Cloud x Tifa - Valentine's Day Massacre (FFVII)

Part One - Game of Temptation

Part One - Game of Temptation

[ ν ] - ε γλ - 2021 | February 14th

5:07 AM

Alexander Building - Sector0, Midgar

Cloud Strife stepped out of his black sedan, staring up at the gleaming glass windows of the exclusive Alexander Building in Sector0, taking a final puff on his cigarette before tossing it to the sidewalk with a flick of his fingertips. He rubbed the back of his neck, catching the flashing lights of the Public Security cruisers that were parked in front of the building, casting blue and red glows into the twilight-hued sky, reflecting their blended purple hues across the glass facade of the front of the building.

The sides of his temple were still flaring with a dull throb from the whiskey-induced sleep he'd only roused himself from less than an hour ago, a hangover pulsing the sides of his temple. It was just after five o'clock that morning, and the sunrise was beginning to leak through the darkness, casting shadows across the concrete as the Alexander tower loomed above in steely resistance. Adjusting the gold cufflinks on the sleeves of his white dress shirt, he smoothed down his black tweed vest, reaching into the car and grabbing his jacket from the backseat, pulling his arms through it before rolling his shoulders and adjusting his collar.

He glanced up at the apartment building, tipping his chin back as he traced its stretch seventy stories into the sky, piercing the coming sunrise above with its shining spires of steel. The Alexander was the tallest luxury hi-rise apartment complex in all of Midgar, owned by the eminent and ubiquitous Shinra Power and Electric Company.

Exhaling a short puff of air, Cloud lowered his blue eyes from the building's stretch into the heavens, irises glowing with the faint drip of mako he had been infected with when he entered the Academy. As he mapped the erection of steel and glass and concrete with his stare, he absently considered that a murder here of all places was far from a good thing.

Dropping his hands into his pockets, he stepped away from his vehicle in a long stride, his wingtips clicking lightly against the pavement as he approached the front doors of the building. Already, he could see the yellow tape that was pulled taut across the glass, blocking the approach of onlookers who hovered with interest along the perimeter of the sidewalk beyond the building, trying to get a glimpse at the bustle of police activity that had generated out front. As Cloud approached, he was greeted by a pair of Public Security officers who were blocking the entrance, rifles guarding their chests.

"Sir," one of the grunts stopped him at once. "This is an active crime scene. It's off-limits to the public at the moment."

Cloud started to open his mouth, but the second officer at his side was stepping forward, shoving the first out of the way.

"Dumbass," he chastised. "You can proceed, Detective Strife. Fair is waiting for you on the 60th Floor."

Cloud nodded, pushing through the two grunts without giving them another thought. He ducked under bright yellow barricade tape and made his way into The Alexander.

The complex's main lobby, lined with argent and black encrusted walls and stunning, burgundy carpeting, was abandoned with the exception of a few other officers milling about the space, drinking paper cups of coffee and chatting in light tones with their hands on the butts of their guns. Cloud largely ignored them, letting his eyes pass back and forth over the lobby as he made his way toward the elevators, pulling a hand out of his pocket only long enough to press the button to call it to the 60th Floor.

The elevator was glass-encased and offered a beautiful view of the city of Midgar below, great expanses of the metropolis' multitudes of skyscrapers and residential neighborhoods, its powerful mako reactors burning bright gusts of green mist into the sky. Cloud watched the scene stretch out beyond him as he moved higher and higher, disinterested in the sprawl of wealth and technological progress that was laid out before him.