Chapter 50: Full Disclosure

"You're better off not knowing the trouble I'm in..."

"In morning news, Atlas Military busts White Fang warehouses in Vale. Crates of stolen dust were recovered and numerous terrorist officials were apprehended with the aid of the VPD..."

Blake's face lit up as she stared at the television, tuna flakes sliding off her spoon. "Is that really?"

"That's awesome," Ruby said, placing her glass of hot cocoa back on the desk. "Mission accomplished, right, team leader?"

Nex shrugged, sitting cross-legged on the carpet. Seriously. Even the mansion's rec room was decked out with white fur and pale blue draperies.

"All's well that ends well," Nex said.

It would throw a wrench into Cinder Fall's plan, at least. Now all he needed to do was take care of the White Fang in Mantle, as well as Roman and Neo. A flying shame they managed to haul-ass to the northern kingdom before the cops got to them.

It had been a week since they arrived in Atlas. Weiss assumed a part-time post in the SDC. A job where she shadowed a manager as the woman went about her day. All while looking for a way to get into Jacques' secret room without him knowing. Well, when she was not busy with the tailors, anyways. Apparently, having a new dress sewn for her birthday was a big deal.

Nex rolled his eyes. How long did it even take to have a few body parts measured? Or even for someone else to dress you up?

The party was going to be tonight, so it was doubtful he would see her for lunch or even in the afternoon. Which meant more free time for him, since all he needed to do was put on a suit.

Nex continued fiddling with his latest gizmo, his fingers wrapped around a screwdriver and coated with grease. His skin tingled as he twisted the screw into the watch. It had a scroll built into it—one linked to his weapon. Basically his more low-tech replacement for the bracer he handed off to Weiss.

"What's that?" Ruby said, squatting beside him.

"It's a watch," Nex said. "It's also a scroll."

"That sounds..." Ruby trailed off, bouncing back on the couch. In slow-motion even, rose petals swirling around her. "Boring."

"Well, we can't all have time powers or super glyphs," Nex said. "Not everything has to be flashy, you know."

The TV droned on in the background. Some sort of ambience to fill the air between the three members of their high-society.

"I'm sure it's gonna be useful," Blake said, eyes fixed on her book.

His scroll beeped against his thigh.

Nex fished it out, glaring at the message.

"Our lady-friend wants coffee. Meet up in one." — R

"Who's R and your lady-friend?" Ruby said, leaning over his shoulder. "Aside from me, I guess."

Nex flinched, his heart leaping up to his temples. "Fucking hell, don't scare me like that, Rubes."

"Sorry." Ruby smiled. "So..."

"They're just a bunch of contacts," Nex said, even as the ghost-ninja's eyebrows furrowed. "It's part of my job as a super cool spy."

"Oooooh!" Ruby's smile widened as she held her hands over her chest. "Can we come? Promise we'll stay in a corner. We'll even wear spy coats and sunglasses."

She was definitely not taking it seriously at all.

Nex shot her a deadpan stare. "Nope. I'm not supposed to take anyone else again, remember? General's orders."

Ruby's face fell. "Awwww. Guess me and Blake's gonna play some arcade then."

"No. Not again." Blake stammered, wincing as she dropped her spoon in her bowl. "I think my blisters have blisters. Have mercy on me, partner."

The door swung open.

Whitley marched into the room with his hands hidden behind his back. The Whitley-pose, if Ruby's snide comments were to be believed.

"Weiss wishes for Miss Rose and Miss Belladonna to accompany her to the salon this afternoon," Whitley said, standing ten feet away from them. "I suggest you take this matter into consideration before you go gallivanting around Atlas."

"You've been eavesdropping on us," Ruby said, scowling at the the poor boy. "Haven't you ever heard of privacy?"

"I'm sorry, I seem to recall that this is, in fact, my house," Whitley said, snapping his fingers. The television flickered off. "Furthermore, I believe that it's only my fair duty to tend to the guests."

"Those maids and butlers aren't secretly props, right?" Nex said.

Ruby snickered. "Maybe they're super advanced androids?"

Blake giggled, hiding her face behind The Man With Two Souls. "I swear it's this scene. Gets me every time."

"If you're quite done, Miss Rose. Miss Belladonna," Whitley said, a polite smile on his lips. He clapped once, twice, and thrice. "A big hand to my brother-in-law for masterfully dealing with the White Fang."

Nex raised an eyebrow, slipping his watch around his wrist. He stood up and leaned against the couch—right beside the ghost-ninja. "I didn't do anything. The military made the arrest, not me."

Whitley waved a hand. "My sources in the military say—

"Winter, you mean," Blake said, exchanging grins with Ruby.

"If I may continue," Whitley said. "Someone in the ACD produced a map detailing the White Fang's warehouses in and out of Vale."

"Which is me," Nex said, shrugging. With a lot of help from the ghost-ninja. "Ain't that big of a deal though."

"But it is," Whitley said, waving a hand. "Credit where credit is due, brother-in-law. I heard you have an appointment in the city?"

Nex nodded. "Yep. Which means I'll be going now."

He loped past Whitley, dropping his scroll back in his pocket.

"Please, allow me to assist you," Whitley said, walking beside him. "I'll have one of our servants ready a vehicle. I assure you it'll be faster than walking."

"Thanks," Nex said, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "What happened to me being only after Weiss' wallet?"

"I said no such thing." Whitley smirked. "Despite having two pairs of ears, you seem to be quite hard of hearing."

"Well, fuck you too," Nex said. "Now I see why even Ruby Rose doesn't like you."

Whitley chuckled. An ugly sound caught in his throat. "Such crass language. What would Weiss say if she hears her fiance cursing her brother?"

"I dunno, help me out?" Nex said as they turned left down the hall. "The way I see it, she doesn't like you either."

"You overestimate yourself, brother-in-law," Whitley said. "Keep in mind that blood is thicker than water."

They reached the wide stairs that lead to the front of the manse.

"Push comes to shove and she'll choose her family over you," Whitley said. "You're simply an accessory. A convenient tool to ward off her unwanted suitors. You do realize that, don't you?"

"Weiss isn't like your dad." Nex frowned at the sneer on Whitley's face. "But I'm betting that's exactly how you feel, huh?"

"Pray tell?" Whitley said.

"Whitley Schnee, the completely unremarkable brother of a famed Atlesian specialist and the heiress of the SDC," Nex said,"who also happens to be a huntress-in-training. I did my research. Believe me, I understand how it feels."

Whitley's sneer darkened. "You understand nothing. Don't presume to know me, Nexus Shade."

"Maybe I don't." Nex shrugged as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "But who does?" He jogged out of the door, yelling inside, "Keep the car! Thanks though!"

By the time Nex made it down Mantle, thirty minutes had already passed. The heat reached up his neck as snow glittered in clouds of smoke. Orange fires burned in oil lamps lining the Bone Alley, the business still quiet in the city's most infamous street. At night, it would have been packed full with thieves and beggars, with gangsters and ordinary people working to make ends meet. That one gig he ran with Mekel came to mind, back before he climbed his way to who he was.

Nex stopped beside the forty-fourth lamppost. A whorehouse stood beside him, sweet incense wafting out of its windows. Silhouettes of men and women danced against the light. Words and laughter, as well as the clinking of knives filled his extra pair of ears. A line of prostitutes bustled around the building, hooking their arms around passing men—and sometimes even women.

The Pearl. One of Mekel's inter-kingdom ventures. Apparently, people were hungry enough for sex to pay for it more than what they paid for food.

"Sir, you look tired." A woman dressed in green strips and not much else sauntered up to him. "Come inside, we—"

"Will do nothing," Roman Torchwick said, puffing out nicotine as he strolled towards them, flanked by none other than Neo. "Business before pleasure, lass."

"Torchwick," the woman said, smiling as she bowed, offering the thief a generous view of her cleavage. "The boss sends his regards."

Nex turned away, whistling as he stared at the flickering fire.

Neo leaned across the lamppost and winked at him, offering him a view of her cleavage.

Ugh.

Nex shook his head. Weiss' was shaped better. And it was definitely not bias. Nope. Objective. It was purely objective.

"Send him mine as well," Roman said, pinching his blunt. "It's the man's turf, after all."

The woman nodded, her hips swaying as she entered The Pearl. Her fellow girls gave them a wide berth. Enough for them to talk without anyone listening in. And by the way Neo was looking around, no one would even dare.

Nex faced his partners in crime. He parked one hand on Oathkeeper, whistling a tune under his hood.

Roman winced as he put away his blunt. "How much does Jimmy pay you?"

"Four zeroes," Nex said, Oathkeeper creaking in his gloved hand. "It ain't twenty, but it keeps the police off my back."

"You sold me out for four zeroes and a fucking diplomatic immunity?" Roman gripped his cane.

"Well, you sold me out for some girl and your balls." Nex shrugged. "What can I possibly say? It's a dog-eat-dog world."

Neo cackled behind Roman, her shoulders quivering as she held a hand to her forehead.

"Bra-vo. Well-spoken," Roman said. He clapped once, his leather gloves smacking together. "I don't actually give a shit about the warehouses. What's a million lien to people like us?"

"Peanuts," Nex said. "I don't even know where to spend it all."

"Gods fucking damn it," Roman said, his hand blurring as he fished out a fresh cigar. "The dust is gone. All gone."

"And now, so are you," Nex said. "Go hide in your little empire, Torch. I hear Vacuo's offering a nice view while shit blows over."

Roman huffed at his blunt. "You don't get it, do you? Whoever's behind our lady-friend has—"

"Got you running scared," Nex said, licking his lips. "Imagine that. Roman Torchwick, one of us Vagabonds. Getting cold feet because of some girl."

"Unlike you, I don't have the Schnees in my back pocket," Roman said, puffing out grey smoke. "You know that whoever's behind Fall will be after you too."

"Any idea who that is?" Nex said.

"No clue," Roman said, casting a glance at The Pearl's billboard. "But Fall showed us a glimpse."

Nex quirked an eyebrow. "A glimpse of what?"

"Fall waves her hand and in comes a literal thunderstorm, saying it's a gift from her mistress," Roman muttered. "I'm telling you, I can deal with huntsmen and their flashy bullshit. It's just business. But this magic crap? It's way beyond my pay-grade."

"You sure she wasn't using dust?" Nex said. "Maybe some sort of semblance?"

Roman chuckled. "We both know what dust and semblances are capable of. This ain't it."

His fellow thief had a point. The amount of dust needed to cause a thunderstorm would have been beyond an ordinary dust store's capacity. And the skill needed to control it would have been beyond even the most masterful of dust mages. Even his semblance would have faced a challenge. It was possible there was another semblance that could do it, of course. Some sort of innate elemental manipulation. But the odds were astronomical. The odds of someone having enough aura to accomplish the feat, even more so.

Thus, there was only one possible conclusion.

"Do you believe in fairy tales?" Nex said. "I'm starting to think I do."

"Fairy tales?" Roman's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "You're as batshit when we started."

Nex grinned. "If the shoe fits..."

The thief scoffed and turned to his little helper.

"Neo, go do your thing," Roman said. He waved his cane at The Pearl right before Neo vanished. "As for us, we have a date with the devil herself."

"Or a jaunt into our graves," Nex said. "How's your sword-arm?"

Roman's cane whooshed.

Nex ducked.

Melodic Cudgel scratched the top of his mask.

"Not bad for an old man," Nex said, laughing as they strolled into The Pearl. "So, I heard about what happened in Mistral..."

"Ah, Roman," Cinder said, her feet propped up on the wooden table—one inlaid with gold. "And the man of the hour."

Nex took the seat across her. "We didn't keep you waiting long, right?"

"Have you brought the virus?" Cinder asked as Roman took the seat between them, placing his cane on the table.

Nex nodded, pulling out the scroll he asked for—now programmed with the payload. "Just need to place this somewhere important. On a console in Atlas' command ship maybe. Then bam. The mechs are yours." He grinned behind his mask. "But, well, how you get to that is your problem."

"Excellent," Cinder said, smirking at the scroll. "Whatever shall your reward be, Artificer?"

"Amnesty in the new world order, for me and anyone else I want," Nex said, leaning back into the soft cushion. "A perch to watch from as the world goes to shit. Also, a fuckton of lien and an unlimited supply of strawberry milkshakes and bagels. The buttery ones, please."

Cinder chuckled, a smile tilting her lips. "See? This here is a man who knows what they want and how to get it."

"Look, it's not my fault the White Fang messed up," Roman said, shooting him a pointed stare. "Shouldn't have trusted them if you ask me."

"Now, now, Roman." Cinder clicked her tongue. "Are you blaming me and the White Fang for your failure?"

"No, of course not," Roman said, fidgeting with his cigar. "I'm just saying—"

"No." Cinder's left hand flashed, Pareidolia tingling as wine and liquefied glass dripped across the carpet. "The dust and the White Fang were crucial to the plan. How, Torchwick? How did Atlas catch our trail?"

Roman whistled. "Beats me. Ask the bull... Taurus. Yep. I'm pretty sure Taurus knows something."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Cinder said as she poured herself another glass, the spilled wine spreading across the carpet. "Taurus would not have bungled the operation. Not with his precious faunus on the line."

"Alright, fine," Roman said, raising his hands. "I messed up. I'll plug the leaks and regather the dust."

"It's too late for that," Cinder said. "We'll proceed as planned, but with slight alterations."

Nex placed a hand under his chin, pressing his elbow into his thigh. His other hand dropped a tiny bug between the cushions. "Oooooh, plans. Should I go then?"

"That would be best," Cinder said, pointing at the door of the suite. "I'll have Roman here transfer the lien, as well as the deed to a suitable villa. Do you prefer Mistral or Vacuo?"

A villa that would no doubt be one of Torchwick's very own, paid straight out of his pockets.

The thief winced. He huffed on his cigar even more.

"Mistral," Nex said. "Have you seen the waterfall?"

"How could I unsee it?" Cinder said, arching an eyebrow. "You seem to have done your research. Are you really that interested in me?"

"Don't worry about your little secret," Nex said as he stood up. "I'm a neutral party, Miss Fall. As long as my price is paid, we'll have no problems whatsoever. It's just business. Nothing personal. Of course, should the opposite happen..."

"Rest assured it won't come to that," Cinder said, taking a sip of her Mistralian Nightshade. "I'm glad to have met a reasonable man like you, unlike some others here who only know how to waffle."

Roman breathed smoke at the ceiling, seemingly shrinking into his hat.

"Well, I'll be going. Nice doing business with you, Cinder," Nex said, chuckling as he strode towards the door. "In the future, should you have need of my expertise..."

"I'll know how to contact you," Cinder said, swirling her glass. "Pleasure doing business, Artificer."

Nex tipped his imaginary hat, twisting on his heel and spinning out of the room.

He had another woman to see.

"Roman, have Neo take us to the safe house," Cinder said. "We must move quickly if we're to recover—"

A door hinged shut, Cinder's voice fading.

Nex ripped the transceiver from his ear, chucking it over the Atlesian skyline. It sailed down the clouds. A burst of grey through white.

The bug had been utterly useless. Cinder Fall would have been a complete amateur otherwise.

Nex shrugged. Fuck it.

His mother's gravestone stood beside him, the chipped stone adorned with a wreath of withered myrtles. Exactly like he left it almost a year ago.

In loving memory of Amariss Shade. Dead due to life circumstances.

He giggled. Somehow, it was the one thing that never failed to get a laugh from him. It was better than the real reason, at least. Now that he knew better.

"Hey, mom," Nex whispered, dusting the stone off. The dirt ground against his skin. "There's a lot of stuff you never bothered to tell me, huh?"

He glanced at his swords, crossed on the earth beside her.

"I don't know what enemies you made," Nex said, growling as Pareidolia twitched. "Or what you really were fighting for. But what I do know is that the bastard you married—"

"Hey, kid—"

"Doesn't deserve to live!" Nex roared as his weapons flew into his hand, brimming with light.

Oathkeeper struck low at the bastard's waist. Hrunting and Vigilance groaned as its sheathe sharpened, the barrels shrinking into cannons, poised to tear out his chest.

Qrow Branwen flinched. He drew his greatsword, parrying both strikes with its girth.

Steel clanged. And clanged. And clanged.

Pareidolia washed over him, cooling down the fire in his stomach.

The greatsword was bulky. But its range would provide the bastard the advantage. It also turned into a scythe. And some sort of curved glaive, if his memories were to be trusted.

His mom had kept close during their spars, battering the bastard at close range with her sword and shield. Shoving him around where he was at his weakest. He could duke it out at long range with his cannon, of course. But it would risk blowing up his mom's gravestone.

"Stop!" Qrow leapt three steps back, breaking the deadlock, his tattered cape whipping in the wind.

Nex snarled. "Did you stop her from dying? Huh?!"

The bastard blocked another four strikes, managing to slash at him once. To no avail. As soon as Oathkeeper pulled back, Hrunting and Vigilance followed. A blur of blue and gold. The gap between his slashes would have left Yang Xiao Long dead on the stage. Even Weiss would have had trouble deflecting them with her glyphs—or disarming him with them.

Not the best dance he could do. No. He could do more. But still.

It was a testament to his father that the bastard was able to keep up.

"Listen for a sec!" Qrow grimaced as he lashed out with the flat of his sword, only for it to slide off Hrunting and Vigilance.

"I'm done listening to your fibs," Nex said, swerving around him. "When were you planning to tell me?! Or was it fucking never?"

Oathkeeper flew at the back of Qrow's neck, the blade wreathed in lightning.

The greatsword clanked. It curved and wrenched Oathkeeper from its path.

Nex hopped away, glaring at the scythe. He pressed the trigger. Hrunting and Vigilance whined, extending into a spear.

His wrist twitched.

Oathkeeper dragged over stone, leaving thin gouges. It whorled back to its sheathe. The blade clicked as it settled in its home.

His finger hovered over another switch. Just in case he needed the extra edge. Or in case his spear was a bad match for the bastard's scythe.

"Look, I was gonna tell you," Qrow said. "I was waiting for the right time."

"Oh yeah?" Nex said, tracing an arc to the right. "Did you wait for mom too?"

As expected, the bastard mirrored his footwork.

Two huntsmen.

Circling around a woman's gravestone.

It would have made an amusing sight if not for the circumstances.

"What the hell was I supposed to do?" Qrow scowled, the scythe's shaft creaking. "Mary and Summer made the call."

"Then you shouldn't have answered it." Nex rushed forward, thunder sparking around him. "You should have said no!"

His spear shimmered in the afternoon sun, the midnight stained red and gold.

Qrow Branwen burst into black feathers.

Nex groaned as his semblance fizzled out, unable to make sense of it.

The crow soared away.

Nex gnashed his teeth, putting the bird in his aim. The tip of his spear shrunk into its shaft. A trigger popped out and settled on his palm, the golden holographic sights along its length flashing.

He squeezed the damned thing.

Boom.

The orange flare went wide as the bird twisted.

Another flare missed, the bird perching on a tree.

Nex lowered his rifle-spear. A shot there would have probably set the ring of trees on fire. As well as the entire memorial. A faunus setting a national landmark ablaze? It would have definitely drawn unwanted attention.

"You ready to talk?" Qrow said, his legs dangling as he sat on a branch. He took a long chug from his flask. "Or you want to swing dick sticks some more?"

"Talk," Nex said. He spun Hrunting and Vigilance back to its cannon-sword form. "I'll shoot your tongue if I don't like what comes out."

"Me and your mom," Qrow said, resting his flask on his lap. "As well as Summer. We're part of something more. Something larger than all of us."

Nex rolled his eyes. "No shit. Tell me something I don't know."

"I couldn't even if you pried it from my mouth," Qrow said.

"Let me guess," Nex said. "An old wizard put a spell on you, just like in the fairy tales."

"It's part of the job package." Qrow took another swig from his flask. "Listen, kid. I'm not a good dad—"

"Damn right you aren't," Nex muttered, boring daggers into him.

"—and I won't pretend to be a good husband either," Qrow said. "But there's stuff bigger than us. Stuff that demands sacrifices from us all."

"Like what?" Nex said, putting his weapon back to his belt. "Stuff such as dicking around with your nieces? Maybe drinking your ass flat in a bar?"

"Those born with silver eyes had to have a protector," Qrow replied, hanging his head. "It's my burden to bear."

"Oh, fuck me in the ass," Nex said, crossing his arms. "I didn't know eye-color mattered when it came to your son."

"My job's too dangerous for me to be around you," Qrow said as he screwed his flask shut. "I should go. The Grimm you found could lead to something more."

Of course. His father came to Atlas for a damned job. Not to visit either his son or his dead wife.

Nex sneered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't want anything to do with you or your conspiracies. Do me a favor and go die in a ditch somewhere."

"I expected you to try and shoot me some more." Qrow chuckled, pocketing his flask. "Heard my sister—"

"That's none of your business." Nex spun on his heel and marched out of the cemetery. "I'd say it's a pleasure to see you, but that'd be the biggest lie I've ever told."

"Whatever she said, she's dangerous—"

"I've been making my own decisions since I was eight." Nex craned his head, flipping the bird the bird. "You finally telling me you're the sperm donor that fucked up my mom? It doesn't change a damn thing."

No one answered except for a crow, cawing as it leapt off the branch.