Aborted Rescue

Cloud exited the parlor, mulling some food when he bumped until the excitable Johnny.

"Nooo! Cloud! Finally! Tifa! She─I─ Tifa! Sh-she's─ I don't─" the himbo gasped.

"Take a deep breath. What about Tifa?"

"I heard Corneo was gonna audition new girls soon, and Tifa's… Tifa's gonna be─I just… I-I don't know what to do. She's engineered for him!" Engineered? What did that mean? Maybe she needed to be rescued ... now. Cloud and Johnny headed towards the manse. As they ascended the steps, Johnny's courage vanished.

"Well, this is it for me. Call me crazy, but I have a feeling that I'll just be getting in the way," Johnny quavered. Cloud sighed. This wasn't a one man operation. He facepalmed.

"Go find Aerith at Madam M’s. Tell her to wait for me there once she's done. Think you can handle that?" Johnny nodded, running off. Cloud entered, seeing Leslie and two goons. Cloud showed the letter of approval.

"You know that's only good for women, right?" he said, bored, but wary.

"Yeah. It's for Aerith."

"Who? Oh, that girl you were with. Sorry to hear that. Well, either way, you're stuck out here, pal. I can't let you in."

Cloud grabbed the hilt of his sword. "I wasn't asking for permission." Leslie sighed, and a dozen armed men appeared, and guns appeared out of the floor, trained on Cloud. Too many.

"Wouldn't try it if I were you. Trust me, you don't wanna screw with the Don. If you even think about causing any trouble, he'll make sure someone pays for it. And that 'someone' might wind up being the girl you're trying so hard to break out. Even though she's programmed for the Don. Or it could wind up being someone you've never even met before. Get it? You're in the Don's world now. Anyway, you've got some time yet. The audition won't start for a while. If you're sure you wanna go through with this, then bring the girl and the letter. But… if I were you, I wouldn't. Go on, get outta here."

Cloud retreated for now. Programmed ... engineered?