A/N: The last of the introductory chapters for now, then we can get back to the main action. You probably guessed who this is, and though I was tempted, I decided to not make her a thief. That would be too easy, and I'm all about upsetting expectations. No combat this time, but we need a bit of a breather. It's also shorter, but maybe I'm just being lazy.
Thanks to those who reviewed/faved/followed. Keep on doing so. It gives me encouragement.
Yup, still don't own this or Rooster teeth. Sad day.
Yes, Vale was a glittering metropolis, beneath which rested a deep inset darkness. There were those who supported it, and those who fought it, and those who tried to eke out a living amidst the clash between light and dark. Some took advantage of the struggle, and used it to further their own prosperity.
Two of those people, Faunus really, were Blake Belladonna and Adam Taurus. They'd grown up together on the streets, working together to survive in the hard world of the poor. Originally thieves by necessity, they had eventually gone into some quasi-respectable profession when older, rather than face the continued danger that being a robber put you in. And that was bounty hunting. It still provided the action, and it wasn't all that well liked by law enforcement or average people, but it paid the bills and they could afford to not sleep on the street.
The two of them made quite a team, cooperation finely tuned to take down wanted fugitives so they could collect the reward money. Admittedly said fugitives might not stay in jail long, but that wasn't their problem. It was almost a renewable resource, when these criminals needed to be captured again. Sure, it wasn't a very satisfying feeling, but on the other hand it was nice to have a full stomach.
Right now the two of them were on stake out, Adam in a rented apartment across the street from their target, while Blake covered the ground exit as a relatively unnoticeable part of the crowd.
"Any movement," Blake asked, tapping her earpiece which connected her through a heavily encrypted channel to her partner.
"Nope," replied Adam, looking from his room to the target's as nonchalantly as he could make it seem, even using the reflections in mirrors to avoid looking directly at the room. "For a wanted fugitive, this guy's pretty nonchalant."
Blake nodded out of sight as she walked along, cat ears hid neatly in a black bow and tail long since gone. "He thinks he's untouchable."
She could just imagine the smirk Adam had on his face right now. "They always thinks that. And fortunately, they never suspect us."
"It wouldn't stop you if they did."
Adam snorted. "It hasn't. Several times. What's one more?"
"The fact that we end up having to pay for property damage."
And now she could imagine him frowning in distaste, remembering the last time they had had to do that, when an apartment store got trashed. He did sometimes let his strength get away from him, and neither of them liked wasting money like that. He was working on that though.
Cutting off the idle chit chat, Blake stopped in front of the hotel, unmoving like a rock with crowds of people flowing around her, highlighting her black clothes. "I'll go get him then."
Above, Adam nodded as he looked over at his sword, ready to intervene if their target put up too much of a struggle. He expected Blake would do fine, but better safe than sorry.
Inside the hotel Blake went, ignoring the looks she received as she moved through the lobby. This hotel was relatively well known, which made it all the stranger that the person they were looking for would be here, rather than in some place where it would be easier to hide his name. He might have thought he was safe from the police, but he wasn't safe from her.
Onto the elevator then and up to the twelfth floor where his room was. She noted the location of the stairwells, giving each a look with the knowledge that her memory and the plans were correct, before continuing to the middle of the hallway. She instinctively moved to pull Gambol Shroud from its concealment, black weapon familiar in her grasp.
The door had a key card lock, and it wasn't too hard to hack, a few buttons on her scroll when it was pushed against the lock itself allowing her to get in. Hand poised on the door, she took a few calming breaths before swinging it open, and ducking back. This one must not be the fighting type though as she was not greeted with any sort of projectiles, or heavily armed men just beyond. Instead, she slowly entered with Gambol Shroud at the ready, with Adam ready as well on the other side.
Inside, she found her target sitting on the couch, watching tv. He glanced over at her, black hair cascading down with feet kicked up. "Finally, took you long enough," he said without looking.
Blake had to struggle to keep an eyebrow from twitching in irritation. "Rutherford B. Cornelius, I assume?"
Cornelius turned off the tv, rose from his seat, and bowed. "That would be me. I assume you're here to take me in then?"
Blake nodded, stepping up to his, carefully, to place handcuffs on his wrists. "Let's go then," she said, gesturing out the door. Cornelius nodded and followed by her side, Blake still not trusting him and ready to use Gambol Shroud.
"No fighting back this time," asked Adam, almost sounding disappointed that he wouldn't get the chance to rough it up. "And here I thought he'd make it difficult for us."
Cornelius spoke as they entered the elevator, as if reading their minds. "Nice hotel. That's why I didn't want a fight. I stay here a lot, so I don't need a fight wrecking it. And I don't need 'resisting arrest' added to the amount I have to pay for bail."
Blake cocked an eyebrow as the elevator descended to the lobby. "Why not turn yourself in then?"
Cornelius shrugged. "Not worth the effort. They're useless anyway, so why give them the satisfaction of having me deliver myself to them?"
Blake let the conversation lapse, though she found herself agreeing with the man on the state of Vale City Police. There were a few good people in there, but otherwise I was ineffectual at best and downright counterproductive at worst. At least she knew that bounty hunters got results, even if they didn't stick.
Arriving in front, past the crowds gawking at the pair, she found Adam waiting in their black Convertible, wearing sunglasses. The two of them got in back, and Adam drove off through the busy streets of Vale. He didn't exactly pay strict attention to the speed limit o red lights, but he generally did enough to avoid getting pulled over. For al lthe frustration that involved capturing actual criminals, the traffic cops were very much effective. As for Adam's driving, the less said the better, though Blake was a lot more at ease with it than Cornelius, who's skin must have lightened several shades along the way, until at last they arrived at a nearby police station.
When they arrived Adam skipped the door, practically vaulting out of the car to land on the ground red and black stylish with the shades, a sword sheath at his waist. Blake was more refined about it, stepping out and opening the door for Cornelius in turn, a tad more relaxed now that they were in a reasonably safe location. But not completely, because she knew an attack could occur even here, and if there was one thing she wanted to keep doing, it was surviving.
They walked in together, drawing a lot of eyes with Adam's aloof self-assuredness, Blake's cold aloofness, and Cornelius in handcuffs. Adam marched them to the sergeant at the desk, gesturing between Cornelius, who waved, and the wanted poster that bore his image. "One fugitive, here for drop off," he said.
The sergeants gaze traveled between the prisoner, the bounty hunters, and the wanted poster. he sighed. "Let me contact the Captain." He picked up the phone and did just that, leaving them to wait for him to arrive.
The Captain showed up a few minutes later, looking none too pleased to see them but showing up regardless. "Bounty hunters,' he grumbled, a sentiment that they were used to. Something about taking the law into their own hands. At least that was what they were led to believe. Blake was sure there was more too it, but that didn't stop either her nor Adam from doing it.
Adam ignored that and stepped forward. "Bounty hunters Adam Taurus and Blake Beladonna, here to turn in Rutherford B Cornelius and collect the reward money."
The Captain sighed, conflicted on what to do before giving in. "Alright. You two, take this man to be booked. We'll see if he's who they claim he is."
Two policemen came up and took Cornelius from the bounty hunters, leading him of into the station to verify his identity and throw him in a cell to wait for trial if he turned out to really be. Meanwhile, the Captain returned his attention to Blake and Adam. "I assume you have an account number for us."
Adam nodded, handing over a slip of paper for one of their dummy accounts. If they did actually get paid they could move it to some of their real ones later. If they didn't then they could sue, and if Vale police tried a sting operation, they wouldn't find anything the duo didn't want them to.
"Thank you," said the Captain as he handed it off to someone else. "Expect your money once we determine that this really is Cornelius."
"Of course. I'd expect nothing less." Adam motioned to Blake, and both turned to leave now that they had done what they came to do. "We'l be back in an hour, just to make sure. We have a reputation to uphold after all."
Blake could feel the daggers in her back from the Captain's glare, the man not looking forward to their return, doubtlessly because he didn't enjoy their presence and also because they would force him to make sue they got paid merely by their presence, rather than it being stuck in bureaucracy. "Of course. I hope we have reuslts by then."
Adam glanced back with a smirk, letting the Captain have the last word as he left the station, and Blake followed alongside. "So Blake, I hear a new stir fry place opened up a couple blocks from here. Wan to check it out? I always get hungry on stakeouts."
Blake let slip a small grin. "You always get hungry period."
Adam, on the other hand, had a significantly wider grin. "So that's a yes, I take it."
Blake nodded. "As long as you're buying."
That elicited a chuckle. "When don't I ever," Adam asked as the two of them walked off, enjoying each other's company after a job well done.
