Long Term Vengeance Volume 2 Chapter 10, a rwby fanfic

Jaune was the only person in the transport who had never had his mug shot taken before and it showed. His nervous, shamefaced expression contrasted with the pained look on Blake's face as they propped her up to take her picture and the self-satisfied smirk of the Branwens. After being booked, they were separated for questioning, but as they'd assumed that at least Jaune would be arrested had arranged to give out no more information than their name and occupation, and their cover stories for why they were at the "right place" at the right time.

Cordovin herself oversaw the interrogation, seating them in dimly lit rooms isolated from each other and in uncomfortably cold temperatures. She'd stride in and approach, her full standing height about at eye level with them sitting.

"What message did you send to Atlas?"

"I'm afraid you don't have clearance for that information," Qrow replied smugly. "Ironwood had me on a special mission that I can only reveal on a need-to-know basis."

"And why couldn't you just contact the General directly?"

"That is also classified…now can I have my effects back or…"

"Under what circumstances were you supervising six huntsmen in training from Beacon Academy?"

"That was actually a specialized program initiated before Beacon was destroyed. I'm acting in a chaperone or supervisory capacity to monitor them for their training."

"And what was the name of this program?"

"That's classified, too. You'll have to take that up with the staff at Beacon. Don't I get a phone call? Can I make it long distance?"

Cordovin pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled. This was going to be a long afternoon.

After an hour getting nothing from the Qrow, she tried her luck next with Yang.

"Who else was involved in your little shenanigan?"

"Is Blake's leg being treated?"

"You should be worried about yourself, young lady?"

Yang folded her arms. "I know I'm going to be fine no matter what. But Blake? Her leg is broken and she needs medical treatment."

"I'll be willing to update you on her status if you give me the relevant information I need." Cordovin smirked, thinking she had the upper hand.

"Ok…so tell me how she is doing first and then I'll decide if that's enough to give you any more information."

Listen! You impertinent runt!" Cordovin balled up her fists.

"Projecting much?" Yang muttered under her breath.

The special operative had to take a few deep breaths to maintain her composure. "Your friend is in a great deal of trouble, both medically and legally. You know a broken femur can keep someone from walking properly again if it isn't set and allowed to heal properly… What if I assured you she'd get the best care provided you fill in all the little details of you and your uncle's secret mission?"

Yang squinted and tilted her head. Cordovin couldn't think she was that stupid. "Are you saying you're going to withhold medical care from a patient? And you're planning on using that to pressure me into giving up information on my friends? That's some really shady stuff. I thought the illustrious Atlesean military was above that. Especially since Blake's a faunus, if it ever got out, the Argus base would have a huge discrimination lawsuit on its hands. It sounds like you have a lot more to worry about than three students and a drunk huntsman using a communication tower."

She couldn't handle anymore after that. She stormed out of the interrogation ranting and screeching about how she would not hear her base nor her government's name besmirched and ordered guards to return "that blonde hussy" back to her cell. The interrogation lasted no longer than thirty minutes.

Blake was being seen by medical staff on the base and was under such deep sedation she wasn't going to be able to be interviewed, though her mug shot showed she not only had a previous record, but was wanted in connection with a string of targeted attacks against the SDC throughout anima, information Cordovin was sure would be useful to her investigation.

Jaune was the last interrogated and his interrogation lasted the longest, though he only repeated a set of sentences.

"Who gave you the security protocols for the comm tower?"

"My name is Jaune Arc and both my team and sister's family were unaware of my actions. I acted on my own with the minimal assistance of Blake and Yang. Their team captain as well as my remaining team members were both uninvolved and unaware."

"Who did you contact?"

"What were the contents of the message? Why did you refuse to go through traditional channels if your message was so important to get through?" For some reason, she was more patient than she was with the other two, possibly because Jaune wasn't nearly as smug as the other two or possibly she saw him as weaker and thought she had more leverage with his sister and sister-in-law being in town. Regardless, his answer remained the same:

He repeated the sentence in a zen-like state regardless of any questions, however simple or however inflammatory for the next four hours. Cordovin raged, tried threatening, appealed to him to help, tried guilting him, tried to sneak in innocuous questions to no avail. Qrow had told him if they did get arrested to stick to a single story and not to take any offers she made, especially if he had been able to reach Winter. All they would have to do is hold fast until Winter came for them and they'd be fine.

At the end if the interrogations, Qrow, Jaune and Yang were returned to their cells: a block of transparent forcefields allowing them to see and talk to each other without being able to get to close.

"Where's Blake?" Yang asked as soon as she realized it was only the three of them.

"The faunus detainee is still receiving medical treatment but will be extradited to Mistral when she is stable enough to move."

"Why?"

"That is none of your concern." The guard responded curtly before turning and leaving.

What should have taken a single call and a few hours to arrange took Winter almost three days. Ironwood was convinced it was a trap, refusing to even acknowledge the call. Clover finally convinced him that anyone claiming to have a relic should be investigated, regardless of the risk, and that could only be done by someone who already knew of the relics' existence.

He next objected to Winter leaving as he didn't want her too far away from the maiden should she die and need to pass on her powers, insisting that Clover or Penny be sent instead.

When objections kept surfacing, Winter decided to force his hand. His paranoia was affecting more than just dust sales and curfews, this was jeopardizing an attack against Salem and worse, her family. On the evening of the second day, she stormed into his office and told him outright that she was leaving with her issued transport ship and crew and if he wanted to court martial her, he'd have to wait until she got back. Perhaps he realized he couldn't afford to lose someone he'd invested so much in, or he didn't want to lose the face of the military, or he realized his own fears were affecting him negatively, but he gruffly conceded, giving her clearance to leave.

She was took off within the hour.

The evening had turned unfavorably cold. Weiss appeared at the doorway to Adam's bedroom.

"Can I have some socks to sleep in?" She leaned on the door frame.

Adam stood from his desk chair and went to his chest of drawers. "Do you need me to turn the heat up?"

"I should be fine," Weiss replied, though she was shivering.

In addition to finding a pair of socks for her, he also removed a long-sleeved thermal shirt and tossed them both to her. She stood in the doorway and put them both on, the socks coming halfway up her calves and the thermal shirt over her night shirt had sleeves too long for her arms and extended almost to her knees. "Thanks."

Adam took the sleeves that extended past her fingers and tugged on them, pulling her into his room. "Come here."

"What? Why?"

"You're cold, and I know how hard it is to get warm when you're chilled." He pulled her toward himself before taking her by the shoulders and directing her to the bed, grabbing a blanket and tossing it over her, before climbing on himself. He let her adjust the blanket until she was comfortable before reaching his right arm around her and pulling her in close. "Just until you can get some heat built up." He promised.

Weiss smiled wryly, gripping the blanket and nestling into the crook of his shoulder with her head on his chest. "This reminds me of when we got separated from the group south of Mountain Glenn."

"It was only a few months ago, but we thought so differently of each other," he mused. "I actually learned a lot about you that night. It's how I knew when your birthday was."

Weiss was quiet a moment before she asked. "Can we play it again? Questions. Just for a little bit?"

He decided to indulge her. "Ok. You go first."

"The idea of getting the huntsmen to join with the White Fang: was that your idea or Sienna Khan's?"

"Mine. To be fair to her, she saw that we needed to break away from Salem long before I did, but once I saw it, I realized it was the only logical solution. We can continue our own battle after we conquer our common enemy."

Weiss nodded. "Your turn."

"Will you advocate for us when the time comes? A final battle seems inevitable, and I know you'll be fighting for the huntsmen, but will you help the White Fang and the huntsmen form an alliance?"

She had idea how to answer that. "How would that even work? The faunus are predisposed to hate me, and the huntsmen believe me to be nothing more than a spoiled heiress."

"You have all the ingredients to make yourself a mediator between the two. Regardless of what most huntsmen think of you, you undoubtedly have connections that they will respect." He inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. "As for the faunus: my initial goal was to give the White Fang the impression that I had you under my thumb, in a manner of speaking. Seeing you in the context of serving and helping them might endear you to them, knowing at any point they would still always be safe as you were at the mercy of their High Leader."

"And you think that has worked so far?"

Adam took a moment to think of a response. "Yes, and no. I didn't expect Artis to question my authority, but I also didn't expect you to bond with Dax Branagh or even Sienna Khan. My own indiscretions have also contributed to your slow progress, but I honestly think the one incident that at least began the general change in opinion toward you favorably is the one that has changed everyone's mind against me."

"Haven?" Weiss guessed.

"Throwing yourself in the path of my blade for a faunus is something most other faunus don't have the balls to do, much less a defenseless human. It may not have made a big impact, the people who saw it talked about it and it earned you at the minimum, a grudging respect. Lehela does not speak so ill of you now, and I even think despite being jealous of you, the lieutenant…"

"You always use his rank," Weiss interrupted him. "Why does literally no one address him as or by his real name? I know I'm getting sidetracked, but this has been going on for months and I have to know. What is his actual name?"

"He doesn't have a name."

Weiss leaned up on one elbow to look at him, but by the look in his eyes, he was being completely serious. "How does he not have a name? He has to be well into adulthood. Even if he wasn't given a name at birth, he's never chosen one for himself?"

"He has no identity at all," Adam replied. "He has no name, he doesn't know how old he is or when his birthday is, he doesn't even know what kind of faunus he is. No parents, no photos, nothing that would connect him to who or what he was before he could remember things on his own?"

"How…what?"

"You saw the brand; you know he escaped the SDC. He was raised entirely from the dormitories as long as he can remember. He's from one of the refineries here in Mistral; one so bad Jacques Schnee shut it down because he thought it would bring him bad PR if news of the working condition and the abuse got out, so you know that it was beyond awful. But they refused to give him a name. They just called him 'bastard' or 'animal'. They refused to dignify him with even a derogatory name."

"If you don't know what kind of faunus he is, how do you know he's a faunus at all?"

"He has two scars on his head, both inside his hairline, but they're symmetrical and big enough you'd notice them if you got close enough. Surgical scars like something had been removed; we don't know if they were ears or horns or antlers but it's fair to assume he's a faunus, just not what kind."

"That's so terrible." She nestled back into him, her face riddled with sympathy and guilt.

Adam tugged on her hair to get her attention. "You don't need to feel guilty for what happened to him. Just because your dad employed monsters doesn't mean you will do the same when you become the head of the company."

She had half a mind to correct him and remind him she was no longer heiress and would more likely than not have no impact whatsoever even if Whitley did ever let her hold a position in the company, but it wasn't worth bringing up. She remained silent for a short bit, thinking. "Why did he never choose a name for himself when he was able?"

"The same reason I started wearing grimm masks. Spite. You say that humans have a sense of tenacity, faunus have a sense of…implacability. Our good opinion once lost is lost forever and we'll usually do everything to prove you right in the worst way possible. He wants no name now; his rank and his weapon are all he needs to get back at his abusers."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't change your name when you were able."

Adam furrowed his brows. "Why?"

"Because of what Adam actually means," she explained. "The name Adam means 'man', not like 'male' or 'person', it literally means 'human'. We aren't sure about the origins of faunus, but most creation stories agree that mankind was made from dust. Adam."

"My mother named me Adam because my hair was red. Adam means 'to be red': the idea life, red and vivacious coming from the dust of the earth. I'm sure its no different than why your mother named you Weiss." He ran his fingers through her short, white tresses. "Are you warm?"

"Yeah…." Weiss said slowly as if she didn't want to admit it.

"…do you want to stay here?"

"Can I stay? Just a little longer?"

In response, Adam reached across her to turn off his bedside lamp before laying back down on his pillow. He readjusted his arm to make himself more comfortable but still used his hand to absentmindedly stroke the scar on her back, even if it was through the fabric of his thermal.

She felt herself nodding off, but she was warm and didn't want to move. She closed her eyes, still vaguely aware of the rise and fall of his chest while he breathed. She drifted off to sleep in his arms, warm and comfortable.

As she walked down the gangplank at the landing pad in Argus, she drew the look of every soldier on the base She was tall, young, beautiful, elegant, and commanded respect: all traits diametrically opposed to their base commandant.

Cordovin didn't even have the courtesy to meet her superior on the tarmac when she landed.

"I need to speak with Special Operative Caroline Cordovin," Winter said shortly to the first officer that she approached.

He stiffly saluted. "Our glorious leader is otherwise engaged," he said with a condescending tone.

"Did you just call her your 'glorious leader'?" Winter pursed her lips. "I under stand that each base is run differently, but the chain of command is very clear. So let me make this easy enough for you to understand, soldier: if you don't want to be spending the rest of your dreary career pumping sewage out of transport ships in a remote surveillance outpost north of Mantle, you'll drop the attitude and show your superior some respect. Where. Is. Cordovin?" Her gaze made it clear she would carry out with the threat and had the authority to do so.

The officer sputtered before saluting properly this time. "If you'll follow me, ma'am." He led her through the base directly to the commander's office where Winter was seated and offered tea.

An hour and a half later, Winter was finally given the privilege of speaking with the head of the Argus base. She was livid, but managed to keep her composure as the stumpy woman marched into the room with far more arrogance than she had any business displaying.

Winter pulled up the relevant documents on her holo-pad before showing the mugshots to Cordovin.

"I'm here to take in the four prisoners you're holding in connection with the recent comm tower hack. These four will be remanded to my custody as well as the rest of their teams to be questioned further at HQ."

"I am happy to turn over the huntsman and the children, but the cat is being turned over to the authorities in Mistral."

"Under what pretense?" Winter demanded.

"She has existing warrants for her arrest. Several actually; most are high profile White Fang attacks against the SDC."

"And you're going to overrule a direct order from the Atlas Military in favor of a local police force in a different jurisdiction?"

Cordovin smirked. "We want to cultivate a good working relationship with the government here in Mistral. Besides, any information about the comm tower you can extract from the other three. Her presence isn't necessary to your mission." It was apparent at this point she was power-tripping and having a chance to flex on anyone, especially another officer she perceived as a threat, was borderline cathartic for her.

"You know I outrank you, right?" Winter asked.

Cordovin folded her hands behind her back. "Miss Schnee, this may be your mission, but this is my base and these are my detainees. You may be able to use your name and rank to intimidate my men, but not me. Unless you have a direct order from General Ironwood himself or a matter of national security, the faunus girl will be on the Argus Limited tomorrow afternoon with an escort."

"Her name is Blake Belladonna, and she will be leaving with me by the end of today. You may release the huntsman and two students into my custody now, and you'll withhold none of their effects."

She stood to leave without letting Cordovin getting in a last jab, immediately making her way to the holding block to ensure the release of the ones she at least could secure.

Qrow, Jaune and Yang were shuffled out; their ID's and weapons returned unceremoniously and Winter escorted them to freedom, using her steely gaze to get a base issued vehicle to drive; a black, extended SUV usually saved for the motorcades of important military and political figures. The three remained relatively silent throughout the procedure, though Yang did call her sister to let them know they were out and on their way to the Arc's house.

"Thank you," Jaune said sincerely as soon as the gates closed behind them.

"It took a lot longer than expected," Winter said, gripping the wheel with one hand and adjusting the climate control with the other. "I'm going to need directions to where the rest of your team is staying."

Jaune gave her directions and she began making her way through the traffic laden streets of Argus.

"Hey, you can slow down," Qrow said, trying to keep her calm. "Traffic is crazy this time of day, and we don't have to rush. Now that you're here, we have a sure way of getting into Atlas."

"Not necessarily." She swerved to miss a car that had inconsiderately pulled out in front of her. "There's another factor we need to work out and we have to do it tonight. They're sending Blake back to Mistral on extradition charges. They say she's wanted for crimes associated with the White Fang. They're putting her on the Argus limited tomorrow."

"How do we get her out? She's shouldn't even be out of the hospital by then," Yang objected.

"Cordovin is hellbent on it. I'm not sure what we can do to keep her with us, but Cordovin said unless it was a direct order from the General himself or a threat to national security, Blake's going to be escorted back south."

The car was silent for a moment. Blake had just rejoined the group a few weeks prior, and now she was going to be sent away, probably terrified and in pain. Yang couldn't let that happen.

"What about the information about Weiss?" Yang finally said. "Information on a high-profile missing person's case isn't enough?"

"I'm honestly not sure," Winter replied, "It's a huge matter for me, but for Cordovin? I doubt she'd consider it a matter of national security."

Yang could feel the tremors in her arm and tried to contain them. "This isn't fair," she said. "Blake was the one that had the message from Weiss and the knowledge she was with the White Fang."

Jaune perked up. "The message. What Weiss told Blake! That's it! Would it be considered a matter of national security if we had information on Arthur Watts?"

Winter looked at him in the rear-view mirror. "Do you actually have information on Arthur Watts?"

Jaune opened his mouth, then promptly shut it. "Nnnnnnooooooo, but…Blake does."

"I mean…it will have to be something tangible, something that Cordovin can't deny is a matter of national security."

"He's alive."

Winter didn't register the light in front of her turning green. She sat in stunned silence until a blare of horns behind her urged her forward.

"He's alive…as in, right now? In person."

"Yes, and Weiss gave information on where he is and who he is currently working for to Blake when they met during the attack on Haven."

"That…would most definitely constitute a matter of national security…how did she find out?"

"She didn't tell us," Yang said, catching on. "You'll have to ask Blake and I'm sure she'll want a deal where she'd be willing to say what she knows in exchange for not being extradited."

"I can arrange for that with the information I have now."

"We're here." Jaune put his hand on the back of the headrest and reached his arm between the seats. "Just pull around the corner and you can park on the curb."

Winter followed the directions and threw the car into park. "We don't have any time to waste, so pack fast and load fast."

As soon as they walked through the front door, Ruby threw her arms around Yang while Jane was unceremoniously tackled by Nora before he could even get to his sister to give her a hug.

"We're just glad you're all ok," Terra said sincerely.

"The authorities didn't give you any trouble, did they?" Jaune asked, prying himself free of Nora's grasp.

Saffron and Terra both shook their heads. "We were questioned after you were arrested, but they released us and didn't even indicate they thought we were involved. They didn't even question the rest of the team here."

"We don't have a lot of time, kids, I need your stuff packed and loaded in the black convoy vehicle out front," Qrow said. "I want us out of here in an hour. If we're lucky we can be out of the country by sundown and to Atlas by dawn tomorrow."

"Already locked and loaded!" Nora said with a mocking salute. Ren and Oscar were silently waiting with two bags in each hand. Nora picked up the remaining five bags and began hauling them out.

"How many people are we taking total?" Winter asked, trying to asses if she brought too small a ship.

"Three from RWBY, three from JNPR, Qrow, Oscar and Maria…so nine?"

"I know the teams and Qrow…but Oscar?"

"Oh, he's new to our group. Qrow found him in a bar. He's…kinda Ozpin?"

Winter gave a single nod in comprehension. "His next vessel."

"And I'm just an old coot that tagged along. You don't really need to take me," Maria said, revealing she'd been sitting on the couch the entire time, though her tiny stature was concealed by the back of the furniture. "I can find my own way into Atlas if it's too much trouble"

"She needs to get to Atlas to fix her artificial eyes. Her mechanic lives in Mantle."

"And you haven't already gotten a flight to Atlas on your own?"

"Unfortunately, I am considered a security risk," She stood making little difference in her height before hobbling over to get a closer look at their escort. "Caroline Cordovin has denied every travel request I've made despite having all legal papers and reason to travel, as if a three-foot-tall woman in her eighties is some kind of threat."

Winter smiled. "Ma'am, I would be happy to personally escort you on an official Atlesean transport if it will irritate Caroline Cordovin."

"It seems we are kindred spirits in our hatred for that she-devil," Maria smiled before turning to Ruby. "I like her. She's a good judge of character."

They had to make their goodbyes short, but Terra and Saffron understood. Yang in particular seemed remiss to say goodbye to baby Adrian, but in just under twenty minutes after arriving, the team was loaded up in convoy and Winter was pulling away. With so many people Ren and Nora volunteered to sit in the back with the luggage, leaving Ruby and Oscar in the third row, Maria, Yang and Jaune in the second and Qrow sitting passenger again.

The drive back was mostly comprised of Nora insisting that Cordovin was the worst and everyone agreeing with her and how they couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she found out Winter was going to be taking ALL of them to Atlas from her "big dumb boot" of a military base.

In the front Winter and Qrow just made long periods of eye contact when she was stopped at lights or waiting in line. They'd been accustomed to having to exercise an enormous amount of self-control, but this seemed different. She wanted to tell him she was relieved he was ok and he wanted to tell her how much he'd wished he could have been awake when she came to him in Mistral. He reached across the console to rest his hand on hers but she pulled away, putting both hands on the steering wheel.

"It's ok," Yang reassured her. "We're not going to tell anyone."

Winter hesitated, but rested her hand on the console again. Qrow rested his hand on hers, but after only a few moments, she gripped his hand in her gloved one, squeezing it tight. This would have to suffice for now, but this would be enough. At least for a few more days once things had settled when they were in Atlas.

She could wait.

He wasn't so sure he could.