Just a quick reminder to people that there will be no weekday fics next week due to work being a pain next week. As such, Service with a Smile will be in two weeks, and the next Captain Dragon will be in three. After that, it's back to normal.

Cover Art: Jack Wayne

Chapter 21

"So, you created the Fang Virus?"

"I-I'm not quite comfortable with it being put like that," Mark said, sat awkwardly in the centre of a large bullet-hole-ridden couch as the entirety of the VSPR plus Qrow sat or stood opposite. "I created a medical booster for the White Fang which had some unstable side-effects I was trying to iron out. Adam was the one to take it and make it into the Fang Virus."

"That's semantics," Yang pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm on the cusp of being thrown in prison for the rest of my life," Mark said glumly. "I think semantics are kind of important in legal proceedings."

A fair point. He was definitely right about the time frame, intent or not. The Council of Vale would string him up for this and probably have him sent away for multiple life sentences. Yang wasn't sure what she thought of that, but a part of her didn't like the political sentiment behind it. Even if she'd only been a police officer for a month or so now, she felt she had a good grasp on the law. People were punished for what they intended to do, otherwise you'd be arresting anyone who accidentally tripped and knocked someone over.

Mark might have been somewhere in the middle of that. On the one hand, he'd willingly joined the White Fang, which meant he'd at least intended some harm to people – but it was clear he hadn't expected this much or in this way.

"Why did you join the White Fang?" Qrow asked. He was sat to the side with a twin on either side of him. Her dirty uncle looked far too pleased about that, even as he asked such a serious question.

"I wanted to change things… or maybe I was just swept up in the appeal of it, I don't know. Vale's not as bad with prejudice as some of the other Kingdoms. I worked in the hospitals, and sure I got the odd bit – people refusing to be seen by me or colleagues making snide comments, but it was little things. The thing is, those things add up. It was never enough that I could complain or bring disciplinary procedures down on people, but it was enough to drive me increasingly mad every day. My clothes would go missing, I'd be skipped over on promotions, people wouldn't talk to me – I even had someone try to report me for malpractice." Mark huffed angrily. "People die in hospitals all the time, and you get used to that, but every time someone couldn't be saved with me there was an inquest. People would look into it. I'd be put on leave, and then inevitably I'd be let back once it was clear I'd done all I could."

"But it happened again and again." He punched the couch. "It got too much. I got too angry. I started to think things needed to change, and then one of my friends invited me to a rally, and I wasn't sure at first – I didn't want to hurt anyone – but they told me I could just work in medicine and first aid. They told me I wouldn't have to break any of my oaths…"

"And then they used your research to do this," Yang said.

He slumped. "Yeah…"

"That sounds like them." Yang sighed and turned to her right. "Roman, what do you think?"

"Why are you asking him for advice?" Qrow interrupted. He glared at the renowned thief.

"Because he's a good judge of character," Yang replied.

"He's part of the reason Beacon was attacked!"

"I didn't say he was a good character."

Qrow grumbled something under his breath and Yang pretended not to hear it. Really, everyone seemed to question why she trusted Roman. Were they idiots or something? She didn't trust Roman – of course she didn't. But he wasn't an idiot and it was in his best interests to work with her. All she was doing was listening to his opinion.

"Well Roman?" she hinted. "What do you say?"

Roman leaned back on the couch beside her, one arm hooked around behind – on the armrest, not her shoulders – and the other holding a cigar to his lips. It smelled of sandalwood, though Roman himself smelled of dust and sweat, likely due all the fighting. "I think he's an idiot," he said, earning a surprised yelp from Mark. "I mean come on, the White Fang are terrorists. Did you really expect they'd have cared about your oaths, or that they wouldn't use your research for ill? Whether you're giving them medicine to let them commit atrocities better or synthesising a poison yourself, it's the same results in the end."

"I-I… but I…"

"But I think he's an honest idiot. Call it ideological or just plain dumb, but he's telling the truth."

"A naïve fool," Yang sighed.

"Kinda like your sis- OW!" Roman rubbed his thigh where she'd none too gently pinched him.

"Junior?" she asked.

"Same opinion," the taller man said gruffly, stood behind her couch with arms crossed. "It's up to you, boss, but if I may, we could use a doctor around here."

"We could…"

"Wait a minute," Qrow said, trying to stand. He wasn't fully able to extricate himself from the twins but at least managed to stagger half of the way up. "Firecracker, you can't be thinking what I think you're thinking. He's a terrorist!"

"Honestly, I have no idea what you're thinking, since you apparently seem to agree with Ruby and think Roman and I are banging one another."

"They do?" Roman asked, amused.

"Are you?" Qrow asked nervously.

Roman smirked. "I don't kiss and tell."

"You son of a-"

"Down Uncle," Yang said, emphasising her point by tossing a cushion at his midsection. While it wouldn't have normally been enough on its own, the Malachites took the hint and added their own weight, forcing him back onto the couch. "As much as I love you, and as much as I'm grateful you came down to help us out here, this is still a VSPR matter."

"And my opinion doesn't count for anything?"

"Didn't you tell me yourself that I needed to start striking out on my own, being independent and learning to make my own decisions?"

Qrow wilted. "Don't use my own lessons against me…" He made no other complaint, however, and through the concern and the irritation, Yang could just make out a glimmer of pride in his eyes. Not at what she'd decided, but at the fact she'd made a decision in the first place, and that she was willing to see it through.

"Mark, I'll give you the same option I gave Lisa," she said, leaning forward. "You can join the VSPR or you can face justice, in so far as justice counts in this city."

The ex-terrorist looked up.

"I can't promise you we'll be all that better than the White Fang," she continued. "While we'll probably try to keep you as a medical officer, there's no telling what'll happen. Today being case in point. You might have to come on missions, too, and you might be expected to fight. Also, no one is going to treat you any better, I imagine. Even if we help people, most of us – you included – are criminals. People are going to hate us either way."

"Geez, Firecracker. Your recruitment speeches need work…"

Yang shrugged. "I won't sugar-coat it."

"Heh." Mark shook his head and laughed. "At least you're more honest than the White Fang were, but it's not like I have a choice."

"You do," Roman said. "It's just a shitty one. Life's like that, no matter how much people might whine it shouldn't be. Good people get shafted and the bad prosper, while those who go through life not caring either way get to live a life of mediocrity, with no control over their fate."

"Is that why you became a criminal?" Yang asked.

"Pretty much. I was sick of other people deciding the fate of me and mine."

"Pathetic excuse-making," Qrow snorted.

"Heh. I don't make any excuses for what I've done," Roman chuckled. "Why should I? I sure as hell don't regret any of it."

"Quit it, you two." Yang looked back to the faunus before her. "Mark. What's your decision?"

"I'm already dead to the White Fang, and if they found out I helped you I'll be even more dead. I'm in. I'll work with you."

"Good choice."

"Do I still get my crate of beer?"

"It was a six pack, not a crate."

"See, he's fitting in already," Mercury laughed.

"I suppose I should introduce myself, then. My name is-"

"Your first order of business is to see if any of these lot are still alive and patch them up if they are," Yang said, interrupting Mark. "Miltia, Melanie-" Yang paused, suddenly aware of the pleading glances the two were sending her. "Ugh, fine, you stay there. Mercury and Neo, help Mark carry the corpses to his new office."

Junior raised a hand. "Um…"

"Junior, you'll need to clear your booze out of the coolers. He's going to need them. Don't we have fridges in the kitchens, anyway?"

"That's for spirits though…"

"Are you running a police station or a bar?" Qrow asked. He glanced to the reinforced minibar in the back corner of the common room. "You know what, never mind. What are you going to do now, Firecracker?"

Yang watched the three chosen walk off to their assigned tasks, though she sighed when Mercury started flapping a dead White Fang's arm around and mimicking his voice. Neo laughed and did the same, holding the hand of a corpse over its mouth as if deeply offended. She wasn't even surprised at this point, and turned back to Qrow with a heavy sigh.

"We'll clean up this mess and hire some new equipment to replace what was lost."

"That's it? Yang, you've been attacked. Do you really think it won't happen again? What if they hit your apartment?"

"Then I'll be free of the shitty contract and able to find a better place." Yang sighed when his eyes narrowed. "Oh calm down, I'm not saying that's all we'll do, but we do have to fix the place up. We can't leave bodies – dead or otherwise – just lying around on the floor. Nor can we leave the back wall falling to pieces right next to our storage cabinets." The building wasn't that resilient and there was no telling what idiots would sneak in, or what they'd find. Weapons were a very real possibility, though she had a feeling her team would be more upset if the alcohol was taken.

"Lisa, this has some Intel on Adam Taurus," she said, flicking the drive to the older woman. "Can you look into it for us?"

Lisa sighed. "Now? I just got back…"

"Well, you can help clean up the dead bodies if you'd rather…"

"Let me just look through this for you." The reporter giggled nervously and vanished into one of the back rooms, face a little green.

"Once we have an idea of where the White Fang are, we'll strike at them."

"Wouldn't Mark know?"

"I'm not-" Mark sighed. "Ugh. No, I wouldn't. We were never told where the bases were and I've been captured for weeks now. They'll have moved everywhere I did know of by now, especially after they tried to kill me."

"So your plan is to go after Adam Taurus, despite how dangerous he is?"

"No. My plan is to go after Adam Taurus because of how dangerous he is. It's kind of my job."

Qrow ran a hand down his face. "Fine, but when it happens, I want in."

"Sure thing."

"I think he was asking me," Yang said with a roll of the eyes at Miltia. "But yes, sure, I'd be happy to have you along. It's not like I want to go after him on my own. I'd bring the whole huntsman population of Remnant if I could. Hell, I'm actually considering calling General Ironwood if I find out where Adam is."

Qrow looked a little nervous at that. "I'm not sure that's such a great idea, Firecracker. His responses tend to be a little… uh… extreme."

Yang tilted her head. "I like extreme."

"I mean extreme collateral damage."

"Even better."

"I'd rather avoid that myself," Roman drawled. "I'm not sure Ironwood would wait for us to be clear of the danger zone before opening fire with one of his battleships. Or rather I'm not sure he'd wait for me to be clear of it."

"We'll still need help if there are a lot of White Fang," Yang pointed out. "Even with Qrow and Mark, that's only nine or so who can fight. We're not exactly equipped to fight a full-scale war here. We can't keep running after them trying to deal with Fang outbreaks, either. The White Fang will just make more and attack again. We need to take them out." She slammed a fist onto the coffee table, which, already being damaged from the attack promptly collapsed. Yang valiantly ignored it and held her fist vacantly where the table had once stood. "We need to end the White Fang once and for all."

"But we don't have the funding for all the gear we'd need."

"Sure we do." Yang grinned and swept an arm around her, to the destroyed wall, the numerous police cars cut in two outside and the wreckage everywhere. "In fact, we just got a huge heap of new funding right here. It's your job to contact the insurance company, Roman."

The thief chuckled. "I'll be sure to tell them how we lost our fleet of twenty or so police cars. I hear those are expensive nowadays."

"But you didn't have a fleet," Qrow said.

"Whatever do you mean, Uncle Qrow? Can't you see all the police cars outside? Who else would they belong to?"

It took a second for Qrow to catch on, but when he did he lowered his head into his hands and let out a long, forlorn sigh. "I feel like I've gone wrong as an uncle somewhere. Your mother would be proud."

"Thanks."

"I didn't mean Summer…"

"Thanks," Yang repeated. "I aim to please. Now, if Miltia doesn't remove her hand out from under your top, I'll remove her ability to please entirely."

Miltia sighed and did so. "Spoilsport."

"Not in my line of sight, you two." Yang looked to her uncle and shivered. "In fact, nowhere within a five-hundred metre radius of me, and if you give me any of the details I swear I'll kill you myself."

She had enough problems without seeing or hearing her uncle getting some being added to the list.

/-/

It was amazing what a vast amount of insurance money could achieve. Two days had passed and you'd have been hard pressed to tell the VSPR HQ had been attacked. If one didn't count the ornamental plaque that had been commissioned and affixed to the front gates, all of which had been Neo's fault, and arranged while Mercury kept Yang busy.

Welcome to the VSPR

Protecting Vale with dignity, honour and courage

Current Score:

VSPR: 56

White Fang: 0

Yang kept meaning to tear it down but something always managed to come up. As the days had passed by, she pretty much forgot about it. The walls were fully repaired and now also painted a lovely shade of light grey, while the windows were frosted over to prevent anyone from seeing in, partly for privacy reasons but mostly so they could play videogames without people wondering where all the taxpayer money was going.

The exterior walls had been rebuilt too, and the medical facility Mark had taken over was stocked with fresh equipment and new supplies. Junior had snuck a new cooling unit into the order which she'd missed, but Yang let that go when he'd given her the puppy-dog eyes and a promise of a Strawberry Sunrise a day.

She had vetoed a few things, and hadn't been much surprised to see the team try and sneak them past her. She'd let the pool table go because hey, pool was cool, but the actual request for a swimming pool in the car park, she'd put her foot down on. There was also to be no dungeon in the cells. When Miltia and Melanie had explained it wasn't to torture or interrogate prisoners but for `recreational` purposes, Yang had put her foot down even harder. The VSPR simply didn't need that much leather, especially not in whip form.

Roman had proven as good as his word and rinsed the insurance company for all they were worth, threatening media outcry if they failed (against those who had defended the public from the White Fang, no less) and then moved onto subtle threats against their business when that didn't work. Roman was still, after all, a dangerous a feared criminal. Their budget had burgeoned as a result, which was fortunate since the information from Vincent hinted that Adam and the White Fang were stationed outside of the city.

"All their movements indicate they're in the wilderness around the city and moving their supplies there. I'm not sure how your friend got hold of all this, but it's pretty detailed. He'd have to be watching every entrance and exit to the city for weeks."

"Remind me again who this Vincent is?" Roman asked suspiciously.

"A friend, apparently."

"Yeah, sure. Let's go with that." Roman puffed on a cigar. "Operationally speaking, it makes sense for the White Fang to keep their stuff out the city. Less chance of someone stumbling over it and more room to work with. The only problem is the Grimm, naturally."

"But that's not a problem if there are enough of you," Yang sighed. "Yeah, I get the hint. We're dealing with a lot of terrorists here, or a really fortified position, both of which will be a tough nut to crack." It wasn't the news she'd wanted but it was at least a step in the right direction. "Good work, Lisa."

"Are we going to try and attack it?"

"We'll have to properly find it first, but we'll pretty much have to attack it. We might be able to rely on the Council to help with that." Yang paused when she noticed the pained expressions both Lisa and Roman wore. "Or we can't…?" she asked uncertainly.

Roman and Lisa shared a look and it was clear Lisa had drawn the short straw. "We really can't," she said. "Your friend already said there might be a spy in the Council, and it's almost impossible that a base this size would go unnoticed unless someone was helping it. If you tell the Council, they'll need days to organise an assault, and you can guarantee the base will be empty by that point."

Great. It was exactly what they didn't need, but Yang couldn't ignore the validity of their warning. Even if the Council ended up being entirely loyal, no one would miss the build-up of forces as they prepared for the assault, nor such a large force leaving the city. Dismantling the White Fang base wouldn't really solve anything. They needed to take out Adam and destroy any means of making more of the Fang Virus.

"A smaller team could sneak in more effectively," Roman suggested.

"I know, Roman. I'm not an idiot. I just…" She sighed. "I guess it doesn't matter until we see what we're dealing with and figure out how big this place is. Who do you think should be sent to scout it out? Neo?"

"Neo," Roman agreed. "Give her a camera to record and take some footage though, because she's not exactly great with details otherwise."

"I can handle that," Lisa said. "I'll give her some basic photography training too."

"Need some help?" Yang asked.

"I'll be fine. Neo's a little sweetheart." Lisa giggled and slipped out of Yang's office, closing the door behind her.

"A sweetheart?"

"Don't ask me," Roman said. "I've got no idea." He shifted a leg up so he could sit on her desk, ignoring the pointed look Yang shot him for it. "So, we're going to be keeping this quiet from the Council, huh. They're not going to like that."

"You mean they won't like not being able to shift the kudos in their favour."

"As I said, they won't like it."

"Well, they'll have to lump it," Yang said. "I had Lisa buy some body cams with the budget and we'll record everything when we go in. Apart from what we take for evidence, I intend to have Lisa splice into a video to be aired to the news. The Council can try and push that as them being the saviours, but we'll see how well that works when all the footage is of us saving the day."

"Devious," Roman complimented. "I like it. I think we're rubbing off on you."

"I hope not. It's bad enough Uncle Qrow and Ruby think we're screwing without someone hearing you say that."

Roman's laugh was entirely too self-satisfied.

"Did you manage to get the other things I asked for?" Yang asked.

"Oh, you mean our new toys? Yeah, I managed it. Ironwood wasn't pleased but we had the money and he at least likes you enough to bend a few rules. That's a pretty impressive ally you've made there, you know. The Council would be even more nervous if they realised you were making such powerful connections."

"Maybe they should be worried," Yang said, shrugging. "It's not exactly a secret we think one of them is involved. They're all suspects at this point."

"Might want to keep those thoughts quiet for now."

"You'll notice I'm not exactly in a hurry to tell them." Yang sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, I'm not sure what to do at all. I could tell Ozpin, but I'm not sure what he could do, and I'm pretty sure Uncle Qrow will have told him anyway. It's not like he can spare anyone to help, not when the Council would turn around and accuse him of working against them a moment later."

Even if Ozpin wanted to help, his hands were tied. He couldn't send any of the faculty, and although he could probably gently request some students assist, he'd be in a world of trouble if anything went wrong. And to be honest, Yang didn't like the idea of bringing students with her anyway. Never mind that she'd been one before and technically still was. It felt different when it was just you making a choice that affected yourself. She didn't want to be responsible for any teams being torn apart like hers had been.

That meant Team RWBY were a no-go, too. Weiss and Ruby would be furious when they found out, and Blake would be pissed, but it really was none of their business.

"At least we have Uncle Qrow," Yang said. "He may not look it, but he's worth at least two huntsmen."

"You could try asking your mysterious friend."

"Vincent?"

"He was able to find all of this," Roman pointed out. "He could probably arrange other stuff too. Even if he can't fight directly, he might know people who could, or be able to arrange something. It's worth a shot."

"I guess it can't hurt…" The intercom on Yang's desk buzzed and Yang answered, wincing a second later once Mercury told her who had arrived. "And speaking of hurt. We replaced all of the furniture in the foyer, right?

"Considering how many bullets were lodged in them, it felt fairly necessary."

"Good, good." Yang stood with a sigh. "Well, I guess it's time to face the music."

Roman looked vaguely confused, though he realised after following her down the corridor, precisely when he heard an imperious voice shout something unpleasant at Mercury. Roman chuckled and lit another cigar. It was just like him to take pleasure in her misery.

Just how it was so like Ruby to just bring her team down to the precinct with no warning whatsoever.

"Yang!" the smaller girl yelled happily, tackling her with a hug.

"Hey Rubes. How're you doing?"

"Really good. I-" Ruby sniffed. "Is that dust I smell?"

"This is a police station, Ruby. We have dust here."

"No, no, it's like spent dust – like guns and stuff. I recognise it from working with Crescent Rose so much." She sniffed again, heedless of the bead of sweat running down the side of Yang's face. "Did something happen?"

"No." Yang said, a little too quickly.

Weiss frowned at the couch she was sat on. "Is this new furniture?"

"No."

"It still has the price tag on."

"Okay, it's new," Yang amended. She could hardly fail to note Blake's absolute silence as she stood a little behind and to the side. Neither was quite ready to talk to the other. "We fancied a chance. The couch wasn't really big enough for all of us."

"That wall is a different colour, too."

"A fresh lick of paint."

"Huh, what's this?" Ruby knelt down and came back up with a spent shell casing. She ran it between her finger and thumb and Yang cursed Mercury's half-assed cleaning. Seriously, did she have to do everything herself around here?

"It looks like a bullet," Blake said.

"Well yeah, duh." Ruby rolled her eyes. "But what's it doing here?"

"We were practising," Yang lied.

"In the foyer?"

"Yep."

"With live ammunition?"

"It's the best way to practise."

Weiss' eyes narrowed in that way they often did when she didn't believe the excuses being put towards her. It was normally due to something Ruby said, but Yang knew the expression from second-hand experience. "You wouldn't be trying to hide anything from us, would you?"

Yang laughed. "Why would I?"

"Yang always laughs when she's nervous," Ruby reported.

"Thanks, sis…"

"Something happened," Blake said. "I can smell gunfire and… blood?"

"I didn't realise you were a bloodhound now."

Blake's eyes narrowed, not at all impressed with the comparison. "It's not hard to notice it when there's still some blood in the corner over there." Yang turned with a muffled curse, but there was nothing. It was clean.

It took her a second to realise she'd been had, and when she looked back their expressions were entirely too smug. Shit. She'd fallen straight into that one.

"Even if something happened – and I'm not saying it did – it would be a police matter, so I couldn't tell you anything."

That brought an end to their smirks, though it replaced them with annoyed frowns. It wasn't like the attack on the VSPR was a huge secret, but they'd managed to keep it out of the media, even if they'd had to report it to the nearest official police department, and thus the Council. Since knowing they'd been attacked didn't do much to make the Council look good (it being a sign of their poor policing, after all), they'd seen fit to help Yang keep it quiet.

Even if it looked like the betrayal of the open and free media was giving Lisa something of an aneurysm. She'd been twitching violently all of yesterday. The journalism senses were strong with that one.

"We can help," Ruby said.

"We don't need any help," Yang countered. "Look at us, we're basically sat here doing nothing. The White Fang have been quiet lately."

"And remember to take loads of pictures," Lisa said, coming through the back door with Neo in tow. "Quantity can make up for quality and it'll give us more to work with. Now, this is my favourite camera, so don't break it. Remember, you need to be gentle to get the best focus."

Neo nodded dutifully, if with a little boredom, and took the first chance she had to slip out the entrance and away. Blake, Weiss and Ruby watched her go, before their attention turned back to Yang.

"What?" she asked. "Neo wants to work a little photography on the side."

"Where?" Weiss asked.

"Vale." The Kingdom, anyway.

"You're hiding something, Yang."

"You're paranoid."

"Boss, one of the prisoners is willing to tal-" Mark stepped into the room excitedly, saw who Yang was talking to, and quickly did a one-eighty. "And I'll just go and grab a drink."

"Stop!" Weiss commanded.

Mark did so.

"You realise I'm your boss, right?" Yang asked dryly. "You don't need to do what she says."

"But she looks scary…"

"Touché."

"Prisoners, Yang?" Weiss asked triumphantly. "Last I checked, you only had one prisoner, and it was that faunus over there. Mark, right?"

Mark sighed. "Would it matter if I said it wasn't?"

"Exactly. So, it seems you've recently come into control of a few more prisoners. Funny, huh?"

"We may have had a minor run in with the White Fang," Yang hedged.

Blake raised an eyebrow. "Fifty-six of them, apparently."

"Knew I should have taken that sign down…" Yang sighed. There really was no hiding it at this point and things would only become worse if they tried to dig deeper. "Okay, fine, we were attacked by the White Fang. No one was hurt, we kicked butt and now we have some prisoners. Satisfied?"

"No. Why didn't you call us for help?"

"Uh, because we were in the middle of being attacked?"

"Uncle Qrow said you called him," Ruby complained.

Damn it, Uncle Qrow. Was nothing sacred? "Uncle Qrow is also banging the Malachites," Yang said.

Ruby's face went red, white and then green, and she fell to her knees, hands clamped over her ears. "LA LA LA, I can't hear you. Not the images. Make them stop!"

Okay, good. That was one of them defused. She wasn't sure Weiss or Blake would be much better, even if Weiss did look a little ill at the thought of her old uncle with two girls barely a year or more older than them. "T-That aside, I don't think it's fair to hide such things from us, Yang. We care about you."

"Like you hid things from me?"

Weiss' eyes narrowed. "Hey, we already apologised for that!"

"Ugh, you're right. Sorry." Blake hadn't and Yang made sure the apology didn't so much as grace her direction. "Look, it's not something you lot can help with. They attacked, we fought them off and now we're carrying on like normal."

"The White Fang will try again," Blake said.

"They're welcome to try."

"That's…" Blake's eyes narrowed. "You intend to hunt them down first."

"Not sure how I'd go about doing that," Yang said, dodging the accusation. "It's not like we know where they are, and there isn't exactly enough of us to mount an attack even if we did."

"Yang…"

"Anyway, I'm on the clock and I really must get back to work. Important work involving things to sign, budgets to audit and prisoners to transfer to some other holding facility. Admin stuff, you know."

"Yang, you would tell us if you were going to do anything dangerous, wouldn't you?"

She laughed. "Sure."

"She's doing the nervous laugh thing again." Ruby groaned.

"The Malachites are into whips, leather and BDSM."

"Argh, Yang, stooop!"

Yang took the distraction for what it was and dipped back into the corridors, pushing Mark ahead of her. Team RWBY wouldn't actually dare push their luck breaking in after her. "Nice timing," she groused.

"Sorry. I didn't realise you had them here."

"Neither did I, to be honest. It's alright. So, a prisoner is willing to talk? Not for the same offer as you, I hope. I don't trust them enough to join the VSPR."

"He wants a plea deal. Junior is the one handling it. He just sent me to pass the message along."

As it turned out, Junior had most of it hashed out by the time Yang got down, and had even moved the terrorist into his own cell, likely to prevent the other more loyal White Fang members killing him out of revenge. In total, they had about ten prisoners split between three cells, which left two a little crowded now that one was on his own. Well, it didn't really matter. Someone from the VPD would come down to collect them in a day or so and ship them off to the main prisons.

Junior pulled her aside when she came down, out of hearing distance of the prisoners, who even now were hurling abuse at the new traitor in their midst.

"Find out anything?"

"Quite a lot, actually. I managed to get a better idea on where their base is. I sent the info to Neo. I also got a basic idea of security, though I'm fairly sure they'll have changed any codes after this botched attack. In exchange, I've promised him leniency."

"How much leniency?"

"Enough as to be legal," Junior said, hefting a manual he'd borrowed from her office. "I checked the records, so it should stick. If all goes well, I'm sure the Council will be happy to go along with it. They might even pardon him. Well, depending on what other charges he has. Hopefully it will be enough for Neo to find this base of theirs before they relocate."

It would take time for them to organise that, though they might have been working on it for the last two days since the attack. Just another time pressure put on them. They'd pretty much have to go on the assault the moment they found it. If they let the White Fang get away here, it might be too late to track them down again.

"Good work," she said, nodding to Junior. "If you need me, I'll be in my office."

"You don't want to ask him any questions?"

"I trust you to handle it." And wasn't it a bizarre moment when she could say that of a criminal. "But I think I need to call in a few favours if we're to have any hope of this working out."

"It won't take Neo long to find this place now," Junior warned.

"I know. We'll start the attack tonight."

/-/

"I'll see what I can do, though we naturally make no promises."

"Any aid you can offer would be appreciated," Yang said.

"At the very least I can cut off surveillance on the eastern wall tonight for a period of one hour. If the White Fang have spies in the security forces, they won't detect you leaving the city. I might also be able to arrange for some… hardware to be available outside the walls. I'll send you the location via scroll tonight."

"That's a lot of favours for one man," Yang mused. "Just who are you?"

"Why, I'm Vincent Saint-Sinclair, of course. Just a friend." The joviality faded from his voice. "I needn't warn you to be careful if you go ahead with this, Captain. Once you're outside the walls, any hope of reinforcements will cease to exist. There will be no turning back if you begin the assault."

"I know, but Vale can't last if the White Fang are allowed to gather their forces. Sooner or later they'll have enough of the Virus to drop it over the entire city, and then they'll march in. If it affects enough people, they could actually conquer Vale."

"As unlikely as that is, we share your sentiment. You have our support, though you may not always notice it. We all do what we must to protect Vale."

"I'm just doing this for me, Vincent."

"Are you sure about that, Miss Xiao-Long? Is there not a small part of you that takes pride in what you do?"

Pride? Yang wasn't sure. There hadn't been before, there not being much to feel proud about and getting back into Beacon on the forefront of her mind, but maybe, deep inside, she did feel a little pleased. They'd stopped numerous White Fang attacks, revealed the Fang Virus and now fought off a siege on their HQ. That was good work, and it was satisfying work. Unlike homework, lessons and lectures, she could see the value this was having on the people around her, on Remnant as a whole.

"Maybe…" she admitted. It felt like a betrayal to say it, but say it she did. "Maybe I do like it."

Vincent chuckled. "You say it like there's such shame in enjoying your work. Forgive me, Captain, but I must go. It will take time to arrange our `gifts` for transport." The call ended with a click and Yang put the scroll down, wondering once again just who he was and what she'd signed herself up for.

Either way, he'd proven more helpful to them than the Council had, and he hadn't done anything that went against the VSPR's goals yet. Hopefully that wouldn't change. If it was going to, this would be the moment. This would be the moment for a lot of things, really. She'd already sent a message to Qrow, warning him of what was ahead. His reply was suitably simple.

I'll be there.

And so would Adam Taurus… at least by all accounts. Yang's severed arm burned at the memory of him, much of which was drowned in red. Red for blood, for his sword, for his hair, for the flames that burned away at Beacon. Yang's eyes closed and she drew a deep breath, letting it go in one swift motion, her fear and anxiety not quite taken away with it, but lessened.

Once again her eyes fell to the cupboard to the side of her desk, within which lay the gift from General Ironwood and Atlas. Even though the door was closed, her eyes seemed to pierce through it and she almost imagined the cybernetic arm was on full display. Her arm burned again, as did her stomach. Yang bit her lip and tore her eyes away from it, only to find she couldn't.

There was nothing to do but wait. Wait until the fall of night and the moment to strike.

Big times ahead and an assault that kept feeling more like an X-Com moment than I really meant it to. COMMANDER, you are to infiltrate the alien base and eradicate it! Ah, good times. Of course, since I'm an old man I loved the first X-com more – back when the aliens actually felt like a threat since you took, like, sixteen men to deal with four, and fully expected some of yours to die on every mission.

Anyway, utterly irrelevant!

Next Chapter: 19th June (3 Weeks)

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur