Displaced

by CaptainPrice

A young specialist's day soon goes south when he gets caught in a firefight, but that's to be expected in a combat environment. However, no amount of training or combat was enough to prepare him for what would only be the start to a new assignment.

35. Murphy's Law

Finally back with a new update, everybody. I apologize for the long wait, but a lot of life changing decisions took priority and the possibility of a deployment coming up soon has had me busy, so obviously this went on the backburner. I'm here now with a 31 page chapter to make it up to you all. I want to take a second to thank you all for the continued support with the hits, favorites, alerts and reviews. It means a lot to me. Stay tuned for the end of the chapter for the end note, the statements and review responses. Now, let's get to it!

Italic: Thoughts/Letters/Journal Entries/Flashbacks

---

The shattering glass caused Fox's heart to temporarily cease and he was quick to scramble to his feet and see the outcome it caused. His ears were the first to hear the chaos as screams met him and his heart soon fell to the pit of his stomach.

Did he fail? Did Jacques get hit by the shot he was supposed to protect him from?

His thoughts shifted to the assassin that he had tailed to the roof. The man had gotten to his feet and had a knife in hand ready to fight.

Fox quickly assumed his guard and put space between the two of them. Although he had no concerns of his capability to handle himself in a fight like this, he knew better than to underestimate an opponent. When the man lunged at him, he was quick to counter back. His feet moved with grace like they did whenever he boxed in Vale and he ducked under the wild slash.

He spun on his feet and trapped the man's arm in an arm bar. His leg moved swiftly and his foot connected with the back of the assailant's knee and his back, dropping him to the ground. With a pull of the man's arm, the knife dropped to the rooftop with a clatter. He kicked it away and it vanished into the darkness.

"You damn brat!" The man snarled.

Fox was caught off guard by the sudden surge of strength. He lost his grip on the man's arm and was overcome with a powerful numbing wave. The backfist made solid contact with his jaw and sent him staggering back. He was fortunate enough to call his Aura at the last second, escaping a broken jaw. It did, however, produce the metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

The hit triggered his adrenaline and he was immediately put back into a fighting stance as the man got to his feet with a stance of his own. Although the man was tall, he moved with incredible speed. His legs and arms were fast with their pumps with each kick and punch. Very different from his past opponents in the ring. What made it more stunning was how the man did not seem remotely winded after each assault.

Sweat trickled down Fox's face and stung at the corners of his eyes as he slowly circled the man. The screams from earlier had gotten louder and were now accompanied by gunfire and the sounds of weapons clashing. He had to wrap this fight up fast and help his team.

"I'm gonna' rip your head off, kid!" The man lunged at him again.

Fox leaned back and dodged the haymaker and his instincts kicked in immediately. He ducked under the left hook and saw his opening. His feet pushed up as he stepped forward and his knee burrowed into the man's stomach, eliciting a sharp wheeze. The stun was in play, now it was time to go on the attack.

He did not let up as he brought his fist up for an uppercut, landing a blow under the man's jaw. His head snapped up violently and he staggered back. Fox pursued him and followed up with one punch after the next. His fists made multiple body shots and every now and then made contact with the man's face.

His drive had pushed them towards the edge of the roof where they first started their fight. When he brought his leg up for another kick, the man recuperated and caught his foot. With a flick of the wrist, Fox felt the ground leave him and had to act fast.

His hands raised up and his palms graced the rooftop. He pushed hard and managed to do a handspring to get away from the man. When he got to his feet, a crushing blow met his chest as the man's boot smashed into it. The air was jettisoned out of his lungs and he was sent rolling across the roof. He sputtered for breath and shook as he tried to get to his feet.

A strong vice grip closed around his throat and the blood rushed to his head. His hands shot for the man's wrist and tried to pry it off as he was hoisted off the ground. He continued to struggle and called his Aura without a second thought. His decision paid off when the man's fist connected with his face in another dazzling blow. Another one soon followed and this time Fox felt darkness probe the corners of his eyes.

With a swing of his legs, he managed to find his target. The groin shot was a cheap trick, but it was his best shot of breaking free from the freakish strength the man had. Fresh air swarmed his lungs and with it came a swell of rage. He reared his arm back and drove his fist forward as hard as he could. The man's head snapped to the side from the raw power and just as he was about to do it again, the man caught his wrist.

The man got to his feet and the two of them kept their arms caught in a stalemate. Bruises began to form as their fingers and palms pinched each other's skin in an attempt to overpower the other.

Fox's arms began to tremble and he knew he would not be able to hold out much longer. His mind briefly wandered to their location. They had switched sides on the rooftop. If he were to get rid of the guy he was fighting now, he could send him over the roof and outside the manor's walls.

He acted quickly and drove his heel into the man's shin, garnering a hiss from him. The shift in weight gave Fox the opportunity he was looking for. His knee lurched up and struck the man in the face and he quickly maneuvered around him, pinning his arm to his back. With a strong push of his legs, Fox managed to shove the man to the wall and released him just as they got to the edge.

The man let out a scream that was drowned out by a loud boom from the courtyard. Bright light met Fox's eyes and he turned to the source of it. It had come from the hall.

He spared one last look over the wall where he sent the White Fang assassin.

"Fuck you." He wiped his lip.

Fox hurried to the other side of the rooftop and hopped over the wall to the courtyard. When he landed he had to weave his way between the hysteric party guests to the hall.

"Hang on, guys. I'm coming!"

---

It had all happened so fast that it took Blackburn a second to react.

He had seen the warning text from Fox that he was in pursuit of the possible gunman to the rooftop. Winter and the others had seen it too and were ready to take action. His chair had been pushed back to give him a quick route of access to Jacques. Immediately after doing so, he heard a familiar hiss that made his mind flash back to his days in the deserts of Afghanistan. The same sound that brought with it the surreal message that it was not a training exercise, but the real deal. High powered bullets racing by was enough to test the most hardened man.

So when he heard the bullet fly by, he had long since catapulted himself out of his chair and tackled Jacques to the ground. He ignored the man's protests and got a tight grip and the man's collar with his left hand while his right drew his M9. Ironwood was beside them with his pistol drawn as well.

"Get him to the safe room, now!" Ironwood spared him a look.

"Moving now, sir!" Blackburn began escorting Jacques towards the doors.

Screams filled the air and Blackburn's eyes flicked back in the direction of the previously stunned crowd. His eyes were able to pick up on a handful of people wielding weapons, all aiming in his direction. Another shot made him hunch over and charge headfirst to the door.

More bullets hissed in his direction and he could almost feel them as they whizzed by him and Jacques, pelting the wall sending splinters of wood and chunks of stone to the floor. He kicked the doors open and guided Jacques into the hall keeping him low.

The second he did he was greeted with more bullets from his right. Putting his training from Winter to use, he summoned his Aura and tackled Jacques to the ground, placing himself in front as a shield. He turned on his side and spotted two men firing at him from down the hall. In a desperate attempt to suppress them, he fired wildly at both of them, forcing them to seek shelter behind suits of armor on opposite sides of the hall.

"On your feet! Move!" He pulled Jacques up.

The second the man got to his feet he shoved him behind a suit of armor and reloaded his pistol. He took aim down the hall and was soon joined by Ironwood and Doyle who both had their weapons ready to fire.

"Bound up!" Ironwood returned fire at the White Fang members down the hall.

Doyle let loose a short burst from his submachine gun to give Blackburn his window.

"Moving!" He pushed Jacques up to a nearby archway.

They got inside the archway and he fired again at the two members that ambushed him earlier. Ironwood and Doyle advanced and found cover behind more suits of armor. The former quickly spun around and fired a shot from his pistol.

A quick look revealed more White Fang that were boxing them in the hall. Ironwood's shot was on point and hit one of them in the head, killing him instantly.

"Doyle, you and Blackburn get Jacques to the room! I'll cover you!" Ironwood fired again.

"Yes, sir!" Doyle yelled back before nodding at Blackburn.

Bullets continued to ring and hiss around the hallway, occasionally ricocheting off of the walls and armor. Walls and furniture burst and bounced on the floor as cover was reduced with each shot that came. The bullets were soon accompanied by a loud bang that blinded Blackburn and Doyle with a flash of white and orange.

They had dust crystals!

"Shit!" Doyle's hand flew to another crystal that rolled to them.

The crystal soared through the air and landed just shy of the White Fang members that had them pinned down. Another loud boom reverberated around the hall followed by two shocked screams. When the crystal exploded it tore apart the hall and launched the two assailants out of sight.

"Let's go!" Doyle shot forward, gun aimed high.

Blackburn followed behind him and kept Jacques low as they advanced down the remains of the ruined hall. Smoke and fire started to fill the hall to give them some concealment.

"Where's Winter?" Blackburn asked.

"She and Green are clearing the hall with the rest of Team CFVY. It's just you and me for now," said Doyle.

They rounded the corner of the hall and were greeted with another long stretch that led to the main hall. There was still the stairs and two more halls to go to get to the established safe room. The sooner they got there, the better. More ammunition to hold out until reinforcements arrived to support them.

With no enemies in sight the three of them bounded down the hall, all the while keeping an eye on their rear to be sure none got by Ironwood. It seemed unlikely given the man's status as a headmaster and general, but that was no reason to get lackadaisical. Both of them knew all too well that even the best of warriors fell in battle.

"What the hell is going on?" Jacques hissed.

"The White Fang is here to kill you, sir!" Doyle reloaded his weapon.

Whatever response that came out of Jacques was drowned out by another crystal that burst in front of them. They were blasted back to the floor and were swarmed by another hail of bullets coming from their front. The faint sound of glass shattering could be heard through their ringing ears.

A sharp sting met Blackburn's arm. His Aura deflected the hit, but it still packed a bit of a punch.

"Oh, Jesus!" He grabbed Jacques and rolled him towards to wall to shield him again.

More bullets flew over his head and pelted the wall just above him. Splinters of wood and chunks of stone showered them as dust began to cloud the hallway.

"God fucking damn it!" He aimed down the hall and fired at the first body he saw move. "Doyle, where are you?"

"I'm up!" Doyle squirmed on the floor.

The sergeant took a prone position and fired down the hall with him. One member staggered back as a bullet found him and was sent to the floor with a follow up burst from Doyle. Another broke from cover to advance, but did a violent tumble to the floor and rolled to a stop. That shot found its mark on his hip.

"Get on your feet and keep moving! Both of you!" Ironwood's voice came from behind him.

The general caught up with them and did not look too roughed up in the least. Some tears in his suit along with soot stains from smoke, but other than that, still in one piece. The man took point and swiftly advanced down the hall, quickly putting down the White Fang member that Blackburn shot.

Doyle scrambled to his feet and helped pull Jacques up. The three of them hurried after Ironwood who had gone ahead and his pistol could be heard from the hall. They rounded the corner just in time to see Ironwood duck under a gun-butt from a White Fang member. Ironwood followed up by clutching the man's arm in a death grip and throwing him over his shoulder with minimal effort. A hard slam echoed around the hall and it was followed by a lone shot to the man's head.

Ironwood reloaded his pistol and took aim up the staircase firing again.

"Aw man, it'd be sick if he and Mad Dog teamed up to fight." Blackburn watched the general bound up the stairs to clear the way.

Blackburn and Doyle reached the top of the stairs with Jacques, not paying a second glance to the downed White Fang member courtesy of Ironwood.

The safe room was only two hundred meters away. Almost there.

More bullets met them, this time coming from the base of the stairs. Chunks of marble chipped away as the four of them stumbled into the hall to avoid the barrage of bullets.

"Move! Move!" Ironwood shoved them forward.

Doyle and Blackburn dashed down the hall with Jacques as fast as they could with Ironwood close behind them. The general would stop and fire a couple of rounds to keep their pursuers at bay. When they rounded the corner they could see the double doored safe room ahead. The door was armored and could only be accessed with a code.

"I got it, sir! Go!" Doyle clapped Ironwood's shoulder.

Ironwood nodded at Doyle and ran to the door to punch in the code. Blackburn kept Jacques low and pulled security to face the opposite hallway. Gunfire filled the hall as Doyle returned fire with controlled bursts.

"Get in the room!" Ironwood grabbed a handful of Jacques' suit and pulled him inside.

Blackburn inched his way inside and turned to cover Doyle.

"Set!" He called out to him.

"Moving!" Doyle broke from his position on the wall and sprinted towards him.

The swarm of bullets followed him around the corner and three White Fang members came into view. Blackburn quickly raised his M9 and squeezed off two shots. This prompted Doyle to pause and turn to fire back. His burst of fire forced the attackers to seek cover and gave him the window to hurry into the room.

The door sealed shut and Blackburn hurried over to the other end of the room where he had Mustang waiting with seven magazines.

"Did you know these animals were coming?" Jacques dusted himself off.

"Yes," was Ironwood's reply as he reloaded his pistol.

"And why did you neglect to tell me that, James?"

"It was the only way to keep the initiative. If we told you before, it could have compromised everything."

"Ridiculous! I had the right to know this from the start!"

Blackburn tuned out the man and loaded a fresh magazine into Mustang and checked his arm where he had been hit earlier. His Aura had deflected the shot, but he could see the bruised flesh forming clear as day through the tear.

"The company you hired to provide security was compromised, Jacques! They were a mix of White Fang and contractors and there was no telling who was who! If I told you anything, you would have told them and they would have exploited the opportunity to kill you then and there!" Ironwood glared at him.

"And this is better!?" Jacques fired back. "Letting these animals hurt our people just to get the jump on them?"

Ironwood was soon in front of the businessman and his steely eyes quickly made him shut up. The man looked ready to knock some sense into Jacques, but managed to refrain from doing so.

Blackburn finished strapping on his plated vest and did a check to make sure his magazines were secured in their pouches. From the corner of his eye, he could see the posture of the man become more aggressive and powerful as he towered over Jacques. This was the unshakable confidence of a man who would not tolerate any form of accusation.

"I could have just as easily ignored your safety to focus on the guests who are being attacked downstairs. God knows your life shouldn't be worth more than those that will die here tonight," Ironwood finally answered in a low tone.

Jacques seemed to grow smaller at the retort he was hit with and averted his gaze from the veteran in front of him. An uncomfortable silence filled the room and it left them to the muffled screams and gunfire coming from the lower floor of the mansion.

Ironwood brought his fingers to his ear to radio the QRF that was ready to be deployed from his airship. Their support was to be a squad of two SF teams that would be tasked with protecting Jacques and dispatching any remaining White Fang personnel.

"VIP is secured in the safe room and I have established a perimeter with two men. Deploy first and second squad now," said Ironwood as he moved back to the door.

"Roger, sir. QRF is en route to your position. ETA ten minutes. Out." Came the quick reply.

Blackburn, Doyle and Ironwood stacked up by the door and prepared to move. The former was on point and would be the first to enter the firefight. His Semblance gave him the best chance to give them an early jump, but he would need some assistance before doing so.

Blackburn put his hand on the door handle and waited for the firm hand on his shoulder from Doyle. With a quick turn and push, the door opened just enough to allow Doyle to toss a yellow dust crystal into the hall. Bullets pinged off the door and made him quick to pull it close. Outside they heard the dust crystal crack open and a loud buzzing hum met their ears followed by a chorus of strangled cries.

Now!

With another hard push, the door flew open and Blackburn charged out with Mustang aimed high and his heart pounded in his ears. He could see the White Fang members that were waiting for him and their stunned state gave him the time he needed to line up his first shot. The electric dust would only work for a couple of seconds and he could see the effects wearing off.

Two high powered shots left Mustang and found their first target who was struck in the chest. The horned Faunus went stiff as a board and fell to the floor with a loud thud. Not wasting any time, he spun on his heel and lined up his next shot. This member had shaken off the dust's effects and had his shot almost in line with him.

He flared his Semblance and could see the man's canine's through his lips as they poked out slowly in a wicked smirk. The thought of possibly killing a human filled him with excitement, but it would never come. Mustang let loose a lone round and the man's head snapped back with a burst of red staining the wall behind him.

Blackburn stumbled forward as the hall swayed around him, but he was quickly covered by Ironwood and Doyle who took out the last two members that greeted them.

"Get set up. Nothing gets past us," said Ironwood.

Doyle and Blackburn nodded. They each shifted some furniture out into the hall to give themselves whatever cover they could. It would not work against bullets, but it provided something. Doyle faced down the east while Blackburn secured the west side. They were boxed in and could hear more hurried footsteps coming from both sides.

The White Fang they killed earlier had to have alerted the rest of their enforcements about Jacques' location and now every one of them that had a weapon as about to make their way to the safe room. The footsteps were now loud and large shadows made their way around the corners as a mass of personnel entered the hall.

There were a lot. Twenty, maybe pushing thirty.

Blackburn's ears were filled with nothing but a rain of gunfire.

---

Winter and Coco had taken it upon themselves to clear a path for the guests to escape the chaos that had erupted in the hall.

Coco let loose a loud burst of fire from her minigun and it tore through the walls of the hall and into the kitchen where a group of White Fang members had amassed. Screams met their ears and made them move towards the door.

"Quit standing and move! All of you!" Coco hollered at the guests.

The guests that hadn't been injured or killed at the start of the ambush shakily stood up from the tables and wreckage that had strewn about the hall. She adjusted her grip on her gun again and made her way to the side hall with a crowd of people following close behind. The hall already had bodies in it and it made some people hesitate.

"Don't stop moving." Coco spared them a quick look.

She turned her eyes back to the front and she could see more White Fang coming in their direction. They raised their weapons and got ready to fire, but Coco was fast on the trigger. Another roar of bullets sent them diving for cover and it made the people she was leading to the exit do the same.

She took a step back when bullets came her way and again when she felt something equal to a punch from Fox strike her thigh. Her leg buckled under her and a loud hiss escaped her lips. Her Aura took the hit and that was enough to snap her back into the fight. She pushed herself to her feet again and fired once more.

"Look out!" A woman shrieked.

Coco spun on her heel and looked behind her. On the far end of the hall was another group of White Fang personnel. They were getting boxed in!

"Damn it!" She got ready to fire at them, but was forced to turn around when another bullet struck her in the back.

Again she fell to her knees and found herself quickly being overrun.

"Coco, get back in the fight!" Winter's voice broke through to her.

She looked up and saw the lieutenant enter the hall with her sword in hand. With a quick twirl of her blade and a stab in the ground, a large white glyph formed under her and a series of smaller ones hovered in the air behind her. Not a second later, dozens of small white birds flew from them and soared at the White Fang members down the hall. Upon closer inspection, she was able to tell that they were not birds, but small Nevermore.

The summoned Nevermore soared for the enemy with a vengeance and crashed into them, dispersing into nothingness. It was more than enough to allow Winter to shoot down the hall courtesy of another glyph in a blur of blue. She was instantly by two members and with a quick parry and slash, dispersed of one before sending another one through a wall via a black glyph and a swift kick.

Not wanting to be one upped by her rival, Coco got back to her feet and returned fire on the White Fang she suppressed earlier. Each step she took made the guests get back on their feet and follow her again. She was slowly gaining ground and it made the grin on her face grow, even more so when she saw the White Fang she was shooting at bolt back down the hall as their cover was reduced to nothing. By this point, the entire hallway looked as though a bomb had gone off. The walls were riddled with bullets to the point that the plaster and marble had been blown clear open to see into neighboring rooms. Glass crunched frequently from the shattered windows whenever someone took a step.

As Coco reached the end of the hall, her eyes flicked down to the small touchscreen on the top of her gun. She bit her lip and did a quick peek around the corner. The White Fang she had been suppressing were nowhere to be seen. She would be out of ammo soon. One thousand rounds sounded like a lot, but with her baby it was nothing but a light snack. One burst would be enough to almost a quarter of it. On top of that, there was no telling what awaited them in the main hall and in the courtyard.

Before he had gone off to catch up with Blackburn and Doyle, General Ironwood informed her and Winter that a QRF would be coming to aid them soon and begin evacuations at the landing zone. She had no way of telling when they would get there. Not only that, but there was one more problem as well.

Her eyes glanced back at the crowd of people amassed behind her. All of them looked horrified and a good handful had tear streaked faces, making the makeup on some women look horrendous.

Out in the darkness of the grounds of the Schnee estate lurked another threat. Although the estate had a large outer wall that surrounded it for a defense, there was no way it could hold back a wave of Grimm. They were running out of time.

Coco knelt on the floor and pulled out her scroll. On the HUD she could see the Aura levels of her friends. For the most part they were in decent shape, but there was cause for concern with Fox, Blackburn, Ironwood and Doyle. Their meters were yellow and slowly dropping. Her radio sparked to life a second later.

"Coco, keep pushing to the LZ! The QRF will be here in ten minutes!" Said Winter.

"I didn't hear anything earlier, are you sure? These radios suck," Coco answered back.

"Get moving!"

She shrugged and got back to her feet. After picking up her minigun, she began moving down the adjacent hall. There was still no sign of the White Fang she fended off earlier and it put her on edge. In the back of her mind she was sure they would have taken up new positions to ambush her again, but so far there was nothing. All she could hear was the gunfire coming from the floor above from the members that pursued after Jacques. From the sound of it, the fight was fierce.

When she reached the end of the hall she stopped and peered around the corner. The main hall was deserted, save for the dead bodies of some White Fang members that Ironwood and Blackburn had to have dealt with when they escorted Jacques to the safe room earlier.

Across the hall she could see Winter poking her head out like she was. To their left were the double doors that led out the front of the estate and to the cobblestone path that led to the landing zone. The doors were wide open, indicating where some of the White Fang they had just fought had run off to.

"Now's our chance," said Winter as she made her way to the doorway.

"I'm not doubting our strength, but can we really hold off the White Fang at the LZ while protecting all of these people?" Coco nodded back at the guests.

Winter's eyes looked over the frightened crowd and for a brief moment, Coco saw a look of uncertainty flash through the lieutenant's eyes. She herself was not sure of their capability, but she steeled herself and gripped her sword with newfound vigor.

"We can. I have some cards I can play to ensure it," she answered back.

"Okay, but it's not just the White Fang we should be worried about. You know that, right?" Coco looked back at her.

Winter nodded again and made for the entrance and Coco followed her outside. The courtyard had dozens of tall hedgerows and bushes that served as perfect hiding spots for any Faunus to get the jump on them. Lights illuminated the pathways, but some of them had been destroyed leaving glass on cobblestone paths, undoubtedly to keep them hidden until they were right on top of them.

"Whenever you are ready to go, Miss Schnee," a voice came from behind them.

Turning around, Coco and Winter saw Willow, Klein and Sergeant Green behind them, each holding a weapon. Klein's weapon of choice was a pickaxe. Sergeant Green had a simple dust rifle, and Willow had two cutlasses, one on each hip.

Winter shook her head and offered Klein a sad smile.

"This is not your fight, Klein. It would be best if you and my mother find a good place to hide with Whitley until we settle this," she said.

Immediately Klein's face fell into one of disbelief before his eyes shifted to red. Something that happened whenever he became irritated or angry.

"These cowards have attacked us in our home and you have the gall to say it's not my fight, you little brat?" He uttered through grit teeth.

Winter was somewhat taken aback by the man's tone, but steeled herself to try and defend her words.

"It's not like that! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to either of you!"

"Your mother and I have gone through more than you can possibly imagine, and believe you me, we'd rather fight with honor than run like cowards!" Klein's pickaxe rang as the top struck the floor.

Winter's mouth closed tight and her eyes cast to her mother. The veteran strode over to her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. Although the alcohol coursing through her system was a hazard, there was nothing but strength and defiance in the woman's eyes. There would be no changing her mind or Klein's with whatever she could think to say. They were there and would be there until everything was settled.

"Listen to me. If you want to get these people to safety, you are going to need all the help you can get. You have another threat waiting for you out there," said Willow.

Winter swallowed lightly and nodded.

"You're right," she submitted with a nod.

Willow gave her shoulder another squeeze and a small smile curved in her lips.

"I'll take point with Klein, you follow behind with your team and fend off any stragglers," said Willow.

With that, Willow and Klein nodded at each other and descended the stairs to the pathway. The woman pulled out both of her blades and raised one high in the air. Above her, a large white glyph appeared followed by a loud hiss. With a wave of her second blade, a large blue a white King Taijutu lunged from the glyph, illuminating the darkness around them.

The moment it touched the ground, the large serpent hissed and slithered into the night, crashing through hedges. Loud snaps and cracks filled the night and they were soon accompanied by screams of surprise and terror. The blue light of the summon continued to race around the courtyard like a shooting star with the careful guidance of Willow. Every now and then, a body of a White Fang member could be seen briefly as it was cast into the air and thrown into the abyss of the courtyard or swallowed hole.

As the summon continued its rampage, a rustle from the bushes off to their side came with two White Fang members bursting from it. They had their eyes fixed on Willow who was still guiding her summon. In that instant, Klein reacted with speed that could have rivaled a fresh Huntsman out of the academies. His hands were fast and with a simple flick of his wrist, his pickaxe had swung up and the pick found its mark around the necks of the attackers. Another pull followed and they were hoisted over his shoulder and brutally slammed into the ground.

The pair of them sputtered as the air was sucked from their lungs, but had little time to recover. Klein had seized the opportunity and delivered to hard jabs with the grip of his pickaxe to their heads, knocking them unconscious.

Coco let out a low whistle from beside Winter.

"Damn. They can still move at their age," she said, clearly impressed.

"Relish in amazement later, girl! We still have a job to do!" Klein spared her a look.

A playful grin formed on Coco's lips as she strode out of the entrance and down the stairs after him. Her movement spurred the mass of guests to follow her as their nerves had been lessened with the display of power they had seen from the Schnee matriarch.

After the last of the guests exited the hall, Winter brought up the rear and kept her eyes sharp for any movement. She was no longer concerned with the White Fang after seeing what her mother and Klein were capable of doing. They were easily dispatching them as they continued their push to the landing zone and that calmed her down just enough to focus for the secondary threat.

Then she heard it. It was faint and the distant cries could easily be mistaken for a crow's, but as it drew closer, their came loud whooshes of thick and heavy wings. Glancing behind her, the moonlight that found a break in the darkening storm clouds illuminated a massive swarm of winged Grimm. Dozens of Nevermore and Griffons flocked high in the night and started to dive for them.

Her grip tightened on her blade and her eyes narrowed in concentration. She would not allow these monsters to hurt anyone and if she fell protecting her people, she would fight with every last breath in her body. With the thoughts of defending her countryman and those that had perished at the hands of the White Fang that night, it filled her with that balance of rage and serenity that she had been accustomed to when exercising her fullest potential.

Although she had no summon like her mother's, she could easily make do with what she had. Her hand raised and a massive white glyph formed in front of her. Hundreds of small, blue Nevermore soared out of it and shot up to intercept the wave of creeping black as a streak blinding white. As her summons attacked the horde of airborne Grimm she continued to keep pace behind the crowd, all the while scanning for any enemies that could have broken off.

One by one, her swarm of Nevermore began to burst into wisps as they were taken out by Grimm. The Grimm had located them once more and made another beeline for them. She cursed under her breath and her mind raced for a quick solution.

If she summoned again it would drain her power and leave her helpless. It took a lot of power to summon and depending on the size of the summon and the amount that was called upon, it did not take much to exert a lot of energy.

Her mind was made up and she raised her hand once again. This time a smaller white glyph hovered before her like a platform. She jumped up on it and with a push of her legs, she was launched high into the air and straight at the swarm. This move was more foolish than bold, but it gave her the chance to serve as a distraction long enough for everyone to reach the landing zone. She had been practicing this in her spare time, but it was still something she struggled with.

Glyphs were meant to be used one at a time, not simultaneously. The concentration required for one became easier over time because it became muscle memory, but exercising two glyphs at a given time got difficult because they were prone to dispelling and required careful manipulation to be used properly. Sacrificing the power for one glyph over the next was an easy way to lose control of both. It was possible, but costly if it failed.

A calm breath escaped her nose and she thrust her hand out. A golden glyph appeared before her and in the center of it were hands resembling those on a clock. They began to spin until they had gone a full circle. Light shot forth and enveloped dozens of Grimm that had been slowed to trickle. She had to act fast.

With a cast of her blade, multiple white glyphs appeared around the large horde before her with the last one just in front of the time glyph she conjured. The moment her foot touched the glyph, she disappeared in a streak of blue and white. From one glyph to the next she could see blurs of black enter her vision which she slashed without hesitation with her blade. She could feel her blade cut through the bodies of each Nevermore and Griffon she eviscerated.

Upon touching the last glyph, she shot back like a bullet from where she came, straight up the middle of the flock, dividing it with a series of lightning fast slashes. Just as Winter made it back to her time glyph, it faded from existence and the previously slowed Grimm instantly caught up to her.

She could see white spots fill her vision as she somersaulted forward. Her hand raised again to cast another glyph to slow her fall, but she was struck in the back by a Griffon. She stiffened and her mouth opened in a silent cry as the air was forced out of her lungs. In a rush of adrenaline she managed to worm around and swing her blade in a wild counter. The blade severed the head off the Griffon that had pursued her, but just as it dispersed, a Nevermore was soon in front of her.

Winter raised her sword and blocked its wing just in time. The sure to be dazing blow was enough to send her to the ground like a brick. From the corners of her eyes she could see she just passed the rooftops and had a split second to react lest she wanted to be reduced to a mess on the ground.

Her arm stretched out behind her and she screwed her eyes shut to brace for the impact. She had attempted to summon her time glyph again, but was unsure if it had come. Her answer came a moment later when she felt an invisible force jerk behind her navel and slow her down. When she hit the ground she let out a grunt and could see cobblestone and sky as she rolled to a stop.

"Winter!" Willow's voice met her.

Her eyes fluttered open and she almost felt her heart stop when she locked eyes with the Nevermore that knocked her out of the air moments before. It was almost upon her, but it promptly exploded into black feathers that dissolved seconds later. Three clicks met her ringing ears and she cocked her head back to see the smoking barrels of Coco's minigun.

"You okay?" Coco held a hand out for her.

Winter only nodded back as she took her hand was pulled to her feet.

"Do you have any ammunition left?" She nodded at her gun.

The brunette shook her head.

"Just burned the last of it saving you."

She collapsed her gun and it reverted back to the signature handbag that hung on her shoulder. Winter bit her lip and her eyes flicked back to the swarm of Grimm that circled the landing zone like buzzards.

"But I do have this," Coco said as she pulled out a combat knife.

Winter blinked in mild surprise. She didn't think that the girl had specialized in another since Huntsman based their fighting style around the weapons they used.

"Do you know how to use that?" She asked.

"I can handle myself," Coco answered back with a small shrug.

The indifferent response almost made her chuckle. That was one thing she liked about the brunette. She had yet to see her show any fear or lack of confidence in her abilities as a Huntress and it was admirable. If she had to think about how the two of them acted together when they first met, she would have passed the girl off as arrogant, but now that wasn't the case.

"Focus!" Willow barked at the two of them.

The sharp command snapped the two girls out of their banter to return their attention to the airborne Grimm. They had made another dive for them, but a wall of white shielded their attack in the form of Willow's summoned Taijutu. The serpent hissed loudly and rose up, striking at the Grimm as they continued circling the landing zone.

A distant humming came from behind and grew louder by the second. It was soon followed by a loud burst that made the majority of the crowd jump in surprise and cover their ears. There was no mistaking the sound of reinforcements as the miniguns from the Bullheads announced their arrival.

Winter turned and felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw three large Bullheads land quickly. Atlas soldiers were quick to hop out and take up defensive positions and open fire on the mass of Grimm flying high above.

"Get on the ships, now!" Winter waved the civilians towards the Bullheads.

The panicked crowd's footsteps were like rolling thunder as they dashed for the Bullheads with the majority of them stepping on or shoving each other out of the way in desperation to escape.

"Hey, we need another gunner over here, Lieutenant!" A crew chief hollered at Winter.

She nodded at the crew chief and turned her gaze to Sergeant Green, but was interrupted by Coco who made her way to the ship.

"I'll do it!" She stepped on the ship.

The crew chief looked between her and Winter.

"Do you know how to use this weapon?" The crew chief asked.

Coco merely rose a brow and let her hands do the work. The heavy weapon was no different from the one she used. She was fast with the functions check and she eased the first round of the massive belt into the feed tray. She charged the handle back twice and swiveled the gun to take aim at the Grimm. A loud burst left it and dozens of shells littered the ground, her shots sent a handful of Grimm out of the air and they vanished upon their descent to the ground in a wisp of black.

"Right, then. Let's get moving!" The crew chief climbed inside the ship.

The humming grew again as the Bullheads started to hover and prepared to take off towards the cruiser stationed back.

"Winter, do me a favor and watch my team until I get back!" Coco called out as her Bullhead took after the other two.

Winter only nodded at the brunette as she secured her grip on her blade. Turning her eyes back to Sergeant Green, Klein, her mother and the squad of SF standing by, she could see them waiting for her next command.

"We need to return to the dining hall for any survivors and bring them here for transport," she began before looking to the squad of SF. "I want you all to reinforce General Ironwood's position and prepare to escort my father out here."

"Yes, ma'am!" Nodded the squad leader.

The squad immediately made a dash for the entrance and vanished from view. One last look at her remaining team was all it took to get them ready.

"Let's move!" She started her trek back to the dining hall.

---

Yatsuhashi swung his blade and sent his enemy staggering back after making contact with his weapon. He pushed off the balls of his feet and drove his knee into the stomach of the White Fang member. The man's eyes bugged out of his head as he sputtered for air, but he did not get a second to recuperate. With fast hands, Yatsuhashi grabbed the scruff of his uniform and spun on his heel before slamming him into the ground. He finished him off with a hard stomp to his chest and turned his attention back to his surroundings.

His hand trembled as he gripped his blade tight. The hall had been decimated by the surprise attack. The windows had all been shattered, walls were blown open from explosions from dust crystals that found their targets be it friend or foe. The sobering sight was the bodies that were strewn about the room. Dozens of people, both civilian and White Fang lay still or moaning in pain as they nursed their bloody wounds.

"Yatsu, look out!" Velvet hollered.

He snapped from his stupor just in time to avoid a lunging stab from his side. The last second dodge made him lose his footing and he tripped to the floor. On a high, he moved quick and pushed himself back up and charged at his attacker with a mighty roar. His blade swung up and a loud clang sounded as the knife took the full hit of the attack and shattered into pieces, leaving a petrified boy to stare at his incoming demise.

Yatsuhashi's knuckles buried themselves into the boy's face and sent him to the ground with a hard punch. He watched as the boy's eyes rolled to the back of his head and it drooped into unconsciousness.

"Are you okay?" Velvet hurried to his side.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Yatsuhashi glanced at her.

"I'm alright."

His partner's eyes took in the sight he had just a minute ago. Her face had darkened and she bit her lip as her eyes lowered to the floor. Her hands balled into fists and he could see her shoulders rise as she took a deep breath to calm down.

"How can they believe this is the answer to help us?" Velvet muttered. "This only breeds hate."

Before Yatsuhashi could answer his partner, heavy footsteps met his ears and came to a stop just behind him and Velvet.

"Because without victory there can be no peace," said the newcomer.

Both of them wheeled around and could see a tall man with lean muscle. In his hands was a large chainsaw-like blade. The chain of the blade was stained crimson with the blood of humans that the man had cut down, and it did not take a genius to tell he was elated with his so called deeds.

"You're only making us a target!" Velvet snapped back with a firm step forward.

Yatsuhashi put a strong hand on her shoulder to still her tongue and was successful in his effort. Velvet's ears drooped forward as she let out a shaky sigh and took another breath to regain her composure.

"Velvet, get the others out of here. I'll buy you some time," he whispered to his partner.

She looked back at him as if he grew a second head.

"If you think I'm leaving you here to face him alone…" She turned fully towards him.

"Do it!" Yatsuhashi shot back, not tolerating her protests.

The brunette bit her lip as she looked between him and the strong White Fang member that stood before them. She finally shook her head and hurried over to the small group of civilians that had to be escorted out of the hall.

"I'll be right back," said Velvet, ushering the group to the doors.

"I know you will," Yatsuhashi answered back with a small smile.

He kept his eyes on the burly man in front of him. He had been sizing him up since he arrived and could tell that they were on a similar level. Both of them were strong, but would be lacking in speed. It would come down to brute strength and whoever had the desire to live and see another day. So long as Velvet got out of harm's way, Yatsuhashi felt he could get the job done. Although he was very aware of his partner's concern for his wellbeing, he did not want her to witness him commit murder if it came down to it.

Granted they both had fought and killed in each other's presence, he was always self-conscious about Velvet's opinion of him, especially after Kokuto had left. He failed his brother who had turned to the enemy, and now here he was killing his own kind.

Velvet disappeared around the door a moment later with the last of the civilians and Yatsuhashi readied his blade and stared the man down. His eyes narrowed as the chainsaw fired up and idled, echoing around the now quiet hall.

"This is going to be interesting," the man said with a light chuckle.

Yatsuhashi wasted no time and charged the man. The chainsaw revved to life and sparks showered the ground when his blade connected with the man's weapon. His arms trembled as the teeth of the blade continued to rend against his. As he tried to push and overpower the equally sized man before him, he found himself locked in a stalemate. The man was holding his own against him with little effort.

He pushed the man off and swung his blade for his head. The teeth of the chainsaw cut through the air and met his sword again sending sparks to the floor. Each parry and block of metal screeched and rang around the deserted room.

Yatsuhashi ducked under the blade and saw his opening. He lunged forward with his shoulder and crashed into the man's ribcage, garnering a grunt of surprise. The man staggered back and Yatsuhashi jumped after him with his blade raised high. The air whooshed violently as the blade cut through it and came down towards the man's head.

Another loud ring reverberated around the hall and sent sparks around them, some grazing their arms. This time, Yatsuhashi's eyes widened a little in surprise. His Semblance was subtle and was easy to hide because of his size. He was able to pass it as raw strength and power, but in reality, he had the strength of ten men. Whenever he hit his target, it would get obliterated without much effort. When he saw the man block his attack without so much as a flinch, it came as a red flag.

"Was that your best shot?" The man asked. "Let me show you mine."

Yatsuhashi wheezed when the man's knee buried itself in his stomach and he sputtered as he tried to get his breath back.

"So weak!" The White Fang member delivered a swift back fist.

The swordsman felt his cheek throb and his lip swell. Blood trickled from his mouth and he wiped it away with a brush of his hand.

"After all of this time, you have not changed one bit!" The chainsaw revved again.

Yatsuhashi shook his head at the man's words and his brow furrowed in confusion. What was he getting at? He shook the thought off and prepared himself for the next clash. His footsteps were slow and controlled as they circled each other.

The man let out a sigh and his hand reached up for his mask. When his fingertips pinched the base of it, he lifted it up with a quick flip. It was there that Yatsuhashi felt a chill go down his back. His arms lowered until his blade hung limply by his side.

"It's been a while, Big Brother."

He blinked in surprise and then blinked again, taking a step forward. At first he thought it was his imagination, but there he was. In front of him was the one he had been searching for.

"Kokuto?" He spoke, not believing his eyes.

His younger twin flashed a wicked smirk as he looked back at him.

"That's right." His brother nodded back. "Even after all this time, you're still the same blind fool."

Yatsuhashi broke from his shock when Kokuto dashed at him, dragging his blade across the tiled floor. Chunks of tile mixed with dust and sparks as the teeth of the blade swung up at him. He squinted to keep the dirt from blinding him and narrowly dodged the roaring blade. His arms swung down and his sword pinned the chainsaw against the floor. Sparks flew between the two brothers as they glared at each other, not giving an inch to the other.

Yatsuhashi pivoted on his foot and his right leg gave two quick roundhouse kicks. The first connected with Kokuto's thigh, dropping him to a knee. The other hit him straight upside the head. When his little brother stumbled away, he clenched his teeth and gave a loud cry as he charged him again.

His sword swung up and met with Kokuto's blade once more. When the blade went high from the force, Yatsuhashi focused his energy and thrust his foot forward with everything he had. The sole of his foot smashed into Kokuto's chest and launched him off his feet.

Kokuto was sent rolling back and he bounced across the floor, grazing dead bodies on the ground. He came to a stop when he smashed into a table and it broke from his impact.

"What are you doing, Kokuto?" Yatsuhashi started for him.

Kokuto was on his feet in a flash and he took a second to wipe the blood off of his face.

"What has to be done," was his reply.

The two of them met each other head on and their arms trembled again from the deadlock that the other brought.

"Mom and Dad didn't raise us to be murderers!" Yatsuhashi growled out. "Our clan was one of peace!"

"Peace can't be achieved through passiveness!" Kokuto revved the chainsaw again.

The increased speed made Yatsuhashi's arms shake and he could feel the strain of their deadlock course through his wrists. He clenched his teeth and swung his arms as hard as he could. The buzz of the saw cut through the air as Kokuto's arms were forced high and away. Another charge inside his guard left him time to give another firm knee to his brother's stomach. Another grunt escaped him and he was quick to rear his fist back to go for a punch. His fist was on a collision course for his brother's jaw, but it flared up in pain and it forced him to drop his guard.

His hand throbbed and he caught a glimpse of his brother's face. Kokuto had a cocky smirk, but what truly caught his attention was his brother's skin. His skin had become darker, resembling that of a black stone. Cracks appeared in the texture and it shattered and dissolved like glass a second later, revealing no damage to be had.

"What?" Yatsuhahsi blinked in disbelief.

He had no time to register the shock because he was soon sent back courtesy of a left hook from Kokuto. Another look towards his arm treated him to the sight of the same material he saw moment ago.

"You're not the only one with a special Semblance, Yatsu," said Kokuto.

The revelation of his brother's Semblance filled him with a sense of pride, but sorrow overshadowed it in an instant. When he was younger he looked out for his brother and protected him from Grimm and bullies. He always thought he would help Kokuto grow, but here he stood having gotten there on his own through misguided teachings.

"You and Velvet continue to lay down your lives for the very people who look down on us, and for what? It won't change their opinions of Faunus. You'll just be passing faces when you fall and some other fools take your place!" Said Kokuto.

"You're the one who is disillusioned!" Yatsuhashi roared back. "Embracing radical ideals and hostility to those you want equality with is only going to make the gap grow!"

"Don't give me that bullshit! We're the dominant species of Remnant, yet we're treated as outcasts, thrown into slavery and brutal work conditions with no regard for our pleas. How is it fair that we are sent to live on a cramped island or the slums of Sanus with limited resources and space to have a sufficient standard of living? They took everything from us!"

Their blades met again in another shower of sparks. One swing after another met and rang through the halls and could be heard as they echoed around the empty halls and into the courtyard outside. The heavy blows that the two brothers dealt were vicious and backed with the viewpoint that the other had. One was of peace, the other of violence, but each sought the same goal. Equality.

Yatsuhashi felt his blade leave his hands and he narrowly avoided the saw as it soared over him, leaving a whoosh of air to caress the top of his head. He shot up and wound his arms back, giving one punch after the next. His fists found their mark on any opening he could get on Kokuto. His face, his shoulders, his chest, his stomach.

His teeth clenched tight and his brow furrowed with each punch he gave. His knuckles started to throb and tear. Fresh blood trickled down the top of his hands and stained his brother's body.

He panted heavily as sweat raced down his face and he hunched over in exhaustion. Kokuto had taken a lot of his punches, but half of them had been absorbed by that impenetrable defense he had.

Kokuto stopped his blade and let it idle once again. He held his arms wide to gesture to the destroyed ballroom and the dead and wounded guests that he helped cut down.

"The self-entitlement of these human scum will be their undoing. The only way they can understand us is if they experience the full effect of their actions through bloodshed," said Kokuto.

Yatsuhashi hissed as he tried to pick up his blade. It hung limply in his weakened hands and could easily be knocked out of them. He fought through the pain to try and hold it with everything he had, but it was no good. His eyes stung with unshed tears and he shook his head. A tear trickled down the side of his face and clung to his chin before falling to the floor.

He had hoped for the longest time that when he found his brother he could convince him otherwise with his view. He held out hope that he could be reached and that it would not resort to anything violent. Now all he could do was stare at his little brother through his tear filled eyes and come to the gut twisting realization that no matter what he said now, Kokuto was gone.

"And what about the humans that do see us as equals?" Yatsuhashi challenged.

There was one last bit of him that needed closure before he did what had to be done. He was his brother's keeper and it was his duty as a Huntsman to protect the innocent.

"An unfortunate, but necessary casualty." Kokuto shook his head. "Showing mercy to one select group means we have to give it to all, and that is not possible with our approach."

Yatsuhashi shuddered and a shaky breath escaped him. The last of his tears raced down his face and he wiped them aside with a brush of his arm. He gripped his blade again and looked back at his brother who ran at him with his chainsaw roaring to life.

Sharp pain ripped through his hands and he let out a cry when the saw met his blade. The large blade fell to the floor with a loud ring and he was sprawled on his back a second later after a hard kick to the chest. Light stung at his eyes as it reflected off Kokuto's saw and his adrenaline spiked. The buzzing blade cut down at him and he barely dodged it with a roll to the side.

He thrust his foot out and it connected with Kokuto's ankle, making him buckle to his knee. Another thrust kick sent him away after it hit him on the side of his face drawing blood.

Kokuto's eyes were alight with rage and he let out a furious cry. The newfound rage forced Yatsuhashi's nerves to new heights as he found himself on the defensive. His brother's movements had gotten faster and each swing of the massive chainsaw blade made him anxious as it got closer and closer.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me that's all you got!" Kokuto yelled.

His blade was a couple of feet away. If he could get to it he could hold him off long enough for his team to reinforce him and give him the opening he needed to take Kokuto down.

Yatsuhashi watched his brother's movement again and timed next step. The shift in Kokuto's arms made him dive forward and somersault towards his sword. He gripped it in his hand and rolled to his feet, spinning around just in time to block another strike. He bit back a cry as pain flared through his aching hands again.

The spinning teeth of the blade drew closer as his hands and arms trembled and started to collapse. He looked his brother in the eyes and could see the manic rage he had demonstrated earlier burning brightly in them.

The teeth of the blade were almost grazing his arm when a blur caught his eye. A wild mane of orange hair entered his view and a fist connected with Kokuto's face, sending him away.

"Hey guy, what's up?" Fox shook his hand off.

Kokuto was soon ambushed by another blur, this one brown. A long set of ears bobbed as Velvet stood up from her back flip that sent her foot crashing into Kokuto's jaw, launching him back across the room and into a wall. Monstrous cracks appeared as the large boy slammed into it and pried himself free.

A sigh escaped Yatsuhashi a second later. He was safe now. All he needed was his opening and this horrible night could end.

"You've gotten stronger too, Velvet," said Kokuto as he got to his feet.

Velvet sunk into a fighting stance and clenched her fists, glaring at her surrogate brother.

"Wait a minute, you two know this guy?" Fox looked at Yatsuhashi and Velvet, then back to Kokuto.

Neither of them answered Fox as they continued to stare Kokuto down. Velvet's eyes met his and they nodded at each other. Both broke off and began to approach Kokuto from opposite sides.

Before they could dash at him, another group of White Fang members came barreling through the courtyard's entrance with dust rifles. Gunfire erupted and met the two of them head on. Both Yatsuhashi and Velvet dropped to the floor as they were met with a wave of bullets, completely shattering their Aura and leaving them defenseless.

The gunfire ceased and Yatsuhashi groaned as he turned on his side to try and spot Velvet and Fox. Both of them were on the floor and curled up, silently dealing with the pain that was left behind. The ambush had caught them off guard and now they were staring death in the face.

The lump in Yatsuhashi's throat grew as his brother's heavy footsteps filled the room. He watched the towering form of Kokuto trudge forward and his heart began to thump harder in his chest as a chill went down his spine. His brother was about to cut them down here without so much as batting an eye.

Although fear was racing through him, Yatsuhashi mustered the fiercest glare he could as he stared his brother down. Kokuto returned his gesture when he rose a brow in amusement and stopped in his tracks. His eyes flicked to Velvet and then back to him and a sinking feeling started to bubble in his stomach.

The glare shifted into one of horror as his brother changed his direction to go straight for Velvet.

"Kokuto, wait! She has no part in this!" Yatsuhashi started to crawl after him.

"If I want to succeed, I must break you." Kokuto gave him a look over his shoulder.

The saw roared to life as he got closer to Velvet who was now staring up at him wide eyed and retreating towards the wall to escape.

"Damn-it, Kokuto! Stop!" Yatsuhashi bellowed.

His cries fell on deaf ears as Kokuto raised the buzzing blade high. Just as he was about to bring the massive weapon down, another burst of gunfire filled the air.

---

Blackburn and Doyle sprinted down the main staircase with Ironwood close behind. The QRF arrived and saved them at the last second with a flanking maneuver. He and Doyle had been down to their last magazines and were utterly exhausted. Both of them had taken hard hits that cost them their Aura and left them susceptible to any kill shot from a White Fang member.

The QRF secured Jacques and ushered him out of the safe room and towards the landing zone, leaving them with time to quickly resupply before getting back in the fight. They still had to clear out the remaining White Fang members and secure the estate before they could even think about rest.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by Winter, Willow, Klein and Sergeant Green who had come from one of the side halls.

"Y'all okay?" Blackburn jogged up to Winter.

Winter nodded back and shook her head. Exhaustion was etched on the young lieutenant's face, but the fight was still present in her eyes.

"We need to do one last sweep of the ballroom and the courtyard," said Winter as she started down the hall.

"What about Coco? Where is she?" Blackburn hurried beside her.

"Acting as a gunner for one of the Bullheads."

He was about to ask why the brunette was doing that instead of being on the ground, but decided against it. The girl must have had a reason for doing so since she was not the kind to abandon her team. She was one that was in the fight until she was knocked out of it.

The group sprinted down the hall to the double doors of the ballroom. As they drew nearer, they heard Yatsuhashi's voice.

"Damn-it, Kokuto! Stop!"

Blackburn's head perked up and he felt the hair on his neck stand on end. He had not forgotten Yatsuhashi's story about his brother, and now the boy was here showing him how much he had changed.

He broke ahead of the group and his rifle was aimed high the second he turned into the hall. His eyes picked up the sight of Yatsuhashi, Fox and Velvet on the ground at gunpoint from a small group of White Fang members. The one that caught his eye, however, was the tall and lean teen with the chainsaw blade. The one he fought in the compound weeks ago.

The man's blade was high in the air and about to be brought down on Velvet. His finger gave three quick pulls of the trigger as he fired at the man.

His bullets made contact with the tall teen and forced him away from Velvet who scrambled down the wall and towards the remnants of a broken table. This made the White Fang gunmen turn their attention towards him and return fire.

Blackburn dashed forward and slid behind a table and got as low as he could. Bullet holes appeared in the table and sent splinters of wood across the floor and he popped up to fire again. Behind him he saw Sergeant Green and Sergeant Doyle enter.

Bullets whizzed over his head and towards his comrades. The gunfire forced Ironwood, Winter, Willow and Klein to retreat behind the doorway. It also sent a stream of red across the hall and stained the wall. Sergeant Doyle's head snapped back and bobbed forward.

The sight made Blackburn freeze and clench his jaw to keep himself from vomiting at the sight. The entire left side of Doyle's forehead was gone, leaving a slop of red and grey behind. He swayed in place and his shocked eyes became half-lidded before he fell face first to the floor. Blood continued to pour out of his head and pool around his body.

A hard slap to his shoulder jolted him from his shocked state and brought him back to the gunfight he had started. Sergeant Green was giving him a hard look. He had seen the same thing, but they could not focus on that.

"Draw fire from these assholes! I'm bounding up!" Green shouted.

Blackburn nodded back and broke from cover. His thumb brushed the switch above the trigger well and flipped the rifle to burst. His finger continued to pull the trigger and burst after burst left his rifle forcing the White Fang members to seek cover.

His eyes narrowed in fury and his teeth poked through his lips. They got Doyle. They fucking got Doyle! A click met his ear and he dropped the empty mag, loaded a fresh one and another click came as the next round was loaded for bear.

Green had found cover ahead and started firing to allow him to move.

"Set!" Green called back to him.

"Moving!" Blackburn hurdled over the table.

He dashed through the gunfire that hissed by him, his adrenaline pumping like mad. There was another table ahead and he slid to a stop. Just to his right he saw Fox crawling toward him.

"Come on!" Blackburn grabbed his wrist and pulled.

Fox was pulled behind cover just in time to avoid a snap of a bullet that hit the spot he was only a second ago.

"Set!" Blackburn popped up and continued to fire.

He saw one member pop up and the front sight post of his rifle lined up with the man, just putting his head on top of it. A pull of the trigger and hard kick of the gun came. Across the room he could see fresh blood on the wall.

That was a good start for payback! His eyes then located the tall one he shot at to start the engagement. He poked his head out from behind the table and the two of them locked eyes. It took a second for it to click, but Blackburn spotted it. The same hair, the same facial structure, the same eyes. This was Kokuto.

When the teenager locked eyes with him, surprise filled them, but it soon vanished and was replaced with disdain. Whether that was because of his dislike for humans or his displeasure that he was still alive was debatable.

He ducked behind cover when a bullet hissed by his head. This could all end right here! If they moved fast and caught Kokuto, they could interrogate him and figure out who Queen and Lotus truly were! They were so close!

Blackburn looked back at the entrance and he could see Winter's bun behind the table he was at earlier. She had been looking at Doyle's body and had yet to move again.

"Winter, I need help here!" He yelled at her.

She flinched and got up from behind the table before hustling towards him and Fox. There was a distant look in her eyes that had washed out the determination he saw when they were in the main hall.

"Hey, are you still with me?" He cupped her shoulder.

"Yes," she said with a nod.

"Get your mother and Klein in here to help us get Velvet, Fox and Yatsuhashi out. We have a chance to get our contact with Queen and Lotus now!"

At the mention of their possible gain, Winter seemed to come back to reality.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"He's over there." Blackburn jerked his thumb across the hall and to the corner.

She peeked over the table and he saw her do a double take at him and then to Yatsuhashi.

"I'll explain later!" Blackburn got up and fired again. "Get them out of here!"

Winter nodded and whistled back at the entrance. Willow, Klein and Ironwood swarmed the room and hurried to them. They dove for cover behind whatever tables they could find.

"We need to get them out of here!" Winter pointed to Yatsuhashi and Fox.

Ironwood nodded at her and stood up after reloading his pistol. The man's eyes were fixed in concentration as he marched forward with his pistol high, firing one shot of the next with unflinching resolve. Bullets snapped and hissed around the old veteran who continued as if it were nothing until he passed by Blackburn and Winter, seeking cover ahead of them.

The general shot up after reloading again and with a well-placed shot, dropped another White Fang member with a bullet to the head.

With their manpower slowly decreasing, the White Fang members in front of them started inching towards the door with their leader following close behind.

"Loading!" Green yelled as he dropped behind his table.

"Blackburn, on me!" Ironwood hopped over the table to continue towards the retreating group.

"Moving!" He jumped over his table.

He and Ironwood were soon joined by Green. As they got online with each other, they crept closer to the cover the White Fang were using. Almost there.

They had to have been twenty feet away before they were met with a new surprise. Three red dust crystals flew over the tables ahead of them and soared right for them.

"Get down!" Ironwood shoved both of them.

Blackburn was thrown off by the man's brute strength. He felt as though he had been tackled by a linebacker when he crashed into the floor. A loud boom soon followed and it drowned out his scream and all the sound vanished and was replaced with a loud ringing.

His vision blurred from the concussive blast and his arms sluggishly pulled on the floor to the nearest piece of cover her could find which happened to be the body of another White Fang member. In an act of desperation to shield himself, he got a fistful of the Faunus' shirt and tugged, pulling the body over him. He could feel the dull thumps as bullets struck it, narrowly missing him.

He looked back in the direction of Ironwood and Green and could see they were faring no better. The two of them were slow to get up as they fought off their dazed state.

Green was the first to recover as he fired at them again. The barrel of his rifle was being supported by the body of another to help him place his shots. He could see the man growl in frustration as the White Fang members managed to get out of the room and into the courtyard.

"They're getting away!" Blackburn staggered to his feet.

"Let's move!" Green grunted.

Blackburn hugged the side of the doorway leading to the courtyard with Green hugging the other side. Ironwood and Winter stacked up on them and were ready to move on their go. He inched his head around the archway and could see Kokuto disappear behind a stone pillar with another one of his comrades. A barrel made its way into view followed by a muzzle flash. Bullets hissed by and forced him to retreat behind his cover and let out another curse.

"I'll lay down cover, you move!" Green sent him a look.

"Okay! On your go!" He nodded back.

He was soon on the move the second Green stepped out from his cover and fired. Blackburn dashed forward and slid to a stop behind another pillar ahead and bounced to his feet to hug it. When Green stopped firing, he returned the favor and lined up his shots for the pillar the enemy were hiding behind. His eyes picked up the chunks of stone and dust where his shots impacted, keeping them at bay.

Footsteps came again and Green was soon beside him reloading a fresh magazine.

"Keep pushing up! We'll do the same!" Ironwood called for them.

Blackburn turned his head back to the general and watched as he and Winter disappeared from view. Following their path, he could see it would lead to the other side of the courtyard for a perfect flank. All they had to do was keep pace with them.

Bullets shifted from their direction towards Ironwood and Winter as they traversed the opposite side of the courtyard. Branches and hedges let out sharp snaps as bullets shredded through them. Blackburn and Green got from behind their cover and fired again to suppress.

"Bounding!" Blackburn clapped Green's shoulder to let him know he was moving.

His feet slipped as he pushed forward and moved closer to Kokuto's team. A muzzle caught his eyes and he dove forward just in time to avoid an otherwise fatal shot. He grimaced when his chest came into contact with rubble that was strewn about the ground. Fighting it off, he knelt behind his pillar and fired again until Green got into position.

Distant shots came from the other side of the courtyard from Ironwood's pistol and Blackburn saw another White Fang member fall from cover as he was struck. The Faunus didn't stir a muscle, indicating the general found a kill shot. In response to that, all the fire shifted towards him and Winter across the courtyard.

The distraction gave Blackburn and Green time get closer. They were running out of cover fast. The last of it would be where Kokuto was hiding, then anything from there would be reliance on luck and constant movement. Bullets would beat shrubs any day of the week. They were almost there and they could end this night on a high note despite the price it brought!

A loud screech pierced the night over the gunshots that echoed around the courtyard. Three Nevermore had entered the fray, drawn to the high emotion that was permeating off of everyone there. Each of them shot for one of the groups, much to Blackburn's chagrin. Leave it to Murphy's Law to screw with them when they couldn't afford it!

Gunshots filled the air again as bullets raced for the newcomers. Having no time to line up a shot, Blackburn quickly converted Mustang to its blade form and skipped back to avoid being pecked in the face. Wings flapped loudly by him and another ear piercing shriek made a shiver go down his back. Thinking back to Winter's training on his stance and delivery, he made his move.

He ducked under another attack from the Nevermore and got behind it. His arms raised high and he brought them down with everything he could. The cleave cut straight through the Grimm with ease and split it in half, making it dissolve a moment later.

Blackburn could not marvel in his kill, especially after hearing Green speak up.

"They're getting away!" He moved forward again.

Far ahead Blackburn could see Kokuto and his other two teammates enter the southwest tower. It confused him at first, but then he remembered the roof. They were breaking contact!

He converted Mustang back to its rifle form and hurried after Green. His eyes shifted across the courtyard and he could see Ironwood and Winter through the hedges as they ran to catch up. He and Green were keeping pace by them as they continued forward.

The door to the tower was wide open with Kokuto and his team now inside and racing their way to the rooftop. The thought of an ambush was forever present in their minds, but with the whining of a distant Bullhead becoming more prominent, the less likely it seemed. With that in mind, it gave them extra incentive to risk their safety to apprehend Kokuto.

Blackburn and Winter were the first to barrel through the door. They were not met by gunfire, but they could hear the heavy and fast footsteps as they climbed the stairs above them. They took off again, sweat and soot mixed on their faces. Fast and light breaths left them as they hustled on the heels of Kokuto towards the roof. By the time they reached the landing to the roof, the door to it was wide open and the Bullhead's engine was just outside of it.

They hurried through the door in time to see Kokuto being pulled on board. Blackburn lined up his shot for the cockpit where he could faintly see the outline of the pilot and fired. His shots impacted the glass, but did not break through and he grit his teeth. Bulletproof. He turned his eyes to Kokuto instead and found him holding a yellow dust crystal in his hand, a triumphant smirk on his face.

Kokuto primed the crystal and threw it towards him and Winter who had been busy conjuring a glyph in a desperate attempt to catch him. With his concern now shifted, Blackburn lunged for Winter and got a firm grip on her shoulder and pulled back just as the crystal landed in front of them. It burst with a loud crack and white flashes of white and a low buzz met them.

Blackburn felt his body tense up immediately as electricity coursed through it and he fell forward in a shaking fit. Just to his side he could see Winter trembling from the effects of it as well. They were completely immobilized for the time being, so much so that they could not avoid the second crystal that landed by them. This one red.

He felt his mouth go dry and he watched it roll to a stop before it began to glow bright. Fighting through the stunning effects of the lightning dust crystal, he made himself as small as he could as he curled into a ball and turned away from incoming blast. Doing so, he caught a shadow pass over him through is closed eyes and then a thud from behind.

A loud boom met his ears and everything drowned out again and was replaced with the ringing once more. The force of the blast met him, but what caught his attention was that it was not as strong as it should have been. It felt weaker, as if something shielded him from its full force.

His eyes cracked open and he was greeted to the sight of Kokuto's Bullhead as it soared overhead and out into the night. Seeing that made his fists clench and a growl of anger escaped him. They had him! He was right there, and he got away! A short and frustrated scream tore through his aching vocal cords and he slammed his fist on the roof.

"Damn-it! He was right there!" He sat on his knees. "You've gotta' be shitting me!"

The ringing in his ears finally vanished and he was brought back to earth at the uncomfortable silence that filled the air. He looked back where Winter was and saw that she had moved. The lieutenant was on her hands and knees and had crawled to the spot where the red dust crystal landed. It was there that Blackburn came to the horrifying realization why that blast didn't do more damage.

In front of them was Sergeant Green. The man had caught up with them and there was no doubt that he was the shadow that Blackburn had seen before the explosion. He had shielded both him and Winter by smothering the crystal with his body and it had torn him apart. Much like Doyle, Green's eyes were half-lidded and unfocussed as he stared off blankly to the side. The ground under him was a mix of seared rooftop and traces of blood and guts from his stomach.

Winter was leaning forward, hugging her sergeant's back, face hidden from view. Her body was rigid, but it did not once shudder to show that tears were building up. A distant breeze and patter of rain came that soon started to drench them as they sat on the roof. The rain that was soaking him, Winter and Ironwood was so loud that he barely heard her speak.

"Sir, do we have another Bullhead in the area?" She asked.

The general merely shook his head, not trusting his voice to speak. He had to keep his composure as best he could and the loss of two soldiers and an escaped HVI no doubt had him livid.

More footsteps came from the rooftop's entrance to reveal Willow and Klein who had come to reinforce them. Their arrival made Winter get to her feet, her eyes still looking down at Green's body.

"Blackburn, we're moving," said Winter.

She turned around and began her stride to descend from the tower. Her words caught him by surprise and he shook his head as he processed them. She couldn't be serious.

"There's nothing we can do, Winter. This battle's done," he said with a frown.

Winter stopped in her tracks and looked back at him with disbelief. He hated to say it, but it was true. Kokuto was long gone and they had no chance of catching up with him.

"What is wrong with you? We can still do this!" She retorted.

Behind her, Blackburn could see Willow and Klein exchange looks. Frowns were present on their faces. Not of disappointment, but sympathy. They were watching the young woman they loved dearly come apart from everything that had happened. She was running on raw emotion, not keen judgment. Something she always had when she was faced with a challenge.

Blackburn shook his head again.

"We're too banged up to do anything but hurt ourselves worse," he said.

He was frustrated, too. On any given day he would have been with her one hundred percent on that call, but not this time. With Green and Doyle dead and the majority of Team CFVY out for the count, they had no business pursuing Kokuto. He was her voice of reason now. He was her unofficial NCO to give her guidance and he sure as hell was about to step up.

"We can't let this chance go to waste and you know that!" Winter sneered.

"You're not thinking clearly!" His brow furrowed.

"And I won't let Green and Doyle's sacrifice be for nothing!"

Blackburn shook his head again, closed the gap between them and got face to face with her.

"Jesus Christ, listen to yourself! You're obsessed!" He snapped back.

Winter's lips curled and her teeth poked out in a nasty snarl.

"You've never had to lead men and watch them die from your orders, so don't go calling this obsession!" She yelled right back.

"Then what do you call it?" He challenged.

"It's not obsession!"

He was taken aback by a hard shove from Winter and almost lost his footing. The young lieutenant was visibly shaking as her shoulders shuddered from her emotions and the cool rain that continued to soak them.

"This has to do with not wanting to let the sacrifices of those that fell under me go to waste! Sergeant Green and Sergeant Doyle don't deserve that! Not after everything they've done for me!" She clenched her fists.

"And you think a suicide mission is the answer to what they just gave up?" He frowned.

Winter lowered her head and her shoulders trembled again as a shaky sigh left her. She turned on her heel and began to walk away again.

"Until you're in my position, you won't understand what I mean," she said.

He started after her.

"What's it going to take for you to understand?" He asked.

She seemed to pick up an extra step in an attempt to shut him down and walk away.

"Hey! Stop walking and talk to me!" He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around.

Then he finally saw it. For the first time, he could see the salty tears trickling from her eyes and mixing with the rain. He gave her shoulders a firm squeeze and waited for her to look him in the eyes again.

"Winter, things will go wrong, no matter what you do. Your job as an officer is to lead men into battle and guide them to victory with your decisions in the face of adversity, but you have to understand that men will come and go. Getting yourself killed won't bring them back," he said.

Winter didn't say anything and he could feel her shaking lightly through his hands as he held her.

"If there aren't officers like you around to lead men, more of them will die. Sergeant Green knew that, and that was why he gave his life to protect you. Not so you could waste it for something stupid like this." Blackburn finished.

She sniffed and a sob escaped her. Winter remained quiet and a rumble of thunder drowned another sob that left her. He pulled her close and wrapped her in a comforting hug, letting her release her bottled up grief.

---

I think we'll end it there. Not the most uplifting chapter with everything that went down, but a necessary one. I hope you were happy with the length and what came of it. Next chapter will be out sooner since I don't plan on making it as long after two mammoth size chapter back to back. Check out the statements and review responses below and I'll see y'all next time.

Statements:

1.) Next update is scheduled for 10/13/2018

2.) The poll for a possible sequel to the story is up, so if you haven't voted yet, be sure to do so. The poll will remain open until the end of the story to get a feel for whether or not it may be a possibility since I would rather have a large response rate instead of a small one.

3.) Hope you all liked the reference to James "Mad Dog" Mattis. I was silently thinking it would be cool to see him and Ironwood kicking ass together.

4.) The story now has artwork with more coming! Visit my DeviantArt page "CaptainPrice007" and enter my favorites list to see them. I'll eventually make a folder so they can be located easier.

5.) In the year of our lord 2018, on September 26 I was witness to a magical event that I have waited seven long years for. The Milwaukee Brewers are returning to the post season, and after everything I have seen this year, I have a good feeling about it. Hoping my crew can pull off being an ultimate underdog and fight their way up from the wild card spot they got and hopefully to the world series!

Military Terms:

ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival

LZ: Landing Zone

QRF: Quick Reaction Force

Review Responses:

Edward Snowcone: Been a while since I saw anything from you, man. Well, I'm right here and I'm not letting this story die, especially after all the positive feedback I'm getting from it.

Crosswald: I'm right here, I've just been busy with important stuff. The story will be seen through to the end, don't worry.

Le MAO XXIV: Hey! Never imagined I'd see a review from you, but thanks for dropping one! Of course I'm going to have to bust your balls just a little in regards to one part of it, but now I'm curious to see how you plan to do the Colt/Winter thing in your story since I'm positive that's who you're going to end up with despite my faith still staying with Amber. Anyway, now for the ball busting. You really can look me in the eye and mention age gap between Connor and Coco with a 2- 2 1/2 years compared to your story with Colt being over seven years Coco's age? Come on, bruh. Just kidding, of course. Thanks again for the review! I also saw you updated your story, almost didn't believe it.

CT7567Rules: Thanks for the review, I appreciate it! Now you are of course correct with that assumption. I've been trying to shoot for realism for the entirety of this fic, so you can expect to see some backlash down the road towards Velvet and Yatsuhashi. Yup, "cockbag" will always be one of my favorite insults for someone befitting of the title.

OBSERVOR101: Thanks for the review, it means a lot with your continued support! Yeah, I tried to give variety to each member of the Schnee family, even Jacques despite the majority of the fanbase hating him, but I don't want to have the fanbase influence my character's initial judgment because I already know how the guy is. Characters should almost write themselves and head off in their own direction with personality and the like, so that's exactly what Blackburn does whenever I write him. Thanks again for the review!

welcometodalolz: Yup, shit's gotten real, and it has officially hit the fan in this chapter. Thanks for the review!

TopHatGuy: Yeah, I remember you. Been a while, man. Well, from what I remember in the context of my challenge for you, it was that I bet you couldn't come up with something for the chapter I released after the one I called you out on. Either way, I'll be waiting for you to come up with something. Nice to see you again!

Wpago: Man, you won't let me live this down about the dress uniform will ya', haha. Funnily enough, I did consider the pinks and greens heavily, but I still saw the same issue with the situation of the medals. I'm curious to see how you thought this could have worked since U.S. Military medals don't exist in Remnant. Thanks for the review, man!