AN: Yes we are alive. We apologize for the long wait. We refuse to let this story die. We just have both been extremely busy. But in the next couple of months we plan to release at least a couple of chapters.
After a fifteen minute ride to Beacon, we all disembarked, a medical team took Velvet, Coco, and two of the snake eaters to the overwhelmed medical bay. The Doc said they would most likely make it with Velvet being the most critical. As soon as we were sure that they would be well taken care of the rest of us made our way over towards Ozpin's tower to report in.
The Journey up to the office was a tired, solemn affair as all of the adrenaline in our systems dissipated and our exhaustion hit us like a sack of bricks. Even Winter seemed a little worse for wear, her pristine white uniform now dirty, tattered and splashed in blood. Her bun had come undone leaving her hair to flow down. A slight limp in her gait as she favored her right leg. All in all, she looked pretty hot if I'm being honest to myself.
Nobody could find the energy to say much up the ride to Ozpin's office. As the Doors opened we all spilled out into the office. The Atlesians quickly saluted General Ironwood as soon as they saw him. The rest of us ignored it and just collapsed on to the seats before us.
"Hey Ozzie, Hey Ironwood. I think we can consider tonight a success." Volk spoke out while the Atlesians took a seat at Ironwood's request.
"Well, Good Afternoon gentlemen. I would be inclined to agree. However, it seems like the entire battle was broadcasted on the Valean New Networks by an unknown source. Let's see what the whole world watched, shall we?" Ozpin said, before pressing a button so a flat screen television came out of the wall. Pressing another button the screen came alive showing a newsfeed.
"Good Afternoon Vale. This is Lisa Lavender reporting with a breaking story out of Vale proper today. As I'm sure many of you are aware by now, there was a major confrontation between a coalition of Vale Police officers, Beacon Huntsman-in- training, and Atlesian military forces against White Fang Insurgents that were most likely responsible for the fall of Atlas not too long ago. One of the Beacon Teams fighting in the Docks is the same group that fought the White Fang out in the outskirts of Vale only a short time ago. Thanks to an anonymous source we now have some high resolution footage of the fighting that took place not even an hour ago. Be warned what you are about to see is graphic in nature and is not suitable for those under the age of fourteen to see."
The feed then switched to the battlefield. Videos caught it all. They captured me and Diaz taking down a few of the bullheads. They also captured the melee on the rooftop. Velvet getting hit, me applying aid and almost taking a blade to the face for it.
Chaz ripping out the throats of a few White Fang grunts. You could even see the Trachea partially exposed on one of the Fang Fighters. Damn. Some really high resolution cameras at play. The footage also showed Midget getting her neck broken and face shot in by Diaz. It all happened so fast on camera. What felt like hours became minutes and seconds.
Then the camera feed switched to show what happened during our melee. The White Fang lost a few Bullheads thanks to a few RPGs fired by the police lines. The White Fang returned the favor, destroying a few cruisers and taking out a few officers. The Fang tested the line held by us and showed that they faced total evisceration when it came to a head on attack. They lost many men learning that lesson. Instead, they used mortars to keep the line pinned down. We saw one of the mortars fall close to home with shrapnel hitting Coco head on, her Aura protecting her. Her luck ran out when she was hit by an incoming round piercing through her aura and smashing into her left shoulder. Kopman was quick to act and stemmed the bleeding enough to allow her to return fire with her machine gun/ handbag. Had to give her credit, she was a badass to push through the pain and stay in the fight. Over with the police line, we could see mortars decimating the police line. Until a certain Winchester along with a small group of SWAT officers charged through the line and took the fight to the Fang. Carving a bloody path through the fang and taking out the mortar tubes with explosives. Sadly, all of the officers were cut down either on the way to the mortars or shortly after by the Fang. Winchester put up a valiant last stand however overwhelming numbers beat skill and he was executed on his knees by the man in the white suit and bowler hat, the same man that I know I killed later in the fight.
However, thanks to Winchester's sacrifice, with the mortars down and our cover fire, the tides quickly turned in our favor. The Atlesians dealt with any coming their way, unfortunately two of the men were shot down by AK's taking various bullets to the lower body and a few in the chest. They were quickly dragged back to cover and cared for while Winter engaged the rest of the Fang in close combat with the teams giving her plenty of cover fire. Until a Frag grenade went off close to her, tossing her aside and into the side of a container, leaving a dent in the steel. Volk ran to her side and quickly carried her back to cover.
Over with the Police line the mass melee had begun and just as many officers as White Fang were falling. The Newsfeed was grim and gruesome with desperate, unorganized fighting. Slowly more Fang than officers were falling due, in some small part, thanks to my supporting fire. Slowly the fighting tapered out and the Newsfeed panned out showing the piles of dead and dying, the burnt out vehicles, the utter destruction of the docks essentially.
"OH SHIT!" Diaz suddenly spoke up, "WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE DOCKS ASAP!"
"Not to worry, we sent some men to go pick up all the weapons off the bodies. We couldn't possibly allow these aura penetrating weapons to go into the black market." Ironwood replied succinctly. "And besides, who are you? The Dark Knight?"
"Yes. I'm the Dark Knight. But that's not important. That's not what I'm worried about! What's inside the containers is what's got me worried. Let me and Frias go. We are the freshest."
"If you believe it truly is that important, then I will have Ruby and Yang join you." Ozpin directed as he got his scroll out to call Ruby.
"Perfect. The more hands, the lighter the workload. We'll make our way over there ASAP." Diaz replied as he made ready his rifle.
"Very well. We can continue this meeting as soon as they come back. I expect to hear why and how you know what you do. I'm sure the rest of you would do with a shower and some food, yes?" To that Ozpin got a hearty sign of agreement from all groups. Diaz, Chaz, and myself made our way to the Air Docks in short order and met Ruby and Yang there.
"You doing okay? I saw what happened on the news." Yang asked as she pulled me into a light hug.
"I've been better and I've been worse. All my blood is still inside me that has to count for something." I replied as I returned the hug.
"You're an ass. You know that?" Yang replied, slugging me in the arm, while Ruby came up and gave me a side hug.
"I'm glad you're okay." She said before Diaz piped up.
"Hey, hurry it up with your girlfriends! We need to get to the docks NOW!" Diaz said kicking us all into gear and running after him into the Bullhead with a red-faced Ruby yelling 'It's not like that'
"Oh?" Diaz asked as we joined him and Chaz in the Bullhead. I could tell he was being funny, but Ruby didn't. "Then explain to me, kid. What's it like?"
"He's just a good friend! Yang's the one who won't shut up about him! And I'm not a kid! I drink MILK!" Ruby pouted cutely. I couldn't help but mess up her hair, getting another yelp of complaint along with her trying to fix her hair.
Diaz looked over to Yang who just shrugged and said, "Mama gets what mama likes sooner or later."
"Well. I'm just going to end that conversation there. Good luck soldier, looks like you'll need it" Diaz said as the Bullhead took off. "Our mission is the containers on the docks. We shouldn't run into any opposition, well...living opposition that is. The battle's done, we just need to get to the containers."
"What's so important about the containers?" Ruby asked as she tried to pet Chaz, who warily eyed the girl as he leaned towards Diaz.
"They contain a pathogen that's supposed to kill Grimm. What the creators didn't account for was said Pathogen being incredibly virile and having a rather interesting effect on Subterranean Grimm Species. And also people. 30% rapid onset symptoms very similar to Organophosphates, 70% slow onset with the same symptoms. Either way, it attacks the CNS . But that's not important. Lord knows they sealed those containers tighter than fish pussy. Any failed attempts to get in the containers and a fail safe will engage, which will burn both the Pathogen and the test subject to atoms. So don't touch any buttons. Ya feel me?" Diaz explained as he played with his Ka-bar. Jeez, this man was giving me the sketch vibes. Poor Yang and Ruby. Diaz piped up again a moment later, putting away his Ka-bar and patting a now happy Chaz, the K9's tongue sticking out of its mouth as the pup sat there looking like he had not a care in the world."
"Test Subjects? As in people?" Yang questioned warily.
"As in sketchy looking Subterranean Grimm…. At least, I hope they kept their experiments solely to Grimm. Not like what they did with Project Æsír. Now that was fucked. But I digress."
"Æsír? Oh. Still bad then?" Yang asked as she fiddled with her weapons. Diaz nodded.
"Yep. Hence why I have Ashe here." D smiled as he lifted his rifle. Ruby gave him a quizzical look.
"Ashe?" She asked. D's smile got bigger.
"Yeah. Ashe. Stands for 'Annoying Shit Head Eliminator'. She lives up to her name." He chuckled as Ruby looked the odd weapon up and down like a piece of meat. "You okay kid?"
"Hmm? Yeah? What round does it fire?"
"7.6251mm NATO rounds. 20 rounds per magazine. She's a badass weapon. This is the CQC variant, so the barrel is shorter. The longer barreled version is good for Overwatch and Sniper operations." Diaz scratched his beard. "It's a good Gun, some people think it's overrated but it gets the job done effectively. Your's isn't too shabby though. A goddamn mechashift scythe/sniper. Your's is a very deadly and unique fighting style that requires extreme flexibility. And you've damn near mastered it, if you haven't already. But anyways, we'll meet up with Blake, and secure the two containers. Bullheads will come get them after they refuel. Shouldn't take more than four hours all together."
"Oh. Ok. Fun. So bringing our weapons wasn't a bad idea then, YANG!" Ruby pointed at her sister, suppressed rage written on her face. Diaz smiled and shook his head.
"Watch it kid. You might pull something." As he said this, Ruby shouting indignantly, Diaz checked his Scroll. "Blake will meet us when we land. She's gonna help provide security until the Cargo Bullheads can get here. She also has snacks. I know how you youngins are." He joked as he gave me a friendly clap on the back. Oh! Still hurt!
The interior of the bullhead fell into silence as we neared our destination, the pilot giving us a thumbs up as the doors opened and we disembarked. Me and Diaz raised our awareness as we took a look around. Looked a lot worse up close. Bodies on top of bodies. The flies had already begun to gorge themselves on the carnal feast. Yang and Ruby were pale as they witnessed the carnage, Ruby hunching over as she emptied the contents of her stomach on the floor. Diaz gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
"It gets easier kid." He muttered. Yang overheard him, and gave him a questioning look.
"Easier?" She asked, looking sick to her stomach as the images of the dead and dying around her were burned into her mind.
"Just….Forget I said anything." He sighed heavily as he lit a cigar that he pulled from his cargo pocket, placing it in his mouth and taking a drag. "This way. We gotta keep those fucking containers under wraps." He announced as the five of us made our way to our destination. Diaz and Chaz took the lead, Chaz sticking to Diaz. Yang and Ruby fell into the middle, and I hung back and provided rear security. After a few minutes of navigating through the bullshit that was the Vale Docks, we met up with Blake. Her and Diaz shared a quick and quiet conversation, before we continued on. We found our destination shortly after. A burning pile of bodies, all bearing the uniform of the White Fang, crackled and smoked off to our left. Diaz and Blake's bags were leaning up against one of the shipping containers, and Blake's weapon and her M4 were both leaning next to them.
"Welcome to our slice of hell. Don't touch anything that looks like a computer. I don't even want to think of the bullshit we'll have to deal with if we break this shit." Diaz announced as he took off his FAST helmet, and spat on the ground. "Blake, take the ladies and familiarize them with how shit's gonna go till pickup. I'll heat up something. Looks like its gonna fuckin rain...Frias, take this tarp and 550 and try to rig a shelter, I'll help ya in a minute." As he said this, he grabbed a jet boil from his ruck, and threw me folded up tarp and a large roll of 550 cord. As he began to set up his jet boil and some stew he had gotten from who knows where, I began trying to rig a shelter that would keep the rain off of us, Diaz joining me shortly after. After we were finished, we leaned back against the connex. The adrenaline rush had begun to fade, and we were feeling it.
"Fuck man….you wouldn't believe how glad I was to hear there were some brothers from home. Was getting pretty lonesome...Got yourself in a mess with the Council… And Salem." He finally began to speak after taking a drag on his cigar, letting a cloud of smoke out. After a moment, he dug around in his cargo pocket, pulling out a rectangular box, and offering it to me. I took it in my hand, and opened it, revealing an assortment of rather expensive looking Cigars. I found some cigar scissors in there as well, and after prepping the one I selected, placed it back in the box and handed it back to Diaz. As he received the box back from me, he offered me a light. I took a deep drag and exhaled, staring off into space as the day's events finally came crashing in.
"You're telling me man." I finally answered after thinking about it. "Like, fuck. Deployment was not supposed to go sideways this quick, let me tell ya." We both laughed at that.
"No...No...It's never supposed to. And yet, here we are. Bet ya never thought you'd be doing something like this huh?" Diaz asked, Chaz laying next to him.
"No shit. So. What were you doing before all this?" I asked him. I wondered how long he had actually been here.
Diaz took a deep breath and scratched his head. "Just killing the bad guys, blowing their shit up. The usual man. Just the usual bullshit."
I felt the boredom in his statement. He had been at this for a while.
We sat there in silence, enjoying our smokes and the tapping sounds of the rain hitting the tarp above our heads. What seemed like hours later, Blake, Ruby, and Yang reappeared.
"How goes it?" Diaz asked Blake as she sat down opposite us, Yang and Ruby doing the same.
"Nobody seems to have much interest in what's going on in this area. Mostly they're sticking to cleaning up the bodies." She answered morosely.
Diaz simply shrugged. "Better that way. The council gets ahold of this and the people of Vale can kiss their asses goodbye."
"So, when does the Bullhead from Beacon get here?" Yang questioned. "It's getting late, and if this is as important as you say it is, then they should've already gotten here.
"Good question. Well, one had to refuel, and that takes a minute. The other took some debris into it's right intake, and is probably in maintenance right now." Diaz replied, getting comfortable as he shuffled through his ruck.
"When did that happen?" I raised my eyebrow as I asked.
"When they picked up the legs. I saw some shit get sucked in. Nothing too serious though, they should have her back up and running by Tuesday."
"When did you become an expert in the mechanics of Valish technology?"
"Okay smart ass, I said should because it didn't look too serious. Capiche? Jeez you always have a stick up your ass Frias or are you just a sarcastic asshole?" Diaz fired back
"He's a little bit of both. Part of his charm." Yang slyly responded with an impish grin.
"Eww. Gross Yang! Stop being weird or I'll tell Dad!" Ruby sputtered out with an incredibly adorable blush hitting her sister.
"Oh come on don't be like that rubes. It's not like I'm actually doing anything with him." Yang retorted by putting Ruby in a headlock and giving her a noogie.
"Gah stop it Yang! I won't tell Dad! Just stop it!" Ruby cried out as she flailed around trying to get out Yang's Grip. Until Yang finally relents and releases her. "Still going to eventually have to tell dad that you are a mom now."
"Excuse me. I might be just slightly fucking confuzzled. Did you say she's a mom now?" Diaz piped up.
"Uh-huh" Ruby replied. Ignoring the choking and ashen looking Blake behind her
"And who exactly is the father of said child?" To which Ruby innocently points her finger at yours truly. Blake appeared to have lost her shit at that and just collapsed to the ground. The rest of us just ignored it.
Gunny looked at me, and put his hand on my shoulder.
"Another good man. Fallen so soon." He spoke morosely, sounding utterly defeated. "So when's the baby due? You know you can't fight like that."
Yang turned bright red and shouted, "I'm not pregnant! Idiot adopted a kid without thinking and I'm not letting him do it on his own."
"Ah gotcha. I was gonna ask, man I know yall work fast but goddamn that's really quick." Diaz finished with a chuckle, "Good for you tho bro. Adopting is always a noble endeavor, although you are a bit young to be starting a family don't ya think?"
"It was either adopt or get her out of the situation she was in before. Truly fucked up. Emaciated as all get out. We're in the process of bringing her weight back up."
"Oh fuck. I'm glad you did what you did man. That right there is some moto shit. Fuckin put that shit in a book." He said, digging through his bag, holding a small black box and what looked like a cable. "Hey uh. Frias. They got mini USB Chargers? Or normal wall plugs?" Diaz asked a moment later.
"Nah they normal wall plugs surprisingly. They mostly use wireless charging tho." I replied as I pulled out a death stick and offered one to D.
"Oh hell no you aren't going to be a smoker too." Yang said as she took the cig out of my mouth.
"You said I need therapy. This is my therapy! It's very therapeutic!" I replied as I took another death stick out.
"I would leave him be on this one Yang. You can try to wean him off it later, but he's not wrong. They really do chill you out and keep you cool. After our shitty day he needs it. Lord knows it's only due to caffeine and nicotine that I haven't blown my own brains out yet."
"Are all of you this depressed and tragic?" Yang whispered under her breath
"Yeah. Probably." Diaz replied before straightening out. "But enough of that. Looks like our boys are here"
Looking out in the distance we could see the approach of two bullheads in the distance, one Valish and the other Atlesian.