Enslaved To A Flame
Chapter 16
Courtesy Call
The trip with Coco and Fox was short. All William really wanted was an excuse to get cigarettes, something to take the edge off the stress. The casual clothing was just extra, though Coco apparently already started designing William's new combat uniform. Victoria's was on the way as well if he had to guess. He'd have to get Leo and Sandra over.
Sandra? He paused, realizing he'd included her unconsciously. Ozpin hadn't even given him the green light to include her. But…
William shook his head, it would work out. He eased back in his desk chair, closing his eyes to listen to Victoria.
She'd settled in her bed, carefully tuning her guitar. Leo was still out. It occurred to William that he and Victoria were getting quite a lot of alone time lately, and likely would in the future with Sandra added into the mix.
He pulled out his scroll, going back to the messages from an unknown number. One was a time. The other just mentioned that the Beacon transports closed at eleven.
Midnight and the transport station. William grimaced. Did Roman really have everything set up already? That virus for Ironwood's ships had been in the development process when he left. How long had he been gone? Three weeks? A month? Maybe a bit more. Dates blurred together.
Perhaps Roman had spent more resources in its development than he had first considered.
William huffed, leaning over and reaching into the plastic bag. He paused, then looked at Victoria. No doubt she'd find out if he kept them somewhere in the room. But…
She was his partner.
He was supposed to trust her.
He just might.
He pulled out the cigarette carton, flipping it open and pulling a pack out of it. He dropped the carton into his desk drawer, glancing up at the fire alarm. Maybe he'd smoke on the window sill.
He fumbled with his pocket, certain that he kept it on his person. He got up, feeling the weight of the lighter shift. He pulled it out of his pocket, spinning it. A crescent moon on one side, Roman's symbol on the other over an Ace of Spades.
He headed to the window, pulling it open and sitting down on the sill. Victoria turned, he could hear the chair squeak.
"You smoke?" She asked as he set the lighter on the sill, his symbol facing her.
He nodded, tapping the pack idly before opening it. He shook a cigarette out a little, picking it up with his lips and adjusting it. He set the pack to the side, carefully lighting it.
"When I'm stressed. Only when I'm stressed." William explained around it. He took a deep breath, letting the smoke fill his lungs. He took the cigarette out, leaning down and blowing it out the window. He spent a moment watching it before putting it back in his mouth.
"Right." Victoria snorted. "You seemed itching for something all week. It's definitely not an addiction." She rolled her eyes at him.
"It's not." William defended. "Last time I smoked was three months ago. It was a pack. Lasted me about a day and a half. Haven't smoked since. I bought a carton so I'd be set for the school year." He exhaled again, feeling the smoke tickle his nose.
"That's disgusting."
William grimaced. Smoking wasn't the only disgusting habit he picked up from Roman. The others just weren't as visible.
"Can't help it." William replied simply.
The urge to smoke has wilted slightly after Victoria's comment. He wasn't sure why. He let it burn for a moment, the ash falling off the end slowly. He'd have to clean that up later.
"Sorry." He added, knowing it was belated. Not sure why he'd bothered with it.
Victoria shrugged. "Just don't blow it at me. And take a shower after you finish smoking. If you come in smelling like it I'll hit you."
William hummed softly, adjusting his lips and tongue before he exhaled this time. He blew a smoke ring, then another out the window. The wind picked up, whipping them away.
"Fair enough." He conceded, getting up. "Then I'll be on the roof." He took the cigarette out of his mouth, nearly gone now. He always smoked them fast. He flicked it out the window to the ground below.
Victoria grimaced, looking displeased. It was either his action or his comment and he couldn't quite tell which. He walked past, pack in his hand, lighter in his pocket.
"Wait." Victoria said, getting up. "I'll come too. Just stay down wind of me."
William rolled his eyes. "Going to practice?" He asked, notcing she hadn't let go of the guitar.
"Going to squeeze answers out of you while you're taking a sedative." She corrected. She still didn't put down the guitar.
William licked his lips, feeling the crude taste of smoke on his lips. He hated the aftertaste. But the nicotine managed to smooth his frayed nerves nearly as well as combat did.
"Have it your way." William shrugged. What questions did she have now? His past? He wasn't sure he was ready to answer those.
She accompanied him to the rooftop and together they sat down on the edge. William let his feet dangle over, but Victoria took a reserved position, legs folded and guitar in her lap.
William shook out another cigarette as Victoria strummed. She was starting another tune, but he didn't know it well enough to place it.
He lit it, taking a lungful of smoke and letting it out before he spoke. "What did you want to ask?"
"What can you answer?" She had been expecting the question apparently. She didn't even look up from her guitar.
William squashed the small smirk his lips started. She knew him better than he first grasped. Or perhaps she simply had grasped he wasn't willing to talk about certain things yet.
He took another hit, closing his eyes. He exhaled, cracking an eye open to watch the smoke. He was downwind. Good.
"I'll talk about the lab." He pulled the cigarette from his lips, letting it hang limply in his hands. It didn't appeal to him anymore. Not yet anyway.
Maybe after this conversation.
"Your uncle was a sponsor for it. What did you do there?" Her notes took a softer tone. He watched her hands, fingers stroking the strings with a surprising amount of gentleness. Did she use a pick or her nails?
"Lots of things." Executions. Warden. "Whatever the higher ups wanted me to." Training. Sometimes he had to kill something. Sometimes Roman threw something in to kill him. Usually the previous happened after a heavy night of drinking when Roman forgot about his investments.
He was always careful to supervise those fights though. Neo had been present for more of the training. And all of the drunken fits.
"Did you kill those things before?" Victoria missed a note, the tone seeming to jump for a split second before she corrected.
"More than I would like to admit." William flicked the cigarette over the edge. Again he watched it fall.
She was silent for a time. "Did you kill non-experiments?"
"People you mean." William rephrased. She seemed to flinch at that. She was trying to reach him. He felt it. She wanted to know how deep the pit he called his soul was. He smiled. Cute.
But naïve.
"Business gets bloody sometimes. Deals go sour. R-" He caught himself. "Really, sometimes my uncle capitalized on those missteps." Sloppy sloppy sloppy. Almost gave himself away to some girl he wouldn't see in a few months.
But she was special. He'd ruined her life personally.
She deserve to know.
"On murdering competitors." She looked sick, refusing to look at him. She kept playing though, her notes still slow and maybe a little sad.
"My hands aren't clean Victoria." He cut to the chase. "Ask Leo. I flat out told him. But some of my own blood is on my hands too. Just in a different way." He sighed, feeling a headache start behind his eyes.
Roman made sure he never hurt himself. William had tried. Attempted once or twice. That always ended badly. A beating. And then… a dose. William shook his head, feeling a tremor start in his hands at that thought.
He clasped his hands together.
"I…" Victoria started.
"I'm trusting you with more of myself than I have anyone else." William interrupted her. "And I need you to know that. I need you to know this is new, and painful and hard for me." What was he saying? "I need you to know I will fight and claw and lash out if I push myself too far with this. If you push me too far. Or if I'm pulled in too many different directions." Shut up you idiot! "But I think I might need to do this." Not the plan. Not the plan. He was supposed to fake this. Not be sincere.
Victoria stopped playing, looking over at him.
He gritted his teeth, focusing on a distance streetlamp. He couldn't meet her eyes. His hands shook, so he moved them under his thighs. Damn it. Damn it.
"I'm here William." Victoria said. He could see her smile out of the corner of his eye. Watery reflection of light in the tears in her eye. "Let me help."
He shook his head. "I don't need-" He started. Trust her. A voice in his head said. He swallowed the rest of his words. He did need help.
He just wasn't supposed to admit it. Not any of this. He took a deep breath. New mask. Another emotion. Another false identity.
"My uncle isn't done with me yet." He said, forcing his voice to come out stable. "You need to know two things about me as my partner. Leo and Sandra don't need to know this." He paused. Did they? No. Victoria would keep this. This would be her secret.
"My father sold me. Racked up a lot of debt. Sold me to my uncle to pay it off. I'm not a grandson to that man. I'm a slave. A tool to be used." Dangerously close to the truth. "That's why he uses me like he does. Murders. Lab warden. Spy. He trained me from the ground up." He flexed his fingers. He was saying too much. Far too much.
But he wanted to say more to her. Mostly the one thing he couldn't.
"That's why you can ignore pain. Ignore poison. Move like you do. Fight like you do." Victoria muttered, connecting the dots.
William nodded. "He's not done with me yet Victoria. I'm here for something. I can't tell you. But you have to trust me." Trust him to do what? Destroy the school? Kill Ruby Rose? "He's going to put that plan into motion soon. I don't know every thread of it. Only my portion." He looked over at her. "And when that plan gets put in motion. You need to stay away from me."
Victoria's brows knit together, her purple eyes filled with concern. William wasn't aware someone's eyes could actually do that, but the shift of light, the way her cheeks and expression adjusted. They seemed to pour it out. Drown in him it.
"Don't run away from me." She said. Was that for her own sake or his? His emotions were muddled. His ability to read had fled.
"You're not going to want to be anywhere near me." William said slowly. "No one will. I hate him. I hate him with everything I am." He paused. Say it. Say it. Admit it. "And…" I hate myself even more for doing what he wants. "Just be aware. I'll be in a pissy mood when that happens."
Cigarette.
He looked up, grasping the pack and shaking out another. He put it to his lips, igniting it and taking a deep breath.
Victoria watched him for a while. He burnt through a cigarette. Then another before he calmed down enough to look at her. He was on his third when she started playing again. His sixth when she got up.
"Come back to the room when you're ready." Her fingers brushed his shoulder, sending tingled up and down his spine. "I'll stay up."
"Go to sleep." He muttered. "We have class tomorrow." He turned to watch her go.
She left, pausing at the door to look back at him. A small nod, a quirk of her lips into the start of what could have been either a frown or a smile. Then she was gone.
William shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.
What was he doing?
So much information, just… vomited out. Like a faucet turned on and left to flood the room.
He snarled, slamming a fist down onto the rooftop. The gritty flat roof stung his knuckles, but the pain brought him a fraction of relief.
He'd messed up big. Victoria might tell Ozpin. And if Ozpin knew. Then Roman would find out. And then…
And then it would be back to the gurney. His life would return to doses of that nightmare over and over. Until he broke down completely. Whatever resistance and strength he'd cobbled together would shatter entirely.
William spat the butt of his cigarette out, lighting another. He might have to get another pack out tonight.
It was supposed to be a simple mission. Get in. Evaluate one Ruby Rose for recruitment. Keep an eye on Cinder, Emerald and Mercury. Obtain information on RWBY, JNPR, CRDN, CFVY, and other relevant teams as well as participants of the Vital festival. Kill Ruby Rose. Leave.
William took a deep breath. If he failed Roman would kill him. No. Roman would tighten his leash. Pull him back to his side and retrain him from the ground up. He wouldn't ever escape. He had to succeed.
The cigarette dwindled down, burning off faster than he'd anticipated. He let out a shaky breath, then took another breath, breathing in the smoke.
It was supposed to be simple. No emotion. No getting attached. But that went out the window as soon as Victoria Violet waltzed through the door. The daughter of the first man he'd killed. He'd ruined her life. No doubt her mom wouldn't have become an abuser if William hadn't killed her husband.
Leo was easier to distance. Guys were easier to distance. There wasn't a biological need to appeal to them, get close. And as much as William fought against that, he seemed to be failing miserably against Victoria.
And now there was Sandra. An experiment. A target. He'd captured her. His decision had made her into the monster she was now. A cross between human and Grimm.
"What do I do." William muttered, picking up another cigarette. He paused, another question churning in the back of his mind.
Why had he grabbed for the chance to escape? Had he expected Victoria to open up? Accept him? Forgive him? Or had he been hoping Ozpin would save him? Pull him away from Roman's clutches?
He was a monster. Bloody hands. Bloody past. And a bloody future. Even if he escaped from Roman, shaking off the dark past wouldn't be easy. Roman had tied him too strongly with the underworld already. No matter what he did, some people would still look for him, know him, recognize him.
He swore softly again, the cigarette trembling as he took it away from his lips to exhale.
"What am I?"
"Well you're you of course."
William snarled, cigarette falling away as he rolled to the side along the eve of the roof, coming up with Moonlight Sonata grasped in his hands.
Ruby Rose smiled at him, rocking back and forth on her heels, a trail of rose petals dusting the ground along the roof near her.
He'd missed her approach. Her entire presence.
He let out a slow breath, the last of the smoke leaving his lungs. A quick glance told him he'd emptied the pack. He'd have to get another pack out.
He slowly let the tension ease out of his arms and shoulders. His should still burned, muscles sore even if the venom had been cleansed.
"You need to be careful little rose." He muttered, easing back into a sitting position. "Sneaking up on people can have lethal consequences." She was alone up here. With him.
A mostly golden opportunity.
She smiled at him, a disarmingly naïve one as well. As if she didn't consider any of the consequences for meeting a slightly older boy on a rooftop at night unsupervised. For that matter, William wondered if she was even aware of the principles of romance. She seemed pretty oblivious to a lot of things in that department.
"I don't think you'd do anything like that." She shrugged, turning her attention to the tower, looking up at the shimmering lights. "You just seemed to have a lot on your mind."
William glanced to Moonlight Sonata. How long did it take to spin, knock and fire? Three seconds? Two? He could make the shot. But would she dodge it first?
"I was just concerned." His opportunity vanished as she turned back towards him. "But I heard you brought a girl in."
"I heard your team found Mt. Glenn's secrets." William countered. An official report wasn't out yet. Or likely wasn't yet. He'd deduced it himself. A worn look in her appearance. A tired undertone to her chipper attitude.
Ruby smiled. "Yeah. Got Torchwick behind bars."
Great. Another errand for him. That also meant he'd be taking order from Neo. Fantastic.
"That's good. He was the mastermind, right?" William leaned back, his hand nearly resting on Moonlight Sonata's hilt.
He could kill Ruby Rose right now. Escape. Roman would call that a success. One component out of the mix.
Ruby seemed to dwell on that for a bit. Then she shook her head. "I don't think so." William cocked an eyebrow at her. "I think he controlled a lot of it but…" she shrugged. "I feel like it wasn't a neat and tidy ending. And I know things don't always have them but…"
"Too many loose threads at the end of this one?" William suggested.
Ruby nodded. "We missed something. Or at least, that's what it feels like. But maybe I'm just being paranoid." She had no idea was paranoia was. "It could be nothing." She smiled at him again. "What's on your mind?"
He wasn't about to tell her. But… she'd be a good opinion.
He blinked, surprised at his thoughts. He was supposed to kill her. Not talk to her.
But…
"Let me give you a hypothetical," William said sitting up, "Let's say a friend did something bad. Really bad. Killed someone maybe. Would you forgive him?"
The question shocked Ruby, putting her back a step. She rocked on her heels, the smoothed out her skirt. "I think I would." She replied. "They'd have their reasons. As long as they were good ones. I mean… sometimes people make mistakes, right? Some people are just evil. Like Torchwick."
So where did he fall in that gradient? Was he evil? Or redeemable?
"I see." He sat up, picking up Moonlight Sonata. He headed towards the door, more on his mind than he'd like. Though, as much as he hated to admit, talking with Ruby and Victoria had clarified some of it.
"William!" Ruby called, stopping him in his tracks. He turned back. "You know… I mean. If you need to talk." She rocked back on her heels again, looking to the ground. "I'm here too. I know you have a team and all, but if it's anything you don't want to talk about then you can talk to me."
William snorted, letting a small smirk appear on his lips. "Whatever you say little red." The slip was there. Roman's nickname for her. But she would miss it.
She smiled at that, seeming happy she'd done her good deed of the day.
William shook his head, making his way back down to the room. Victoria was in bed, curled up with her guitar in her lap. She looked up at him, shifting her legs slightly more together before continuing to play. Someone was in the shower. And surprisingly, Sandra was in the bunk above Victoria, already asleep.
William jerked his chin towards Sandra. "Released from the infirmary?" He asked softly.
Victoria nodded, taking a moment to beckon him with a finger. He drew a bit nearer, leaning down against the bed frame so she wouldn't walk up Sandra.
"They said her condition was stable." She whispered, "And they aren't truly sure what all they can do. They're thinking her Aura will eventually stave off the worsts of the effects. As it is she needs rest, and a friendly environment. So, they sent her here."
William nodded, leaning back as the shower shut off. He glanced back to Victoria, who seemed to nearly drag her gaze off him to Leo. Leo grunted at both of them, towel in one hand, gym shorts around his waist. He climbed onto his bunk, collapsing into the bed and putting his back to them.
William leaned back down, invading Victoria's space on purpose this time. She shrank back, then eased back closer, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"Can I help you Mr. Lance?" She replied, her voice suddenly teasing.
William smiled. "Perhaps Miss Violet." He replied. "Do you remember what I told you a moment ago, 'bout putting it in motion?" He knew she did.
She nodded slowly.
"Well it's happening." He gave her a sad smile. "And I can't get away from it."
"William.." She started.
He held up a hand, shaking his head. "It's fine. I'll be fine."
She pursed her lips, then nodded, leaning back in bed. He could feel her eyes on his back when he turned away, pulling off his boots and shirt. He laid down in bed, staring up at the wooden slats that supported Leo's mattress.
Soon. He checked his scroll, setting it on top of his chest. 11:25. Soon. He could make it to the meeting point in ten minutes. Five if he rushed the courtyard. But Victoria needed to be asleep. Or at least Le-
A snore startled William. He glanced up. It wasn't too loud, more of a heavy raspy breathing than a true snore. Leo was out. He looked over at Victoria, who had curled up on her side facing the wall.
She would know anyway. Even if she didn't, he had warned her. He got up again, lacing up his boots. His coat was on the bed post. HE pulled it out, keeping it in duster form as he left the room. He had his aura, which would be good enough. He didn't need a weapon for prowling and meeting Neo.
He left the door slightly ajar, the lock balanced carefully on the plate. Then he was racing down the hall, a careful sweeping step that came from landing on the side of his foot and rolling his weight through it onto his toes. A Fox step as they called it.
William didn't care what it was called. It muffled his steps, and if he swung his arms in tandem with his legs, then his clothes didn't shift and rustle near as much.
Combined, it let him slip out of the dorms like a wraith. Once outside he expanded his duster into a cloak, unfurling the hidden fabric and letting it billow out with the night breeze.
What he did next wasn't exactly sneaking, but more of dancing and swaying with the shadows. He didn't crouch, but rather wound through the shadow. The majority of stealth involved disrupting a normal outline.
He reached the transport platform likely on time. He left his scroll behind. Had planned to. No one was on the platform yet, but the skyline wasn't completely clear. Ironwood's fleet hung a little ways off in the sky, electronic and dust-powered lights disrupting the starlight.
Neo would be there soon. But first he needed to check the perimeter.
He flexed, feeling his semblance uncoil. He threw out a dozen wires, closing his eyes to concentrate. There wasn't a lot to rig his wires up on around here though. A few benches on the edges of the path, a few trees past that. He still rigged it, setting up a twisting weave through the trees and benches, covering a twenty-meter area around him. Nothing. Clear.
He could only assume that the platform would be as well. Neo wasn't blind, nor stupid. But… she could be distracted. Especially with her semblance's abilities. Surprise attacks could quickly turn to her favor if she had time to react.
Or worse. She had time to escape.
It made her sloppy in some cases.
William came out of the shadows, drifting to the platform. He took up a casual position against the wall, idly playing with his wires. He kept adjusting the pattern, searching for something that might have slipped through. Nothing yet.
A dull whine reached his ears, peaking his interests. He turned, searching dark skyline. Nothing. Wait- a bike. He paused, squinting.
A hoverbike. No lights on it. William pursed his lips, leaning back against the platform railing to wait. She'd be here in a moment. Hoverbikes tended to be quite agile and speedy.
William readjusted his web, then tied it off the railing so he didn't have to maintain tension manually. He could still see it and partially feel it if a string touched something though.
The hoverbike pulled up, a small woman parking it just next to the platform and easing off. A sleek black helmet on her head, curls of pink and brown rolling down the back of her neck.
William was sure that Neo hit all the right fetishes for some men out there. Short. Aggressive. Devious. A heavy lean to murderistic tendencies. And multi-colored hair that matched her multi-colored eyes.
He wasn't one of those men though. Neo was just a short little midget that regulated how long his leash was and reined him in when he pulled too hard.
"Hey little reaper, tombstones seem a little lively tonight." A code phrase. The area was secure, but only for now.
Neo presented an envelope, Roman's symbol stamped on it with wax. How melodramatic. William took it out of her hand, popping the seal and pulling out the missive. A summary, more of an overview of events, but his instructions were clear.
"When's pick up?" William asked.
Neo held up four fingers.
William hummed. Wouldn't give him long after the match started. Sun would be going down around then too. Roman always did have a touch for dramatic plots and plays.
"Then I'm free." William said, giving Neo a hard look. She gave him a small smile and a wink. Then she shrugged, a second letter appearing in her hand, likely from the folds of her jacket.
William grabbed for it and missed as Neo danced away. He growled.
"Give it here midget." He snarled. Was that his freedom? Or something else Roman had to hold over him.
Neo danced away again, a twisted smile on her lips. Oh she had played with the wrong beast today.
William snapped his fingers, dispelling his web as he cast out another set of wires, looping them around him and Neo, creating a cage.
"You don't want to play today." William warned her, sending another line under his feet from railing to railing. He adjusted it, putting tension on the wire and using his weight to keep it down.
Neo cocked an eyebrow, then held out the envelope again.
A dozen different wires snapped tight around her arm, wrenching it to the side as William retracted them. She hit the station wall, held there by a mixture of tension and her own resistance. The letter dropped to the ground.
She seemed surprised, shocked even. But she should have known better. Traps like that were easy to set up when William could move the wires anyway he wanted.
He picked up the envelop, popping the wax seal on it and withdrawing the letter. He scanned it, a cold feeling of dread trickling down from his head to his feet.
Roman knew. He knew about Sandra. He knew about his team. He had the full history on Leonardo Zaffre, as well as Victoria Violet. Everything. Criminal record, school transcripts. A paper trail.
William paused, rereading it. No. He had to be bluffing.
William picked at the paper corner. Why was he threatening them? He must think he'd gotten attached. That or they could be recruited somehow. Unlikely. Victoria had enough abuse. Leo could barely handle one murder. And Sandra would never work for him.
But… Sandra…
Her explosive collar.
Roman knew…
He felt Neo shatter, his wires drooping as the tension went out. She'd appear in one of her safehouses, or maybe-
He ducked, the slender steel blade slicking through the letter as she altered her swing. William cursed, sweeping her legs out. She was prepared though, flipping the blade around and plunging down to nail him to the floor.
He kicked again, burying his foot in her stomach. His leg length was just barely enough. She came up short, the momentum gone. She snarled, stabbing down at his chest.
He caught it with one hand, feeling the steel bite flesh, blood gushing out. He twisted it to the side, putting the tip into concrete and holding it there.
"Don't you touch my team." William snarled.
Neo seemed amused, her eyes flickering through various shades of pink and white. Then her smile appeared, wicked and twisted.
"I'll kill you." William assured her, deadly calm. His semblance twisted around his arms. "And I'll make damn sure you're nothing but mincemeat."
Neo's mouth opened, like she was laughing. But nothing came out, which might have been creepy if William hadn't already strung up his web with his free hand. He clenched it into a fist. The wires brightened, no longer just being woven, but actively used. Neo hesitated.
That was all William needed as he retracted the wires back to him. A wire frame squeezed around her, cutting into the jacket as William pulled it in. Flesh was always difficult to slice through. A neck? Certainly, but an entire body? The tension was beyond his normal abilities.
But he'd be damned if Neo touched a hair on her head.
He pulled, and Neo shattered.
He swore, watching the pieces crumble and break as his wires snapped back against him. They didn't hurt him, it was his own Aura, but it left him feeling slapped.
He'd tried to kill Neo. Honestly, had tried to kill Neo.
For what?
Leo, Victoria and Sandra?
Neo reappeared on the hoverbike, her jacket a little worse for wear, neat squares sliced into the leather. She smiled at him again, waving as she kicked the bike into gear, backing out of the station and leaving William with a cold feeling in his stomach.
He might have nearly succeeded, but he'd given Neo too much time to react. She slipped through his web. She'd riled him up. And worse, she now knew he had a weakness. His team. He had to be careful the next few weeks.
He picked up the dropped and shredded letter, turning it over in his hands. He folded it up, tucking both letters into his pocket.
He glanced around, peering into the shadows. He didn't see anyone… but looks could be deceiving. He threw out his semblance again, reconstructing his web. The wires tinged sharply. Someone had been watching.
It was just a matter of who.
And if he could catch them.
William readjusted his wires, getting a better read on them. The person was hiding in the bushes. Really? The bushes? Couldn't they be original and at least climb the tree?
William snorted, but turned down the path, keeping the tension out of his shoulders. He heard the bushes shift, as if the person was trying to shrink back. He could catch them.
But what would that do? Depending on what they saw, it might be even more suspicious.
William would rather know how it was though.
He snapped his web tight, careful as he retracted the wires. The person screamed, thrashing against them as they pulled tight against the tree.
William stepped off the path, weaving around the bushes to see his sneak. His sneak was a she. His wires had caught her halfway between a crouch and standing, leaving her pressed against the bark awkwardly.
"Let me go!" She snarled. Then she glanced down at the wires before back up at him. "I didn't see-"
"What's your name." William asked calmly.
"Anythin…." She trailed off, staring at him. "No. I'm not telling you."
William hummed, adjusting the wires around her. The tree came free, but the girl was still coiled up. He tweaked a few of the threads, letting her get into a full standing position. She glared at him, shifting away and around the tree.
"No no no." William scolded softly, a double loop of wire weaving between her bonds and William's hands. A leash. He yanked her back.
She toppled over, hitting the ground hard with a yelp and a groan.
"I'm trying to be nice. I don't like people peeping on me." William explained. "Just tell me your name. That's it."
She looked up, shaking her head. "Or what?"
William shrugged. "Or I can find more unpleasant ways to learn what I want. Cost me a bit more time, but I can learn."
She glanced at him, narrowing her eyes. Calculating gaze. She was trying to determine if he was threatening her, or just cautious.
"I had a meeting with a friend. She doesn't like being on campus since she quarreled with one of the other students in my team." William lied. "But she had something to give me."
"So obviously you meet at midnight." The girl retorted.
"She might be melodramatic." William added.
"Doesn't smooth over you tying me up like a hog!"
William shrugged. "Alright. Say I let you go. Then you'd go to Oz, or the witch and tell them I'm meeting someone at midnight. Then I have to go through a whole debacle just to tell them it's a former teammate giving me a letter." He gave her a flat look. "Or I could catch you here, clear it up and get your name."
There were some stretches in what he told. It was a bad lie for him. But hopefully convincing enough for her.
"Solemn." She said. "Now let me go."
William turned off his semblance. "Thank you Solemn. I don't need to be expecting Ozpin at my door do I?" He should have killed her. But that would be suspicious too.
"No…" She mumbled. "I guess not."
William nodded. "Thank you." He held up the letter in his hands. "Just a letter." Then he turned, walking back to the dorms. He threw a hand up behind him to wave goodbye.
He might still hear from Oz. But he also had something else on his hands now too. Solemn. He'd have to do some digging.
Victoria was waiting for him when he slipped through the door. Her intense violet eyes shooting holes straight through him as he eased across the room.
He unlaced his boots, looking her in the eye as calmly as he could. She knew too much. Roman had an eye on her too. On her, Leo and Sandra. They were liabilities now. He had to be careful.
Victoria got up, walking over and sitting down next to him. He glanced at her, then kicked off his boots, pulling his duster off and hanging it back up.
"What happened tonight?" She asked, her voice tickling his ear.
Heat raced from his ear down to his neck. A tingle up his spine. He smothered it before it could get any further. It was biology. Biology and the fact he couldn't. Not romance. Not attraction.
"Got a letter from uncle." He whispered.
"And?"
"No." William replied. "This is my burden to bear. This is my secret to keep. You can have anything else about me. But let me keep this torture to myself." William whispered.
Victoria was silent for a time, then she nodded, leaning in close once more. "I know he told you to keep quiet about it William." His blood turned to ice. Was Victoria spying on him? Did she have connections? Did- "But if you want to talk to anyone the njust let me know. It's a heavy burden to bear alone. Murders and lies."
No. She was just concerned. Concerned and willing to help. That, coupled with his vulnerability around her and her knack for reading him, led her to this conclusion. She wanted to help.
William nodded. "I'll be angry in the morning." He replied.
"You'll be angry at yourself in the morning." She clarified. "And me."
"Not you." William replied, but he didn't deny her first statement. She'd hit the nail on the head.
She nodded, getting back up and slipping back into her bunk. She curled up again, pulling the sheets up to hide herself from his stare.
He turned away, unwilling to focus on the matter any longer. He'd been right. He would be angry in the morning. At himself. For betraying so many. For letting this plan come about and putting it into action. And for putting his team at risk, or worse, flat out killing them.
William swore softly as he pulled off his clothes, dropping them on the floor and sliding under the covers. He was so stupid for thinking Roman wouldn't find out.
Alright so this is a thing. I just cranked this out. This is actually the end of the thirteenth chapter if we're going by the old script. As you can see though. This is the 16th. And it's extremely long. Didn't mean for it to be. I was actually concerned with it being short, but then… I added in a bit more conversation, a little friction with Neo. A conforontation and introduction of a lovely little character I borrowed named Solemn. (She's important. You'll see her again.)
And here we are. 34 pages on a Word doc. Well. Story wise 33, but whatever.
I'm not sure if I can or will keep this pace though. I just… I sat down and I saw this. And I frantically blurted all of this out. There was zero editing in this except for spell check and prayers. It was just…. It needed to come out.
And now there's another chapter and a clearer picture for William's story. As well as the future of it.
I hope you all are enjoying it. I do enjoy writing this. I love William's character, though it has changed recently due to my own personal issues. I can't write William like I used to. But… I think I like the way he is for right now. Solemn. Cautious. Still self-loathing. But… not quite so dark inside. A little more open. A little more desperate for love and friendship and for someone to reach inside and accept that darkness that's bled into his soul.
Discussion for another time.
~ShadowedSword signing off~ R&R!