Blake walked towards the building Adam was using for his headquarters, seemingly alone. Despite being fully clothed, she felt naked without her weapon. But the plan really did need Reaper to hold onto it until it was time. After having it explained to her, Blake agreed it was a decent plan for such short notice. The only real obstacle, getting the cat girl to accept to it, was already passed.

The guards at the front gate witnessed her approach. "What are you doing here?" One of them asked.

"I heard an old friend of mine was in town." Blake replied.

"Aint no friends around here, kitty."

"Just call up your boss and tell him Blake Belladonna is here unarmed and wishes to speak with him." The cat girl told them.

The two traded nervous glances and one of them went inside. This was the moment of truth. Reaper theorized, and Blake agreed, that Adam would drop his guard and allow only one person to see him, especially if she appeared to have come for a parley. Behind Blake, illusioned out of sight, waited Reaper and Neo. The guards would (hopefully) lead the unarmed Blake right to Adam, and accidentally lead the fully armed criminal duo to him as well.

The guard returned and bid Blake inside. It was tricky, but Reaper and Neo just managed to slip through the closing door and stay with the cat girl. They stuck close to her in the halls, careful not to bump into people or objects. Just as the scythe girl assumed, the interior was a maze. She and Neo would have never found Adam on their own, not without making a mistake first.

Around one final corner was a door. The guard opened it, and gestured for Blake to enter alone. She stalled for a moment, playing at hesitation, to give Reaper and Neo an opportunity to sneak inside. Stepping through herself, she laid eyes on Adam Taurus for the first time in almost two years.

"Hello… my love." He turned to face her. "You really did come unarmed, I see. Interesting. Why are you here?"

He was answered the slamming and locking of doors. "I'm here to bring you in." Blake told him. She was handed Gambol Shroud as Reaper and Neo shimmered into view.

He looked between the two newcomers. "You realize these are criminals too, Blake. Killers. But they fight for themselves, not for honor! I am trying to free us!" He raised Wilt in time to stop the cat girl's blade. Blake offered no more words in return, just action as she fought Adam. "Turn your blade on them, huntress! Don't think they won't do the same when you're done with me!" Blake continued to ignore him and swung again.

The size of the room worked to Blake's advantage, as she freely used her after images in the large area. Adam restrained from using his more powerful attacks, not wanted to destroy his own base. Neo knew she didn't stand a chance against someone of the bull-man's strength, and opted to stay out. She knew Reaper could handle it enough for both of them anyway, she just needed an opportunity to step in.

Reaper herself was breathing hard. She had forgotten the knife she meant to pick up at the house, the one Neo once gave her to activate the Red Haze. But she didn't need it this time. Just looking at Adam brought forth memories of a bloodied blonde, one killed by his red blade. Reaper felt herself slide to the back of her mind as Ember used the Red Haze to take over.

Great. Cramped again.

Don't worry, I don't plan to draw out this fight. I may not have technically existed yet, but she was my sister too.

Despite her having nearly three years of special training, Blake still found battling Adam difficult. He could always read her attack before she made it, he knew her better than almost anyone. She left an after image to try and gain space to think, but the bull man saw right through it, and Wilt found its true mark, sending Blake against the wall. Blake reached out for her sword. Just before her fingers reached it, a black boot came down on the blade and kicked it across the room.

"Sorry, kitty cat. This fight is mine now." Ember winked and unfolded Brutal Thorn.

"I remember you," Adam remarked as Ember turned to face him, "The hero. How's that working out for you?"

Heroes only exist in fairy tales.

"Heroes only exist in fairy tales. We've learned our lesson. Beacon shares it, in fact. You don't keep monsters alive." Ember replied.

Blake's eyes widened at this response. She wanted to bring Adam down, but she was about to witness a fight to the death. She didn't know if she could bear to watch either of her former friends die. Adam laughed at the statement. "Well, at least I know you're going to be fun."

Adam charged in close and pulled Blush's trigger, intending to send Wilt's handle into the scythe masters face to disorient her. He didn't anticipate the girls speed to block the attack, or the strength she would have to do so by grabbing Wilt's pommel and shoving the blade back in its sheath. She followed through with her shove, forcing Adam off-balance for her counter, which he barely dodged by back flipping away. Adam smiled. If this initial volley was a taste of things to come, this was going to be really fun.

Their fight carried on, their blades only connecting with each other for a great while. Adam finally managed to step inside Brutal Thorn and deliver a strike across his opponents gut. She remained intact and recovered quickly, making Adam remember he was fighting a huntress (or a former one at least) and would have to wear through her aura before delivering a killing blow.

Ember stepped in and Adam raised Wilt defensively. Her swing, to his surprise, was short and missed both him and Wilt by inches. He would regret his momentary lapse when she spun and used the speared back to disarm him. She finished her spin with the true blade of the scythe. His aura held, but the attack was powerful.

This just keeps getting better, he frowned. It must be her semblance to attack with such strength and speed.

Ember struck Adam a few more times, the final one being with the back end of the scythe across his face, sending him across the room with his mask broken. Adam landed by Wilt and picked up the blade. He now knew he wouldn't win a long fight, and needed to end things. He needed to charge up for a powerful slice. He began the process, only needing one opportunity to finish this.

Ember was looking to finish things as well, charging in. Aura could only do so much, and Adam must already be very low. It was a comfort to know that even under her control, the Red Haze was just as powerful physically. She jumped, intending to use the downward momentum to strengthen the blow further. A smirk played across the bulls face, and Reaper instantly remembered when he had done the same thing to Yang.

Oh-

"-Shit."

Ember recalled Brutal Thorn across her chest when Adam's attack went off. The energy sliced clean through the sniper-scythe's barrel-handle, and even Reaper's massive aura could only barely stop the attack. Ember felt a gash appear on their torso. She fell to the other side of the room. Adam smiled and walked calmly to her.

"Well, you were definitely strong. But foolish. And in the end, it takes more smarts to win a battle." He gloated, unsheathing Wilt to finish the scythe girl off. "It's funny, I never even knew your name."

He brought Wilt down and suddenly felt a vice grip around his wrist. His eyes immediately darted to the girl's torso, which was already closing up. Clever broad, she must have pulled her aura back at the last second so she would have some to heal with. Ember didn't have enough reserve to heal the wound completely, but it stopped bleeding and allowed her to move.

She stood quickly. With her left hand around his wrist, she used her right shoulder to knock him back. She used that momentum to throw herself into a spin, ripping Wilt from Adam's hand and finishing the twirl by burying it hilt-deep in his chest. "I have a few names. None of them you will ever get the chance make use of." Adam was dumbfounded. His last bit of aura apparently wasn't enough to stop a thrust of his own weapon. He stumbled backward and fell to his knees.

"Huh… Never thought it would end like this…" Adam looked at Wilt's handle as it was flush with his chest. Neo walked up to Ember/Reaper and handed the girl the top half of Brutal Thorn, the part with the scythe blade.

"Hmmm… would you like to do the honors, Reaper?"

Of course.

Red eyes closed and silver eyes opened. Reaper brought the blade up and looked Adam in the eye. "This is for my sister, you son of a Bitch." She brought the serrated blade down and across, sweeping Adam's head right off of his shoulders. People will tell you revenge is unending and never satisfying. Reaper didn't know about other people, but she felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she watched the lifeless body of her sister's killer tumble to the ground. She took a deep breath of air, and it felt new.

It feels like I can finally move on…

Way to go, girl.

Blake was right about one thing. No matter the situation, she couldn't bear to watch a former friend fall like that. And to boot, it was by the merciless hand of the girl that was once the sweet, innocent Ruby Rose.

Reaper walked towards the huntress and held out her hand. "Now we know the way, I can zoom us out of here. We'll go our separate ways after that."

Blake caught a flash of white out of the corner of her eye. "It's about time…"

"Huh… I figured you wouldn't want him dea-ohh!" Blake grabbed Reaper's hand and pulled her away from Neo. A wall of Ice cut the room into two, with the multi-colored girl trapped on the other side.

What the hell!

"What the- hello, Weiss. Fancy meeting you here." Reaper spotted the heiress approach. The scythe girl got onto her feet with the upper half of Brutal Thorn in her hand, her other hand holding her fresh wound. "So what did I miss?"

"I was always a light sleeper." Weiss answered. "I noticed the second Blake got out of bed, and followed you two."

Reaper thought back to the rooftop, to when she saw Blake's ear twitch and a smile tug her lips. At the time she thought it was for an idea to warn Weiss, but now she figured the faunus sensed the heiress eavesdropping. It was likely the only reason she went through with Reaper's plan. She knew she had backup, she trusted Weiss like that. She once trusted Ruby like that, too…

"You really think the two of you can stop me?" Reaper asked. Not that she would allow herself to kill them. Reaper briefly wondered if they would believe that if she told them.

"Maybe not." Weiss replied. "But I figured we could hold you back until the Atlesian Army storms this place looking for Adam. You don't even have Neopolitan's help. I knew it was vital we separate you two."

Atlas is going to raid the building? Crap… The scythe master ran through various scenarios in her head, and only came to one conclusion.

"Neo!" Reaper yelled. "Get yourself out of here! I know you're planning something, but just don't. I can handle myself, I'll be back under before you know it!" She watched the ice wall. "Neo!" She shouted one more time, and saw a flash of white light through the ice. Reaper let out a sigh of relief. At least Neo is safely away…

We are not getting out of this, are we?

Sorry, Ember. Even if we could get through Weiss and Blake in our current state, we are in no condition to face an entire army.

So what are our survival instincts telling you?

That there is a time to fight, a time to run… and a time to surrender.

Reaper dropped her half-a-weapon. "Congratulations, team RWBY. You caught the bad guy, for once. Bonzai."

Neo didn't want to still be there when the Atlas Army arrived, so she took Reaper's command to heart and booked it all the way back under. It wasn't until she was safely under the lights of Reaper's home that she let herself stop long enough to breath. With nothing else to do, she began pacing the house, waiting for Reaper. With each passing minute, she grew more and more concerned.

She assured me she could handle them, that she didn't need my help. She wouldn't have lied to me, would she? What reason would she have to? Would she be afraid I was caught too? True I didn't have any real idea what to do next… if Atlas is really on the way, I don't think I could have gotten both of us out before they showed up. Not with the huntresses puppy guarding Reaper. But if she really called me off knowing she was screwed, was she being a good criminal? 'Honor among thieves'? Or was she concerned for me?

Neo found the latter theory far more acceptable, but had a feeling even if it was true Reaper wasn't ready to admit it yet. She would just have to ask and tease her when she came home, because Reaper was definitely coming home. Just like she assured me she will. She has too… if Reaper was caught, what would that mean for me? Neo paced some more and watched the clock on the wall. Ten minutes had passed.

Only ten minutes and I'm letting myself freak out this much? Okay, calm down. Even with her speed, it may take some time to lose the huntresses. She was injured, after all. Maybe her injury got her caught… or maybe it's just slowing her down, think positive you crazy mute!

Neo took a deep breath. Twenty four hours. By the time twenty four hours were up Reaper would have either returned here, or be locked up in the same cell she would have until trial. So, twenty four hours is what Neo was going to give the scythe master before tearing off to rescue her. One way or another, she could no longer imagine her criminal life without Reaper.

The clock ticked on and Neo felt her nerves rising again. She looked at the clock to see only five more minutes had passed since her last peek. This is going to be the longest twenty four hours of my life.