Chapter 3: All According To Plan
Several days after the meeting, things went on as normal. The sun shone, the birds sang, said birds got eaten by the nearest passing Grimm. For team villain it was going along just fine as well, minus the ice cream haired girl. However her absence was noted, and the reason why as well.
"Our luck got her head conked." Mercury muttered, throwing a baseball against the wall over and over again.
"At least she can't talk." Emerald added.
"That's the only good thing about this. With Roman dead, our plans just got complicated." Cinder said, pacing about the room.
Cinder paced along the wall by the window, the blinds being down to prevent anyone looking in as usual. She rubbed the cord as she went past, and when she turned around to complete her pace, she noticed something. Under the end piece of the cord was something black. Stopping its swaying movements, she lifted it up to the end of a black microphone.
"You two, emergency exit! We have been tapped!" She yelled, destroying it with her flame semblance.
Mercury and Emerald nodded as Mercury kicked down a wall. The three then leaped out onto the front lawn of Beacon and began to make a run for it. But, as the three tried to run, they found themselves quickly cut off by five Vale PD police officers and three Atlesian soldiers, all of their weapons drawn and pointed at them.
"Hold it right there, criminal scum!" One of the police officers said, his pistol pointed right at the three criminals.
"Put your hands in the air and get on your knees!" Another officer told them, also trailing his gun's sights on them.
"I'm not your mother last night." Mercury replied with a smirk.
With that, the police officer glared and started opening fire on the three. Though it was blatantly obvious that most of his gunfire was aimed at Mercury.
"I think he took exception to that…" Mercury said, still smirking.
"Ya' think, dumbass?" Emerald responded with an eye roll.
With that, the other police officers and the three Atlesian soldiers also began to open fire. The three criminals ducked and dodged the hail of gunfire to the best of their abilities as Emerald turned her weapons into their gun forms to return fire. Mercury began unleashing shots of wind Dust from his greaves while Cinder manifested a bow and began firing arrows.
Running in while dodging and ducking through the gunfire, taking some hits in the process, Mercury got in close and kicked a gun out of one of the officer's hands. He then delivered a spin kick to the officer's temple, knocking him back.
"Did you just spin kick him?" Emerald asked as she kept firing back and trying to dodge gunfire.
"Always wanted to do that!" Mercury responded with a smirk while also dodging gunfire.
"Don't do it again." Emerald replied with a deadpan look as she continued dodging the hail of bullets.
"My body, my decision, Em!" Mercury replied back while dodging as well.
Rolling her eyes again, Emerald changed her weapons back into their kama forms as she charged in as well. She then launched the blades and swung them at one of the officers, forcing him to jump back. He just barely avoided being sliced into three pieces at the waist as he reloaded his gun and continued firing. Emerald dodged and weaved through the gunfire with the grace of the well trained thief she was as she tried to deflect any bullets she couldn't dodge. As soon as she got in close, she slashed with one of her Thief's Respite, slicing off the barrel of the gun.
With her opponent caught off guard by the action, Emerald kicked him to the ground and prepared to deal a blow down on him. However, before she could, a hail of large caliber rounds found purchase in her back with explosive force, sending her tumbling as the attacks broke her Aura and the impacts with the ground knocked her out.
"Emerald!" Mercury called out, glaring at the Atlesian soldiers who fired on his partner.
"Leave her! We need to get out of here!" Cinder replied, using her powers to create a wall of flames to distract their enemies.
With that, Cinder turned and fled.
~
Ringing and blurred vision Emerald began to return to the land of the conscious. All she could see in vague light surrounded by darkness. Her ears could only pick up a cacophony of ringing that would make a call center sound pleasant. Then pain rippled across her body. As she began to groan and rithe in its agony she saw a door open, to reveal the gruesome twosome of Ozpin and Ironwood.
"Remember the plan James." Ozpin whispered.
"I will never forget." Ironwood curtly answered.
"You said that the last time and look how well that worked out." Ozpin muttered.
"It's not my fault they smuggled in a pineapple." Ironwood answered.
"I see you two are done with your honeymoon." Emerald shot at them.
"Flattery will get you nowhere my dear." Ozpin answered.
"You might as well give up now. I'm not going to talk." Emerald said.
"Would you prefer a broken pelvis?" Ironwood asked.
"James. Stop jumping the gun." Ozpin shot at him.
"Gods you two are annoying." Emerald muttered.
"Is this really how you want to live your life? In dark and cold rooms talking to strange people? Before being sent to an equally cold and dark cage? Only to have that repeated for the rest of your life?" Ozpin asked.
"That's the nice version of what you're going to get." Ironwood continued.
"Look gentlemen, I appreciate the song and dance routine, but I'm just gonna sit here till you two leave and not bother me anymore." Emerald said.
"Cute. You think that's how it works?" Ironwood asked.
"Considering you couldn't capture a half brain dead little girl, what reason do I have to be scared of you?" Emerald asked.
"I understand you've had a hard life. Had to make hard choices and make decisions you would not have had to make otherwise. We are here to help you." Ozpin said.
"And if not, we will make sure you feel right at home here." Ironwood added.
"Look gramps, I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested in talking to either of you." Emerald stubbornly said.
"I wish it didn't have to come to this then. James, do try not to break her, unlike the last one." Ozpin said as he turned around.
"Wait, what now?" Emerald asked, getting nervous.
"Guarantee no promises." Ironwood said as he pressed a button on his scroll.
"What the hell are you two on about?" Emerald said as she fought against her bonds.
"If you're not going to talk willingly, then we will make you." Ironwood said as he himself turned around.
"You can't do that, I have rights!" Emerald yelled frantically.
"Terrorists don't have rights." Ironwood answered as the doors slid open.
Several agents walked in with normal Atlesian uniforms, carrying towels, a bucket, and gallons of water. Behind them was four Atlesian paladins, each one walking in lock step. The light shone on them from the hallway as Ironwood walked towards the door.
"No please stop! I'll do anything!" Emerald yelled frantically, trying something, anything to prevent this.
"Should have taken our offer then." Ozpin answered, as the doors closed, and consumed Emerald in its all consuming darkness.
~
Emerald didn't know how long it lasted. Time seemed to not exist anymore as she lay on a cold metal table, looking up at the blinding light above her. The remnants of water still lay on her forehead as she had no energy or will to work against her restraints. A red rash line above her nose had formed, and everything below it was soaked. Cuts and bruises of various sizes and patterns criss crossed her body like valleys and gullies on the landscape. For the first time in what seemed like eternity the door opened, and the sound of a single pair of boots grew ever closer.
"Please… make this… stop…" Emerald weakly said, hardly able to muster the strength to beg.
"My dear, you know how to make it stop." Ironwood answered, now looming over her like a cat over a mouse.
"Anything…" Emerald begged.
"Tell me everything, and it will stop. But if you don't…" Ironwood said, before pulling out a nine inch nail from his coat pocket.
"No please anything… Make it stop…" Emerald said as she broke down crying, sobbing for any form of relief.
"You can come too, Ozpin." Ironwood said bluntly.
"I'm so sorry this had to happen my dear. Now please. Tell us." Ozpin said in a soft, gentle tone.
Later at Beacon
Ironwood straightened his tie as he walked. He always hated such grisly business, but unfortunately now things were too critical to let things lie. Now however he had other fish to fry. One that should be alot easier to get information out of.
He walked to the dorm number that Winter got him, he knocked on the door. At first nothing. He listened into the room, to hear what he could only assume to be cartoons. The educational kind. This confused him further and he knocked again more forcefully. Again nothing. Finally deciding he's done playing good cop, he opened the door. Pleasantly surprised to find it is unlocked. In front of him is Neo Politan in a wheelchair watching tv.
Neo seemed completely engrossed in the show. It appears she hasn't even noticed his presence.
"Excuse me, Ms Politan. You have a moment of your time? I am General Ironwood, and I would like to ask you some questions." James said.
Neo, finally noticing him, cocks her head adorably, in confusion, before pulling out her scroll, and struggling to type, 'I was actually about to settle in for an afternoon nap, after all, I need my beauty sleep to stay this adorable.'
"It will be quick I assure you." Ironwood said dismissively.
At this, neo pouts, typing, 'but i'm sleepy now!'
"Then perhaps a change of scenery will change your mind." Ironwood said as he began to wheel her out.
Neo starts freaking out, typing, 'no! Help! I'm being taken against my will!'
That didn't do any good as the two made headway in the direction of Glynda's office. As they rounded a corner, team RWBY came back, and perplexed the door was still open and Neo was nowhere to be found.
"Um, where is the ice cream girl?" Blake asked.
"It's not like she can go anywhere. All she can do is go in circles." Ruby continued.
"Pity. I was just starting to form an attachment." Weiss muttered.
"I wasn't." Yang said with a shrug.
"Wait, why is the door open!?" Ruby yelled and frantically looked around.
"There's no way anyone could take Neo… could they?" Weiss asked.
"Zwei!" Ruby yelled, causing the corgi to perk up from his nap, "Find Neo, boy!"
Zwei stretched himself out and put his nose to the ground. Then at his tracking pace he made a left out of the dorm and down the hall. As Weiss and Ruby followed, the crimson lightning bolt frantically texted Ozpin on her scroll. Soon, however, the two girls realized where Zwei was taking them.
"Why would Glynda take Neo?" Ruby asked, confused.
"Start answering me." An all too familiar harsh tone was heard through the door.
"Ironwood…" The two girls muttered in unison.
Neo can be heard sobbing heavy, hiccupping sobs in response.
The two were about to storm the room when a familiar tapping noise was heard. They turned around to see Ozpin walking up behind them, a very stern face looking back at them.
"Enter. I have stern words I need to say to James." Ozpin told them sternly, and neither defied him.
The two girls stormed into the room suddenly, Ozpin walking in behind. Both Ironwood and Neo were shocked as the two girls got between Neo and Ironwood quickly.
Neo instinctively hugs Ruby in response, typing, 'protect me, sissy!'
"Don't worry Neo, I'm here." Ruby answered as Zwei jumped up into Neo's lap and licked her face.
Neo cries as she snuggles him close.
"What are you doing, Ozpin? I had this under control." Ironwood snapped.
"I fail to see how having my youngest student crying is having things under control. Ms. Rose and Ms. Schnee, please take Ms. Politan away." Ozpin said sternly.
"It's okay Neo. Let's go out for ice cream." Weiss said as she wheeled Neo out, Ruby following behind and glaring Ironwood daggers.
Neo nods sadly, wiping her nose, still crying.
"What were you thinking?" Ozpin asked.
"Explain to me why I should trust her!? How do we not know she isn't faking this!?" Ironwood roared.
"No one, no matter how good, could put off an act like that for this long. And you don't need to trust her James. You only need to trust me." Ozpin explained.
"And why should I be trusting you with all of this?" Ironwood asked.
"Because everything is still just as planned." Ozpin said simply.
~
"So one of your underlings was captured and the other has amnesia?" Salem asked from her throne, sipping a glass of wine.
"Yes, my liege. It is an unfortunate state of affairs. One I intend to correct…" Cinder said from her hand and knees, before being cut off.
"That is unnecessary." Salem said curtly.
From the shadows Mercury watched this unfold, puzzled. Emerald was captured, Neo was awol, Roman was dead, and their cover was blown. He didn't understand a damn thing. The only consolation prize is Cinder knew about as much as him.
"I don't understand, my queen…" Cinder said, confused.
"It is not your job to understand. Only to obey. Rest assured. Everything is going all according to plan." She said as she looked out into the night sky, and a smile forming on her lips.