Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit story for entertainment purposes only. "RWBY" is the property of director and animator Monty Oum (RIP) and production company Rooster Teeth, and "Die Hard" is the property of director John McTiernan, production companies Gordon Company and Silver Pictures, and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Authors note: Since this adaptation is nearly finished, I'll be drawing plans for the next movie. As a means of support in my decision, I'd like to ask reviewers to send a list of no more than five live action films to me via PM. I'll compile them together and decide on which film is suggested the most.
A news bulletin covering the Schnee Plaza raid was broadcasting from the Atlas-TV studio. It showed the aftermath of the dust explosion.
"We've had an update on the terrorist takeover of the Schnee building," Dew Gayl reported. "Sources say the terrorist leader 'Adam' may be this man." A picture of Adam appeared. "Adam Taurus, a member of the White Fang Faunus rights movement. Strangely, the White Fang leadership issued a communique an hour ago, saying that Taurus had been expelled from that organization."
"You were right, headmaster," Glynda said. "Adam and his men aren't White Fang after all. They're simply thieves."
Ozpin nodded. "Indeed. They're masquerading as terrorists to lure in the Ace-ops for unknown reasons."
"I wonder why Adam was booted out in the first place," Ruby said.
"Maybe he was too ruthless, even for them," Blake assumed, eating some popcorn.
Down in the construction yard, now filled with smoke, Ren's radio crackled to life.
"Ren, do you copy?" Jaune asked on his walkie-talkie.
Ren picked up his radio. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Upon the 32nd floor, Jaune was half-buried under debris and covered with dust from the explosion.
Jaune laughed. "Yeah, I'm fine," He replied with a cough.
"Good to see you're still in one piece," Pyrrha said, relieved Jaune's counterpart was unharmed.
"I'll say. I came this close to blowing myself up," Jaune chuckled, holding his thumb and pointer finger an inch apart.
"What was that?" Ren asked.
"Remember that dust I told you about?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah?"
"There you go," Jaune said. "Is the building on fire?"
"No," Ren replied. "but it's going to need a paint job and a shitload of screen doors. Our spotters say you got two with that blast."
Cordovin spotted Ren on the radio. "Is that him?" She asked, storming over. "Is that him?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Give me that," Cordovin demanded, rudely snatching the radio from Ren.
Sun sighed. "Oh, great. Here we go," He said, eating a slice of banana cream pie.
"Rude old hag," Qrow added.
"Now, you listen to me, mister," Cordovin said. "I don't know who in the hell you think you are, or what you're doing, but you just destroyed a building!"
"She may have a point about the property damage, but she could be a bit more appreciative of Jaune's efforts," Ironwood scowled, knowing that destruction of property was an inevitable part of police and military operations.
"Yeah. If it weren't for him, blue team would be dead right now," Neptune added.
On the 32nd floor, Jaune was patting some of the dust off his clothes as he listened to Cordovins transmission.
"Now, we do not want your help! Is that clear? We don't want your help I've got a hundred people down here, and they're covered with glass."
"That's all she's concerned about?!" Yang said with outrage.
"Glass?" Jaune said, "Who gives a shit about glass? Who the fuck is this?"
"This is Deputy Chief of Police Caroline Cordovin," She replied haughtily. "And I am in charge of this situation."
"That's exactly the kind of arrogance that contributed to her reassignment," Ironwood said, shaking his head.
"Among other reasons," Winter added, not having fond memories of Cordovin.
"Oh, you're in charge," Jaune replied dubiously. "Well, I've got some bad news for you, Caroline: from up here, it doesn't look like you're in charge of jack shit!"
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Blake agreed.
"Yeah. Jaune has killed five terrorists on his own so far. More than we can say for her," Nora added.
Cordovin rolled her eyes. "You listen to me, you little asshole," she snarled. "I'm gonna–"
"Asshole?!" Jaune angrily interrupted. "I'm not the one who just got buttfucked on national TV, Caroline!"
Neptune was listening in on the limousines C.B. radio. He cracked up at Jaunes remark.
As did the entire audience, especially Yang, Qrow, Coco, and Nora.
"Daaaaamn!" Coco drawled at Jaune's insult.
"That was brutal!" Qrow added with a grin.
"I'm liking this version of Jaune more all the time!" Yang proclaimed, loving his quips and one liners.
"Now, you listen to me, jerkoff," Jaune continued. You're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem! Quit being part of the fucking problem and put the other guy back on!"
"Yeah! You tell her, fearless leader," Nora cheered for Jaune.
"I personally wouldn't have worded it quite like that, but she deserved that criticism," Weiss said with a nod, drinking a diet soda.
Giving up, Cordovin shoved the radio into Ren's chest and stormed away in a huff.
"Hey, Roy," Ren said. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty fucking unappreciated," Jaune replied angrily.
"Hey, look. I love you. So do a lot of the other guys," Ren assured.
Jaune laughed lightly, feeling better.
"I know that feeling," Qrow sulked. "Some people are just ungrateful bastards, no matter how much good you do."
"Unfortunately, we all must deal with people like that," Ozpin agreed.
"So, you hang in there, man, you hear me?" Ren said. "You hang in there."
"Yeah, thanks Partner," Jaune replied.
Back on the 30th floor, Pyrrha watched Roman snorting cocaine.
"What are you doing?" Pyrrha asked nervously.
"I'm tired of sitting here," Roman declared, buttoning up his shirt. "Waiting to see who gets us killed first, them, or your husband."
"What are you going to do?" Pyrrha asked, not liking where this was going.
Roman smoothed his hair. "Hey Babe," He sneered. "I negotiate million dollar deals for breakfast. I think I can handle this Faunus trash."
Blake, Sun, and Velvet all glared at the screen for that remark.
Roman turned to Trifa. "Hey, can we talk, huh?"
Meanwhile, Adam was arguing with Karl in Pyrrha's office.
"If you listened to me, he'd be neutralized already," Adam reprimanded.
"I don't want neutral, I want dead," Karl replied angrily.
"I don't blame him, I hate to admit," Yang commented, knowing she'd be on a warpath if Ruby was ever killed.
There was knock at the office door. Trifa brought Adam in.
"Hope I'm not interrupting," Roman said with a smile.
"What does he want?" Adam asked Trifa, who shrugged.
Roman snorted. "It's not what I want," he says, "it's what I can give you."
"Besides a headache?" Sun quipped, earning a few Snickers from the audience
"What is that coke head doing now?" Coco wondered aloud.
"Something very foolish, I can tell already," Glynda replied, shaking her head.
Out of Roman's view, Karl reached for his pistol, but Adam shook his head "no".
"Look," Roman began, entering the room slowly. "Let's be straight, okay?" It's obvious you're not some dumb shmuck, up here to snatch a few purses, am I right?"
"You're very perceptive," Adam replied politely, hiding his contempt.
Many audience members snickered at this as well.
"I watch 60 Minutes," Roman replied. "I say to myself: these guys are professional, they're motivated, they're happening i.e., they want something, huh?"
Adam blinked at Roman in puzzlement as he driveled on.
"And that makes you an qualified to negotiate with terrorists?" Jaune said incredulously.
"It's corporate arrogance," Weiss explained, knowing plenty of similar people in the SDC. "Roman's business track record makes him think he can talk his way out of any situation."
"He's completely out of his depth against Adam," Port said, half-expecting the terrorist leader to shoot Roman.
"Now personally, I couldn't care less about your politics," Roman admitted. "Maybe you're pissed off at the SDC mines anywhere on Remnant. It's none of my business! I figure, you're here to negotiate, am I right?"
Adam shook his head impatiently. "You're amazing. You figured this all out, already," he snarked.
Roman laughed. "Hey, business is business. You use a gun, I use a fountain pen. What's the difference?" He explained.
"A big one," Winter said flatly. "This isn't a business deal with a rival company he's trying to make."
"That coke he just snorted can't be doing him any favors either," Oobleck added, knowing drugs could really hinder somebodies thought process.
"Let's put it in my terms: you're here on a hostile takeover, you grab us for some greenmail, but you didn't expects some kind of poison pill was going to be running around inside the building! Am I right?"
Adam and Karl exchanged glances.
"Adam!' Roman said. "Baby! I'm your white knight!"
"I must have missed 60 Minutes," Adam said dryly. "What are you saying?"
Velvet giggled. "Even Adam finds him obnoxious," Velvet said.
Roman patted Karl on the shoulder. "The guy upstairs is fucking things up, huh?" Roman sat down, grinning. "I can give him to you."
"What?! He's giving up Jaune?!" Ruby shouted.
"Why am I not surprised?" Winter said with contempt.
"That slimy bastard! He's going to sell Jaune out!" Pyrrha yelled furiously.
Everyone was surprised by Pyrrha's unexpected reaction.
Ren was gazing up at Schnee Plaza when he heard Jaune on the radio.
"Ow! Oum!" Jaune said painfully.
Ren quickly picked up his radio. "Roy? Roy, are you alright?"
"Just tried to fire down a thousand-year-old pancake snack," Jaune replied, as he he spat out the remains. "What do they put in these things, anyway?"
Ren grinned. "Sugar enriched flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, polysorbate-60, and Yellow Dye Number Five. Just everything a growing boy needs," Ren answered.
"Is that stuff good or bad for you?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Who cares? I love em' anyway," Nora replied, opening another bag of the aforementioned snacks.
"How many kids you got, Ren?" Jaune asked.
"Well, as a matter of fact," Ren said. "My wife is working on our first."
"How about you, Cowboy? You got any kids back on your ranch?"
Jaune pulled out his wallet and gazed at the family photos inside. "Yeah. Two," Jaune replied. "Sure hope I can see them swinging on a jungle gym with Ren Junior someday."
"Awww," Weiss, Coco, Velvet, and Glynda all cooed.
"Oh my oum! That'd be so cute!" Ruby gushed with her hands on her cheeks.
"I know!" Nora added.
Pyrrha, Jaune, and Ren all blushed at the idea of them having children and watching them all playing together twenty years from now.
Ren laughed. "Well, now that's a date!" he replied. "But you're gonna have to bring the ice cream."
Suddenly, Adam interrupted the conversation from his walkie-talkie.
"Touching, Cowboy," Adam sneered. "Touching. Or should I call you Mr. Arc? Mr. Officer Jaune Arc of the Vale Police Department?"
"And Adam just ruined the moment," Blake said flatly.
"Yeah. That heartless jerk," Ruby agreed with a pout.
Cardin was listening to Adam's transmission from his news van. He turned to his assistant, Octavia Ember.
"Get on the phone to Harry in Vale," He ordered. "C'mon, babe! Move!"
"Got it!" Octavia replied as she rushed off.
"I knew it. He's going to complicate things to boost his career," Velvet said.
"Typical media slimebag. I've met guys like him before," Pyrrha groaned, still remembering being hounded by media goons in the past.
"Me too. Being an heiress attracts all kinds of opportunists," Weiss added, then felt a little guilty for assuming Jaune was one in the past.
"Better get ahold of somebody in dispatch," Ren told another officer.
"At least Ren has my back," Jaune said.
"Sister Teresa called me Mister Arc in the third grade," Jaune told Adam through his walkie-talkie. "My friends call me Jaune. And you're neither, shithead."
"I have someone who wants to talk to you," Adam informed. "A very special friend who was with you at the party tonight."
"Special friend? Yeah right," Coco scoffed.
"They just met a few hours ago," Sun said
"But Adam doesn't know that," Blake reminded.
Jaune closed his eyes with his mouth agape.
"He thinks Adam has identified Pyrrha," Ren observed.
"Thank Monty he hasn't," Jaune said with relief.
Adam reached over to hand the walkie-talkie over to Roman.
"Hey," Roman said, "Jauney Boy!"
Jaune sighed, remembering when Cardin called him by that nickname.
Jaune paused in surprise. "Roman?"
"Yeah," Roman replied. "Now listen, Jaune. They've given me some minutes to try and talk some sense into you. I know you think you're doing your job and I can appreciate that, but you're just dragging this thing out."
"He's the only one getting any results," Pyrrha defended angrily.
"Messy results, but results all the same, Weiss added.
"Now look, no one gets out of here until these guys can talk to the Mantle police, and that just ain't gonna happen until you stop messing up the works, understand?" Roman explained, oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
Jaune is stunned. "Roman," he said cautiously. "What have you told them?"
"I told them we were old friends. And you were my guest at the party!"
"Roman, you shouldn't be doing this."
"You can say that again," Coco agreed.
"He's going to get himself killed," Ozpin predicted grimly.
"Tell me about it."
Yuma came in with a can of coke and a glass with ice in it. Roman nodded at Yuma, who then looks over at Adam, who smiled and beckoned him to continue. Yuma opened the can and poured Roman a drink.
"Not the kind of coke he's used to," Yang remarked with a smirk.
"Alright, Jaune, listen," Roman said.
Jaune listened in shock as he walked over to a window.
"They want you to tell them where the detonators are. They know people are listening. They want the detonators, or they're gonna kill me," Roman explained, then gave Adam a smile, and a thumbs-up. "Jaune, didn't you hear me?"
"Yeah, I hear you," Jaune replied.
"Hey, Jaune," Roman said, getting annoyed. "I think you could get with the program a little, huh!? The police are here now it's their problem. Now tell these guys where the detonators are so no one else gets hurt! You know, I'm putting my life on the line for you, pal!"
"It pains me to admit it, but it could be argued that Roman is genuinely trying to help his co-workers get out safely," Oobleck said.
"In his own slimy, backstabbing way," Sun retorted with a frown.
Roman wiggled his eyebrows at Adam with a shit-eating grin.
"Roman," Jaune said nervously. "Listen to me very carefully…"
"Jaune–" Roman interrupted.
"Shut up, Roman! Just shut your mouth!" Jaune shouted. "Put Adam back on the line!"
Roman turned the walkie-talkie towards Adam.
"Adam," Jaune said. "This shithead does not know what kind of man you are, but I do. Listen to me –"
"Good," Adam replied, his gun in his hand. "then you'll give us what we want and save your friend's life. You're not part of this equation. It's time you realized that."
"Hey, what am I, a method actor?" Roman asked. "Adam, babe, put away the gun! This is radio, not television."
"Adam!" Jaune shouted, panicking. "This asshole is not my friend! I just met him tonight! I don't know him! Oum, Roman! These people are going to kill you! Tell 'em you don't know me!"
"I'm impressed, Mr. Arc," Glynda said with nod. "Even after Roman sold you out, your unwilling to let him die."
"Indeed. Same kind of situation when you saved Cardin despite his blackmailing," Ozpin added.
Roman chuckled. "Jaune, how can you say that, after all of these years?"
Jaune didn't answer.
"Jaune?" Roman said, but there was no answer. "Jaune?"
There was still no answer. Roman shrugged with a nervous chuckle. Adam just smiled at Roman, gun still in hand. Roman toasted him with the Coke, and took a sip.
"He better enjoy that coke," Qrow said. "Cause' it'll be his last."
"The drugs or the drink?" Yang asked.
"Yes," Qrow said with a smirk.
Yang snorted. "Smartass," She said under her breath.
Jaune stood silently as he held the walkie-talkie. Then he heard the inevitable gunshot ring out.
Some audience members recoiled. Others simply shook their heads or sighed at Roman's fruitless and idiotic attempt to negotiate with a ruthless terrorist.
"I really can't feel sorry for him," Blake said. "He was a racist, drug snorting, sleazeball who stabbed Jaune in the back."
"At least he didn't tell them Pyrrha was Jaunes wife," Port admitted reluctantly.
The SDC employees in next room screamed in alarm. Even Pyrrha was shocked.
Adam stepped out of Pyrrha's office and held up his walkie talkie so that Jaune could hear the screaming.
Jaune listened to the screams in silent anger.
"Do you hear that?" Adam said angrily into the walkie-talkie. "Talk to me! Where are my detonators?! Where are they, or should I shoot another one? Sooner or later, I might get to someone you do care about!"
"Man he's really starting to get pissed now," Sun observed.
"He better not lay a finger on Pyrrha," Jaune growled, clenching his fists.
"Or Nora for that matter," Ren added, narrowing his eyes at the screen.
Pyrrha and Nora both blushed at their respective crushes concern.
"Go fuck yourself, Adam," Jaune murmured.
Back at the MPD command post, Cordovin was chewing Ren out.
"Did you hear that? Cordovin asked angrily. "He just let the guy die, man! He just gave him up!"
Cordovin took a radio headset from another officer. "That's like pulling the trigger yourself!"
"He didn't have a choice. Besides, Roman was trying to sell him out," Pyrrha defended Jaune again, getting very fed up with Cordovin.
"As if she could have handled it herself," Ren added, shaking his head in disgust.
"Monty!" Ren groaned. "Can't you see what's happening? Can't you read between the lines?"
"Am I on the right channel?" Cordovin asked the officer as she put the headset on.
"Yes ma'am," The officer replied.
"He did everything he could to save him!" Ren defended, gesturing towards the building. "If he gave himself up, they could both be dead now!"
"No way, man! No way," Cordovin retorted. "They'd be talking to us."
"And you would have messed it up, just like earlier," Ruby said angrily.
"Undoubtedly," Ironwood agreed with Ruby.
"Listen, you tell this 'partner' of yours, Ren, to stay the hell out of this from now on, do you hear me?" Cordovin said. "Because if he doesn't, I'm gonna nail him, boy. I'm really gonna nail his ass now, believe me."
"The man is hurting!" Ren said angrily. "He is alone, tired, and he hasn't seen diddley squat from anybody own here!"
"Now," Ren continued. "You're gonna stand there and tell me that he's going to give a damn about what you're gonna do to him if he makes it out of there alive? Why don't you wake up?"
Cordovin scowled and got up in Ren's face.
"You listen to me, Sergeant," Cordovin . "Any time you want to go home, you consider yourself dismissed."
"No, ma'am!" Ren said, completely unfazed. "And I've kept this to myself until now, but my wife is in that building! So, you couldn't drag me away!"
"Yeah! You tell her, Renny!" Nora cheered.
Jaune and Pyrrha smiled and nodded at Ren's resolve.
"He's got a lot of guts talking to the Deputy Chief like that," Qrow said, impressed.
"I can understand that if not condone it. Given Cordovins incompetence and Mr. Rens spouse on the line," Glynda admitted, sipping her wine glass.
Cordovins expression softened a bit, but before she could reply, Adam's voice came over the radio.
"Attention, police. Attention police."
Cordovin pointed to another cop, who quickly switched on a nearby tape recorder.
"This is Sergeant Lie Ren of the—" Ren began, but Cordovin grabbed the radio from him.
"Give me that!" She snarled.
"Oh no," Neptune groaned. "Here we go again."
"Let's just see how she handles this," Port said, already dreading the results.
"It won't be any better than Torchwicks attempt," Ironwood added, knowing Adam wouldn't abandon his plan at this point.
"This is uh—this is uh—Deputy Chief Caroline Cordovin. Who is this?" Cordovin asked awkwardly.
On the 30th floor, Adam sat behind Pyrrha's desk with his walkie-talkie in his hand.
"This is Adam Taurus. I assume you realize the futility of direct action against me. We have no wish for further loss of life."
"I doubt that very much," Blake sneered.
"Well uh— what is it that you do wish for, Mr. Taurus?"
"She's nervous and tongue tied," Penny observed. "Certainly not experienced with terrorists or negotiations."
"I have comrades in arms, languishing around Remnant in prison," Adam said. "The Four Kingdoms enjoy rattling their own sabers for they're own ends. Now, they can rattle for me."
Roman Torchwick, now with a bullet hole in the back of his head, sat lifeless in front of Adam.
"The following people are to be released from their captors: in Vale, the seven members of the New Cairn Front. In Mistral, the five leaders of Freedom of Kuchinashi."
"I'm assuming terrorism is more prevalent in this universe than our own?" Ozpin asked Gold-Sith.
"That is correct, Professor. The White Fang happens to be the largest on the planet."
Caroline stared at the microphone in puzzlement.
On the 32nd floor, Jaune was smoking a cigarette as he listened to Adam on his walkie-talkie.
"In Vacuo, the nine members of the Desert Dawn."
"What the fuck?" Jaune muttered with a mixture of amusement and bafflement.
Karl stared at Adam in confusion. "Desert Dawn?" he mouthed curiously.
"I read about them in Time Magazine," Adam said offhandedly, covering the receiver so Cordovin couldn't hear him.
"He's just putting on an act to fool them into bringing the Ace-Ops into the picture," Ironwood said.
"He's fooling them rather well, I hate to admit," Winter added. "Taking advantage of terrorism on Remnant to further his plans."
"When these revolutionary brothers and sisters are free, the hostages in this building will be taken to the roof, and they will accompany us in bullheads to the Mantle international airport, where they will be given further instructions. You have two hours to comply."
"Wait a minute," Cordovin said desperately. "Mr. Taurus, this is crazy! I-I-I don't have the authority. I can't authorize—two hours is not enough!"
The radio switched off as Adam hung up.
"Hello? Hello?" Cordovin said, but there was no answer.
"Danny, did you get all that?" Cordovin asked as she moved away. "Let's go! We gotta make some calls."
"She's being played like a fiddle," Ironwood scoffed.
Ren rolled his eyes as Cordovin ran off.
"Do you even think they'll try to do it?" Karl asked.
"Who cares?" Adam brushed off before dialing Ilias number. "Ilia, are we on schedule?"
Ilia was still drilling through the vault.
"One more to go, then it's up to you," Ilia replied. "And you'd better be right, because it looks like this last one's going to take a miracle."
"It's Christmas, Ilia. It's the time of miracles," Adam said cheerfully. "So, be of good cheer, and call me when you get the last lock."
Adam hung up on Ilia. "Karl, hunt that little shit down and get those detonators," He ordered.
Karl grabbed his rifle. "Trifa is checking the explosives,"
"I'll check the explosives. You just get the detonators," Adam said, rising from his seat.
"On his own? That doesn't sound like something this version of Adam would do," Sun said.
"He's running out of men. Plus, he wants to be sure the wiring was set up correctly," Oobleck reasoned.
"Maybe Jaune will run into him and end this for good," Weiss said hopefully.
Jaune picked up his walkie talkie. "Hey pal. You out there?" He asked.
"I'm here, Jaune," Ren answered. "I'm here. "
"You gotta believe me," Jaune said. "There was nothing I could do."
"Well, it's gonna be both our asses if you're wrong," Ren replied.
"He's right, unfortunately. The higher ups might try to pin on them instead of Cordovin," Winter said, knowing the 'grunts' often got the short end of the stick.
"I hear you," Jaune said, taking a drag off his cigarette. "Did you catch that bullshit Adam was running? Doesn't make sense, man."
"Hey, don't ask me, man," Ren replied. "I'm just a desk jockey who was on his way home when you rang."
"The way you drove that car, I figured you for the street, Ren," Jaune said as he walked towards the stairwell.
"In my youth," Ren said sadly. "In my youth…"
"What does he mean by that?" Nora asked.
"I guess I didn't take well to being a street cop," Ren assumed, drinking a cup of tea. "Or something unfortunate happened."
"We'll probably find out later," Port predicted.
Back at the Atlas-TV studio, Dew Gayl was giving a live interview.
"Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck. History professor and author of 'Hostage Terrorist, Terrorist Hostage: A Study in Duality," She announced, holding up a copy of the aforementioned book.
"Look. There you are, Bart," Port pointed out, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Hmmm, so I'm basically the same as my real-life counterpart," Oobleck noted, already being a doctor, teacher, and author of several books on history and Grimm.
"Doctor Oobleck, what can we expect in the next few hours?" Gayl asked.
Dr. Oobleck was shown sitting to Gayls right, while Sky Lark sat to Ooblecks right.
"The hostages should be going through the early stages of the Surmire Syndrome," Dr. Oobleck explained
"As in, Surmire, Vacuo," Sky Lark interjected, trying to sound smart.
Blake scoffed. "Wow...really?"
"He can't be serious, can he?" Neptune said, being a intellectual.
Oobleck rolled his eyes behind his glasses, having heard similarly shoddy answers from his students.
Off camera, Port facepalmed at Sky's stupidity.
"Vale," Oobleck corrected.
Sky frowned in embarrassment.
"That'll make him a laughing stock for some time," Coco chortled.
"Basically, it's when the hostages and the terrorists go through a sort of psychological transference, and a projection of dependency. A strange sort of trust and bond develops."
Roman's corpse was dragged out of Pyrrha's office by Yuma. The other hostages sobbed softly and sighed with grief at the sight
"We've had situations where the hostages have embraced their captors after their release, and even corresponded with them in prison," Oobleck's line interconnected with the scene.
"This is certainly not one of those situations," Glynda said sympathetically towards the hostages
"And I wouldn't have made such a hasty assumption," Oobleck added, sipping his coffee.
At the MPD staging grounds, Cordovin was on the phone, explaining the terrorist demands with another officer.
"No, no, honey, Desert Dawn. Dawn. D-A-W-N."
"Ma'am?" an officer interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"The Ace-Ops are here."
"It's about time. Perhaps now they'll get some positive results," Winter said.
"The Ace-Ops are here, now?" Cordovin asked eagerly.
"Yes, ma'am, right over there," the officer said pointing.
"Hold this," Cordovin said as she handed the officer her phone to adjust her suit jacket and tie.
"Want a breath mint?" Ren asked sarcastically, earning a glare from Cordovin.
Nora, Yang, and Qrow snickered at Rens remark.
"She's more concerned about looking good in front her superiors than doing her job right," Glynda said with a scowl.
"The real Cordovin acted that way towards me," Ironwood recalled, having always despised lickspittles.
Cordovin approached to the two Ace-Op agents as they stepped onto the grounds. One was white skinned while the other was dark skinned. Both were dressed impeccably in suits.
"Hey! How are you doing, man?" Cordovin said in a friendly tone, offering her hand to the dark skinned agent.
The agent shook Cordovins hand.
"I'm Agent Jonson," Agent Little Jonson introduced. "This is Special Agent Jonson." He gestured to the other agent.
"They're both named Jonson? Are they related?" Ruby asked, cocking her brow.
Penny shook her head. "I doubt it, judging from their different skin colors. Plus, Jonson is a common surname," She pointed out.
"Oh. How are you doing?" Cordovin greeted the other agent, offering her hand.
"No relation," Little Jonson explained.
"There must be a lot of confusion between the two of them having the same last name," Yang giggled.
Big Jonson ignored Cordovins handshake while holding a cigarette.
"Caroline Cordovin, MPD," She introduced herself. "I'm in charge here."
"Not anymore," Big Jonson corrected as he gazed up at Schnee Plaza and took a drag from his cigarette.
"Thank Oum," Ironwood said. "The Ace-Ops will certainly perform better than the MPD."
"That remains to be seen, Jimmy," Qrow countered, knowing Adam was just waiting for them.
On the 35th Floor, Adam was walking along the HVAC units with a flashlight in his hand, checking the detonator wires beneath the roof. His pistol was in his other hand. He clambered up a HVAC unit, setting his handgun and flashlight down on a nearby ledge. Walking along the ledge, he discovered that Fennecs task with the wiring was unfinished. He shook his head in frustration and jumped down from the HVAC.
"He's getting reckless to be checking the wiring all by himself," Pyrrha observed.
"This is the perfect chance for Jaune to catch him," Nora said excitedly.
"Let's hope he does," Blake said.
As he landed, he found himself staring at a pair of bare, dirty feet. Adam went rigid as he gazed up to a SMG barrel pointed at his head. And a smirking Jaune Arc.
"Hi there!" Jaune said. "How are you doing?"
"Ha! I knew it!" Nora shouted. "Way to go, fearless leader!"
"They finally meet face to face," Ozpin announced
"For the first and only time," Weiss said coldly.
Adam had to act quickly. He began cowering in pretend terror.
"Ohh!" Adam said, in a distinctive Atlesian accent. "Please, Monty! No, you're one of them, aren't you? You're one of them! Don't...don't kill me, please! No, please! Don't kill me! Don't kill me, please!"
"Whoa, relax," Jaune said. "Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Huh? What's Adam doing?" Ruby asked, not quite comprehending.
"He's pretending to be a hostage and using an Atlesian accent," Oobleck
"And Jaune is fooled by it?" Sun said, cocking his brow.
"Please, please please!" Adam gibbered.
"I'm not gonna hurt you!" Jaune repeated.
"Oh, Oum," Adam said, squeezing his eyes shut.
Not entirely convinced, Jaune cautiously checked his surroundings, lowering his gun slightly.
"He's still cautious," Ironwood pointed out. "He suspects it could be a trick."
"The fuck are you doing up here?" Jaune asked. "Who were you looking for?"
"I managed to get out of there," Adam explained as he got to his feet. "And, well, I was trying to just get up on the roof and see if I could signal for help. You know."
"Jaune isn't really buying into this, is he?" Yang asked, drinking a soda.
"I doubt it, but on the offhand chance Adam is a civilian, Jaune isn't going to kill him in cold blood," Ironwood said doubtfully.
"Plus, I didn't get a clear look at him earlier through the elevator vent shaft," Jaune reminded from earlier in the film.
"So there's no way for you to tell if it's Adam," Port said.
Adam pointed between the HVAC units. "It's just through here! Why don't you come and help-" He started back toward his handgun and flashlight only a few feet away.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Jaune said cautiously.
"No, if we go-"
"Forget the roof."
"No, come on, we can-
"I said forget the roof!" Jaune repeated loudly. "They've got people all over. Come on. you want to stay alive? You stay with me."
Adam glared back at Jaune as the latter walked away.
Meanwhile, back at the MPD staging area, Cordovin was explaining the situation to Ace-Op Agents Little Jonson and Big Jonson as they ascended the hill bordering the construction yard to get a better look at Schnee Plaza.
"Well, as best we can figure it is," Cordovin briefed. "They've got maybe thirty, thirty-five hostages up there, probably on the 30th floor, and I don't know, maybe seven or eight terrorists up there."
"Sounds like an A-7 scenario," Little Jonson observed.
"So they're more prepared to handle terrorists than the MPD," Ironwood said.
"Except they're not actually terrorists," Glynda reminded. "And Adam was anticipating their arrival all along."
"My assumption is that the Ace Ops will somehow disable the seventh lock on the Schnee vault," Penny theorized as she connected the dots.
"We still don't know how Adam plans to escape though," Oobleck concluded, wondering what his getaway plan was.
Big Jonson observed the building through his binoculars.
Little Jonson briefly turned to Cordovin. "Thank you," he said. "We'll handle it from here. When we commandeer your men, we'll try and let you know."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ren asked.
"Such as?" Big Jonson said.
"What about Jaune Arc? He's the reason why we have the information that we have up until now. He's also the reason why you're facing eight terrorists instead of thirteen."
"Damn straight. Vomit boy and Ren have been doing all the work," Yang said.
"He's inside?" Little Jonson asked. "Who is he?"
"Well, he might be a cop, I don't know," Cordovin replied. "We're checking on that."
"One of yours?" Big Jonson asked.
"No, no way," Cordovin replied.
"Obviously. Jaune is way too good to serve under her," Ruby sneered.
Down on the 32nd floor, Jaune and Adam were talking, the former offering the latter a cigarette from the pack he looted from Fennec's corpse. Jaune kept his SMG in hand.
"Do you smoke?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah," Adam replied with a smile.
Jaune removed a cigarette from the pack and handed the last one to Adam. Jaune pulled out his Zippo lighter.
"You don't see many Faunus work for the SDC," Jaune pointed out.
Adam paused before smiling. "Well, it's not easy but the pay is good. Plus, Whitley Schnee has made it easier with his policies."
"So Whitley, Oum rest him, was supportive of Faunus rights and equality in the SDC," Weiss guessed.
"Much more than we can say for our father," Winter added.
"You don't work for the SDC," Adam guessed, as Jaune lit the cigarette for him. "And if you're not one of them…"
Jaune took a drag off his own cigarette. "I'm a cop from Vale."
Adam looked at him in surprise. "Vale?"
"Yeah. Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. Who knew?"
"He's lying to protect Pyrrha again," Ren pointed out.
"So he definitely suspects Adam is a terrorist and is trying to drag out their interaction to learn more about them," Port said, admiring Jaunes clever detective skills.
"And vice versa," Ironwood added. "Either that, or he'll try to lure Jaune into a trap," .
Adam laughed, and looked down, noticing Jaunes bare feet. Jaune also looked down with a chuckle.
"Yeah," Jaune said with a grin. "It's better than being caught with your pants down, huh?"
Adam laughed again. Jaune glanced at a floor directory on a wall behind Adam. It listed all of the Schnee employees working in the building.
"He's going to test Adam's identity using that directory," Winter observed.
"Plus, Jaune would probably remember seeing a Faunus at the party before the terrorists showed up," Port added.
"Jaune's got him now," Nora assumed with a smirk.
"Unless Adam has also seen the directory," Blake brought up, hoping he hadn't.
It was time to put him to the test.
"I'm Jaune Arc. You're — uh –?"
Adam stopped smiling and paused for a few seconds.
"Clay," Adam responded. "Bill. Clay."
Jaune examined the wall and spotted the name "CLAY, WM" listed on the 29th floor.
"Hmmm, tricky," Ozpin said, scratching his chin. "Either now Jaune knows Adam is a terrorist, or he believes Adam is simply using Bill as opposed to William."
"So what will he do now?" Ruby said curiously.
"Probably another reckless but effective stunt," Jaune guessed, knowing his counterparts calling-card by now.
Jaune nodded slowly as he smoked. He reached into his waistband and pulled out his handgun.
"Now, ever use a handgun, Bill?" Jaune asked.
"Wait, what? He can't be serious," Weiss said in disbelief at Jaunes carelessness.
"That's a bad idea," Neptune, knowing Adam could simply shoot him in the back.
"Don't worry," Pyrrha assured with a confident smile. "Jaune is clearly suspicious of Adam. I think I see what he's doing."
"I spent a weekend at a combat ranch," Adam replied. "You know that game with the guns that shoot red paint? Probably seems kinda stupid to you."
"Well, time for the real thing, Bill," Jaune said, fiddling with the pistol a bit before handing it to Adam.
Adam looked at the gun, then back at Jaune before accepting it.
"All you gotta do is pull the trigger," Jaune instructed. "Come on," he says, leading them off the floor.
Adam threw his cigarette on the floor and stamped it out with his shoe. He then pulled his walkie-talkie out of his pocket.
"Karl. He's on the 32nd floor. Hurry," Adam said softly into the walkie-talkie before aiming the gun at Jaunes head.
Jaune stopped in his tracks. He couldn't quite make out what Adam said, but his suspicions were confirmed.
"He should have shot him when he had the chance," Qrow said.
"Put down the gun," Adam ordered. "And give me my detonators."
"Well, well, well, Adam," Jaune said, unsurprised.
"Put it down, now," Adam demanded, referring to Jaune's SMG.
"That's pretty tricky with that accent," Jaune. "You should be on fucking TV with that accent."
"But what do you want with the detonators, Adam?" Jaune asked. "I already used all the explosives. Or did I?"
Adam's expression didn't change. "I'm going to count to three."
"Like you did with my brother," Weiss snarled vengefully.
"Yeah. Like you did with Schnee," Jaune said coldly.
Finished with Jaune's games, Adam pulled the trigger. But, to his surprise, the gun clicked empty.
"Oops," Jaune said mockingly.
Adam pulled the trigger a few more times in futility.
"I knew it. Jaune was testing him to see if he was a terrorist," Pyrrha said.
"And Adam definitely failed the test," Nora added with a smile.
"He didn't even bother counting to three," Coco concluded.
"No bullets," Jaune said with a grin, taking his gun back "You think I'm fucking stupid, Adam?"
But Jaunes grin vanished when he heard the elevator chime behind him.
"Uh-oh," Ruby mumbled.
"We forgot about them," Velvet said, knowing a battle was going to break out.
"He definitely should have shot him," Qrow said, shaking his head.
"You were saying?" Adam sneered.
"Smug bastard," Weiss grumbled.
Suddenly, Karl emerged from the elevator with Trifa and Yuma. Adam took cover while Jaune immediately opened fire, hitting Trifa in the chest, killing her. Karl and Yuma dodged Jaune's barrage as they returned fire. Jaune sprinted away while Karl sprayed the room with bullets, shattering a row of glass windows.
Jaune ran while Karl and Yuma pursued him further into the room. He dove into a cubicle, narrowly dodging Karl's rifle fire.
Now in a prone position, Jaune spotted Yuma running towards him and opened fire. Yuma's legs were riddled with bullets as he fell forward and smashed headfirst through a window. Dead.
"Booyah! Score seven for Jaune!"
"Maybe this time he'll kill both Karl and Adam," Ren said.
Karl took cover behind a desk while Adam quickly grabbed Yuma's SMG. Karl peaked out from behind the desk, only for Jaune to force him back with a burst of gunfire. Adam peaked out, spotting Jaune's position.
Jaune fired again, driving Karl back behind cover. One of Jaunes rounds shattered a glass pane near Yuma's corpse. All the blood and broken glass beneath him gave Adam an idea.
"Oh no" Ruby said, realizing what Adam was thinking.
"What is it Ruby?" Yang asked.
"Jaune's not wearing shoes, remember?" Ruby reminded.
"Karl, he's not wearing shoes," Adam informed.
Karl looked confused. "What?"
Adam rolled his eyes in frustration. "Shoot. the. glass!"
"Idiot," Weiss and Glynda said at the same time.
Understanding, Karl aimed and fired at the glass cubicle Jaunes was hiding in. Adam joined in with the SMG he took from Yuma. Shards of broken glass rained down on Jaune, but he continued firing until his SMG ran dry. He discarded the gun and rolled to his feet towards the stairwell.
Adam and Karl continued to pepper the room with gunfire. Windows shattered, spraying glass all over the room. Jaune took cover behind a desk with his pistol drawn.
"Sweet dust!" Jaune shouted.
Jaune spotted the exit door nearby, but the entire floor was covered with broken glass at that point. He then looked down at his bare feet. He shut his eyes, knowing it was the only way out.
Many audience members winced at the mere thought of walking on glass barefoot.
"Oh, this isn't going to end well for me" Jaune groaned.
"If only Tony's shoes fit him," Velvet recalled.
"It's either the glass or get shot," Winter said.
Karl stopped firing and slid a flashbang towards Jaunes position. It burst into a shower of sparks and bright light. For a few moments, the room was silent.
Karl quickly moved into the cubicle to search for Jaune. He flipped over a desk, but Jaune was nowhere to be seen. However, his bag was still there. Adam wiped the glass off the bag, picked it up, and opened it. The detonators were inside.
"Smile, Karl," Adam with a grin. "We're back in business."
Karl whipped around to glare at Adam, angry that he failed once again to kill Jaune.
"Great. Adam has the detonators and the vault is almost opened," Weiss lamented.
"At least Jaune managed to escape again," Nora pointed out the bright side.
"He can still win. I know he will," Ruby said with optimism.