Wow, this is wrapping up more quickly than I expected! Writing the finishing stretch has increased my motivation quite a bit, look forward to the final few chapters! As always, thank you for your readership, reviews, favorites, and follows, I wouldn't do it if it weren't for you!
Blake and May stumbled into the apartment, utterly exhausted. Although neither of their auras had even broken during the fight with Carmine, the mental exhaustion that accompanied sneaking into the White Fang rally and subsequently ambushing Carmine had taken the fight from their muscles. Blake made a beeline to the bed, crashing onto the covers unceremoniously, without even removing her jacket or shoes. May opted for the space next to her, allowing their legs to overlap on the sheets since Blake had taken up the majority of the bed. Too tired to shift, the two merely lay there, mentally processing the events of the night.
"I was like her once," Blake suddenly said, turning over to face the ceiling.
"Like Carmine, you mean?" May asked, still face down in the pillow.
"Yeah. I fell for the White Fang militarization, hook line and sinker. I only made it out because I was scared of what Adam had become." She sighed thoughtfully, eyes searching for some sort of meaning amongst the shadows of the ceiling. "I think we were somewhat alike."
"Don't forget, you did actually leave," May pointed out, rolling onto her side to address her. "You left because Adam changed, while she stayed with him even knowing exactly what he was. I think your similarities only extend to the situation you found yourselves in."
Blake nodded, evidently appeased by the answer. "I suppose you're right. It's still hard though, I can't help but feel sad."
"I know what you mean. At the very end she seemed. . . confused. I dunno, it's like she had a clear idea of what to do but wasn't sure if she should stop following it, and by the time she made up her mind, it was too late."
Blake turned away, closing her eyes. "Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep. Today has been a lot to take in, I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to feel right now."
"Give it some time," May advised, already closing her eye. "Don't feel like you have to feel anything, just go with what's natural. Personally, I just want to deal with whatever tomorrow brings after I wake up."
They made themselves comfortable in the minutes that followed, Blake pulling her jacket off and at one point covering the two of them with a blanket. May removed the ribbon from her face, planning to drop it off the side of the bed, but then placed it down on the floor with care. The moonlight, obscured by clouds, did little to bother them.
"Hey May?"
"Yeah?" May yawned in response.
"Do you think if I had met her earlier that I could've saved her?"
May was silent for a moment, thinking it over. "I guess there's no way to know for sure. I can only say maybe."
"Hmm. Goodnight."
"Night."
When the two of them woke up the next morning they went out to eat, at Blake's request. A waffle house provided them with their brunch which they ate in relative silence, each staring out of the large bay windows into the horizon, lost in their own thoughts. Blake picked at her food, her appetite not nearly strong enough to justify eating; she forced the food down regardless, knowing she would likely get hungry later if she didn't eat. The food wasn't bad, at least.
"We should stop by a dust shop," May mentioned as they paid their bill and exited into the breezy Vale streets. Blake shivered with the cold, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself before zipping it up. Winter was certainly right around the corner.
"If Adam has a plan to lure us out, we should be ready at any time," May continued, "I used a lot of dust rounds during last night's fight and could stand to resupply anyway."
"I don't necessarily need to, but it'd be great to grab a new ribbon for Gambol Shroud," Blake agreed, patting her back where the weapon was concealed. "Carmine ruined by last one."
"Oh, here, let me give you mine back-" May began, but was cut off by Blake's raised hand.
"No no, that was a gift," she said with a smile. "Keep it, I'll grab a new one." May didn't push the issue, instead leading the way down the street.
From Dust Till Dawn, the diminutive shop that Ruby had always visited, came into view after a short walk. May, still broke, wrapped up her business within quickly, purchasing enough dust with Blake's Lien to make her cringe. What I wouldn't give to have Weiss here, her discounts were the best. Having the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company on her team had had its benefits, to be sure.
"Sorry," May said apologetically when she noticed Blake's expression. "I can cut back if you really need me too, I know this stuff gets expensive."
"Oh no, it wasn't that. It's just that buying dust was something my team would always do together, back in Beacon. I was just thinking about them."
"Well, you'll see them again I'm sure," May chided, punching her playfully on the arm. "Isn't that what all this is about? Making them safe? So wipe that frown off your face, we've got stuff to do."
She turned to walk away but Blake caught her shoulder. Bringing up teams was a sensitive issue, one that she should've been more careful about. "I'm sorry, I should've been more careful mentioning my team. I know it's painful for you."
"Don't be," May said, placing her hand on Blake's and half-turning to address her. "My team and I had many good memories, and those are the ones I want to focus on. It's the same for you, right?"
Blake nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it is."
"Then there's no problem," she said, winking, "as long as you let me use your money!" Blake gave in with a good-natured groan.
"If I have to."
"You do! It's your fault I don't have money in the first place, remember?"
Blake thought back to their first meeting, where she had come in through the window and knocked the sniper unconscious. But wait, wouldn't that technically have been our third meeting? Or was that the fourth? May did have a point though, Blake hadn't taken the case that held her rifle, in which her wallet had allegedly been stowed.
"That was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Blake mentioned, walking at May's side. "I feel like we've gotten to know each other pretty well."
May snorted. "Well I'm not trying to kill you, so that's a plus. But damn, you're right. The time really does fly." Falling silent, she spoke again a minute later. "Ya know? It hasn't been all bad." She stopped in her tracks, looking at Blake as she wanted to reach out and embrace her. Instead, she reached a hand out and awkwardly shook Blake's. "Thanks for being around."
Blake smiled as May turned away with an embarrassed huff, walking more quickly. She couldn't lie to herself, the tentative alliance built on necessity and distrust had eventually formed, at least in her mind, into a true bond of mutual respect and friendship. Trusting that May felt the same was hard; Blake was by nature not a very trustworthy person. However, recently she felt that May had been especially open to her, more willing to discuss nearly anything. And recently, she had also been more prone to physical contact, not shying away from the occasional touch.
A cloud covered the sun as they walked, casting the two of them in a momentary shadow. The memory of the night when May had attempted to sleep with her surfaced in Blake's mind, causing her to frown. The situation had been bad, yes, but she could understand May's decision-making process. However, it was what May had said afterwards, the next morning, that brought a slight smile to her face. "I don't view you as a tool, or a means to an end," she had said. Blake knew May would only have said those words if she were truly sorry for her actions, but furthermore, it sounded to her almost as if May was attempting to tell her more. That she didn't want Blake only to be a tool for sex.
Although they teased each other constantly, she felt as if there was something truthful about the way May teased; she wasn't simply messing around for her own amusement.
Blake watched the sun peek out from its cloudy curtain. I don't think I am either.
In the next three days Blake and May did their best to relax, despite the threat looming over their heads. Carmine's information had been sparse, a mere warning that kept them on edge, never letting their weapons out of their sights. During the few times they left to go shopping, they brought their weapons with them, going so far as to enter stores without removing them first. Such conduct was by no means illegal, but it did draw more attention and strange looks than they were accustomed to. It was a small price to pay for being prepared.
When they weren't out they sat on opposite sides of the bed, brainstorming aloud what kind of plan Adam could've come up with to lure them out. Not even feeling safe in their own apartment, Blake had taken glancing out the window every now and then to make sure their living space wasn't under threat of immediate attack. "Calm down, Carmine specifically said that he had a plan to draw us out. She wouldn't have used those words if he were planning on attacking us here," May had pointed out. It eased Blake's worries somewhat, but only barely. She checked the window from time to time still, just to be safe.
It was during one such discussion that May's scroll vibrated. Handing her bowl of stir-fry to Blake, she reached over and palmed the device. "Ah, it's from Yurie!" she exclaimed sliding the scroll open.
"Maybe she was able to find something out!" Blake responded, her feline ears standing on end in excitement. A hitch in May's breath was the first sign of something wrong. Wordlessly, she turned her scroll to show Blake the screen, which displayed a single word message from Yurie.
Help.
The single word sent a jolt of panic through Blake's muscles. "What is this?" she hissed, putting both dinner bowls on the floor without her usual care, paying no heed to the rice that spilled. "What happened? Is there more? Text her back!"
"Should I?" May asked, eye wide. "What if she's in trouble, could sending a message blow her cover or something?"
"Do it anyway. If she's asking for help, we need to expect the worst has happened. Ask where she is, for starters," Blake commanded, forcing herself to take deep breaths to remain calm. "Otherwise she could be anywhere, we need to find out where she is." As May began typing, Blake jumped from the mattress and pulled on her jacket and combat boots.
"Alright, I'm hitting se- oh shit, she just sent an address!" May said, staring at the screen intently. "Recognize it?" She threw the scroll to Blake and began dressing herself for combat as well.
"No," Blake said, pulling out her scroll to cross reference. May strapped her rifle to her back while Blake searched. "If the address is anything to go by, this place is in the Commercial District, near the piers. A hotel." May's hastily raised eyebrow prompted her to continue as she threw the scroll back to its owner. "West side of Vale, cruise ships, exchange students? You probably docked there."
May nodded, looking at the most recent message one more time. "Blake. Blake," she called, interrupting her as she placed Gambol Shroud on her back. "I don't think she's the one who sent this."
Blake froze in place. "What do you mean. Isn't that her number?"
"Yeah, but look," May said, showing Blake the address once again. "Does this look like the writing of somebody who's in trouble?"
Blake's stomach plummeted as she took in May's words. The address was written out correctly, the same format one would use when addressing a postcard. Too perfect. If Yurie had managed to make herself safe enough to write out the address, she probably wouldn't need help in the first place. And if she did, there was no reason for her to take so much time to painstakingly write out the address, assuming she knew it anyway. Knowing that Yurie would only ask for help if she truly needed it, the other possibility became more likely.
"Somebody has her scroll," Blake concluded. More magazines were hastily strapped to her waist.
"We need to go!" May barked, keeping the scroll in hand while she unlatched the front door of the apartment. "It's obviously a trap, but that doesn't matter, Yurie has been nothing but helpful to us. We owe her. You ready?"
Blake nodded her confirmation, closing the door behind her as May sprinted out ahead, running in the direction of the train station. Shit. SHIT! She had known something was going to happen, but she didn't figure that Yurie was the one Adam's plan had been built around. And, if May's face was any indication, neither had she.
They rushed onto the Commercial District-bound train, adrenaline already coursing through their veins. When it became clear that at least fifteen minutes of downtime were in the immediate future while they waited for the train to reach its destination, May began pacing restlessly back and forth across the car. Blake sat down, thoughts whirling.
If Yurie got caught, then it's possible that the White Fang knew about her involvement with us from an earlier stage. Each piece of intel Yurie has given has led to either Adam, Carmine, or the Lieutenant, when the odds of that happening are relatively low. Not to mention, Adam was prepared to trap us at the casino, and Carmine planned specifically for our arrival at the rally.
Cursing, she explained these thoughts out loud to May who nodded in agreement, her pacing uninterrupted.
May was about to make a comment when her scroll vibrated once more. Stopping dead in her tracks, her visage turned a sickly white as she opened the newest message. "Oh fuck," she gasped, dropping the scroll. It clattered on the floor, landing face-down.
"What is it?" When May made no move to respond or to pick it up, Blake leaned over and examined the screen for herself.
The image that appeared displayed Yurie, splayed out on the floor with blood running from multiple cuts and gashes that had been torn through her clothing. A mixture of blood and spit ran from the corner of her mouth. She was unconscious from the looks of it, but it wouldn't take much more to place her permanently out of reach of medical professionals' help. On her chest rested a heavy bloodstained boot, belonging to whomever had taken the image and sent it.
"It's the Lieutenant," May whispered, sitting down once again. "I recognize the boot, he's the one who did this. He's the only one fucked up enough to do this."
Blake exhaled slowly, handing the scroll back to May. She turned it over, refusing to look at the image for a moment, then looked at it again, breathing quickening. "So it is a trap," Blake confirmed. "He's messing with us, trying to get in our heads. But it doesn't change our course of action. We need to keep our heads level."
May ignored her entirely. "How did he catch her?" she asked, her question possibly rhetorical. She continuously wrung her hands, searching for anything to keep her fingers busy.
"She's been helping us out alot. Maybe too much," Blake sighed, the sinking feeling in her stomach a combination of guilt, worry, and fear.
"Do you think. . . she's gonna be okay?" May said, looking at the image again. Blake reached out and covered the scroll with her hand, curling May's fingers in her own.
"Don't look at it anymore." When May merely stared at where the image had been a moment, before, Blake gripped her shoulder with her other hand, turning May towards her.
"May, look at me." She waited for May to comply before continuing. "If Yurie is being held as ransom, they can't kill her. We have no reason to come if she's dead, alright? She's going to be okay. We're going to rescue her, but we can't just run in blindly. Why don't you close your eyes and focus on your breathing, alright? It'll help you calm down."
May complied, shaking her head a moment later and opening her eye again. "I-I can't," she said, voice shaking. "I keep seeing the picture when I close my eye." May took another deep breath, the words rushing out of her mouth, "I'm panicking, Blake, I can't breathe!"
Blake immediately turned sideways on the seat and reached out to the back of May's head, pulling her forward until their foreheads touched. "Look at me," Blake said, gently but firmly. "Look into my eye, May." May's grey-blue eye came to a rest, staring into Blake's. "Good, now we're going to breathe. In for four seconds, hold for two, out for four seconds, hold for two. Together now."
They breathed in tandem, filling their lungs with as much air as they could. One. Two. Three. Four. "Hold for two," Blake reminded. One. Two. An exhale, their respective breaths intermingling in the short distance between their lips. One. Two. Three. Four. A two-second hold.
They repeated the process again and again, the shadows lengthening and shortening on May's face as the train passed under lights. They repeated the process until May eventually lowered her head to rest on Blake's collarbone, her warm breath heating Blake's chest.
"I'm alright. It's under control." Previously clinging to Blake's sleeves, May wrapped her arms around Blake's torso, hugging her tightly. "Thanks." Blake could feel her every inhale and exhale; her breathing had calmed down considerably.
"We're here together."
May leaned back a minute later, wiping the remains of tears from her eye. "I'm alright, promise," she said, doing her best to sound convincing, going so far as punctuate her words with a smile. She let out a large breath of air in the form of a sigh. "I'm okay."
"We're almost there," Blake said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready?"
"I think so. No rushing in this time. If we work together, we've got a chance."
"We do," Blake agreed, allowing her more serious side to take over. "Whatever happens, we do this together."
The total fifteen minutes it took the train to get to the stop seemed more like an eternity; Blake and May practically tumbled through doors when they finally opened, sprinting down the platform. Blake pulled out her scroll as they ran, directing them through the streets until they slid to a halt.
The hotel in question, the Ebon and Clyde, rose multiple levels, each story trimmed with golden paint that shone in the sunset. Across the two sets of double doors in the front read a large sign that stated "Closed for the Weekend." The construction equipment outside gave away the reason, along with the scaffolding that rose on either wings of the building. Suddenly the venue made much more sense to Blake, the hotel would've been an odd choice unless all the patrons were gone, thereby leaving the building empty.
Blake caught May's arm as she made to approach the front doors. "Bring us up to the second floor, we'll break in through there. I'm sure whoever is waiting for us expects us to enter from the ground."
May gritted her teeth but complied nonetheless, checking to make sure they were out of view before activating her semblance and carrying the two of them to a small second-floor balcony. Blake shattered the sliding glass door, reaching through the hole to unlatch it from the inside. Looks like my robbery skills may be used for good after all, she mused, darting through the hotel room with May on her heels.
Can you check the picture again- or rather, I'll check the picture, I want to see if we can find any indication of where they are." May opened the photo again and looked at it carefully, only this time her face did not show any signs of fear. In the mission mindset, she had no time to get distracted by the objective horror of the image, instead cataloguing every detail.
"They're on a tile floor, which means they're not in a hotel room," she said, eyeing the carpet. Looking through the peephole, she found there was carpet in the hallways as well. "That means she's either on the first floor dining room, or perhaps one of the suites."
"Then we'll start with the dining room. Stay sharp, have your weapon ready." Blake herself readied Gambol Shroud in her hands, a new ribbon wrapped around her arm. May pushed open the door and Blake exited and moved down the hall, pistol ready. May followed behind her, watching their backs.
The hotel itself was surprisingly empty, devoid of any White Fang guards, or even civilians. They kept their guard up while they stalked through the hallway, descending a staircase to the first floor. Blake silently thanked the hotel for padding the floor and stairs with carpet, which allowed she and May to move with near-perfect silence.
The carpet gave way to tile floors a minute later, signalling the end of the living quarters. They moved through the hotel lobby carefully, avoiding the lit sections which would make them visible to the outside world. Even a cursory glance suggested the room was devoid of life, a conclusion which led them to a large set of imposing double doors, made from solid oak.
"The dining room is through here," May whispered, placing her back on one side of the doorframe. Blake did the same on the opposite side. "If we rush in, we'll be able to surprise whoever is on the other side."
"But we'll also be unprepared for larger numbers if they do suspect us," Blake countered.
"I doubt we can sneak in. If they catch any of the doors opening slightly, they'll be able to react much faster than if we rush in and attack immediately." May shook her rifle to emphasize her point. "Watch my back for attacks on the sides. I can go in first and clear the center of the room with some heavy dust rounds. If the worst happens, we'll pull out immediately."
Blake grimaced as May placed herself in front of the doors, ready to rush through. "Don't go in for close combat," she warned. "If the Lieutenant is back there he'll be able to kill you, and we won't get lucky enough to escape twice."
"I won't, my heads cooler this time. I'll leave close combat to you." Blake gave a grateful nod at her words. "Alright, you ready?"
"On my mark," Blake commanded. "Three. Two. One. Mark!"
With a mighty kick she slammed into the wooden doors, knocking them wide open. May strode in a split-second later, her rifle at face-level and aimed at the center of the room. Blake rushed in behind, spinning to check behind them for any sign of attackers. Seeing nothing, Blake turned to follow May, flinching as two shots rang out from her rifle.
The distinctive clang of bullets being deflected drew her eyes to the center of the room. There, poised with one foot resting on Yurie's collar, stood the Lieutenant. His mask was darkened by shadows, further adding to his soul-chilling appearance. Blood spattered outward in lines from Yurie's unconscious body, the result of chainsaw slashes cutting swaths through her aura and eventually, her skin.
May fired three more shots, advancing all the while, forcing the Lieutenant to step backwards and raise the flat of his chainsaw to protect himself. It made little difference, as the single bullet that did collide with him bounced off much in the same way that the others had clattered from his chainsaw. May pressed the attack regardless, joined by Blake who added her own salvo to the mix. The Lieutenant backed up slowly, seemingly content to allow Blake and May to advance until they stood protectively over Yurie. As Blake reloaded, May dropped to her knees.
"Yurie! Yurie, can you hear me?!" Despite her yelling, Yurie remained unresponsive, her face pulled into a perpetual wince of pain.
"Treat the worst of her injuries, I'll keep him busy," Blake called, already aiming Gambol Shroud at the Lieutenant. "Join me as fast as you can."
"Make him pay," May growled, running her hands over Yurie's form to ascertain which of her injuries was the worst.
The Lieutenant made no move to stop them, watching May work without reaction. His face covered by his mask, Blake could only assume his facial expression showed something akin to twisted amusement.
"I'm glad you are here," he spoke, his accented growl cutting through the air. "I hate to say but if you're looking for Adam, you just missed him."
"What do you mean?" Blake growled back, her tone dark. She cast her eyes about the room, searching for others. "And why are you the only one here?"
The Lieutenant laughed, "Adam wanted to make this a bit more. . . personal, so he and I were the only ones here. That is, until a few hours ago. He said he had some "loose ends" to tie up, and told me to take care of things here."
"Loose ends? Taking care of things? What do you mean by that?" Blake yelled, patience wearing thin. Her body itched to fight, muscles ached to strike, it took all her control to resist running in and attacking. "Where did Adam go, and what are you doing here?"
"I'm going to take you alive, and make sure Adam has time for his little reunion," the Lieutenant hissed. "But not before I kill those two girls!"
His chainsaw revving to life, the Lieutenant began running forward, the ground shaking with every step.
Blake intercepted him halfway, ducking under his initial chainsaw swing and springing upward, fist colliding with the underside of his chin. She didn't attempt to push him back with the impact, instead immediately reversing her direction by throwing a kick into his side. The force of the kick pushed her just out of reach of his second swing, the chainsaw's teeth passing just in front of her face.
Blake was ready for his slash, already firing a quick series of shots. The first few hit him before he raised his chainsaw, blocking the rest. The Lieutenant made the second move, a wide horizontal slash with one arm to extend his reach. Knowing blocking would only lead to her getting knocked away, Blake deflected the blade slightly upward, allowing it to continue its trajectory. The Lieutenant moved with the blade, spinning to add a second slash, then bringing the chainsaw down from above and slam it into the floor where Blake had been a moment earlier. Chips of concrete bounced off her aura as she dove to the side to avoid the blow, nearly making the mistake of underestimating the speed at which the Lieutenant had moved. Her aura dropped perceptibly anyway, the Lieutenant having torn through the shadow she left behind with her semblance. He's faster than he looks, she reminded herself, removing the cleaver from Gambol Shroud and unsheathing the katana.
Blake and the Lieutenant clashed again, her acrobatic dodges and quick strikes contrasting with his heavy, concrete-rending swings. Making sure to stay out of his reach, Blake would wait for his guard to drop only slightly, taking the opportunity to rush in and score a few hits before his chainsaw swung through the space she had just occupied.
The Lieutenant rushed forward suddenly, raising his arms for a swing. Blake braced herself with a crouch, ready to dive to either side. At the last moment, he shifted his balance and brought the blade in from the side with blistering speed. Unable to dodge, Blake was only able to cross Gambol Shroud in front of her chest as the chainsaw connected, launching her across the room. She landed on her side a full second later, bouncing painfully and rolling to a halt. Her attempt at quickly getting to her feet was mired by the lack of air in her lungs; while aura could protect from bodily damage, it did little to stop getting the wind knocked out of her.
Her arm was suddenly lifted, placed over a wiry shoulder. May helped her to her feet, patting her on the back a few times. Lacking her usual shirt and signature red and white jacket, May wore only her black sports bra, her exposed skin covered with dried blood and dirt.
"May, are you-"
"I'm fine, Yurie ended up needing more bandages than I expected," she explained, bringing her rifle to her shoulder. "I'll keep him busy from back here, let's kill this motherfucker." Blake could tell that a barely contained anger boiled just beneath her surface, but May was keeping it in check. Blake's earlier words must've rung true. You can't avenge anybody if you're dead.
"You got it," she responded. With May's help, she felt much more confident. If she alone were fighting the Lieutenant, their fight would've become a battle of attrition. Would her stamina run out before his aura depleted? She preferred not to find out the answer. Having May tipped the odds more in their favor.
Blake ran forward with renewed energy, the gunshot that echoed from behind her only adding to her resolve. The Lieutenant blocked the bullet with the flat of his chainsaw, using his free hand to push the blade forward in a swift slash aimed at Blake's head. Activating her semblance, Blake rolled with the attack, letting her clone take the hit while the chainsaw passed over her harmlessly. The Lieutenant staggered, not expecting the blow to meet thin air. In the moment before he regained his balance, Blake struck at his hamstring with both blades. While his aura prevented the strike from cutting into flesh, his knee buckled.
May's next shot struck him in the center of the chest. His balance already compromised, he fell over backwards. Blake kept up the attack, her blades repeatedly stopping just short of shredding clothing and cutting him open.
He recovered faster than she expected, a hand snaking out to grab her by the neck. Blake immediately began slicing at his arm with her katana, knowing full well that she wasn't strong enough to pry his fingers apart. Her aura strained under the pressure of his hand, depleting as it kept her throat open.
Lifting her with him as he rose, he grabbed his chainsaw with the other hand and revved it, preparing to run her through. Unable to escape, her aura wouldn't be able to block the chainsaw for long, leaving her with few options. She began battering his face with both blades, a silent cry on her lips. Why. Won't. You. Let. GO!
As he pulled back to skewer her chest, May's electric dust round struck him full in the face, forcing him to drop Blake as he reeled backwards, stunned. Blake fell to the ground, her lungs burning for oxygen, a need she gratefully catered to, gasping like a fish on the cold tiles. Her mind barely registered the mustard-yellow pulse that signified the Lieutenant's aura breaking. She began scrambling backwards, activating her semblance once again to leave a clone on the floor to cover her escape. Her aura shattered the next second in a flash of deep purple, her clone disappearing along with it.
May reached her side a moment later, pulling her to her feet and subsequently backward as she created distance between them and the Lieutenant. "Your aura is down, let me finish this. I've got the advantage of range, he can't block all my bullets."
Blake nodded, taking a knee to catch her breath as May placed a new magazine in her rifle, chambering the first round. Across the room, the Lieutenant shook off the vestiges of the electric dust, sparks arcing from his body before dying.
Aiming carefully, May fired shot after shot at his body, aiming to hit his torso. He blocked each one with his chainsaw, the bullets exploding against its surface in fiery blasts. Each shot lit up his face as he advanced, casting his mask in quick successions of light and shadow. Finally, one of May's shots connected.
The bullet hit his upper left arm, travelling through flesh and bone with little resistance. Blood and muscle exploded out of the reverse side, following the bullet as it made its exit. The Lieutenant fell to his knees howling, his left arm attached to his shoulder by mere threads of skin and muscle, the interior bone torn to shreds.
May didn't pause to witness her shot connect, already ejecting the empty magazine and replacing it with a new one. As she took aim, the Lieutenant got to his feet again and brandished the point of his chainsaw at her. "Come closer girl," he snarled, his voice resembling that of a beast. "I'll show you how we tear off arms in the White Fang!"
"Why won't you die!" May screamed back, punctuating her words with a gunshot. The Lieutenant listed to the side just in time, leaving May's bullet to cut through the air to his side. He continued moving, beginning to jog forward.
May peppered him with shots, most of them hitting his chainsaw. Unable to protect it with his aura, the chainsaw was shredded as he ran forward, but the teeth still spun wickedly. As the distance between them grew rapidly smaller, one of May's shots struck him in the shoulder. It passed through, taking a sizeable part of his shoulder blade with it. To Blake's horror it did little besides knock his arm backward - with a roar he swung his chainsaw down, every vein in his arm standing out starkly against his skin.
May's eye went wide in fear, unable to process the fact that the man was still standing. The spinning teeth bore down on her, ready to shred her aura as if it were paper.
Putting all her might into the blow, Blake swung Gambol Shroud upward, directly blocking the chainsaw's path. She was only strong enough to stop the tip of the blade before she was slammed into the ground by the force. The chainsaw met the concrete right beside her head, ripping into it.
With a grimace, May hastily raised her rifle and fired a shot at the Lieutenant's face, point blank. He stumbled backward as blood erupted from the side of his head, no longer gripping the chainsaw.
Blake watched from the floor as the Lieutenant's mask cracked from one side to the other before falling from his face, shattering on the tiles. His left ear had been torn from his skull, leaving a bloody deluge to wash over his face and chest. A final shot from May tore through his right kneecap, forcing his leg inward. Bones snapping from the force, the Lieutenant fell to the ground, his leg unable to support him. He lay there, panting, blood coloring his lips crimson.
May walked forward, placing a foot on the Lieutenant's hand as he made to grab his chainsaw. "That's enough, monster. You won't be hurting anybody ever again." She placed the barrel of her rifle against his forehead, pressing down to keep him from moving. She spoke with clearly and with conviction, sentencing him to his end. "You killed my teammates, and so many others. Tell me why you did it."
The Lieutenant only laughed, lifting his head to press against May's rifle.
"Tell me why you did it!" May screamed, slamming his head into the floor.
"I kill many people," the Lieutenant responded, flashing his bloody teeth with a grin. "And let me tell you, it never gets any less fun!" Blood flew from his mouth as he yelled, staining his already crimson body armor. He strained against the rifle once more, pressing hard against the barrel, neck muscles bulging under his skin. "But you're not a killer like me, you'll never find the courage to pull that trigger."
"Your wounds are too heavy for you to survive. Whether I kill you or the loss of blood does, your remaining life exists within the span of minutes," May responded fiercely, her chilling logic making Blake's veins run cold. "So don't waste what you have left. Tell me where Adam is, so we can deliver the same fate to him."
The Lieutenant began laughing, each exhale spattering more and more blood over the concrete, flecking the barrel of May's rifle. "You think you can stop him? Even now, he's on his way to Patch! You coming here to save that girl was only a waste of your time! Once he finds that blonde-haired bird, he's gonna slaughter her in front of everyone!"
Blake blanched at the words, panic rising in her chest. Adam is going to Patch! He's found Yang! Her head spun, how had Adam managed to find out where Yang lived? She certainly hadn't told him, had somebody else? How long did they have before he made it there? "May, we need to go, now. If Adam's on his way to Patch, I need to save Yang, she won't be able to beat him hersel-"
"I know," May cut her off without removing her attention from the Lieutenant. "Any last words, monster?" she growled, baring her teeth in an inhuman snarl. "Say 'em quick, cause we're on a schedule."
"Long live the White Fang," the Lieutenant choked out, his head defiantly pressed against the barrel of May's rifle until the very last moment. Their eyes met, two glares of equal ferocity and bloodlust battling for superiority.
She pulled the trigger, destroying the last of the White Fang Lieutenant once and for all. The room reverberated with the sound of the shot, which faded into a damning silence.
May clutched Lilac to her chest, hugging it tightly. "That's for you, Brawnz," she whispered, tears beginning to streak down her face. "You can rest easy now." Her voice broke a moment later as she collapsed to her knees. "I know it's not what you would've wanted, but. . . Please accept it. I love you."
Although she itched to go, Blake waited patiently while May paid her respects to her fallen teammate. While she waited she made an anonymous text to the police, explaining within that the White Fang had broken into the hotel and badly injured an innocent Faunus named Caval'Yurie Violet. She could only hope it would both cover their tracks and save Yurie from jail. At the very least she would get the medical attention she sorely needed.
Kneeling beside May, Blake placed a comforting arm around her shoulder as it shook with her sobs. "I know, I know," she whispered. "We need to go."
"I don't think Adam knows exactly where Yang lives," Blake responded, although her heart still knocked against her chest with a feverish rhythm. May's greiving had given her time to more carefully assess the situation. "We've got just a little time."
"No," May said, bracing herself on Blake's shoulder to stand tall. "No, let's go save your teammate." Although the tears still shone on her eye and cheeks, she met Blake's with a look of determination. "We can't allow him to hurt anybody else," she stated softly.
"I'll find us a boat. I called the police, so Yurie should be in good hands."
"Thank you," May whispered, taking Blake's hand and allowing herself to be led toward the exit of the hotel.
"Brawnz and Roy," said Blake, invoking the names of May's departed teammates, "I think they'd be proud of you." May said nothing at first, her interlaced fingers tightening around Blake's the only sign that she'd heard the words.
"Maybe once this is all over," she whispered back. "I can't just live for myself anymore. I need to live for them too."
"You will," Blake promised.
"God I hope so."