Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. I wish I did. All characters, terms, and settings are property of Rooster Teeth. This is just a Fan creation. No profits are had. So enjoy this detour into my odd fascination with irrational Ships.

Chapter 7

Jaune had just been through one of the most awkward conversations of his life. Explaining to Nora and Ren why he had been given his own dorm room was agonizing. He was genuinely happy for them, and in most any other situation, telling them that he was moving because of a sock would have been something that they'd laugh about. But in this instance, he just wanted the conversation to be over.

He set down the last of his things, which wasn't much since travelling across half of Anima with just a single pack. The room was practically the exact same size as the one he had just left behind, but the crucial difference was that this was for just one person, not four, so he had plenty of room. He had his own desk, a much larger bunk, coffee table, couch, and most pleasing was his own bathroom. For the first time since leaving home, he could shower in peace.

He was about to do just that when his scroll started buzzing.

Here are the relevant files for the investigation. Look them over before we head out tomorrow.

-Winter

"I guess a nice long soothing shower will have to wait." Jaune said feeling very much defeated in that moment. He sighed and plugged his scroll into the desk and started going over the attached files. "11 Murders, no witnesses, no security footage, all with the exact same slash marks. Autopsy suggest a curved blade, approximately 7 to 10 inches in length."

Jaune hated this part of the job. He had always been squeamish during his First Aid classes at Beacon, but now he wished he had paid more attention. "All victims were specifically outspoken Anti-Atlas, Anti-Ironwood. That's not a good look for him." Jaune said thumbing his chin. "If I wanted to hurt Ironwood, violently taking out his opposition is a decent way of doing it. Puts Mantle on edge, makes him look like a tyrant that's silencing them."

There was something else, something he was missing. The crime scene photos, there was something about them. Jaune brought up all the images and placed them in front of their locations on the map. "These are all alleys. Dimly lite, with next to no foot traffic. But then, why would..." Jaune stopped at a realization. "Wait, all of these individuals had records, specifically arrest records. But where were they dropped off?" Jaune combed through the files and found that information missing. No arrests, no detainment, no release. They just disappeared for a day or two, then ended up dead in an alley.

Not overlooked, or omitted. It was gone. As if it had been removed, or perhaps redacted. "But who would want that information gone?" Jaune asked. He continued going over all the files but kept finding blanks in the reports. Anything that could have pointed him in the right direction was gone. "This feels wrong." He needed to know if this was something or not. Winter likely would know.

Hey, so stupid question but how often does Atlas redact arrest reports in Mantle?

Not at all to my knowledge. Why?

Well I started going over everything you sent me and I just keep hitting dead ends and redacted portions of reports and entire files gone. Sending you highlights and blank spots.

Looking these over now. Will check in when I have something.

Jaune nodded and stretched out his back. He had been at this for hours now. He knew that his role as the "strategist" had been one of convenience back in the day, less direct combat orientation let him be more mindful of what was happening, a more polite way of getting him out of danger and still being useful, but now he was entirely glad he was the smart one of the team. "I'm gonna need coffee."

A quick trip to the cafeteria and an entire pot of coffee later Jaune returned to his room to find Winter standing at his door. Jaune stopped dead in his tracks. He had never, not once seen her in anything other then her Atlas uniform. So 'surprised' was a little lacking when her saw her waiting in an Atlas hoodie with her hair down. "I finished reviewing your findings and came to some troubling conclusions. I did not want to discuss them over messages if my theories are correct." Winter said, cold and confident as ever.

Jaune just stood in shocked silence. Eventually Winter responded to his silence with her own confusion, looking around the empty hallway as he was observing something else. Jaune shook his head and brought himself back to reality. "Yeah, sorry. Lost in thought." Jaune said approaching and finally opening the door. "Make yourself comfortable."

Jaune set down the pot of coffee at the desk and looked at all work he had done, slowly coming to a sense of inadequacy when Winter standing next to him, started reviewing his work. "I know its nothing much. I wasn't really sure what I was looking for, or if anything at first." Jaune said, preemptively demeaning his work to lessen the blow when, predictably Winter also chastised him for coming up short.

"This is exceptional work." Winter said looking at his mishmash of connected notes, reports and digital twine connecting information. She gave his work a more in-depth review, adding her own notes to certain elements. She eventually turned back to Jaune. "I looked into the redactions you mentioned earlier and someone in a considerable position in the military is using the authorizations that even I don't have the authority to look into."

Jaune looked at the additions Winter had made to his notes. Things he would have never been able to come up. Knowledge that only came with growing up in Atlas. "Even still, there should be a few local copies right? Autopsies? We could talk to the Mantle cops that first investigated right?" Jaune insisted doing his best to sound optimistic.

Winter smirked at his attitude. "Well, there may be a few places we could look into."She said returning his optimism.

They spent the next few hours going through every detail of the reports, Jaune looking for more connections that weren't obvious, what each victim might have had in common. Winter meanwhile was putting together any and all information on the redactions and who might have been implementing them.

Turned out that every victim had had their Anti-Ironwood sentiments reported by their local Mantle Police Department and had quite a following. These were somewhat well known people. Not quite leaders or public figures, but people that others would listen to, or know what happened to them. Each one fit a profile. These were targeted victims. Accessible enough, but would make a large enough impact.

Meanwhile Winter had been looking into the redactions specifically and the authorization needed for just such a thing. Every time she tried something, a record of authorization, any mention of who would have gotten these reports, anything it always ended in a dead end. Someone had cleared their tracks perfectly.

Jaune sighed and flopped down onto the couch. "We've been at this for hours. I need a break." He said kicking his shoes off. "I swear I'm going cross-eyed." Jaune rubbed his temple and decompressed. "Any luck on your end?"

Winter sighed in anger. "None what so ever." She said bitterly before raking her fingers through her hair. "You were absolutely right before. It doesn't make any sense. This level of purging isn't something Atlas would do to protect itself from bad press." She drained the last bit of coffee from her cup and started fanning herself with her hand. She gave up on cooling herself with her hand and grabbed the hem of her hoodie and in a single fluid motion pulled it overhead and removed it revealing a simple tank top overtop of a sports bra.

Jaune froze. He had been around Team RWBY, Nora and Pyrrha for a long time. He had seen them in less then entirely modest get ups. Ruby and Yang's pyjamas were basically the same thing, but seeing Winter Schnee, Weiss' big sister, like this made him very uncomfortable. She was stunning. Her perfect white hair resting against her shoulders. Pale skin brightening up the room.

"This is malicious. I'm starting to suspect whomever did this is either a genius or -". Winter said completely unaware of his rapturous gaze. But her comment snapped him out of it and he sprang to his feet."

"One of our own." Jaune said putting the pieces together. "Take everything you have. I mean everything. Putting all of our research on your scroll only. No Atlas network or shared folders then delete everything we've done. I hope I'm wrong, but I think I have an idea." Jaune said quickly putting on his armor. "I can't fly an airship and we need to get to Mantle now. I'll meet you at the hanger." With that Jaune ran out of his room leaving a befuddled Winter there standing in his wake.

Before long Jaune sat in the passenger seat while Winter piloted the shuttle down to Mantle. It was late, very late. Almost everything was closed and there was next to no one in the streets. Winter put down the airship, in an authorized landing zone she pointed out to him, and watched as Jaune in a run disembarked the shuttle and took off into Mantle. "Come on!" Jaune shouted over his shoulder to her.

Jaune remembered exactly where he was going, it was kind of hard to forget. He rounded a corner and started knocking on a door, almost hammering away at it. There was a shuffling on the other side and the door slide open. "Doctor Polendina. I'm sorry its so late, but this was kind of an emergency." Jaune said, panting a little. The doctor, to his credit, ushered Jaune and Winter inside. "You said when we first met that someone had dismantled Atlas security codes and made it their plaything. Could you recognize that work if you saw it somewhere else?"

Pietro mumbled to himself for just a moment. "Well, I suppose I might. The work didn't exactly leave footprints in the sand mind you, but I suppose its possible. It would require a set of skills that is just unthinkable." He said as he took his hat off and with a handkerchief wiped his brow. "You think you have something?"

Jaune explained his investigation into the Anti-Ironwood Murders and Winter's probing into the redacted information. It was when Winter said that same words Pietro had said about the culprit that Jaune considered the dangerous connection. Without needing to be asked Winter handed Pietro her scroll, which at Jaune's insistence had been disabled from connecting to any other device or network.

Jaune and Winter sat in silence as Pietro examined the information they had brought him. He meticulously cross-examined it against the Amity breaches and the files pertain to the Fall of Beacon. "My boy, I dare say you were right." Pietro said, finally breaking a tense silence. "I haven't had the chance to go over this fully, but there's enough similarities that I'd make my case in front of the general and the rest of the council."

Jaune nodded. He was right, but then that meant that the murders in Mantle and the cover-up was the work of Salem and her agents. "So, then the enemy is here, in Mantle." Jaune said in a grim tone. "Ironwood needs to know. Doctor I hate to inconvenience you any further, but you're out best bet at convincing him with the proof we have."

Pietro dismissed Jaune's worries with a simple "Pish-posh" Then collected his things and made copies of their findings. "I'll keep my scroll off any and all networks. Until we can establish a proper measure of quarantine for our findings you two should do the same." Pietro said before pulling on a lever which activated all the shutters to unroll and cover the windows. He quickly attached a sign to the door.

'Days since last nonsense: 0

Back as soon as possible'

"I'll head to my facilities in Atlas right away. I can make quicker work of these findings there." Pietro says as he locks up his clinic. "I'll report to the general and the council as soon as I have a legitimate case." Pietro cleans his glasses. "You two should get some rest. When was the last time you ate?"

At the mention of food Jaune's energy came crashing down. He had been so focused on the goal, he had completely ignored, or forgotten, how hungry and tired he was. His shoulders drooped and his head hung a little. He saw Winter reacting much the same. "You're right Doctor. We need our rest. We have to investigate the actual murders tomorrow here in Mantle." Jaune said before clenching his jaw and fighting back a yawn. "We should probably get some food and turn in. Yeah?" Jaune looked to Winter who simply nodded.

Pietro smiled. There was a warmth to his smile, Jaune saw the father that made Penny for a moment. "Well, make sure that you do. A warm meal then straight to bed, and none of that Atlas Cafeteria food either. Get some real food down her in Mantle." Pietro said gesturing to the city around them. "If any other sleep reducing emergencies happen you'll find me in my lab. Goodnight and good luck."

Jaune and Winter were left standing in the empty streets of Mantle as Pietro's chair sauntered off. "Well, I know a pretty good place nearby. After I finish with the kids I usually grab a bite." Jaune said gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder. "Come on, just the two of us, my treat. You owe me, right?" Jaune was referring to the so called debt Winter claimed to be in for saving her life.

Winter froze for a brief moment. Jaune thought he saw a bit of color on her checks but dismissed it as the shine of some nearby neon. She seemed to be starring at the ground looking back and forth, collecting her thoughts. "Very well, if this is how you wish to, as they say, cash in your chips. Lead the way."

Jaune lead them through some of the more illuminated streets before turning down a less then inviting alley. "Are you certain with your directions? This does not seem to be the place one would find an eating establishment." Winter expressed her concerns looking at the filthy conditions and abundance of graffiti. 'Show your Teeth' adorning several walls.

"Yeah, I know this neighbourhood pretty well know." Jaune said looking around. "I'm down here most of the week. Though I've been away more then I'd like lately. You know, doing stuff we're not supposed to talk about." He smiled at her. A sort of goofy, guilty smile.

They turned down one more alley and Jaune pointed out a small neon sign. "Right there. See?" He asked enthusiastically. The sign read 'Benny's Haven' and occasionally flickered out. It was little more then a sign and a door with a single window, seemingly all stuffed between two larger buildings.

Winter was, for lack of a better word, depressed by this 'Benny's Haven' Jaune had brought her to. "You are certain this is how you wish to spend the remainder of our evening?" Winter said gesturing to the entrance. "This, 'restaurant'?"

Jaune broke out into a big smile. "Yeah! Trust me, you'll love it!" He said before taking her by the hand and almost dragging down the alley and into Benny's Haven.

Immediately Winter was flooded with multiple smells of confectioneries, coffees, and freshly baked bread. First impressions aside, the inside was indeed winning her over. The inside was surprisingly clean and well put together. Extremely narrow, it only had room for a bar which doubled as the kitchen and a few tables and chair further in, all lined up in a single row, the space not permitting otherwise.

"Hey there Gallant!" called out a rather muscular woman with no sleeves and an eye patch. Her large arms were covered in scars and she was sporting a prosthetic hand. "And you brought a friend. Come on in! I was about to close up, but for you the kitchens open."

Jaune smiled sheepishly and lead Winter inside to one of the tables further in. She froze for a split second when he pulled a chair for her. She accepted the offer, only a little unsure of the gesture. He sat down with a grin. "You're gonna love this place. Benny here makes the best coffee in town. Though I think we're past coffee at this hour." Jaune said looking at one of the menus on the table.

Winter looked around at the rest of the establishment. She was marginally surprised. The outside seemed to indicate a less then hospitable place of business with no regard for comfort or cleanliness, but the inside was a different story. The floor were clean, the furniture while mismatched was cozy, and the decor was humble. Many candles lighting the area with paintings of the Solitas landscape, several catching her eye.

"So what are your preferences?" Jaune asked from behind a menu. "I really enjoy the frosted pumpkin cheesecake. You seem like a bitter chocolate type of person. There's a dark chocolate mint swirl."

Winter recoiled slightly in offence, but realized that he was exactly correct. She didn't much care for sweets, but a bitter dark chocolate was something she remembered enjoying as a child. One of the few childhood memories that her entire family was happy. It was the first snowfall in Atlas after Whitley was born. It was one of the special days in Atlas where the city wide heating grid was reduce allowing for the precipitation to form as snow.

The entire family sat out on the vista in many bundled layers watching the snow fall across Atlas. Klein brought her a Hot Chocolate made specifically from dark chocolate, with mint sticks on the side. She remembers sitting on her fathers lap cheering Its one of the few memories she has of her father that doesn't make her scowl.

"If you insist. I will accept a dark chocolate mint swirl and anything else you would suggest."