A/N: Alright, we're almost there! Not much to say about this one other than I wanted to add some last minute fluffy stuff before finishing. Hopefully you guys like it, and thank you for sticking with me through all this. As usual thanks for following/favouriting and extra thanks for those of you who left reviews and supported me throughout this.
Weiss stood and watched the water trickling out of the rusty tap in the motel's bathroom before cupping it in her hands and splashing her face. She grabbed the cloth and started work wiping away the grime on her face from another's day work helping out around the village. She stepped back into the main room where Blake was reclining in a chair next to the small round table, reading a book in what looked like Arabic, while Antonio sat across from her talking quietly on a phone.
They had been waiting for the last two days for Ruby and Yang to return from their sudden departure to Fortaleza. Curious as to why they left so suddenly, Weiss did a quick Google search only to find out that the city in which her partner had absconded to was among the most dangerous on the continent, leading to obvious questions concerning the character of the those the charismatic con woman was meeting with.
Thankfully, Senora Huarez was very understanding and had managed to find her enough work to keep her from worrying too much.
The clock on the bedside table beeped, indicating it was seven o'clock, just as the door to the motel room opened and the missing sisters walked in carrying armfuls of folders with them.
Blake closed her book and Antonio quickly hung up the phone as Yang and Ruby each dropped their stacks on the small table with a thud.
"And just what is all this?" Antonio asked flatly.
"Every bit of information on Torchwick's secret island Rubes and I could intimidate, con, wrangle, and haggle out of a whole bunch of different people." Yang replied happily.
"I'm surprised you found so much," Blake remarked, "considering it is supposed to be a secret facility on a secret island."
"Yeah, well, you know there's only one way three people can keep a secret," Ruby replied as she opened up a case of thumb tacks. Blake tipped her head in agreement while Weiss raised an eyebrow.
"I don't follow."
"It's an old saying. One mi pequena joya has grown quite fond of over the years," Antonio supplied. "'Three can keep a secret… if two of them are dead.'"
Weiss hummed as she thought about the proverb and the implications behind it being a favourite of her partner's while she watched Ruby take out the first of many photographs –the ones from their little midnight flight –and pin them to the wall.
"Alright," Ruby announced, "so we all know why we're here. This," she pointed to the overhead photos of the compound, "is our target. As you can see, to start, we've got industrial floodlights lighting up every inch of ground over a thirty foot radius."
"Guards?" Yang asked.
Ruby uncapped a red sharpie and circled various figures on the photos. "There are guards stationed around every building on the ground and the roof, each equipped with night-vision goggles and stationed so their fields of view overlap with the guys to either side of them."
"It looks like they're set up to primarily keep watch on the outer perimeter," Blake observed. "We could drop down on the roof and land right between them."
"The radar shadow is too small to safely or reliably parachute in, and if the conditions are clear enough to drop from farther away, you'd be an easy target for the guards on the roof."
"So an aerial entrance is out." Weiss surmised.
"Not necessarily," Antonio countered. "I have a friend who might be able to help us, though he would only be able to accommodate one of you."
Ruby nodded to her grandfather and turned to Blake. "Alright. If mi Abuelo's plan works out, Blake, that'll be you."
The cat burglar nodded seriously as Yang spoke up. "What about the rest of us? They'll be able to see anything that gets within ten metres of those buildings. We won't be able to just sneak up to the door, running from cover to cover. There anything else we can use?"
Ruby pinned up several more pictures around the first, providing a detailed infrared image of the entire island. "The main facility is fairly self-sufficient, with onsite firetrucks, housing for a number of the workers, mess hall, water treatment plant, and backup power infrastructure." She tacked on several pictures of different doors and security locks both inside and outside of the various buildings. "They use the highest grade security technologies available from a few different companies, both legitimate and not."
"What kind of technologies?" Blake inquired.
"Well, for our first target," Ruby began.
"Wait, wait, wait," Yang interrupted. "Our first target?"
Ruby nodded. "If we wanna manipulate the CCS into keeping everyone but us under surveillance, we need to do two things. The first is gaining access to their servers. Once there, we plug in and erase literally everything about us from every database they're wired into. Second, we need to break into the office of one Jeremy Gallagher." She added a blown up ID photo portraying an older man with dark, wrinkled skin and receding grey hair that was just barely peeking out over his ears. "He is the only person with full administrative access to the machine while they finish up the final debugging processes. As soon as we try to alter any of the data at the servers, a notification will be sent to his personal computer looking for confirmation of the changes."
"So, you are going to have to split into two teams." Antonio noted.
"You're not coming?" Weiss asked. In the short time since she'd met him, she had become aware of the calming presence the elderly priest exuded, and she was remiss to learn that he wouldn't be there on their most high stakes heist yet.
Antonio chuckled. "I am afraid not, mi querida, these old bones have seen enough action for one lifetime. I would only slow you down."
"Tony's gonna be setting up our transportation and waiting for us a safe distance away from the island." Yang added.
"So, what are we looking at security-wise on our two targets?" Blake asked in an attempt to keep them on track.
"Well," Ruby replied, grabbing another of the folders and opening it, "there are various server rooms around the facility. Servers give off a lot of heat." She started pinning several thermal images over top of the night vision ones.
"And considering the scope of the CCS, the hottest part of the compound is where we're most likely to find it." Weiss finished.
"Not exactly." Ruby shook her head. "Each server room's kept underground. Their temperature is carefully regulated and kept at a brisk ten degrees Celsius. The result is they're all but indistinguishable on thermal imaging. Instead, you look for these." She circled various orange and yellow splotches next to the different buildings. "These are where they vent the heat from the various server rooms. From what we've gathered, these facilities were built section by section over a long time, so the ventilation isn't centralized. According to some very hard to acquire satellite imagery, this one," she added, drawing a circle around the blotch closest to the water, it was almost entirely yellow with bursts of white closer to the building, "is the most recent addition as well as the hottest, and therefore the most likely one to be connected to the CCS."
"Then, could someone crawl through there to reach the server room?" Blake wondered.
"Maybe," Ruby answered, "but it could go very wrong, very fast."
"How do you figure?"
"The inside of that vent is like a furnace. Whoever goes down there will need to be properly insulated against the heat and be fast."
"How fast?" Yang inquired.
"Short of wearing a fire proximity suit, the vents will have to be shut off from Gallagher's office to even survive going through them. At that point, we'll have until the room reaches twenty-eight degrees before the primary alarm goes off. That too can be shut down from Gallagher's office before it alerts anyone, but once the room reaches forty degrees, the system floods the room and a secondary general alarm goes off, alerting all on hand technicians that something's gone wrong. There is a wait period while the room cools itself before the technician is allowed to enter and see what's wrong. Also the alarm is bound to spook any and all guards, making things more difficult in general."
"So how long does that give us?" Weiss asked.
Ruby paused and looked off into space as she did various calculations in her head. A moment later she looked back at them. "A few minutes, give or take."
"That's not a lot of time." Blake noted dryly.
"So that's our way in." Yang added.
"One of them," Ruby corrected. She seemed to notice the various looks of anticipation and moved on to explain. "Grandpa was right about us needing to split up. We need someone to get into Gallagher's office and disable the vents and primary alarm, then confirm the alterations to the CCS's database; Gallagher's fairly high up on the totem pole at the moment, so his computer's bound to have access to more than just the CCS, therefore we'll need someone to copy as much data as can fit on a single hard drive and knows what should be prioritized; someone to go down the vents, hack into the CCS servers, and alter the database; and finally, the server room can't be opened unless entered from the designated entrance, so someone will need to break in and open the door."
"So, we already know you'll be taking the vents down to the servers, and Blakey will be going in from the roof," Yang gathered. "What about me and Weiss? From the looks of it, the rest of this place is a fortress."
"It might look that way, but even a fortress has to let people in and out." She tossed a couple dossiers to her sister who opened them and started looking over the hastily-made aliases with a critical eye.
"These could work," the blonde muttered before handing one of them over to the redhead.
Ruby smirked. "They will."
They spent the rest of the night, and well into the next day, going over every detail and piece of information they could, until, eventually, they all sat back, sure they had planned as thoroughly as they possibly could. All that was left was to wait and get started on their final preparations ignoring their individual feelings of dread, excitement, anxiety, and general anticipation.
*(OoO)*
Weiss sat at the small table on the boat, adding some last-minute details to her little pet project. They had all finally finished whatever preparations they could for the upcoming job and were taking this last day to relax and get their minds off of what was coming.
Yang had taken Blake to one of the nearby resort locations for one last night in the lap of luxury, while Antonio had already left a couple days prior to negotiate and secure their transportation. This left Weiss and Ruby alone for the day. They spent most of the morning helping out wherever they could around the little town; Weiss smiled as she remembered the relaxed grin her partner wore as she interacted with Senora Huarez and the rest of the locals. After lunch though, the crafty con woman ducked away, claiming she had something that she had to take care of, and swearing to Weiss it had nothing to do with the job.
Appeased with her promise, Weiss let her go before returning to work. She came back to the boat just as the sun was beginning to set, showered quickly to wipe away the grime of the day and got to work on her list as she waited for Ruby to return.
It was nearly dark and the stars were beginning to appear in the sky when the energetic brunette returned. She rushed onto the boat calling Weiss's name before finding her at her usual seat below deck.
"There you are!" She exclaimed. "I've been looking for you for ages."
"Well, I'm right here," Weiss deadpanned. "Is there any particular reason you've been looking for me?"
"Oh, yeah!" Ruby straightened up as if she just remembered her reason for being there. "I need you to come with me."
"Why?" Weiss asked even as she took Ruby's hand and allowed herself to be led above deck.
"You'll see," Ruby replied, hopping onto the dock before helping Weiss down.
Aware that she wouldn't get anything more from the bouncy brunette, Weiss conceded to following her wherever it was she taking them. In the meantime, she took the opportunity to observe Ruby's attire and found herself enraptured as she looked her partner up and down.
At some point after leaving that morning, Ruby had changed into the same clothes she had been wearing at the auction so many weeks ago. At the time, Weiss had been too panicked due to the unexpected appearance of her father to properly take in how good her partner had looked, but now, as she followed behind her, she had been given a perfect opportunity to properly absorb every last detail.
She watched with wide eyes as the dark fabric of her pants clung to Ruby's frame, drawing attention to the powerful legs and swaying hips beneath. Eventually (after tripping over her own feet several times), she managed to tear her eyes away from her partner's legs and take in the rest of the dapper woman before her. She had done away with the jacket for now, leaving her in a crimson waistcoat that reflected the fading sunlight, and outlined her svelte figure while displaying muscles that shifted with every step. The ensemble was brought together with a crisp, white shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to just below her elbow, showing off her forearms, and a tie matching the waistcoat tied into a neat straight end bow around her neck.
Altogether, it made for quite the contrast to the various forms of casual wear Weiss had seen Ruby in over the past few months. She compared it to the last time she had seen her friend in formal wear, what seemed like a lifetime ago. The gorgeous information broker had donned an elegant evening gown that clung to her every curve seamlessly.
Ruby had said then that the clothes didn't matter. That they were merely supplemental. Of course, she had been correct then, but as Weiss watched her swagger confidently in front of her, seemingly as comfortable in a several-thousand-dollar suit as she was in khakis and a blouse, she couldn't help but think about how great of a supplement they were. The last time they had been in this position, Weiss had been reeling from Ruby's easy declaration of their friendship and too busy convincing herself that she was merely impressed with the transformation from the childish girl in the ratty hoodie to the suave socialite to fully take in how attractive her partner was. Now, she had been privileged with seeing more of the woman beneath the masks than most, and she had come to terms with what she was feeling being more than platonic admiration, or even some silly crush, so she had no qualms whatsoever with taking her time to fully appreciate the vision before her.
"Alright, we're here."
They stopped walking and Weiss nearly barreled into Ruby before looking up and regaining her bearings. She was met with that damnable smirk that, without fail, managed to make her heart palpitate in ways she had never felt before. She quickly averted her eyes in an attempt to spare what little dignity she had left and gasped as she observed her surroundings.
To their left, someone had adorned a large swath of the treeline with tiny lights, while to their right, she noticed the rocky shore their boat was docked at had given way to light banks of sand. The full moon had come out and was reflecting off the waves as they rolled gently against the shore. Planted firmly between the land and the sea was a small table with a pair of candles burning softly atop it and two elegant wooden chairs set across from each other.
Weiss opened her mouth, but before she could voice her amazement, a small group of men she recognized from the town came out holding various instruments and started playing softly. They were accompanied by Senora Huarez, who led them to their seats and, once Ruby had pulled Weiss's out for her and seated herself, placed two plates of delicious smelling barbequed chicken before them.
"How did you manage to pull this off so quickly?" Weiss asked, stupefied once they had thanked the Senora for the food.
"Well, I had a little help," Ruby answered easily, raising her glass to the band nearby.
"Clearly. How did you convince them to do all this?"
"It was easy. Once I explained it was for you, most of them seemed more than happy to help. Apparently, you've become rather popular with the locals."
Weiss took a bite of her meal and groaned at the decadent flavours that rushed to fill her mouth. She swallowed and turned a critical eye on her well-dressed companion.
"So, is there a reason behind all this? Or were you just looking for an excuse to out-dress and impress me?"
Ruby smirked. "That depends, is it working?"
Weiss took another bite and smiled as she looked around them. "It's not a bad start."
"I guess it's a good thing I've still got a few tricks left up my sleeve, then."
"That remains to be seen."
They continued to speak throughout their meal, the conversation light and easy as it flowed between them. Eventually Senora Huarez came by and cleared their plates before replacing them with dessert and a bottle of port. Ruby smiled in thanks and took a sip of her drink before fixing Weiss with a searching gaze. "So," she asked lightly, "you ever going to tell me what this pet project of yours is that you've been slaving over for the past few weeks?"
Weiss hesitated for a moment, annoyed that she had been caught so easily. "Who says I'm working on anything?"
"You did, just now."
"And what makes you think it has anything to do with you?" Weiss challenged good-naturedly.
Ruby shrugged. "I don't. Was just curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"Well I guess the surprise is ruined." Weiss sighed.
Ruby perked up in her seat. "So it does have to do with me?"
Weiss couldn't help but smile at her partner's childlike excitement as she nodded. "It's nothing much, I just thought that since we're going up against my father, I'd write down everything I could remember about him and his business and give it to you."
Ruby was silent for a minute and Weiss was about to burst out saying to forget it and that it was a stupid little thing so she could pass the time when she felt the other woman's hand grab her own. She looked up and lost herself in warm pools of silver as Ruby smiled softly to her.
"Weiss that has to be the most thoughtful thing anyone has done for me in a long time. Thank you."
"Really?" Weiss asked, shocked.
"Absolutely." Ruby nodded emphatically.
"It wasn't any trouble," Weiss mumbled embarrassingly, "I just thought it might help…"
"It does. I work as an information broker first and foremost," Ruby explained, "it's my job to know everything about anything. Unfortunately, information usually has a cost. You have to work for it. So for you, who was so close to your father's business to go back through everything you've dealt with and write it down for me… that means a lot."
Weiss smiled and blushed at the sincere praise. "Anytime." They finished their dessert and several helpings of port later, Weiss was pleasantly buzzed when she noticed the music take on a slower, gentler tempo. She watched Ruby stand up, unroll her sleeves, and throw on the jacket hanging off the back of her chair. She admired the fit of the double-breasted blazer and took note of the vermillion trim running along the edge of the peaked lapels and pockets. She sat stunned while Ruby secured the buttons before walking around the table and offering her hand.
"May I have this dance?"
Weiss nodded dumbly and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She swallowed the lump in her throat as Ruby's arms wove around her waist, pulling her close, and wrapped her own around the other woman's neck, running her fingers into soft red-brown locks as her head rest against a silk-covered shoulder.
"Impressed yet?" Ruby whispered in her ear as they swayed lightly to the music. Weiss nodded jerkily, barely restraining her tears of joy.
"Just don't let it go to your head," she muttered hoarsely.
"Good, because consider this a sorta sneak preview."
"Preview of what, exactly?"
"The future."
Our future. It wasn't said, but then again, Weiss wasn't sure it needed to be.
"Oh, really?" The redheaded transporter replied coyly as she tried to reign in her emotions, "And what kind of future is that?"
"The kind where I get to be with you for as long as you'll have me," Ruby whispered. "The kind where I get to call you my girlfriend."
Weiss's eyes widened, and she was sure that she would have tripped over her feet had Ruby not been holding her so close "You –You're serious?"
Ruby nodded. "I've never been more serious. We may have our most dangerous job yet ahead of us, and after that we'll be going into hiding under false names and fighting a sort of secret war against a group who has more power and influence than any government ever, but, in spite of the overwhelming odds, and a slew of unanswered questions, I do know one thing for certain: if you're by my side, I know I'll be able to take whatever comes our wat and overcome it."
Tears were now flowing freely down Weiss's face, and she tried to bury her face in the brunette's shoulder when she felt the brunette's hand reach up and guide her face up until watery blue met sturdy grey. She felt Ruby's thumb wipe away her remaining tears and smiled shakily.
Ruby's smile changed from comforting to impish and her eyes twinkled with that familiar mischief Weiss had come to adore as she spoke. "So, I take it that's a yes?"
Weiss let out something between a sob and a chuckle. "Of course it is, you dunce." And then they were kissing and it was familiar and comforting and new and exhilarating at the same time. As usual, her mind was overcome with the sensations of the woman holding her, but as they eventually stumbled back to the boat and collapsed on the bed below deck in a tangle of limbs, a single thought managed to break through the haze of her mind.
No, thought was the wrong word. It was more of a desire.
A need.
A need to be closer to the woman in her bed. A need to show her just how much she meant to the former heiress with the heart of ice that was slowly but surely melting.
She growled in frustration and pawed at Ruby's clothes even as the brunette did away with her shirt and pants, sure that they were keeping her from satisfying this recently developed need that was burning through her. She was barely aware of the loud moan that tore its way from her throat as a toned thigh found its way between her legs. She pushed down against it and suddenly there was fire in her veins and lightning in her nerves like nothing she had ever felt before. She became unaware of everything except that glorious friction and Ruby holding her close as something within her grew tighter and tighter. Minutes or lifetimes passed, and her every muscle strained as everything she was feeling reached a crescendo. Tears leaked from her eyes as she arched her back into her companion, her mouth open in a silent scream to the heavens.
Slowly, she descended back to the earth. She relished in Ruby stroking her back and whispering promises of future happiness in her ear even as her eyelids drooped heavily. She nodded slowly when Ruby instructed her to sleep, and, before she knew it, she was being lulled to sleep by the gentle rhythm of her girlfriend's steady heartbeat.