected you would want your gun and badge.
Tifa] I see, hmhm, so…
Aeris] Any luck on finding him?
Tifa] No, its going to be tough. But I'm going to study the letter hard and see if any clues come along.
Aeris] Good idea, need any help?
Tifa] Sure, I'll take any I can get.
They smiled and finished their dinner. Right after the dishes were clean they got right to work.
Aeris] Ok, we have the letter, after running it through the computer, it found nothing.
Tifa] Yeah, figures, and the paper is nothing special either. Doesn't that figure?
Tifa shakes the envelope, rather than just flagging, it makes a sound. Tifa looks at it, then tips it over. Some dust, orange and rough, pours in her hand.
Aeris] Oh oh! Give me some of that!
She grabs some away and put it under a microscope.
This is great tiff, I might be able to identify the source!
Tifa] Excellent, you work on that, I'm going to put on some coffee. This is going to be a long night.
It was late, and the night was like a black blanket, easy to hide in. A knock came to her door, soft and delicate. As she opened it the dark light flooded in. Her boyfriend stood there, in all his glory. He was a basketball player for the local highs school. He was 18, and she 17. But that made no difference, they were in love, and wanted each other ever since they were 14 and 15.
He smiled as she pulled him in. Their lips met in a long kiss.
Girl] Oh my love, I missed you.
Man] Yes, I missed you too.
Girl] Let's skip dinner, please?
He smiles, knowing he was finally going to experience that which was always forbidden.
Man] Alright, I need to use the restroom first.
He went upstairs as she began to take off her sweater and lie gently on the couch.
Girl] Hurry back
She smiled in a playful manner.
Man] Sure will, my love.
He closed the door to the bathroom and smiled at himself in the mirror. He took a condom out of his pocket. He struggled with the wrapper, then dropped it. As he leaned down, the shower curtain gently came open behind him. A form wearing a black cloak exited.
Tifa and Aeris were working some more. They almost had it.
Tifa] Alright, so where is it from?
The man stood up and smiled again, he successfully had it open and began to unzip his pants.
Aeris] Its odd…
He looked in the mirror and smiled again. Casually he turned around and then froze.
Hello, you know, those things are dangerous?
The form smiled, then the flash of a blade found its mark with a silent slash. Blood poured from his chest down to his stomach. Before a scream exited his mouth, a final slash to the throat made it a soft gurgle. Then all he saw was black.
Aeris] Its from Africa, orange sand from Africa. Along with some salt particles, I'd say on the coast… possibly South Africa area.
The girl was stretched out on the couch, only in he bra and underwear. The lights dimmed in the room.
Girl] Hehe, you are so bad Tom, come along now. My eyes are closed.
She giggled a bit, then the cloaked form stepped from the shadows and approached her.
Oh my love, your skin looks so soft in the light.
Girl] hehe, thanks Tom… your voice sounds fuzzy. Just what were you doing up there?
The blade came to her face.
Well my love…
The blade went towards her eye.
I was killing your Tom.
Before her eyes to could snap open, before she could scream, even before her breath could come out, the knife jabbed through her right eye, then her left. Death was instant.
The form took the blade and wiped it on the girls panties.
Now, you teenagers should know better than to be doing this sort of thing. Guess you'll learn your lesson now. Oh, and Miss, keep an eye out for me.
The form smiled as it left the way it came in, through the front door…
