Emerald couldn't help but keep thinking about how Mercury acted while interrogating the boy. He was obviously holding onto something that hurt him. He mentioned his father. The only thing Mercury ever told Emerald about him was that he didn't want to talk about it. That left Emerald with nothing but the knowledge that Mercury's final fight with his father cost him his legs.
She wasn't actually in the room when Mercury was being given his new legs, but she remembered him screaming while she stood frozen out in the hallway. The screams reached a point where it sounded like he was crying, the only time Emerald could ever remember Mercury doing that. Emerald didn't much like Mercury, and there were many reasons for that, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for him in that moment in time.
I think I'll keep my own legs, thank you, she thought as she listened.
When the screaming finally stopped and Mercury stepped out of the room, Emerald saw his new legs. Shiny silver prosthetics with blue radiating between several lines. The legs were powered by blue crystals, which had been provided to them by a new associate Cinder had who stayed behind in Vale to do the work Cinder wanted him to do there.
Despite everything he had just gone through, Mercury grinned.
Well, how do I look?
Emerald's gaze traced itself up and down Mercury's new legs and she had no immediate answer.**
*We can't just go back into the club to find her, Emerald said.
Precisely.
Then what are we doing?
Waiting and watching.
Emerald and Mercury stood across the street from the night club. Mercury had his arms folded and his eyes set on the double doors of the club.
Eventually she'll go home, then we follow her.
Emerald blinked and looked up at Mercury. Just like that? How do we confront her?
Mercury sighed and pinched the skin between his eyes. At her home, my dear, at her home. We already drew attention once, we can't do that again.
Excuse me, that was your fault.
Yeah, well, even I learn from my mistakes.
Oh do you now?
Mercury suddenly brought a finger to his lips. Shhh, she's coming out.
Emerald looked and saw that Mercury was right. Clementine was walking out of the club, wearing the same dress they saw her wear when she was standing next to Crimson.
Let's go, Mercury said.
You don't need to tell me twice.
They began following Clementine on the other side of the road, keeping themselves a little further behind so they wouldn't alarm her. After a while, Emerald gasped when someone grabbed her thigh. A Faunus with broken antlers and his face smeared with blood looked up at Emerald with pleading, bloodshot eyes. His clothes were torn to the point of humiliation.
Please! Don't let them get me! Please!
Past the Faunus, Emerald could see Clementine look back at them. Her eyes widened and she started running. Mercury grabbed the Faunus and wrenched his grip away from Emerald.
Damn you, you stupid mutt!
He pushed the Faunus onto the cement. From underneath his belt, a gun fell out and the Faunus took it up.
Emerald took a step back. He has a gun!
From an unseen force, a bullet stabbed through the air and smashed into the side of the Faunus's head, instantly cutting off his screams. The Faunus fell back to the ground dead.
Two Atlas soldiers ran up to Mercury and Emerald, armed to the teeth. One of them wore a helmet with a visor that shadowed his eyes.
Are you two alright?
Emerald nodded. Yeah, yeah. We're alright.
We've been chasing him down all afternoon. Never thought it would end this way. The soldier with the helmet looked down at the vanishing body of the Faunus. Though Emerald couldn't really see the man's eyes, she could detect a hint of sadness in his voice.
We're good, thanks, Mercury said.
Stay safe, you two. Curfew is in fifteen.
We'll be sure to keep that in mind, Mercury replied.
Emerald waited to talk to Mercury until the soldiers were well out of earshot.
You know, we don't make bad actors.
Mercury nodded. You were pretty convincing playing the victim.
How complimentary of you.
Mercury flashed a smile. I do what I can.
Emerald suppressed a smile of her own. We lost our target.
Nah, I know exactly where she went, Mercury said. From his pocket he pulled out his scroll, revealing a drone camera on the screen.
I used this to set Clementine as a target for my own little drone to follow. I have the exact location.
The camera view had stopped in front of the apartment door that Clementine had disappeared through.
You never know, maybe just maybe that's where Jade is too, Mercury pointed out.
Emerald's heart leaped at the thought. It that was indeed the case, she would be more happy than she felt in weeks.
What are we waiting for then?
Follow me, Mercury said smugly.
By the time they reached the door where the drone was waiting, Emerald's heart was pounding out of her chest, feeling as though it was about to burst straight out and hit the concrete with a wet splat. Mercury glanced at her.
You ready?
Emerald silently nodded. One hand strayed towards one of the guns strapped to her belt.
Mercury reached his hand out so until it was only several inches from hers. Don't use it unless you absolutely have to.
Emerald nodded again and Mercury finally opened the door, keeping control of his drone. Blue, holographic outlines of footprints popped up on Mercury's scroll screen as the drone kept its gaze on the floor.
It's following fresh tracks. Clementine had a lot of dirt on the bottom of her shoes, Mercury explained.
Emerald found herself keeping her gaze on the prints while she continued walking forward, as if they would disappear if she looked away. Eventually the prints took a turn to the left and stopped at a door in the hallway.
Bingo, this is the place, Mercury announced. With the flick of a switch on his screen, Mercury deactivated the drone and it fell into his waiting hand and materialized into a microchip that he casually slipped into a pocket hidden behind his vest. He reached forward with his hand formed into a fist to knock on the door.
Emerald gripped Mercury's arm. What are you, crazy?
I don't think so. We can't make a loud entrance.
But we can't properly introduce ourselves either. The woman has already seen us, she won't let us in willingly.
Then what do you propose we do, huh?
Emerald reached into her pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a simple, rubber roll. Once unrolled, a screen popped up, displaying ten seconds counting down. Emerald taped the roll onto the door.
You might want to take a step back, she warned.
Both she and Mercury stepped back, allowing the countdown to finish and for the roll to break the lock on the door.
Emerald smiled and gestured to the door. After you.
This is it. I mean—it could be. It should be.
Emerald brought all of her hopes that this would be the last day in the city with her as she and Mercury walked into Clementine's apartment.
