"We already have planned for the increased security," Elizabeth said, pacing through James' office and eyeing everyone in the room sharply. "But there is, of course, the matter of the android, Penny."

James sighed. "I still don't feel right about this."

"Well, unless you have a way to override it, then we're all out of luck," Elizabeth paused for a moment and then relaxed her tone a little bit. "Her appearance has already been altered, and this will be considered the beta phase, considering that the alpha has all but concluded. She has been analyzed, and while she will continue to be monitored and her potential explored, quite a bit of that will happen in the controlled environment of the tournament. She'll be placed on a team like everyone else when term starts, and she'll compete just like the rest of them. Provided this goes well, she will be removed from the experiment early and we'll begin the set-up for her becoming something of a protector for the city of Mantle."

"There are still about a hundred different ways this situation could go horribly wrong," Karissa reminded her. "If we aren't meticulous in every part of this -"

"I agree," Elizabeth said shortly. "And we will be."

An uncomfortable silence fell over them for several minutes.

"Are we really sure she's going to be able to play the part of a normal - or at least semi-normal student at the academy?" Emmett finally said, sounding rather doubtful. "Because, from what we know, I'm not so sure."

"I have the same concerns," Ozpin put in.

Spencer nodded, crossing his arms. "And that doesn't even get into how this will be explained to the other professors without revealing classified information when they haven't passed a full state-department run background check for a security clearance."

"That's something else I'll handle before it becomes an issue," Elizabeth told him. "You and Emmett don't have to worry about it, beyond keeping records."

Spencer and Emmett shared dubious looks but said nothing.

"And we're sure there is no way to override Angelica's orders?" Emmeline said, glancing to Elizabeth. "If there is any other way -"

"We may very well find one, but, for the time being and with the information we have, there's no way around it," Elizabeth said, clearly uncomfortable with the subject herself. "This is what we're going to have to deal with, and we might as well accept that."

"Lovely," Cristal said dryly. "Speaking of which, Eliza, have you considered at all the legal jeopardy we'll all be caught in if this goes either horribly wrong or is overstepping the law?"

She tensed. "That isn't going to happen."

James raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you mean?"

"She means that everything we're doing is perfectly legal and explainable, if need be," Ronnie said quickly. "Besides, the blame would ultimately fall on Angelica for pushing the rest of us into a corner."

"One would hope," Karissa said darkly.

Elizabeth glanced among them all and then sighed heavily.

"There is one way around this, but it would require unyielding evidence that the current mastermind behind the project is no longer fit to run it," She eventually said, her voice low. "If Pierto were to take over the project, even if we were forced to have the android compete, the stakes would lower significantly because he is far less willing to take risks than she is."

"The real question is the legality of that," Ozpin reminded her, and Elizabeth found herself struggling not to look even the slightest bit guilty. "We are already treading a very fine line, and -"

"Again," She said irritably. "We can handle issues before they become such."

Karissa sent her a sharp look. "What the hell are you planning?"

"Nothing the rest of you don't already know about," She replied shortly. "I know my boundaries, and I am more than careful not to cross them."

"Agreed," Ronnie said with finality. "Can we let this go?"

She may not have said anything, but he knew that his sister was more than suspicious of whatever his end goal could be.

"So," Rosalinde Varna said upon seeing the man step into her office. "You've found me unarmed and without my hired muscle. Congratulations, Jacques, I never thought you to be motivated or lucky enough to manage such a feat."

He did not reply and instead opted to send her a decidedly nasty look that caused her to flinch.

"I hope you know I've been pulling the strings around here for a very long time," She said with a girlish laugh. "For all intents and purposes, I am the prime minister and I am the Council."

"You know exactly why I'm here," He said shortly. "And I do not appreciate your equivocation."

She smirked. "Is that so? My apologies, I hadn't realized. Tell me, Jacques, what motivation do you think I have to let Atlas continue to mooch off of the resources of my kingdom?"

"For one, the imminent economic collapse," He reminded her. "Or have you not kept up with the recent information regarding Vacuo's prosperity?"

Varna glared. "That," She finally said. "Will allow me to formally seize power. It also serves a second purpose: thwarting Atlas and, by extension, Vale."

"If you think that's going to help you, I'm afraid you're mistaken," He replied coldly. "Your kingdom still requires the income it receives from Dust mining and export to refineries in Atlas and Vale, not to mention the -"

"You're forgetting the fact that the Atlesian Council is at war with some of the more...aggressive provincies here," She said, her voice as cold as his. "All because they support groups like the White Fang and others."

"Supporting terrorists isn't going to cement your power or favor," Jacques told her, an increasing edge to his voice. "It will, however, make it all the more likely that -"

"I don't care," She said, putting up a hand to silence him. "I can run my kingdom the way I see fit and, frankly, I will do everything in my power to thwart Atlas even if it's at the expense of my own people."

"And you wonder why you cannot gain support internationally," Jacques said dryly. "You already have plenty of sanctions set on you by the rest of the world, I would think you're better off trying to cooperate."

"I'm afraid that's not my style," Varna said, nonchalantly leaning back against her desk chair. "I prefer to demonstrate my authority and the adoration my people have for me."

Jacques looked visibly disgusted. "Most of them are afraid you'll kill their families if they oppose you, I imagine."

She smiled. "I've never harmed anyone," She said with disturbing innocence. "On the other hand, the things you allow to happen with your company have. I believe that gives me the moral high-ground, now wouldn't you agree?"

"There is overwhelming evidence to prove that you've killed at least a dozen journalists for publishing the truth about what is happening within the already-unstable Vacuoian Council," He started, scowling at her. "Not to mention the Atlesian nationals you've killed."

Varna pursed her lips. "Hm. You all might be smarter than I anticipated. Pity."

He raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I never have held much love for the kingdom of Atlas," She said, calmly standing up and beginning to pace. "Or Vale, for that matter. The way they handle things on the world stage is...a bit too aggressive for my taste. You all underestimate how useful these misguided youths can be."

Jacques bristled. "If you are suggesting that terrorists are merely misguided, then -"

"The lack of empathy drives me mad, too," She unflinchingly continued. "Although I understand that. I lack empathy for their people and, I suppose, we can call it even."

"In that case, why are you attending this year's Vytal Festival?" He eyed her critically. "Why let Shade Academy be represented at all?"

"Because I am going to demonstrate our...superiority," She laughed. "I hope you're all prepared."

Jacques went silent and, much to her shock, did not say anything. In her moment of distraction, however, he managed to snag a small flash drive that he was certain contained information regarding her motives. If there was one thing he sought more than anything, it was an edge against everyone.

Madeline Ciel tugged down the hood of her cloak upon seeing the tall, well-dressed man down at the other end of the alley way. She adjusted her bag on her shoulders, feeling the weight of what she had brought as if it were lead. Over the last few months, she had been slowly shaving off decent sums for the purpose of handling him without implicating her husband. He was her problem, not Ronnie's, and she was not about to let her father's favorite informant destroy the life she held so dear. She slowly approached him and he did the same. She forced herself not to flinch when he stepped into the light. Even with several years having passed, he still scared her. She knew that was her father's doing. He had always kept her silent through fear of either him or his co-workers.

"Madeline," The man said, smoothing out his coat. "I haven't seen you in quite some time. Tell me, are you still, by some miracle, married to Ronnie Ciel?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, Arthur," She said tersely. "And I'm not here to play games."

"If you had wanted to play games, I don't suspect you would have agreed to meet me," He smirked and the quiver of his mustache unsettled her. There were too many memories flooding back to her and she was struggling to maintain a distant composure. "Now," He said, his tone much darker. "Do you have what I asked for?"

"Yes," She told him. "I hope you haven't forgotten our deal, though."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Madeline, my entire livelihood revolves around making deals with people. If you have the cash, then you have my silence."

Irritably, she tossed the bag towards him.

"Keep the change, you filthy animal," She muttered. "I just want to keep you off my back."

He immediately began to finger through the hefty sum. After a moment, he smiled.

"A little more than I asked for, too," He noted. "Two-hundred and fifty grand in cash. I don't know how you managed it without raising eyebrows, but, I must say, I appreciate it."

Madeline sent him a dark look. "I started early last year. I couldn't pull it all at once but reasonably removing varied deposits was nothing."

He snorted. "Still arrogant, after all this time? I thought that had been broken down after you killed -"

"I never killed anyone," She hissed, however much she hated the lie. "You, on the other hand…"

"You might be surprised how clean my record is," He said with his voice sickeningly calm. "The things I've done that are...perhaps...legally questionable have nothing to do with murder."

She crossed her arms. "It's funny how I doubt that."

He eyed her critically and then shook his head.

"You are quite like the rest of your family, however much I am sure you would want to disagree," He said appraisingly. "You act only in your own interests and focus only on what will maintain you and your status. I have to say, I'm impressed you found someone...so like-minded."

Madeline tensed. "Ronnie and I have our faults, but at least we work with the law and not through it like you. Aren't you well known for being -"

"My reputation means little to me," He said dismissively. "So long as I can accumulate wealth and power, I care little about what I have to do in order to secure it."

Madeline took in a sharp breath but then took a threatening step towards him.

"You have exactly twenty-four hours to be out of the kingdom," She told him. "If I find you don't stay within that, I will hunt you down and turn you over to the feds myself."

He rolled his eyes. "That won't be necessary."

"I've learned what people like you do quite well, Watts," She snapped. "Don't act as if I'm still the little girl you and...and the rest of them can take advantage of."

"Oh, I am well aware," He said silkily. "And you have no reason to be concerned. I'll be out of here quickly, especially now I have this."

He began to walk away but she stopped him and stared him down with cold eyes and crossed arms.

"Who's your accomplice in this?" She asked, her voice deadly low. "That scorpion boy?"

"Tyrion?" Watts snickered. "Of course he's involved, but there's another too. You have no reason to worry about her...so long as you stay in line."

She waited until he disappeared into the darkness, and she did not feel safe even when she was back in her car with the doors locked.

"You know something?" Cate Schnee said, pouring herself a shockingly full glass of red wine. "All of this time, I thought things I had things under control and, as it turns out, he was making a fool of me."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "I sincerely doubt Ronnie got the best of you."

"You do?" Cate shook her head. "He's been manipulating everything from the start of the project, and he's been pulling the strings at the company to put me on certain projects and not others."

"Well, that sounds about right," Willow sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, other than that I think he's going to get himself into trouble for overstepping soon enough."

"That's optimistic," She said dryly. "I wish I could say I believe you."

"Well, why don't you?" Willow replied, sipping her own wine. "He's a former senator and a member of the security council. He's not infallible."

"You might be surprised by how persuasive he can be," She said, pausing for a moment and taking down at least a third of her drink as if it were a shot. "He pulled Al into things I never imagined she would ever act on."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "Can I assume that has to do with something classified?"

"Sure," Cate said. "It might as well be, at any rate."

"That's cryptic," Willow remarked. "But I'll let it slide."

"You tend to give me more credit than I deserve," She said softly, having another surprisingly long sip of her drink. "More faith, too."

"For all of your faults, at least you try to do what's right," Willow glanced to her worriedly for a moment. "And I know your job puts a lot of stress on you."

Her sister fell completely silent and finished off her first glass and started on another one in the span of about two minutes.

"You might have more of a problem than I do," Willow said softly. "Does Alice know?"

"Of course she doesn't, but it's become the best way I can handle things and get decent sleep," Cate sighed heavily, fidgeting with her glass in her hands. "I'm almost an expert at drinking just enough to seriously relax myself but not too much to the point where I'm sick the next day."

Willow bit her lip. "How long have you been hiding this?"

"About three months," She admitted. "But it's not a big deal. I've got everything I can under control, and, I suppose, I'm just going to have to live with what I can't."

"Just promise me you'll be okay," Willow said quietly. "We've all lost enough already without losing you too."

She tightly embraced her. "I promise…" She choked out.

"You're still my big sister," Willow gently reminded her. "And, believe me, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know you don't…" She said weakly. "None of you do…"

Colonel Alissa Schnee grimaced as she guided Winter into the secret attic in the home she had grown up in. The young woman seemed a bit nervous, but she set that aside. It wasn't the first time she had taken her wife's niece to somewhere sketchy, and they both knew it wouldn't be the last either. Still, Winter was damn near biting her nails - something she had forced herself to break out of at around sixteen - and it had a lot to do with the atmosphere. This place was creepy at best, and the current homeowners below had absolutely know idea what truly lay up in this place. It was remarkably clean and free of cobwebs. There was only a bit of dust and the smell of mothballs, but, aside from that, it could have been brand new.

There was a small door at the end of the room with a grate over it, and Winter didn't like it anymore than her aunt did. Yet she had agreed to come with her so that she had a witness to anything they could possibly find in there. Alice had told her some of the stories about her father; of his rage, his violence, and his criminality. Though she hadn't said it, Winter had a feeling that explained where Roman had gotten it from and she was more than relieved that the former Torchwick patriarch was going to remain behind bars until his dying days. What had landed him there was highly classified, and was a secret Alice had kept from everyone except her wife and the Council so, thereby extension, the group as well.

Winter had heard whispers about what the man may have done, and they were all too disgusting for her to consider. Murders, rapes, gang violence. It was as if the man were a worse version of the character of Alex from Anthony Burgess' famed A Clockwork Orange. Alice had refused to confirm or deny any of it to her, although she was almost relieved by that fact. Except, now, she was worried she was about to find out and it made her sick to her stomach. Her hands shook as she handed Alice the set of keys from on the nearby wall and she thought she might vomit when the lock to the door clicked open. Alice herself hesitated, glancing to her niece, and then forcing herself to open the door and turn on the light. When she did, they both screamed and thank the heavens that the homeowners below were damn near deaf.

There was a mutilated body on a table in the room, with electrodes and all manner of technology attached to it in all plays. It must have been decaying for years, because the rest of the attic began to smell something awful almost as soon as the door had been pulled open. On the floor were symbols of organizations known to have orchestrated terrible things during the Great War and its aftermath, as well as gang symbols. On the wall were scribblings, all of which seemed to have been done by someone who had gone completely mad. There was nothing in this room that made any damn sense, and Alice thought she was going to faint when she realized there were video cameras in all the corners. She pulled out her scroll quickly, her hands almost about to fail her, and called the police.

"What's your emergency?" A cool voice calmly answered.

"A room attached to the attic of the former residence of a known criminal was found with a mutilated body and all manner of…" Alice found her voice trembling and for a moment she felt like a small child, paralyzed by fear.

"The address?" The voice asked.

"38992 West Rose Boulevard, city of Atlas," Alice forced out.

"Who is here?"

"Colonel Alice Schnee, and new military specialist Winter Schnee," She told her, feeling about ready to faint. "The current homeowners are here but are unaware of the investigation due to its classified nature and it being a cold case."

"The police will be there in ten minutes. Remain calm and do not leave the area."

The call hung up and Alice collapsed against a nearby steamer trunk, her hands pressing against her head. Everything seemed to flood back at once and she was dizzy, the room was out of focus, and she feared for a moment that she was going to die. The last thing she consciously felt before she blacked out was Winter trying to steady her. When she woke up in the hospital seventeen hours later, she was informed that she had a severe panic attack followed by a seizure. She had never had one before in her life, and there was no family history of it, so any form of epilepsy was written off. It wouldn't have been correct anyways. Her maiden powers had overtaken her in the moment because she had realized, though she could not admit to the general council, that the body in that room had been the first of her parents many experiments to reconstruct a person's blood to unnaturally make them the Summer Maiden.