Disclaimer: RWBY Characters, places and terminologies with the exception of the Original Characters, belongs to Rooster Teeth Productions.

It was free-time, all prisoners got an hour of activities inside a recreation room to play games, do some hobbies, or trying not to kill each other in the meantime. While everyone was busy, Neo, Quinn, and Inky sat on a table with chessboards. Neo was writing something on pieces of paper while Quinn and Inky were looking to the rest of the prisoners minding their own business.

"Look at them, behaving like sheep as they are an unable act by themselves," Quinn commented.

"That is the effect of the therapy; people with strong minds are able to resist it. Unfortunately for them, they weren't lucky enough. That leaves us to me, you, her, and partially Bones since we are still aware of everything around us." Inky was explaining everything around the prison.

"I mean, what is Doc expecting to reform criminals? No matter what method he is trying, you can't make them hide who they really are."

"Are you saying it is fine to be a danger for society?" Inky got his eyes wide open of Quinn's way of thinking.

"What I'm saying is one can't brainwash anyone, good or evil." Quinn looked at disappointment towards the prisoners. "I can't believe society is alive with this kind of people."

"I guess they are driven by fear…"

"Or ignorance, either way, they are doomed from the get-go." As Quinn and Inky were done talking, they focused their attention on Neo again as she was done labeling the chess pieces. She put names on each white piece: The King (Dr. Zinc), The Queen (Security Chief), The Bishops (Staff), The Knights (The Atlas Soldiers), The Rooks (Security Guards), The Pawns (Prisoners).

"Hold on a second…Someone is missing." Inky commented as he looked for the pieces.

"Who is missing?" Quinn replied.

"General Ironwood, why is he not labeled on the board? Shouldn't he be the king instead?"

"That is simple; he is not a piece, to begin with…"

"Huh?" Inky got a confused look as he didn't understand what either Neo or Quinn was talking about.

(You should know already the obvious thing right now.) Neo tapped to the table with her pencil on hand.

"He might be the General but he is not part of this place. As you may know the rumors, 'Mayor Tinman' is under a lot of problems which he can't concentrate on everything around the kingdom. Excuse my 'Vacuonese' but that includes this house full of assholes, which it doesn't get any complex than that." Neo nodded as she arranged all the pieces into position, with drawings from the prison's layer.

The prison was divided into three different sections, all of them on the 4th floor. The other three floors got regular criminals and staff. The overall building was stuck in small floating island inside of Atlas. It was pretty clear that the only way to escape both the prison and the kingdom was by stealing one of the flying vehicles. That being said, the required steps wouldn't be easy tasks. The black pieces were only: King (Neo), Queen (Quinn), Pawn (Inky).

"What the…? Why am I the fricking Queen!?" The big guy was definitely not amused.

(You are going to do most the work between us.)

"Hell no! I won't be the mule here!"

"I mean, the Queen is a pretty powerful piece if you think about it. It doesn't sound that bad." Inky's comment only got Quinn's death glare in return.

(Enough foolery, focus alright?) Neo kept moving the pieces according to everyone's routine patterns. The most she highlighted among the rooms were the therapy room and the generator room, where the electricity is running independently. (The Bishops are always going between those rooms only since those are next to each other between walls. The reason for that is because the machine for the therapy consumes a lot of electricity when used at higher levels for longer times.)

"So, you are expecting a blackout, for what exactly?" Quinn asked as Neo started to point the collars with her pencil.

(We need to get those collars out first if we want to escape without anything that might stop us...) Neo tapped as explaining with a diagram of the machine. She then details was pretty vague since those things are pretty complex. (Don't try to unlock them while still on, if you do…) She crossed the pencil through her neck while doing a horrible expression as she looked lifeless. Quinn and Inky gulped while holding their necks with worrisome.

"Okay, so how do we get those things off then?" Inky asked Neo, she pointed at Quinn by going to the therapy room.

"Are you kidding me? I better kill myself than go back to that mad-scientist lab again!"

(Do you want to escape or not?) Quinn frowned as he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Fffffffff-fine, I will do it. The only condition is to hopefully leave me with that Zinc for myself; I want to make him suffer before leaving this hole." Neo nodded while smirking.

(Also the blackout has a different purpose besides deactivating the collars.)

"What else it will cause then?" Neo started to redraw the layer, putting all floors with random scribbles with all Pawns positioned like a wall with Knights and Rooks next to them. With how the silent lady showed to the other two guys how they will have to go around them. Quinn couldn't stop smiling how it was going to be.

"I see…despite I like the plan I'm still not so sure about if it would work or not."

(Do you doubt about my plan already, big guy?)

"I'm saying that how can be so sure about this? Atlas security does not joke when it comes with that stuff anyways. I won't go through this unless you already tested it."

(I've been stuck here for months, I checked every single detail in this place and I already escaped from other prisons. If you have any more complains right now, be free because we are running out of time.)

"Grrrrrrr… whatever you say."

(Good, because the sooner we get with this the better our chances are.)

"Hold on, now? Don't you want to rehearse or something?" Inky was a little nervous about it her unexpectedly wanting to carry the plan immediately.

(Of course, I will do that first, but that would require making a little test.)

"What kind of test?" Neo grabbed a little dart and threw it to Bones' back, piercing him.

"Who threw this damn thing!?" He yelled while looking around, Neo passed the blame to Quinn. "So it was you huh? Your ass is mine!" He rushed and leaped towards the big guy.

"Oh, you little sh…" Bones tackled Quinn before he could say anything else to Neo. He was against the wall while being punched repeatedly on the face. Quinn counter-attacked by a knee on the guts. Those two started mayhem around the area, again.

Prisoner 674 and Wanting a Rematch:

Bones

"Don't think I didn't forget about you." Bones was standing while grabbing the darts with his right hand.

"It wasn't my fault alright?" Quinn was getting on guard already.

"Shut up, I will get you this time!" The prisoner threw the darts at the big guy; he grabbed a chess board to block them pretty fast.

"*Sigh* I guess reasoning with you is never an option anyways." He grabbed a stool and started to swing it to Bones like a regular weapon. He was dodging his attacks as the big guy was getting annoyed for his speed. Quinn threw the stool to Bones; he avoided the object but got a really painful jab because he got distracted by it.

Bones start to kick Quinn while being on top of the tables, but he blocked them with just his arms like it was nothing. The big guy grabbed one of Bones' legs and smashed him against the table. The fight started to cause more destruction than the last time they fought.

Neo tried to hold her laugh while watching the fight. Bones took the legs from the broken chair to use them like weapons. He was able to hit Quinn on the face and chest, but the bid guy got enough and started to get worked up as he was throwing punches and hooks around the place.

The moment Bones tried to hit Quinn with the sticks, he held his arm and broke it from the elbow with a single punch. "Gaaaah! You son of a…" Bones was holding his arm while being in pain.

"Giving up already? I'm getting tired of dealing with you."

"As if, DIE!" Despite not being already on the edge, Bones rushed towards Quinn for another assault, but the big guy wasn't impressed as he made another punch on the other prisoner's face that broke his nose. Bones fell on the floor unconscious.

"Hah! Take that, palooka!" Quinn got a mocking grind while spitting on Bones. He felt a little pinch on his arm like it was a syringe. "What the…?" A guard shot a paralyzing bullet, but it didn't affect him like the last time. "Oh, nice try but you will need something stronger than that." The guard shot another paralyzing bullet; Quinn fell unconscious and got dragged by the guards back to his cell while Bones was taking for the nursery.

"What was it, Neo?" Inky asked her of what happened moments ago.

(I'm trying to run an experiment first.) Neo was sitting while taking the chess pieces away from the table. Inky raised an eyebrow of what was coming next for Quinn and Neo's plan. That was just the beginning.

Bones: Out of Commission with A Broken Arm.

"Prisoner 668, Dr. Zinc wants to see you in his office how." Neo stood up and left the recreation room with some guards escorting her. She entered the office with Zinc already waiting for her.

"It is good to see you again, Miss Neopolitan." Dr. Zinc greeted Neo as she was called for her usual 'talk sessions' of the week. Zinc started to pour some tea for both of them. She was sitting properly while looking at the warden, carefully analyzing her surroundings while listening to his talking. "Want some cookies, perhaps some biscuits to accompany the tea?" Neo boldly refused the snacks.

"So how things have been doing lately for you?" Neo shrugged in response. "You know, I think you are doing a great progress since you made a new friend with Mr. Heartstone. You never interacted with any other prisoner from the moment you came here." Neo was crossing her arms and tried to not care about what he was talking.

"I'm curious if someone like you of why you chose the path of crime; it was poverty… bad influences… perhaps parental abuse? You're definitely an interesting case; I can't understand what is inside of your mind. What motivates you to move on? Is it your former partner in crime, Roman Torchwick? You have been working as his personal bodyguard for so many years, and yet it seems that he never came to take you out of here, like a prince rescuing his princess from a tower. I guess love is unrequited after all…" That made Neo jump out of her seat while wanting to strangle Dr. Zinc, but she tried to restrain herself while looking at the guard from outside.

She grabbed the chair back on its place and sat while looking at Dr. Zinc with a fierce look on her eye. "What? Did I say something wrong to you? I guess it's no surprise that you always get abandoned by people around you. They always ditch you like old jewelry that lost its shine after so long. Always taking care of oneself, isn't?" Neo started to look at the floor while Zinc got his eyes on the clock. "Oh my, I guess we are already out of time. I will see you next week at the same hour, Miss Neopolitan." The guard opened the door to let Neo leave the office and escort her back to her cell.

'Yeah, see you next week, dumbass.' Neo was thinking while she walked into the hallway.

Meanwhile, in the therapy room, Quinn was already on the table waiting for Zinc to come again and start the procedure. He was looking at the machine; it looked pretty old so far he could tell. Some of the cables went through the wall, which it could confirm Neo's explanation of the generator room next to the therapy room.

Quinn was whistling out of boredom as he was waiting for an hour. 'Damn that pint-sized psycho chick, it is her fault I'm back on this place again.' He was speaking between teeth with his blood boiling for everything bad around him. 'Don't come to Atlas they said, you will get arrested at the moment you set foot in there they said. Bah, I do whatever the hell I want. If only they could understand what really means to come back on this frozen kingdom. Now, why is this Doc taking so long to come here?'

Dr. Zinc came through the door while holding some papers. He walked in circles as something was keeping his mind busy. It was weird to see in that kind of state, as really annoyed Quinn pretty fast. "Hey Doc, do you mind about your morning excises already?"

"Oh excuse me Mr. Heartstone; I got distracted while reading some documents about you."

"No kidding, my arms are feeling numb for being stuck in this table for an hour. You should get a TV or else because of this place dull."

"You know, I find something awfully familiar about you, but I can't recall from where." Zinc looked closely at the paper, but some information where crossed out or confidential.

"You think so? A lot of people remember me for knowing either my bad side or for spitting on someone else's face. Did I spit on you before?"

"No…" Quinn spat on Zinc's face, he wasn't pleased about it.

"I hope that would help you to remember me better, Doc." The prisoner smirked while Zinc threw his glasses to the floor while cleaning his face. In fury, the warden took two spheres to put them on each side of Quinn's head. Those things were connected to the machine, which it became weird for not using the helmet instead.

"I hope you like the Deluxe Pack, Sir…" The charge was in level 7, with sparks jumping around the machine. Slowly, the therapy felt like a psychological horror film as Quinn had to endure for much longer. The lights were losing illumination as almost getting blackout, but the energy returned pretty quickly without affecting the prison. The shocks became worse as the minutes passed by, no breaks between intervals. "Interesting, you are resisting much more than before, let's take to the next level." Zinc turned the charge to level 8, the danger zone.

Quinn was suffering so much, yet still able to hold it for much time without losing consciousness. Zinc tried to look at him closer as no normal human or Faunus could take that kind of punishment. They were already there for so long that neither Quinn nor Zinc could tell the hour. "Alright, that is enough…" The warden turned the machine while examining the big guy, the results were unexpected than usual. "…You are still awake, maybe you got used to it already."

"I guess *pant* you little machine *pant* is losing its juice. *sigh*"

"Nonsense, this thing is one of the most expensive and powerful devices you could get in whole Atlas."

"Hmph, yeah right…" Quinn was blinking pretty fast, as he was losing the sight.

"You should get back to your cell; I must attend some important matters right now." Zinc called the guards to take the prisoner out of the room, Zinc was looking at the table while reflecting for a moment. 'Quinn Heartstone, you really are getting on my nerves.'

The big guy was thrown to his cell like an animal; Neo was looking while tapping with her pencil to the glass. (Enjoying your stay?)

"Screw you! This is your goddamn fault I got back to that place!" Quinn yelled while punching the glass.

"Dude, you been there for so long, I thought you died or something."

"Shut the hell up, Inky! And you…What was the big deal to make me go there?"

(Tell me, what level was the charge?)

"Huh?"

(I said what level was the charge?)

"Level 8, maybe…Why caring about it?" Neo was taking a sip of her cup of tea while thinking. "Well? You got anything else to say?"

(You got two hours and a half.)

"So what…? Don't tell me you want me to get a new record because I'm already wasting my time here."

(You look better than before.)

"Yeah, no thanks to you…"

(I guess we can carry out our plan, tomorrow.)

"Seriously, what are you talking about!?"

(Don't you get it? We need a blackout by exploiting that machine.) Quinn just got his lightbulb over his head, as finally knowing what was happening.

"I see, as he is the only one to resist that machine for the longest time, we can take the advantage. Pretty smart move of you lady." Inky commented in amaze.

"Umm hello? Did you forget I'm the one taking the risk out of everyone here? What exactly do you expect me to make that as I got thus far without dying?"

(I want you to reach level 9, for three hours.)

"Are…You…FRICKING NUTS!? Do you think I want to let 'Mad Doc' to fry me like a stupid fish? I refuse to go through that ever again?"

"Are you giving up so soon?" Inky asked, but he jumped in fear after hearing a punch from the other side of the wall.

(Understand this; you are the only person so far to go on that therapy above 7 than any of us here. This is our only chance, do you want to really escape or not?)

"To be honest, I don't care about escaping, but I want to give some hell to Zinc and see the reaction of Ironwood's face when I get out of here. I hope you are right about this plan." Neo couldn't understand what was inside of Quinn's head.

They started to mind their own business on each cell, as Quinn was only sleeping with Inky murmuring to himself and Neo just reading with some more classical music on the background. It felt peaceful around when there wasn't something trying to kill you or else. 'Odd, Ironwood is not showing up today, I guess he gave up on interrogating me. Fine by me, I won't be bothered for a while then.' Quinn was thinking while relaxing on his bunk.

"Ah, it is an honor to see you here in my office, General." Zinc said while shaking Ironwood's hand.

"The same thing I could say, doctor. I see you been running this place pretty smoothly despite your most recent 'patient'."

"Ah yes, Mr. Heartstone might be quite troublesome, but I'm doing my best to reform him."

"I hope so because I would like your skills to make him more…cooperative if it is possible."

"Oh General, I think you don't understand the process here. Most prisoners aren't that easy to change their ways, it takes a lot of time to reform someone like him."

"I suppose…"

"May I, if it not much a problem to ask, what kind of business you have with Mr. Heartstone to make you come here instead of attending many important matters for a person of your rank?"

"I can't tell you since is confidential and we are trying to not tell to the public."

"My lips are sealed, General."

"His leader, who was a former student of my academy, is a wanted criminal for the death of 50 people."

"50 people, that sounds terrible."

"It is, Heartstone probably know where is he hiding and I want to know."

"And what are you planning to do if you find him?"

"Just like any other criminal, bring it to justice."

"But that looks a bit strange, why don't you want to show to the public? It might be easier for you if the people know where this criminal is instead of interrogating one of his teammates."

"Sorry I can't do that, doctor."

"Why not? Is it something wrong to tell one of your st…? Oh, now I understand it."

"What is it?"

"You don't want the public to know that Atlas is creating more threats for Remnant. After what happened to your robots, including that little girl in the tournament, you don't want to put another nail on the coffin for your precious army. While the citizens of Atlas are not a problem, the rest of the world won't ever trust you ever again if they know that the most dangerous criminal was a former student from Atlas."

"That's more complicated than that, doctor." Ironwood tried to clear things up, with no results.

"Oh really? I think it is pretty clear to me. You already got enough that people may think you as incompetent. Are you trying to fit on your predecessor's shoes or maybe afraid that your old rival, Colonel Clover might be a much capable person than you right now?"

"How you dare to talk me like one of your prisoners, doctor?"

"I'm just assuming some facts. That's how reality works, General." Ironwood frowned while Zinc was sitting with his hand on the desk, smiling. "Now as for how things became pretty dangerous around here, I would like to request more soldiers to patrol to prison."

"You know I can't let you do that, we are getting short on personal along with my subordinate, Winter Schnee, is in Mistral to protect in case things will go worse."

"Huh, I guess. You know what would be a real shame General? That Remnant will know as the person that caused the Downfall of Beacon, bringing robots to kill innocents and making robot-girls in disguise. Now that the most dangerous criminal is roaming, is just another student from Atlas. In this age where technology advances faster than people, it would a tragedy if such information ends up leaking to the public. Don't you think that would be a terrible tragedy?"

"Are you…blackmailing me?"

"Blackmail is an awful word; I want to say is more an 'insurance' in order to protect people. More soldiers under my rule would help me to secure this prison and thus making sure no more mistakes will cause problems for you in the future."

"You are going to regret this, you know that?"

"I'm aware of it, you are fighting for the security of everyone, while I'm trying to run this place and make people free of calamities created by human actions. You don't want people to turn against you, it is already bad announcing by closing the borders, an economic risk for various private companies. You can call this business."

"I will try to bring more soldiers here for tomorrow. I hope you are happy with your actions."

"I'm sure I will be."

"Have a good day, doctor." Ironwood stood up and left the office while Zinc started to look at the window by admiring the sky. There is always something to gain from the misery of others.

Rule number 1, always do what I say. You are not good enough to make your own choices and order people around. As you can see, no one cares if you are good or bad, only if you have the means to do things. You have none of that for now, so the most you can do is know how to fight.

It is quite simple, everybody knows how to fight. There is a fine line between showing dominance over others and being the unlucky guy behind the cashier. Thievery, extortion, murder, all of them required fighting skills as well to survive against the odds. Of course, you need a weapon in order to fight.

All those self-proclaimed protectors, all Huntsmen are such naïve when doesn't know anything about self-preservation. Always throwing their lives away thinking that fighting can make this world better. Don't get fooled by them, their system is so broken and stupid that is nothing but a nuisance for us, the smart ones. Before starting the lesson, I have a gift for you…

Neo woke up as the rest of the prisoner, including Quinn and Inky, left their bunks in order to stand in front of the glass while waiting to open the cells and start the routine. (How is everyone feeling?) She tapped against the glass.

"*Yawn* not so great but I can't complain much for the moment," Quinn replied while scratching his head.

"I'm kind of nervous for today; do you think it will work?"

"Relax Inky, just follow Miss Psycho and things will go smooth, I suppose." The big guy replied as he was stretching his arms.

(We have only one chance, you better be prepared for the worst, do what I say and do not question my instructions.)

"Yeah yeah, I get it. Just don't nag me if I die by that stupid machine."

"What are you going to do?" Inky asked Quinn.

"Simple, I just improvise. Mayhem ensues."

(One last thing, after you cut the electricity, I will get to the vault.)

"Really? You better don't forget about my stuff, lady."

"I will try to get some distraction for some guards, just in case," Inky commented.

(Is everyone ready? It's show time.) The prisoner left the cells in line. They started to smile while walking towards the workshop. In 5 minutes, chaos will arise inside the Atlas prison.