„I memorized the location of the hut where that sicko held me captive." Tifa informed Cloud while the couple was sitting in his office, drinking coffee. Cloud smiled at her.
"Great. That shows that you're a good cop, honey." Tifa smiled back to him, but her smile faded when Cloud informed her about the coins they had found.
"I'm afraid that there will be at least one more of them." The blonde inspector spoke thoughtfully, and Tifa agreed.
"And there is nothing we can do." Cloud sighed. "The killer didn't leave any tracks, except for the coins, and those didn't have fingerprints on them."
"Do you think he's identical to the man who kidnapped me?" Tifa wondered. Cloud nodded.
"Pretty sure. He called me and informed me about it. And he told me that he has you…had you." Cloud corrected himself. He reached over the table and took Tifas hand into his.
"I was so worried about you." The inspector whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I though that I would loose you…" Tifa just leaned in to kiss her lover, when suddenly the door flew open and Cid and Vincent burst into the room. Cloud and Tifa jumped apart, both blushing; Tifa out of embarrassment, Cloud out of anger.
"Can't you knock?!" Cloud scolded, and Cid grinned at him.
"Nope. We just received news about a third case of murder." Cloud sighed and closed his eyes.
"Great. Tifa, get ready. We'll go there, now." Tifa nodded, left the office and prepared herself for leaving.
"Ugh, what a mess." Tifa mumbled while she bent over the killed owner of the small bookstore. The blood of the poor woman was practically everywhere. The books were covered with crimson, and they were huge puddles on the floor.
"I knew it." Cloud suddenly said behind her. Tifa turned around to look at him, and he showed her the coin he had found.
"What does it say?" Tifa asked. Cloud looked at it closely and spoke:
"AWAKE."
"I was right!" Vincent grinned, earning odd looks from Cloud and Tifa and an angry one from Cid.
"Yeah, yeah, Mister I-know-everything." Cid grunted. Vincent just grinned and shrugged, while Cloud shook his head.
"It's a miracle that you two didn't kill each other by now." Tifa informed Cid and Vincent, who both grinned at her.
"All in good fun, Tiff." Cid replied.
"I wonder what will awake." Cloud mused out loud, simply ignoring the bickering of the two FBI agents. Tifa shrugged.
"I have no clue." She then admitted. "But I'm curious to find it out." Cloud agreed on that and dropped the coin into the plastic bag. He took Tifa's hand, and the couple left the site of crime, followed by the two FBI agents.
A pair of cold, hard eyes followed the four people, watching them closely.
"So she got away." The man muttered, a small smile on his face. "Great. My plan works out well." He turned around and disappeared in the shadows, a long strand of brunette hair dangling from his belt while he walked.