AN: Wow. A month and a half, for a sub 4000 word chapter. I have no excuse, really. I need to get back on the track of writing this, but I'm afraid it might be a month or so until the next one can come out. I'm going on my annual training soon, and those two weeks are going to be very, very busy. I will try my hardest to get the next chapter out.

The next chapter is going to be a bit different, though. It's going to break from the standard POV schedule. You can probably guess what's going to happen next chapter from the italicized beginning and the chapter title.

Sorry for the long wait, and as always, read, enjoy, and please review!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

"Is your strike force ready, Commander?"

"Sixteen of our best members, hand-picked by me. All were members of the Atlas military before the humans forced them out with their bigotry."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Everyone knows what they're doing, and they've been practicing for this from the moment she hit the hospital."

"Answer the question, Commander."

"…Yes. It's a risky move, but I have trust in my men."

"Good. For too long has man thought of us as stupid beasts, only capable of the simplest of attacks, bombings and hit-and-run attacks. This will teach them that our savagery can be every bit as sophisticated as theirs!"

"What about the rabbit?"

"That slime that allowed himself to be captured? Don't worry, he didn't know anything about this op, I made sure of that."

"I still have misgivings about the Hunter team stationed on the ICU. Even with those new weapons, my men aren't Hunters, and-"

"Did the new weapons work against the Huntsmen we captured from Vacuo?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Your loyalty to your men is recognized, commander, but trust in your equipment and in your men. Yes, it is risky, but there is always risk associated with these things. And you know as well as I do that we need to do this soon."

"Right, our eyes on the inside say that the target is on schedule to wake up soon. So, Thursday morning, 0310 hours. We'll show them precisely why they should fear the Crimson Claw."

xxxXXXxxx

Blake stood in the control room, staring at the monitors, face impassive, hands clasped loosely behind her back. She was fairly certain that Weiss would have objected to this building's existence, had she known about it. But when Blake had become chief of security, she had been given a significant budget to bolster the SDC's security. The purchase and modification of the warehouse on the edge of Vale had been listed under anonymous expenses, and Blake had made certain that this building's exact purpose was well hidden. Save for her and the very trusted people she had working here, no one knew what was done here. But Blake had long known that the world was dark, cold, and savage, and she knew that in order to combat said savagery, she had to be willing to match that savagery.

Of course, there were limits that she wouldn't cross. No innocents would ever have to fear her, and she knew that the best way to fight inequality and prejudice was through peaceful means, means that she much preferred to any of the less savory courses of action. But she had learned long ago that there were some that had to be dealt with by force, as they were too far gone to listen to reason. And, as Weiss's head of security, she would fight that madness any means necessary, which is why she built this place. After all, she was fairly certain that Weiss would object to SDC funds going to building a torture house.

Blake grimaced at that thought. Torture house. That sounded so barbaric. Interrogation house was far more accurate, and there was a certain art about getting information from someone who was unwilling to part with it. Most idiots thought that getting info meant beating someone until they gave it up, but really, that was such an inefficient way to do it. It could take days to get anything, and more times than not, the subject would lie and give false information out of a mixture of spite towards their attackers and of a desire for the beatings to stop, even if for a while. Other techniques could mirror this approach, to include waterboarding and exposure to temperature and noise extremes. But humans and fauni were odd in that they could find resilience in pain, find the energy and will to defy their attackers.

Blake's way?

Her way was much simpler. The room where Vern Williams had been placed three days ago was very specially made. Completely soundproof, once you went in there, you couldn't hear anything but your own breathing and heartbeat. No footsteps in the hall, no electricity humming through wires, and even the lights in the room were completely silent. This room, of course, was much more effective against fauni than against humans. Fauni were, after all, much more susceptible to the 'pack' mentality…they craved contact with others, and to be removed from that could prove maddening.

She had actually put herself through the experience of being in the room, and it was horrifying, in its own way. Even going in, knowing what to expect…her skin shuddered. She had never felt so alone, even while surviving in Ever Fall after running away from Adam. The silence had been all-encompassing, to the point where her own breathing and heartbeat had become painful to listen to. At first she had tried talking into the silence, but it hadn't been enough. She hadn't been able to stay in for more than two days.

She glanced at Vern, where he was huddled in a corner, rocking gently back and forth, ears drooped, and she did feel a pang of regret for what she was doing to him. He was probably hearing things by now, mind conjuring noises to fill the vacuum. He'd be ready soon. "Keep an eye on him," she ordered the monitor tech.

"Roger, boss. He hasn't said anything since he talked out loud the first day, but we'll let you know if anything changes," George replied, before grimacing at the screen. "Poor bastard."

She couldn't help but agree with that thought. The temperature in the room was slightly lower than normal, but not cold enough to cause any injury, just discomfort. The room also had a thin mattress and a toilet, and meals were delivered three times a day, carefully measured to give two thousand calories and all the necessary vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. After the first twelve hours of Vern's being in the room, Blake had ordered that the lights be shut off save for fifteen minutes during each mealtime, and then for ten minutes every two hours, allowing Vern to relieve himself. After all, while fauni could see very well in low light conditions, they were just as blind as humans when there was no light to enhance. Vern spent most of his day blind and deaf, his only companion his mind that was steadily cracking under the pressure. And the key to this technique was that there was no one that he could associate with the torture, no one to set his will against. The food was delivered through a slot in the wall, the lights were controlled remotely, and the cameras were well hidden. He may know exactly who was behind his imprisonment, but with a lack of contact, that didn't matter.

Blake nodded briskly. "Right, keep up the good work, and let me know if the situation changes." Glancing once more at the forlorn form in the corner of the room, Blake turned, and swept out of the room. Maybe that was what was really different between her and the Crimson Claw. They likely didn't feel regret for any of their deeds. But her? Even though she knew the necessity of it, she truly did feel sorry for Vern. Their research into his background suggested that he wasn't enraptured by the Crimson Claw's blood thirsty ideals, that he had merely been dragged into the situation without being given an alternative. Stopping just before getting into her car, she looked back at the unassuming building. "I'll make it up to you. You don't have to forgive me for what I've done, and I certainly don't deserve any forgiveness…but you'll be safe after this, I swear it."

But her words felt empty in the summer evening's air, and she couldn't help the wave of self-loathing from descending upon her as she began to make the trip back to her apartment. Yes, she was helping Ruby, and she was helping to take down an extremely dangerous and radical organization that was threatening the peace of both humans and fauni, but it didn't change the fact that she was torturing a fellow faunus for a human's sake. Her thoughts didn't get much brighter throughout the drive, and the feeling of lithe power under her hands and feet didn't cheer her up like it usually did.

The car had been a gift from Weiss, a bonus to taking the prodigious task of being the head of security, and Blake had loved it from the moment she had first seen it, which surprised her. She was never one for cars or for machines in general, but there was something about the sleek lines of the shiny black sports coupe that fascinated her. It looked like a black panther, she had realized after staring at it for a dumbfounded minute, before deciding that its name was Bagheera. And starting her for the first time…THAT had been amazing as the powerful engine roared to life, eager to open up and take her places. And Bagheera had been as graceful and as powerful as her beautiful frame had suggested…but now it all seemed distant, dead, any joy that she could have felt held at bay by her disgust in her actions.

Suddenly angry, she made her way to the freeway and accelerated hard, nimbly passing the much slower moving cars and trucks instinctively, the car acting as an extension of her body. She kept pushing and pushing, until the engine was howling its defiance at the world as she screamed along at a speed that was close to being described as ludicrous. She could go faster still, but she glanced in the mirror, and saw flashing red and blue lights. Lights that were rapidly receding as she pulled away from them, and for a moment she considered continuing to run.

But then more reasonable thinking prevailed, and she began to downshift and brake until she was pulled well off to the side of the road, hands resting on the dashboard, in plain view, patiently waiting for the police car to catch up. It arrived presently, and she winced as the searchlight was turned on and trained on her as one of the cops opened the door, crouching behind it protectively as his pistol came out.

"GET OUT OF THE CAR, AND KEEP YOUR HANDS IN VIEW!"

Blake sighed and rolled her eyes at the command over the PA, but she did as she was told, actions smooth and deliberate, as non-threatening as she could make them. Turning to face the police, she squinted into the bright light, unable to make out anything but silhouettes. The cop behind the door stood, barked something at his partner, and the searchlight was shut off. That done, he holstered his pistol and started to make his way over to her.

"Sorry, Miss Belladonna, we thought that someone had stolen your car," he called out once closer.

She scoffed. "I imagine that it would be a mercy for them to be apprehended by the police, rather than by me."

"Right," he said with a concerned frown as he came to a stop in front of her. Uncomfortable silence reigned for a moment, broken only by cars whizzing past them, curious onlookers peering at the scene from windows flashing by. "Miss Belladonna…you do realize how fast you were going, don't you?" A sharp-witted retort was caught on the end of her tongue, but rather than heckle the man for doing his job, she merely stared at him. He shifted nervously under her gaze. "You were going one hundred sixty kilometers per hour over the speed limit…was there an emergency you needed to get to?"

"No, not really." At her words, he grew even more uncomfortable, and she decided to have mercy on him. "Would you like my license and registration?" Give him something to do, rather than fixate on just whom he had pulled over. He nodded, and she returned to the car, grabbing the necessary documents, handing it to him.

"This'll be just a bit," he apologized, and she shrugged.

"No emergency to get to, officer, I'm fine with waiting." And as he made his way back to his squad car, she sat back down, gazing thoughtfully back at him.

What would have happened if she wasn't Blake Belladonna, one of the saviors of Vale, renowned Huntress, and head of security with the Schnee Dust Company? She probably would have been arrested for reckless driving, endangerment of others, and a slew of other charges.

Then her thoughts turned darker. As a faunus, the arrest probably would have been violent, and the whole process much less pleasant. She wasn't deaf to the whispers on the street, the warnings floating with the wind. Tensions had been rising again between fauni and humans, human shops segregating who they served, fauni travelling in groups for safety. And the fact that this was happening in Vale, which was a historically open-minded city, meant that it was probably much worse elsewhere, though her foreign contacts hadn't brought any significant news to her…yet. But this was all due to the Crimson Claw. Their acts had raised a lot of suspicion against all fauni, because who could say who was acting as a spy or scout, readying a location for an attack? And could she blame those suspicious? Analysis of the attack on the Vale Headquarters revealed a strong likelihood that the Crimson Claw had prepared for it for some time, to include reconnoitering the site in order to gather information. Really, any fauni could be a mole. It would be night impossible to find a well-placed spy, if they knew what they were doing, and like she had said to Yang, they had killed all the stupid ones.

"Miss Belladonna?"

Jerked from her thoughts, she glanced up at the cop, who was holding her documents, plus an extra sheet of paper. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't ignore how fast you were going. However, in light of your actions in defense and support of Vale, I've given you a huge break. The ticket is for going fifteen kilometers per hour over the speed limit. I have let HQ know about this, on the down low, so if you're caught going that fast again, you'll face the full penalty."

This was where she was supposed to thank him, she supposed, but she was seized by an irrational anger, and anger that made her want to cuss him out, to hit him, to force him to hold her accountable for her decision to go so dangerously fast. Why should she, of all people, be let off with a much less serious charge than what she deserved? She had broken the law, in a way that could have resulted in someone's death, and she was getting a slap on the wrist.

With great effort, she forced herself to calm down, and she took the papers from the officer with a strained smile. "My thanks to you."

"And please, be safe going home."

She nodded, recognizing the hidden request in the words. "I plan on going nowhere else for this evening, sir."

He tapped the brim of his hat. "Stay safe, ma'am."

She started Bagheera, signaled, and entered traffic, making sure to keep exactly the speed limit, suddenly feeling drained as she made her way back home, twilight turning into full night by the time she pulled into the parking garage. She blinked in surprise at the sight of Bumblebee, and she felt a twinge of guilt. While she was joy riding, Yang had likely been waiting for her to come back. Another way that she had messed up. Perfect.

The trip up to her floor was rapid enough, and she wondered what was waiting for her when she unlocked her door. Yang's visits ranged from endearing to hysterical, depending on Yang's mood, but as she stepped inside, there weren't any of the signs she took as warnings. Instead, a warm, gentle glow emanated from the living room area, and Blake's ears twitched as they caught the sound of snoring. Frowning curiously, she turned the corner, and stopped, smiling gently.

Yang was sprawled out on the couch, dressed in her short sleeping shorts and a tight tank top, magazine on the floor beside her outstretched arm, her other arm thrown over her eyes, and mouth open. She snorted, wriggled deeper into the couch, smacked her lips, and continued to snore, oblivious to the thin line of drool running from the corner of her mouth. The rest of the room was lit by Blake's candles, and Blake could see it now, Yang setting up the candles, dressed in her sleep clothes, ready to spend the night. She probably waited up for a while, ready to say something that she thought was sultry and witty, before sleep caught up with her. Once more, Blake's chest twinged with guilt, and she couldn't help but feel that she had again failed her girlfriend.

When was the last time they had had the chance to hang out? They hadn't been on a date since before the attack, and both of them had been busy trying to run down the Crimson Claw. Blake could barely remember the last time she had even kissed Yang. She went back into the entryway, hanging up her coat in the closet and taking off her tie, undoing the top buttons on her shirt. There were things to be said about looking professional, but it was always nice to unwind at the end of the day. She stopped in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of merlot before returning to the living room, folding herself into one of the chairs, staring fondly at Yang as she enjoyed her wine.

The golden-haired pugilist snorted again, sitting upright in a shot, looking around wildly before her eyes fell on Blake. She blinked sleepily, fingers brushing her mouth before she scowled, wiping away the drool trail with the back of her hand. "You could've woken me up," she murmured before yawning mightily, stretching her arms above her head, and Blake felt her pulse quicken at the view.

"I didn't mind watching," she replied.

"Meh, I could feel you staring at me," Yang groused, before shooting her an apologetic glance. "Sorry I couldn't stay up."

"No, it's my fault, I should've been home sooner," Blake said as she set her wine glass on the coffee table before standing, making her way over to Yang, and straddling her lap, gut clenching at the flash of heat in Yang's eyes.

"Well, hello, kitten," Yang rumbled deep in her chest, fingers brushing Blake's cheeks gently. Blake smiled, leaned down, and they shared a tender kiss. They broke apart, Yang's eyes half-lidded and happy. "So, what were you up to today?"

"Went to see our friend, Vern. I think he'll be ready tomorrow. I'm going to call in Velvet, she was never too closely associated with our team, and he'll likely connect with a fellow rabbit faunus than anyone else we know."

Yang frowned at that. "And she's okay with helping us with this sort of thing? Doesn't seem in keeping with her mindset."

"She's not happy, but she knows just as well as anyone that he's our only lead so far, and she's just waiting for my call. She should be here tomorrow evening, if I call her tonight or tomorrow morning." She leaned in for another kiss, her hair falling over Yang's, creating a dark veil. They continued like that for a few minutes, and as they broke the kiss, Blake rested her head against Yang's shoulder. "What news from Ruby?"

"She's just about ready to be taken off the ventilator, and being well cared for. There's a lot of interesting characters on that floor, I'll certainly say. But her doc says that they'll be bringing her out of the medical coma during the day on Thursday. At the latest, she'll be awake by Friday."

Blake sighed in relief at that. So, in two or three days, Ruby would be awake, and they'd be one step closer to her being well again. Everything was coming together. She'd have to thank Velvet when she arrived, do something really nice for her. Taking time off in the middle of the week to help her out was likely a challenge, and it was likely going to be fun for the demure young woman to explain to her team the situation. "Oh, sorry, everyone, I'm just going to travel to Vale on Wednesday evening in order to aid in the torture of a member of the radical Crimson Claw. Have fun with the hunt while I'm gone!" Not likely.

"Hey." Yang's concerned tone brought her out of her thoughts, and she sat back up, looking into her girlfriend's face. "Are you okay?"

Blake shrugged. "I just…I really don't like this whole situation. I just wish that there was peace between humans and fauni. I'm so tired of the bloodshed, so tired of being divided on the issue."

Yang cupped her cheek, drew her in for another, tender kiss. "I can't change that, but for now we have each other, right? Let's go to bed, okay?"

Blake gave a small smile. The next few moments were quiet as they put out the candles and she finished her glass of wine. But even though she should have been at least content in Yang's presence, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that something bad was on the horizon. Shaking her head firmly, she grasped Yang's hand. No. She should focus on the present, spend the night actually being with Yang, rather than being somewhere a million miles away.

Mind made up, she pushed her depressed thoughts away, and grabbed Yang, drawing her into a much more heated kiss as she kicked the door shut behind her. Everything was getting better, they'd know more about the Crimson Claw on the morrow, and Ruby would be waking up soon. Everything was great.

And she had no way of knowing just how wrong she actually was.