Vessels fist came flying towards Tifa's face, but the brunette easily blocked the hit with her forearm.
"You chose the wrong one to attack!" she hissed angrily. Vessel truly was unlucky to attack Tifa Lockheart. She had been the best one in her fighting class, almost better than her teacher. Dropping down on one knee, she swept Vessels legs away underneath him with a perfect roundhouse kick. The rapist felon his butt, cursing, and quickly scrambled to his feet again while Tifa jumped back up and raised her fists.
"Come on, you ass!" she insulted the guy, hoping to get him so angered that he would attack her blindly, without thinking long. She succeeded. Vessel howled like an angry animal and jumped at her. Tifa quickly performed a quick sidestep and struck her right arm out, causing Vessel to run against it. His feet were pulled out underneath him again, and he fell. As fast as lightening, Tifa sat upon him, and that was when a familiar voice hollered through the garage:
"What's going on here!?" Tifa looked up, relief in her eyes. Although Vessel was dazed by the fall he had taken, she wasn't sure if she would've been able to keep him down when he was back to full consciousness.
"Cloud," she called out, "give me some handcuffs, quick!" Her order came so fast and so urgent that Cloud didn't even think about it; he reached to the back of his belt, pulled out the handcuffs and threw them to Tifa, who quickly turned Vessel on his stomach and chained his wrists together. Cloud looked at the man closer, and his jaw met the floor in pure surprise.
"Derek Vessel! What is he doing here?" Tifa quickly explained what had happened, and Cloud gave her an amazed look.
"You took him out alone?" he then asked. "I'm even more impressed than I was yesterday, Tifa. Remind me to never piss you off." Tifa laughed, but she yelped in surprise when Vessel yelled:
"Get off me, bitch!"
"What, don't like it to have a woman sitting on you?" Cloud taunted the man while Tifa climbed off him. The inspector grabbed Vessels arm and pulled him to his feet.
"Come on Vessel, let's find a nice and comfy cell for you." Vessel spat on Clouds shoes, and the inspector frowned disgusted before he led Vessel away.
Clouds fist slammed the small table in front of him, and he yelled:
"Tell me, god dammit!" Vessel just grinned, and Cloud lit another cigarette, obviously exploding every second.
"You should talk to us." Tifa said softly. Cloud and she had arranged that Cloud would play the Bad Cop who would yell at Vessel and threaten to hit him while Tifa would play the Good Cop who would hold Cloud back and be nice to the evil man.
"My boss here had a very short temper, you know. He might hit you." The brunette continued.
Vessel still refused to talk, and Cloud already rose his fist as if to punch him. Suddenly, Vessel spoke up, and what he said drained all the color from Clouds face.
"I had your wife, Strife. She was good." Tifa gave her boss a shocked look, and her shock turned into terror when she saw the expression on Clouds face. He looked as if he would kill Vessel right there and now, without caring about the consequences. Suddenly, the blonde inspector spun around and ran out of the small room where Vessel was asked out, slamming the door close behind him. Tifa shot the evil rapist a last hateful look before she ran out too, following Cloud.
"Cloud! Cloud, wait!" Tifa yelled while she ran over the long hallway. Cloud didn't listen; he stormed into the next empty conference room and locked the door behind him. Tifa stopped in front of it and knocked before she softly said:
"Cloud, open the door."
"Go away." Came the short reply.
"No." Tifa answered. "I won't leave you here. If you don't want to come out, let me in. Talk to me. It will help."
"No one can help." Came Clouds voice again, but he sounded less rejecting.
"Okay." Tifa gently spoke. "I will wait here for another ten minutes, then I will leave. If you want to open the door and let me in, do it. If you don't, you know where you find me." She waited for some time, and finally the key rattled in the lock. The door opened, and Cloud looked at Tifa, his eyes red with held back tears.
"Come in." the inspector whispered. Tifa nodded and entered, closing the door behind her.