[Nujabes – Battlecry (feat. Shing02)]
残り:四の影/ Remnant's Four Shadows
Volume 4, Episode 3: Calling Card of the Cold
[Atlas]
The former head of the Usagi family and company sat in a conference room being told he had a visitor for a conjugal visit. Papyrus sat excitedly in his cell wondering if it was the prostitute, he was talking to finally got the means to get to him. Honestly, medium security had sucked for him as he could not easily bribe his way around especially with the general on his case among other things. The door opened for the new team to walk in.
"Oh, my daughter has finally come to visit, and I see your leading a team of your own. About time, Usagi's don't follow, they lead." Papyrus said with a smirk as Kelly rolled her eyes. "I assumed you called for this."
"I did. I want to the master code for the hidden project." Kelly said icily.
"Project Underminer. The operation to undermine all other competitors. Considering the look on your face, you've only recently found out. Such a shame, I figured you learn about it sooner." Papyrus said with a tint of sarcasm.
"Spare me the sass and just tell me the code." Kelly said icily.
"What do you have to offer me? Watts came by to see me if I was around. If I had known that piece of shit was in deep with the Queen of the Grimm, I would not have done dealings with him all those years ago." Papyrus said before Kelly grabbed him by the collar. "Oh, getting your mother's feistiness!"
"Watts! He's alive, but I figured he would not come anywhere near Atlas." Kelly said glaring at him.
"Because of your old leader. Watts has a bit of a bone to pick with him. His actions had led to the Atlas tech department being restructured. Apparently, Watts had a few of those old workers in his pocket. Plenty of them either turned on Watts, were arrested, fled the country, are in hiding, or were axed." Papyrus said with a grin. "Your boy's new code has led to a rise in people getting knowledge and a new generation of workers in the tech industry."
"But what about Watts?" Weiss asked.
"I could give you the information, but what do I get? What can you offer me that Watts can't?" Papyrus said before Neon asked what he wanted. "What I want…is a change in sentence. Instead of prison, I want exile."
"You fucking snake." Kelly said throwing him into the wall. "You think you deserve to get rewarded for being for doing one good thing in your lousy life!"
"All that force isn't going to get you want, and you know it. And you don't acknowledge your existence as a good thing?" Papyrus snarked as Neon and Flynt held Kelly back.
"You should be lucky that we aren't beating it out of you!" Flynt snapped.
"Boy, you don't get it, do you? I'm in a position of power despite being in prison. You could torture me, but I won't break because it will be more for you to brutalize me than me giving you the information. If I die, you lose." Papyrus said getting up. "So, Kelly, be a good daughter and help your old man!"
Kelly hated this. Making deals with devils for the good of the people. She wanted to be the hero, but somethings being the good guy really tended to be infuriating. She calmed herself and stepped out with Weiss.
"Weiss, give me Winter's scroll number." Kelly said looking at her.
"You're not going to give this guy what he wants?" Weiss asked looking back at her.
"We don't have a choice. Not with Watts around. I'm going to take a chance to risk it. If I have to let one asshole go to save the world, I'll do it because it's the right thing to do. We're the good guys, remember?" Kelly said as Weiss surrendered the number.
Kelly made the call and soon got to Ironwood. Even he could tell she did not want to ask for it, but she needed the information. So, she made that deal and went back in.
"Out. All of you, I need to speak to him alone." Kelly said in a neutral tone.
"We'll be ready to hold you back if we have to." Neon said as she and Flynt joined Weiss outside.
[Cues: Black Lagoon OST – Dark Side of the Moon]
Kelly sat on the table glaring down at her father telling him that he got his wish. Ironwood was not happy to pull this favor for her, but he agreed in exchange for a favor from her. Of course, offering the military weaponry as a reduced price was something she did not mind giving once she took control. After all, her father formed the company to profit off war selling to all kingdoms.
"Well then." Papyrus said with a smirk producing a hidden scroll. "You've kept your end of your bargain. And I will comply."
"Where did…Watts gave it to you, didn't he?" Kelly said suddenly dry.
"Don't worry, I had a VPN installed on it the moment after he gave it to me. Pretty basic, but he thinks I'm using it to watch pornography. But I've been consolidating the company through the one person on the board who isn't a piece of garbage, Brodsky. You remember him?" Papyrus said with a wry look.
"Yeah, I do. He actually sought me out the moment I came back to Atlas to see me." Kelly said while thinking, 'Also offered me one of your old penthouses you gave to him, asshole. I may just take him up just to spite you.'
"Well, I'm making it official. He has his order to officially hand the company to you." Papyrus said texting orders. "Brodsky was chosen to be the temporary CEO until a new heir of the family takes over. All you need to do is claim it."
"And the password?" Kelly asked.
"Oh that, it's the name of the rabbit your mother made you eat all those years ago. Served me a nice laugh." Papyrus said only to get slapped by Kelly. "Ok, I might have deserved that."
Kelly snatched the scroll crushing it in her one hand that she morphed into a tiger's paw before using a rush of aura to incinerate the fragments. Papyrus did not care because he knew that Kelly could not afford to waste more time with him. No, her enemy was Watts. He almost wished he could watch Watts probably get his throat ripped out, but he had a date with exile.
"And I suppose I can give you a piece of advice, I don't exactly know if Watts has attempted to, but I suggest you secure our family home as soon as possible. Especially the hidden archive." Papyrus said with a snicker. "If you're going to survive in a world like this, and you're going to need to be like me."
"Like you? An opportunistic amoral uncaring piece of shit like you. Like Camil…" Kelly said before stopping herself.
"I knew it. I had a feeling you didn't learn about the project on your own. The look on your face spells it out…a Freudian slip of your tongue. I was suspicious when I saw you with Neon, but now you're confirming it with that look. You'd suck at being an interrogator as much as I was a parent to you. I should have thought you better in business. Camilla most likely wants any blackmail and you dead in the water. Now if you value living, you're going to have turn the tables on her." Papyrus said with a bigger smirk. "Considering it my last gift to you, dear daughter."
He watched her leave and he chuckled knowing he had won. Her teammates watched Kelly silently leave and followed her outside.
[Music Ends]
"Neon, I need you to drive us to back to my family home." Kelly said tossing her the keys.
"Did he get under your skin? Do you want to talk about…"
"No, I don't!" Kelly snapped before calming down. "Just drive, please."
Neon complied as they all got in with Kelly turning on the radio. The silence behind the music was awkward as it was clear Papyrus got under her. Weiss looked up at Kelly who was inwardly sulking.
"Kelly, talk to us please." Weiss said in a quiet tone.
"What do you want me to say? That my father had a point to make, that he made me feel like I was some child getting lectured!" Kelly said as hot tears came down. "How the hell does Yuki do it? My first day leading and I got humiliated for it."
"In all fairness, Yuki doesn't have to deal with shitty parents." Weiss said trying to make her feel better. "His are dead."
"I mean that still sucks, but…you know." Flynt said attempting to assurance her.
"I can't believe I'm we're literally using Yuki's pain to make me feel better. That's messed up…but I get what you're doing." Kelly said warily. "Maybe we can make a stop for a warm drink or something."
"I know a coffee shop." Neon said making a turn.
-o-
[Cues: MySims Kingdom OST - Night]
Nighttime at Atlas was always a pretty sight as Camilla sat at her big comfy easy chair in her study. To her relief, Neon was staying with her new team meaning she had the house to herself. Well, 'house' was an understatement. More like well-guarded gated fortress was a better term for it. As she was about to pour a glass of lemonade, she was handed one. Camilla was about to sip it only to pause to hear the sound of sipping…that was not hers.
[Cues: Undertale OST – You Idiot]
Camilla whirled around, Hardballer pistol in hand, only to be met with the cold steel of a pistol. A cerulean chrome-plated Glock 30 between her eyes.
"We need to talk." Kelly said cold in her tone and face.
"How did you get in?" Camilla said quietly.
"That's not important. What's important is we have need to have words. I made some discoveries and I get why you're so feared. Leading the Fabled Division, Atlas' little underground spy network. Your daughter thinks you're a hero, but she doesn't know the truth. The shit you've done, the people you killed. Hell, if the public knew about this, every kingdom would want your head on a pike. Worst of all you, I can ruin what your daughter sees in you. You think I didn't walk in here without a plan?" Kelly said icily.
CLICK! Camilla looked up to a gun aimed at her this one from Puce. For those moments, Camilla showed actual fear, but Kelly did not relish it. For she did not want to enjoy the fear and torment this time, as she did not want to challenge a 'patriot' to the kingdom even if her hands soaked in blood.
"My father told me that if I want to survive in this kingdom, I have to act like you…like him, but I'm not going to do that." Kelly said.
[Cues: My Hero Academia OST – From Me to You]
Kelly produced the folder tossing it in her lap.
"All of it, the blackmail my father spent building on you." Kelly said firmly. "I only ask for two things. All the blackmail you have on me and my family. Along with assurance for my pardon. I'm ending this cycle you and I have right now, and I won't let you toy with my freedom for you to get what you want."
Camilla looked at the folder, leafing through it, and was admittedly impressed Papyrus was able to even amass that much blackmail on her. She looked at Kelly thoughtfully.
"She's a lot like us, Papyrus. The only difference she's got too much of a nagging conscience." Camilla thought before saying, "Figures that a walking shadow wants to stay one, but I pegged you the type to be rid of the blackmail."
"That's where you're wrong. I'm not a scared little girl anymore, Camilla. My father was right…I am a lot like you and him, but the difference is you relish in your power of blackmail and control. I just want to do what I must. Do I look like I enjoy doing this to you? No, I don't. We're on the same side, and if we're going to work together…then no more blackmail between us." Kelly said putting her gun in her holster.
Camilla got up walking to the bookshelf before pulling a book hiding a secret switch. Out from a hidden panel came a safe to which she opened before she put a thick folder on the desk.
"All right, you win. I'll give you credit, you got guts." Camilla said before Kelly used a finger blast of aura to make that folder and the one on Camilla into nothing but ash.
[Music Ends]
"Now, I believe you owe Madam Usagi a pardon." Puce said tossing Camilla a phone.
Begrudgingly, she took the phone and called up Ironwood.
"Sorry for the late call, James. There's a matter I was discuss. Miss Usagi's pardon…consider my vote in support of her pardon. Yes, you can make the announcement tomorrow…Good night, James." Camilla said before hanging up.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll still do those jobs you mentioned. I do owe you that at the least…so I'll only charge half the usual hunter's fee." Kelly said before producing a smoke bomb. "Be seeing you."
FWOOM! The smoke bomb was slammed into the floor and they were gone. Camilla decided to call her guards outside asking if they saw anything leaving or coming in. Nothing. She was so tempted to give them crap for it at until one of them apparently revealed he was knocked out by a ball of laced catnip.
"Well don't even bother to come in, the person who planted that has already come and gone. Of course, Usagi targets the one faunus guard." Camilla said dourly rolling her eyes.
-o-
As Kelly was driving back to the penthouse, she thought back to those board members she had dealt with. A few drops of poison in the coffee was enough to deal with them. To the public eye, they died of food poisoning, but she and the team knew the truth. She got her company under her heel, friends in Atlas she could trust, and her father's information network. She had told the others about Project Underminer and the blackmail. Of course, she did not tell Neon all what was in her mother's file, just that it existed. Kelly never did let her look in it.
Weiss and Kelly had looked through Jaccques' file. Surprisingly, no murders to cover up. Just insider trading, one case of tax evasion, a few affairs with faunus women, and alleged ties to the likes of Watts. Of course, Willow was no angel either. Lots of affairs…the drunk had a rather active sex life much to Weiss's horror. Ultimately, it was agreed that the blackmail should be secured and stored. Kelly had found the backup on Papyrus's old computer and sent that to Serena. She returned to her new safehouse where the team was waiting for her in their sleepwear.
"So, how did my mom take the news?" Neon asked.
"Just peachy." Kelly said hiding the truth. "We came to a mutual agreement. I can take over the company with no issue with my pardon secured. And I owe Brodsky thanks for the penthouse."
"So, Miss CEO? What's the plan?" Flynt asked.
"For one, make your dad's dust shop a subsidiary. If my father is going to be claiming mines and to horde dust, what better way to sell it legally than though a vendor." Kelly said taking off her jacket.
"You'd do that for my pops?" Flynt said.
"Hey, we're all in this together. Yuki would have done the same…besides I got the money to help you out." Kelly said a look of confidence.
"Though, we still haven't looked through all the blackmail." Weiss said concerned. "Brodsky had a file."
"And Brodsky spilled his guts about what it is. Apparently, he had a love child with a woman he met in Mistral. The product of an affair. Poor woman died at childbirth, so he's being raised by his mother's sister. Now obviously, he's paying child support and visits. But he somehow ends up banging her too, and whenever he visits…he's doing her on the side." Kelly mused pouring herself a drink. "At least by then, his wife divorces him. Turns out she and him were married to get her away from her parents. They were friends at the best. She wanted to actually pursue a different lifestyle, and she made enough money to leave Atlas for good. She left him and Atlas. No idea where she is..."
"Damn, that's a lot to unpack." Flynt remarked.
"Brodsky would have been under hot water by his ex-wife's parents and so much more if the truth were exposed. I made sure to destroy that folder, and he's leaving Atlas for a bit to visit his son." Kelly said with a shrug. "At least after he helps me consolidate power."
Kelly looked the Glocks, guns were not her style, but she realized it was better not to leave the gun to waste away. Besides, her father must have cared about her somewhat to model a pair of these in her colors. That did not mean he deserved freedom, she thought.
[Cues: LAKEY INSPIRED – Feeling Good Pt.2]
Leaving Atlas was an airship, and the driver was making a few final calls.
"Shane Brodsky, my man."
"What the hell do you want, Papyrus?" Brodsky snapped.
"Just to wish you good luck in your life. We're no longer enemies…and I'm feeling wistful." Papyrus said jolly and cheerful.
"Of course, you're cheerful. You manipulated your way to getting out of prison. Well, at least the company isn't yours anymore, and there's no money for you." Brodsky sneered.
"Did you really think I wouldn't leave without a severance package? I have plenty to live off of." Papyrus said with a laugh.
"Fuck you. Just fuck you, you gutless convincing snake!" Brodsky screeched holding back his anger. "You left your daughter your mess."
"No." Papyrus said with a laugh. "I gave her inheritance on a silver platter. Be seeing you, Brodsky."
Papyrus hung up as Brodsky went to pour out a drink. However, he relented the idea of cup in favor of a drink straight from the bottle.
(A/N: Yeah, Papyrus gets away, but he lost everything for the most part. Not that it bothers him. Our next chapter, we shift focus to a 'returning' character and a new character. Yeah, looking at the plans for this Volume, this one is going to be really long. Possibly longer than the others.)
Ending Theme – aquaCola - nightdriving
