Chapter 37…
Out across the tundra, the dark landscape was slowly illuminated by the rising sun. It would be some time before it's rays crawled out to cover the entire landscape, instead colouring the distant sky an orange hue.
The wind of the snowstorm had lessened in it's severity somewhat, but still whipped up a maelstrom of snow and ice that limited Verdant's visibility. He was unaffected by the cold, having spent his upbringing in such weather, but still stuck his hands into the pockets of his large parka.
Off in the distance the running lights of a bullhead cut through the snow and sleet. The large aircraft bobbed drunkenly into vision, tilting and lilting side to side as it fought hard against the vicious winds.
Finally it reached the tarmac that had been cleared out in front of Verdant's complex. It was a safe location, the entrance to the blacksite was perhaps ten feet from his back, built into the side of a massive glacier. The tarmac was enclosed by a large fence and gate, providing ample space for the aircraft to land.
Now if it was any normal bullhead he would have directed the pilot to land in the hangar. But this bullhead was carrying his salvation, a ticket that would grant him entrance to Salem's inner circle.
Verdant didn't care about Salem's endgame… he just didn't want to be around for when it happened. Until that day came, the safest place in Remnant was by Salem's side.
The bullhead finally touched down onto the icy concrete tarmac, its engines whipping up the air before finally slowing down to a light whine. The running lights dimmed as the bullhead came to a quiet stop, its engines shuddering and cutting out.
Verdant had two soldiers by his side, both of them professional contractors he had hired to see his plan to fruition.
Verdant leaned in close to the soldier on his right. "Join the others, help them achieve their goal." He supported his point by pulling his scroll from his coat pocket and messaging the men he had hidden in the planning room.
The soldier in question stalked off, opening the heavy door to the blacksite and closing it once he was inside. Verdant paid attention to the bullhead as it's cargo doors slid open.
It was time to take care of the loose ends… all of them.
Halfway across Remnant…
It was a quiet and peaceful evening; the air felt comfortably warm and the crickets chirped happily in the local gardens. Team VHLT was gathered around one of the many small tables in the village square. A deck of cards sat in the center, with one single card flipped up to reveal its face. Each team member held an incomplete hand of cards, each trying to be the first to rid themselves of all eight.
Playing Crazy Eights had been an odd suggestion by Honey, but the rest of the team had obliged her. To their surprise she even asked to sit outside, a shocking request that the rest of the team couldn't believe they were hearing.
So here they were…
"Care to remind me why you wanted to go out in the open?" Vermillion murmured under her breath, Honey being her intended recipient.
"Because I'm tired of hiding around all day," Honey muttered back, her big green eyes poking above her hand of cards but shielded by the brim of her sun hat; her face was still a little splotchy with sunburns, but she was recovering. "I'm a huntress in training! Besides… if we're out in the open these weirdos will be less keen to try something…"
"She does have a point," Teal murmured, getting a look of surprise from Vermillion.
"Agreed," whispered Lavender, her eyes nervous.
"Now everyone stop it," Teal spoke to no one in particular. "Talk about something else… Lavender, how's your tea?"
"Good," Lavender gulped, her eyes still flicking around the village square. "No sign of anyone…"
"Okay," Vermillion spoke through gritted teeth, tossing a Queen of Spades onto the pile. "Pick up five, Teal."
"Screw you," Teal grumbled, picking up the central deck to add five random cards to her hand. Her collection of cards was now swelling up, reducing her chances of winning. "And stop looking so nervous, Lavender…"
"I can't help it!"
"Please," Honey gasped, speaking far louder than any of her teammates. "Can we just talk about… normal things?"
"Like what?" Lavender gave Honey a weak smile.
"We-"
"We have a problem," Teal interrupted in a mutter. "The weird smiling guy is walking right over here… his name was 'Simons' I think."
"What?" Vermillion gasped, craning her sharp blue eyes in the direction Teal was indicating.
It was true, a wiry brown haired man with a pleasant face was walking straight in their direction. He gently navigated around the other tables filled with people, muttering quiet apologies and offering smiles to those he had to push past.
Every single member of VHLT tensed when Simons stopped a scant few feet from the table.
"Hey you four!" Simons spoke, somehow missing the spectacle of the entire team cringing in anticipation. "Don't suppose you guys have room for one more?"
Teal was about to say "no" when Honey beat her to it.
"Sure," Honey spoke cheerily, gesturing with a hand to the strange man. "Pull up a chair…"
Honey ignored the mortified looks her teammates were giving her.
Back in the tundra…
Sage stealthily slipped the military radio Ironwood had given him out of his pocket. He tucked the small device up his right coat sleeve, feeling it bind up against his wrist and sit uncomfortably.
"Are we almost there?" Sage questioned, peering over the pilots shoulder. Off in the distance the silhouette of a massive landmark grew.
"Quit worrying kid," the pilot chuckled, his mouth visible from underneath his flight helmet. "Were only a few minutes out…"
"Guess I should wait in the cargo bay," Sage mumbled, feeling his grip tighten on the hardcase in his left hand.
"You may want to take a seat," the pilot affirmed. "Storms like this always make for rough landings. Hell, your uncle wants you out on the tarmac!"
"Is that a bad sign?"
"It means he is eager to get that trinket!" The pilot chuckled. "Otherwise we would have flown 'round back to the bullhead hangar. The crown must be worth a very pretty penny!"
"I hope so," Sage mumbled in response. He released the back of the pilots chair and navigated back into the cargo bay, taking a seat and strapping himself in as suggested.
The bullhead shook and rattled as it began to descend. Finally, it impacted the ground with a ground shaking thump that left Sage's teeth chattering.
"Better hand your uncle what he wants!" The pilot called back from the cockpit. "I'll be standing by to get you guys out of here… I'm gonna close the door behind you!"
"Thanks for the ride!" Sage called as he undid his safety harness and stood up. He padded to the door and shook his left arm to feel the comforting weight of his collapsed shield; it was still concealed underneath his coat sleeve.
The cargo door opened with a metallic hiss and cold air immediately rushed into the cabin of the bullhead. Sage wasted no time, hopping out of the aircraft and turning his head back to see the doors closing.
Butterflies were dancing in his stomach… there was no turning back.
In the central square of Haven village…
"So," Simmons spoke, shuffling his deck of eight cards and peering up at the four girls around the table. "I ran into Teal a little while ago, but I'm not all that sure what the rest of your names are…"
"Lavender," the purple haired girl answered politely, her eyes glued on her cards.
"Vermillion," the leader of Team VHLT spoke in the most authoritative voice she could muster up. She finished up by glaring right into the brown eyes of Simons, giving him her most piercing look. The brown haired man seemed completely oblivious, offering Vermillion a kind smile and nod.
The brown haired man turned his gaze away and focused on the only blonde in VHLT. Honey was looking rather relaxed, taking a moment to pull down the brim of the sun hat she was wearing. "I don't think I caught your name either… miss?"
"H- Hanna," Honey cleared her throat and smiled nervously.
"Good to meet you all," Simons spoke quietly. "Sorry to do this to you Hanna, but you're going to have to pick up two cards…" The brown haired man flicked two cards bearing the same number onto the pile. "Nothing personal…"
Honey laughed nervously and pulled two cards from the deck.
"So… Simons, right?" Vermillion asked cautiously.
"That's right," Simons nodded. "My first name is 'Dick'... but I prefer if you call me by my last name…"
"Sure," Vermillion felt her mouth tense at his odd request. "Teal mentioned that you were a tourist or something?" Pretty odd time to be traveling given what's happened to the CCT."
"Yeah, my mother said the same thing," Simmons sighed. "I know everything is still a bit tense since what happened in Vale… but I can't let that stop me from living a little."
"Were you from Vale?" Lavender asked, eyes still glued on her cards. Teal gently nudged her as a reminder to have her turn.
"Upper Mistral, near Argus," Simmons answered with a shake of his head. "Felt like coming someplace warm for a change…"
Teal narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the man's statement. While his running shoes and shorts were appropriate for the weather, the dark jacket he was wearing certainly wasn't.
"Are you um… up here with anyone else?" Honey asked, setting a single card down onto the pile.
"A few friends from Argus," Simons answered with a smile. "Now I know what you're thinking, why not play with them? Well, I'm not exaggerating when I say that they are some of the worst bluffers I've ever se-"
Simon's face froze, his smile wavering and eyes glued to a point off in the distance. He slapped his hand of cards down crudely and stood up in a flash, reaching one hand into the folds of his jacket.
His gaze flicked to Honey for a moment and that gave Vermillion all the reason she needed to jump out of her chair and tackle him.
In the tundra…
"Sage!" Verdant yelled in a friendly tone, his voice rising above the howl of the wind. There was an unfamiliar man standing next to him, dressed in winter combat armor and a balaclava, he was holding a rifle. "Are you alright? Do you have it?"
"Yes!" Sage called out, his boots shuffling against the light layer of snow on the concrete tarmac. The entire area was enclosed by a massive fence and a large vault door was roughly ten feet behind where his uncle was standing, built into the side of the glacier.
What was this place? Did it belong to his uncle? Verdant was a very wealthy man… was it possible he had purchased a bunker for himself?
Sage didn't care to find out… he just wanted to grab Asher and then call in his reinforcements.
"Nephew!" Verdant laughed, walking forwards to awkwardly embrace Sage in a hug. "I am so glad to hear of your success!"
"Right!" Sage weakly chuckled, slapping his uncles back with his free hand and then walking backwards to gain some distance. "I have it here…"
"So you do!" Verdant smiled, his blue eyes peeking out from the furry hood of his winter parka. "Just a moment…" Verdant snapped his fingers and the soldier who was attending him walked past them towards the bullhead.
Sage watched as the soldier waved at the cockpit and was allowed entry.
"May I see the crown?" Verdant asked, a gleam in his eye. His words surprised Sage and pulled him back to the situation at hand.
Sage wordlessly turned the hardcase in the direction of his uncle but waited for a moment to ensure that there was still ample space between them. The faunus boy undid the hinges and pulled the top of the case open. In a gentle flash of glowing gold the crown became visible to Verdant, shining in all of its splendor.
"Seems real to you?" Sage chuckled as an astonished look spread over his uncle's face.
"My boy," Verdant whispered, his eyes reflecting the strange light the crown gave off. "There is no doubt… it is far more beautiful than I imagined…" The gangster reached out to touch the object, yelping in shock and surprise when Sage slammed the lid shut.
"Not so fast!" Sage yelled over the wind, taking another step back. "I held up my end now you hold up yours! Bring Asher to me and have the bullhead fly us out! Then you get the crown!"
Verdant looked peeved but held his tongue, biting his lower lip for a moment. In that instant Sage felt his stomach drop like a stone into a pool of water.
"I'm afraid that's not how this is going to work," Verdant shook his head from side to side.
"You didn't?" Sage mouthed, he could feel the emotion rising his voice. "Please…"
"I did," Verdant sighed, seeing his nephew's fate contort into a look of rage. "I sent a man to take care of him the moment the bullhead appeared on radar. I'm afraid your girlfriend is being taken care of as we speak…"
Sage's mind whirled, he felt a thousand emotions running through him at the exact same time.
"WHY!" The faunus boy roared, very nearly flinging the hardcase onto the ground. "YOU HAVE WHAT YOU WANT! I FUCKING STOLE IT FOR YOU! WHY!?"
"I'm sorry!" Verdant yelled back. "As long as Asher continued to live he could have been a witness! If I left your girlfriend alive then she would eventually come searching for you! This crown is very important, Sage… few know of its true potential… even fewer deserve to know of its existence!"
Sage froze, not from the cold, but because he felt the tip of a gun barrel press into his neck. He spun his head around gently, meeting the impassive eyes of the soldier his uncle had spoken to.
"You see, Sage?" Verdant called over the wind, gesturing to the parked bullhead. "I've had to clean house!"
Sage looked to the bullhead's cockpit screen and almost wretched in disgust. His powerful faunus eyes could make out the massive red stain on the interior of the glass.
"THE PILOT!?" Sage roared. "WHAT DID HE HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?"
"He knew of the crown's existence!" Verdant called back. "And that was enough for me to have him killed once he outlived his usefulness. Even now the soldiers I hired are culling every employee in this bunker, it was unfortunate but necessary! So much blood has been spilled for this exact moment… and every single drop was necessary!"
Verdant took a step forward, Sage couldn't take any more steps back. The gangster reached out his gloved hand, intending to grasp the handle of the hardcase; but Sage tightened his grip and pressed it to his chest. "This is bigger than you, bigger than all my employees, bigger than Ironwood and bigger than Atlas! Now… hand over what I am owed!"
Sage tightened his grip and spat in his uncle's direction, but the glob of saliva was carried off by the wind.
Back in Haven…
Simmons yelped as the tall red-headed leader of Honey Aurum's team tackled him. His aura flared up to protect his back as he was shoved roughly onto the cobblestone street. The hand that was once reaching for his emergency radio had been knocked to the side, but he could still feel the weight of the device in his pocket.
"Who are you!" Vermillion roared into the face of the brown haired man, her face alight with fury. Her team surged out of her seat to support her and the throngs of civilians all around were shocked at the display of violence. "Answer!"
"You don't understand!" Simmon's wheezed out, Vermillion's forearm was pushed into his windpipe. "I'm an ally!"
"Bullshit!" Vermillion hissed into the man's face. "You've been stalking my teammate! What the hell were you trying to pull out!? A gun!?"
Simmons' shook his head rapidly, steady pressure was still being placed on his windpipe. "Please… I'm a friend, Honey is in immediate danger! Check my coat pocket…"
"Teal, pat him," Vermillion huffed to her blue haired teammate, not moving from her spot atop Simmons. The girl in question patted Simmon's shoulders and chest, feeling a bulge in his coat pocket. She reached her hand inside and withdrew Simmons' emergency radio, coloured dark black so that it could be easily concealed.
"What is this?" Teal muttered in confusion, flicking her gaze up towards her teammates in confusion. "A radio?"
"Sp- speak into it!" Simmons pleaded. "Say 'Code Nine' q- quickly!"
"What?" Teal spat, lifting her eyes to find Lavender's; the purple haired girl seemed just as confused. "Why would w-"
"Are you children quite done playing around?"
The eyes of everyone in the courtyard turned upwards to the tiled rooftop of the town hall, which dominated the central square. Perched high above the crowds was a stranger in a dark hooded cloak.
Dozens of civilians audibly gasped when the stranger placed a gloved hand against their cloak and in a swift motion tore it completely free.
The ruins of the clothing fluttered off in the evening wind, giving everyone in the courtyard their first proper look at the hooded stranger. She was dressed in armor that was clearly Mistralian inspired; her shoulders, thighs and forearms were covered with overlapping metal plates. This inspiration was lost around the breastplate, which was significantly more modern in design and made of shining black metal.
The woman's face was jarring to look at. She might have been pretty once, but her skin was uneven and sallow, pockmarked with craters and crisscrossing scars. Her black hair was tightly wound into thick braids and her eyes were a shade of yellow, like wheat or tarnished gold.
Off her hip hung a wickedly looking hacking blade, she removed it with her right hand and held it high above her head. It's entire length was curved and the striking edge featured a vicious looking serration.
"I am Nyx Penumbra!" The stranger introduced herself, the massive throng below her stunned into silence. Nyx's golden eyes narrowed on a particular individual, a girl with golden hair, green eyes and wearing a sun hat. "Honey Aurum! I will be performing your assassination today! Shall we make this easy? Or do you and your associates plan on fighting back?"
