Torchwick sat alone in his cell counting the tiles on the ceiling as he had done so many times before. There were one hundred sixty seven tiles, but each time he recounted there was a shred of hope the number would change by some miraculous means. But alas his hopes were dashed. One hundred sixty seven tiles with a crack on the fifty fifth and a stain on the ninety ninth. The guard outside the cell was hardly in the mood for conversation. The top half of his face was hidden behind an iron mask while the bottom half refused to smile. Nevertheless it amused Torchwick to try and get some sort of response from the statue. He had yet to succeed.
"Hey guard-y," he said tauntingly, "How's your day going? Well that's nice. I've stuck here myself. Did you know there are one hundred sixty seven tiles on this ceiling? O' course you did 'cause I tell you every day. Must get real annoying eh? Listening to me to me ramble about the same old things again and again and again. You know if you started the conversation it might be more fun. No? Well then I'm not sure where to go from here."
The guard refused to acknowledge his presence. The finger fixed itself on the trigger but would move no further.
"I have an idea," Torchwick snapped his fingers, "Let's play twenty questions!"
No response.
"Great. Let's start," Torchwick walked to the edge of the cell, "You're in a desert, walking along in the sand, when all of a sudden you look down and see a tortoise. It's crawling toward you. You reach down and flip the tortoise over on its back. The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating is legs trying to turn itself over, but it can't. Not without your help. But you're not helping. And I mean, you're not helping. Why is that?"
The guard turned his head and fixed on Torchwick.
Torchwick smirked, "Now that's new. No answer? That's fine, we'll go on to the next one. Describe in single words only the good things that come into mind about… your mother."
The guard snapped the rifle to his should and wrapped his finder around the trigger. He marched toward the cell, the laser sight painting a red dot on his heart. Torchwick stepped back and raised his hands. The bars opened and the guard stepped in pushing Torchwick against the back wall.
"Hey now, hey now, I didn't mean anything by it. Just trying to start a conversation."
The guard froze in the centre of the cell finger on the trigger. Around the corner a group of four armed men walked into the room. They were dressed in blue-grey camouflage, heavy boots, and giggle hats. Balaclavas concealed their identity. The men were armed with sub machineguns and pistols on the hip.
"You're coming with us," said one of the men as he grabbed Torchwick by the collar, "Move it out!"
"What's going on here? I have my rights, you know!"
"Shut up."
"Guard, guard!" called Torchwick, "You're just going to let them do this? After all we've been through?"
The guard lowered his weapons and returned to his post deaf to Torchwick's pleas. The men slapped him in irons and dragged Torchwick through abandoned halls and dark stairwells out to the street. Two black armoured cars led and followed a more heavily armoured truck. The windows were tinted black and any distinguishing marks were surgically removed. Even the license plates were missing. They shoved him into the back of the truck like a piece of meat and slammed the door shut. Within the minute the convoy spurred down the street.
Torchwick took a seat along the side wall. A burly man with a shotgun sat beside him. The front cab was separated by a thick steel wall. Across from him was a peculiar person, not someone you usually expect escorting a dangerous criminal.
She was a petite girl and, by her appearance, could be no older than sixteen. Her neon green eyes stood out against her pale white skin and bright orange bob hair. Rosy dimples acted like natural blush. She wore an old fashioned beige-grey shirt with ruffles and a black turtle neck. A pair of suspenders held up her long dark grey skirt. A pair black stockings ran from her black shoes and up to her thigh. Every article of her clothing had neon green stripes highlighting her figure.
His jaw dropped and his eyes couldn't budge from her face. It was a ghost was sitting before him. Not a harmful or malicious ghost, but something like a spectre from his past that had returned. His eyes met hers. Hers were innocent but empty and his were filled with awe and nostalgia.
Torchwick barely uttered, "Penelope?"
"Get in!" shoved the guard.
Torchwick took he seat across the girl.
"Aren't you a little small to be a soldier?" asked Torchwick, snapping out of his trance, "So, what's your name, little girl?"
She didn't respond. The girl looked at her feet and fidgeted in her seat.
Torchwick turned to the man beside him, "How about you? What's your name, chum?"
No response.
"Ugh… it's like being stuck in my cell again except this time I have two people that don't want to talk to me."
"We're… we're… we were told not to talk to you," said the girl.
Torchwick raised an eyebrow and smiled, "But you're talking to me right now aren't you?"
She shrank.
"My name is Torchwick. And as you can see, I'm not really a threat to anyone right now," he said jangling his cuffs, "Now, what's your name? No harm in me knowing since I'll be dead when this ride is over."
"Penny," she said.
"Penny, short for Penelope? And his name?"
"I don't know. We never met before," Penny looked up, "Why are you going to die after this?"
"I'm a criminal, the worst kind. And the worst kind are put to death for their crimes. So, I can only assume that is where you're taking me."
Penny furled her eyebrows, "No, we're just taking you far away. Where no one can find you."
"Interesting," muttered Torchwick, "And why would the general want that?"
"I don't know. General Ironwood doesn't like to talk much. But he said to keep safe until we get there."
Torchwick laughed, "He might not say much but you do. You're a member of his academy I take it. This must be an important mission if he sends a hunter in training to watch over it."
"I think we should stop talking now," said Penny.
"Oh but I love talking," smirked Torchwick, "I know, let's play twenty questions. I'll start. You're in a desert…"
Weiss leaped over the final alley and landed on top of an apartment building. She led RWBY to another narrow point in the path. The convoy was scheduled to turn the north corner into an abandoned alley. There were no lights, the road was cluttered with dirt and debris, and the impoverished kept a safe distance from this area. There was a back alley bar and a few unsavoury folk strolled in and out. Muggers, robbers, delinquents nothing to truly be concerned about.
"We'll take out the first and last car to box them in," said Weiss, "Ruby, you knock out the rear car, I'll take the first. Blake, Yang, I need you to take care of the guards in the centre car. I'll put up some mist to cover you. I'd prefer if you just knock them out, but I'll leave it up to you. If we don't get him here, force them down the route and knock them out at the next intersection. From here it's five blocks to Winter."
"Weiss," said Ruby, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"She has a point," said Blake, "If your sister is going to finish up if we happen to let them slip, why not just let her handle it."
"That's not the point!" Weiss burst, "I have to do this. I just have to!"
"Weiss…"
"If you're having second thoughts you can go. I can handle this myself," Weiss' voice softened, "I'm sure that's how father would have wanted it."
Ruby put a hand on Weiss, "We're not leaving you, but we want to make sure you've just… thought of all the options."
"I don't have options," said Weiss, "I do this or I don't. Ruby, set up there. Blake, Yang, get on ground level and get ready to jump. It'll be here any moment."
Three cars rolled down the road at the legal speed limit to avoid drawing unwanted attention. The convoy turned into the first alley. Weiss drew her sword and traced a symbol in the air. On the ground below ice crept across the asphalt. Ruby peered down and trained her sights on the rear car. Yang and Blake were in position waiting for the shot.
"So, Penny," said Torchwick, "Is it bigger than a breadbox?"
"Yes," smiled Penny, "Much bigger."
"Is it mechanical?"
Penny shook her head, "No."
"Do you think this game is bothering this guy?" asked Torchwick pointing to the guard next to him.
"Probably."
"Do you think he wants to join in?"
"No, I don't think so. And that was your twentieth question."
"Drat. So what was it?"
"The Vytal Festival."
Torchwick reviewed each of his questions and the answers he received. He nodded his head and agreed that the questions he chose had nothing to do with the topic, which is why he lost.
"Okay, your turn," said Penny.
"Describe in single words only the good things that come into mind about… your mother."
"I don't have a mother," said Penny, "Just a father."
"Just a father? You never met your mother?"
"No, I just don't have a mother," Penny's eyes dropped, "But… I sometimes… think I did. Like a dream."
Torchwick's interest peaked, "And what did she look like?"
Penny closed her eyes, "She had orange hair like mine… and yours, I guess. She was taller than you but I didn't get those genes. Slender but an hourglass figure, fair skinned, and blue eyes. It's hard to describe the fine details, but I can see her very clearly."
"More like a memory than a dream, isn't it?" Torchwick lost his playful demeanor, "And your father is Ironwood."
Penny shook her head, "He's not my father or I don't feel like his is. I think of him just as my caretaker. Do you have any family?"
"I did. Once. Wife, daughter. They're gone now," Torchwick looked at his feet, "Then who's your father?"
"I don't have any memory or dreams of him. I mean Ironwood is my father, or he says he is, but there's something… wrong with him. Like I just know it's not him," Penny met Torchwick's eyes again, "Why are you familiar to me?"
"WHOA!"
The van lurched to the side throwing Torchwick into the wall. Penny braced herself and pulled a soaring Torchwick into her. The van smashed into a building. It heavy armour undented and the people inside were no worse for wear other than a few bruises. The guard pounded on the cab.
"What the hell is going on up there?!"
"Wow, so you can speak," said Torchwick.
"Shut up! Hey! What the hell happened?"
The cab replied, "Front car hit black ice and swerved into the wall."
BANG! BANG!
"Shit. Everybody get out. Now!"
Ruby pulled the trigger. High calibre rounds smashed into the engine block. The pistons shattered. Smoke smoldered out of the hood as fuel and fluids made a puddle beneath. Men jumped out of the vehicles and scrambled to cover. Weiss conjured her glyphs and created a thick cold mist to blanket the alley. Small arms fire sprayed in every direction. Bullets sparked and ricocheted off the stone walls. The men barked orders as they tried to make some semblance of order in their defense.
The distinctive sound of Yang's bracelet blasts and Blake's pistols joined the cacophony. Only the bright orange flashes of Yang's punches let Ruby and Weiss keep track of the fight.
"Ruby!" called Weiss.
"R-right!"
The girls jumped down into the alley. Skirts fluttering in the wind. Ruby raised her scythe and slashed in a wide sweeping arc as she landed. The edge sliced through the fabric of a panicked guard. He pulled the trigger and sprayed chaotically. Ruby sped across the alley and quickly turned. She slid across the ground and tripped the guard. As the rose she swung the butt of her scythe into the man's head. The heavy metal crashed into his jaw and drove his head into the ground. Orange flashes caught her eye and she ran toward the source.
Yang was throwing random punches against two opponents. The one she faces expertly weaved around the punches like a boxer. He jabbed with his barrel and swung with his stock. A smattering of fire from the rear forced Yang to face her new opponent. She narrowly dodged bullets by frightening the guards with the threat of friendly fire. She swept the legs of one of the men and raised her fist.
POP! POP!
The first bullet whizzed by her head. The second sparked against her bracelet forcing her hand of course and into the hard cement. The asphalt cracked along with her knuckles. The man beneath her didn't hesitate and gave Yang a hard right hook. The second man raised his rifle, sights fixed square at her back.
PING!
A clean cut sliced the barrel in half. Ruby spun around and put the back of her heel into his belly. She followed up with an elbow to the back of the neck.
"Thanks for the assist," said Yang as she faced off with her target.
"Where's the target?" asked Ruby, knocking out her foe.
"Couldn't see him in the mist. Maybe, Blake? Where's Weiss?"
"Lost her when we jumped in."
Yang threw a right cross, "Weiss! We can't see jack! Push the mist off!"
"Alright! Alright!" hollered Weiss from the shroud.
Weiss' runes shone in the white cloak. The air cooled rapidly. Brown-black grimy frost crept in cracks along every inch of the alley. The thick mist turned into ice crystals then snow drifting to the ground and clearing the air. The cord of Blake's connected pistols wrapped around two necks. The men went limp and collapsed. Blake unwrapped the cord and turned her guns into swords.
"They're fine," she said, "Where's our man?"
Torchwick was thrown to the side of the alleyway with Penny covering him with her body. The security forces ran into positions and were quickly ambushed by two assailants in the mist. Torchwick ducked and covered as bullets and blades flew overhead. The perimeter slowly collapsed as the men were being pushed back toward the walls.
"My, oh my," said Torchwick, "I sure am popular today."
"Probably just a gang," said one of the guards, "A damn well organized one."
"Oh yes, a gang that can conjure mist those are very common here," Torchwick tapped Penny, "Aren't you going to join the fight?"
"Emergency only."
"Isn't this an emergency?"
"The men are still up."
"Oof!"
A guard flew in front of them. He smacked his head against the truck. The rifle fired a final sad shot into the leg of his comrade. The truck rocked from a heavy impact. A long blade cut through the side like it was butter.
"How about now?"
Penny grabbed Torchwick and pulled him down the alley. A small neon sigh shimmered in the fog. The mist was disappearing, turning into snow. Torchwick glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of a red hood.
Penny kicked down a door, "In here!"
"Pull back boys! Ahh!"
"There! Running to the bar!" hollered a girl's voice.
Penny and Torchwick ran through the bar darting around tables and broken glasses. The patrons were unbothered continuing to drink putrid liquid from black glasses. The four remaining guards stormed into the bar and overturned the tables. Two took positions behind the bar fixing sights on the only entry.
"Backdoor, backdoor, backdoor, backdoor," hummed Penny, "We're going out the back door."
Torchwick laughed, "You're rather chipper aren't you?"
"And you're rather calm about this."
"All in a day's work."
The pair and their remaining escort pushed through the back door just as their front opened fire. High pitched shotgun blasts rang out beside the clang of blades. A high calibre round shot through the walls. Penny forced Torchwick down to avoid the bullet. Smoke filled the area and rolled out of the bar, to the minor annoyance of the customers. The last two men suffered light cuts and wounds as they stumbled out of the bar. Their guns were utterly destroyed leaving them with pistols and grenades. They hurled a pair of bombs into the restaurant. A thundering bang followed a blinding flash.
"Who the hell are these people?"
"It's four girls. Their well trained and heavily armed. They don't have any insignia. Go on ahead, boss, we'll hold them off as long as we can," said one of the wounded.
"Penny, how fast can you run while carrying a man?"
"Very fast. I can make it to the point in a flash."
"Right, take the target and run. The four of us will hold them off. Move, move, move!"
"Yes sir!"
Penny swept up Torchwick and bolted down the alley way. She deftly dodged debris without losing speed. Torchwick bounded in Penny's arms. The chains of his cuffs jingled with each rapid step. The rear guard made its last valiant stand. The last grenades burst with the final futile bullet barrage. The guards barely lasted a minute before they fell. Penny put everything into her legs. A sudden burst of speed snapped Torchwick's neck back.
"You know if you take these cuffs off me we could probably go faster," said Torchwick.
"How would that work? I'm carrying you."
"I could run beside you."
"But you won't be as fast as me. And I think you'd try to escape."
"Oh no. I know those people chasing us and they don't like me. In fact I'm pretty sure they want me dead. And in all honesty between them and Ironwood, I choose Ironwood every time."
"That's a shame to hear," said a voice from above, "I thought you and Ironwood were on the worst of terms."
Penny skid to a stop and put Torchwick down. A young woman with porcelain skin and long twin tail hair stood in their way. Her dark suit was shimmered with intricate designs. She tilted her head and tapped her cheek. She inquisitively examined every inch of Penny, from her green eyes to her dull, black round shoes. Not a single detail was ignored. She grinned and had a small chuckle to herself.
"I will give it to Ironwood. He may be terrible at covert, but he does do overkill very well. Tell me, which academy did you graduate from? Hmm, no weapons. Feeling confident are you?"
"I'm still a student. In a sense. And don't worry, I'm combat ready!"
"Really? A novice hunter. Well you must be very strong to be on your own. Much like myself," she turned profile, "Now, I'm going to assume you're not just going to hand him to me. So, before we fight would you be kind enough to give me your name?"
"Penny. Why do you want this bad man?"
"A pleasure to meet you. My name's Winter. And bad man? Such a simple way to put it. Well, let's just say he's a friend of my friend."
"A friend of your friend?"
"Yes, and that friend is a very friendly friend."
"But he's not a good person, so your friend can't be a good person either. Which means you're not a good person. And you want to help him escape."
"Such a simple way to put it. I'm almost offended, but by proxy you might be right. However we don't actually want him to escape. Just to do a little work for us."
"You can't have him."
"I understand your position. You're just doing your job just like me. So, let's begin?"
Penny shoved Torchwick aside and widened her stance. Several swords floated out of her back connected to her by faint wires. Each blade was double edged with devilish curved sides making the weapons resemble serpents more than swords. Emerald gems were embedded into the hilt, shimmering with Penny's eyes. The blades circled around her like the petals of a deadly flower.
Winter was taken aback slightly by Penny's deadly bloom. When she regained her composure she released her wings. The designs on her suit turned bright white. Snowflakes and ice crystals fluttered around her. Snow and ice quickly combined together and formed five large diamonds, shifting and reforming into large unique snowflakes. The edges were sharp as any sword. Her weapons spun and whirred throwing a small blizzard up around Winter. She stepped around the alley elegantly waiting for the perfect chance to strike.
Penny took the initiative and hurled a pair of swords. Winter commanded a single disc to sweep them away. A second disc flew across the alley. Penny raised her swords to block. The disc flew around the sword and bounced off the back wall. Penny flipped a pair of swords to her back. The disc went vertical and slipped between the swords. The blade cut into her back and sparked. Penny flew forward. Winter didn't waste a second. Two discs fell down on her. Penny's swords darted away and drove into the walls. She retracted the wires and soared away from the discs. She clung to the wall like a spider with her many blades circling.
"You're a quick one," said Winter moving five discs directly in front of her, "Well if you just stay there we'll have no problems. And as for you, why don't why don't you just some out and play nice. I don't bite."
Torchwick stepped out, "You might not, but your boss does."
"Well he is kind of a prick I'll give you that. But we don't mean you any harm."
"Get down Mr. Torchwick!" cried Penny.
SHINK!
Winter side stepped and a pair of swords stabbed into the ground to her left. She snapped her fingers and the discs fired a barrage. Penny dropped from the wall and ran toward Winter. She swung her several swords in a wide sweeping arc. Winter summoned her disks. Two swords spun around drove for them. The blades went clean through the disks slicing them in half. The swords turned once more and darted toward Winter. Winter snapped her fingers the half discs shot past the blades and made a scaled wall in front of Winter. Her suit shone and released more crystals and snow. The wall hardened and turned clear as water. The swords smashed into the ice and glanced off without so much as a scratch.
Winter released the wall and unleashed a torrent of ice and snow. Penny's swords tumbled in the storm and fell on the ground encased in ice. Penny braced against the howling blizzard. The cold bit and snapped at her skin. Frost coated her extremities. She closed her eyes and failed to notice the glyphs forming at her feet. In an instant her legs, up to her knees, were imprisoned in a block of ice.
"It very rude to interrupt a conversation between adults," said Weiss as if scolding a child, "Now, stay there and think about what you've done. And Torchwick, I trust you won't be resisting."
Winter accentuated her point by surrounding him with her cold pets.
"You can't take him!" shouted Penny, "I won't let you!"
"Penny, I understand you're just doing your job but please understand that I have to do mine as well," said Winter, "If it's any consolation I don't take pleasure in this, but please, please, just let it go."
"No!"
An encased sword hobbled into the air. Winter quickly shot it down and sighed.
"Very well, we'll do it the hard way. I hope you'll forgive me. I really don't want to do this."
Half of Winter's discs turned to spinning blades, the other half charged a final volley. Penny struggled against the blocks of ice. She tried to lift her swords to no avail. She threw her fists in desperation.
"I'm truly sorry."
"Penny! And Torchwick?!"
Ruby and the others ran down the alley. Gun powder and scorch marks and tears ruined their clothing but they had no physical wounds. Sweat from their brow mixed with the filthy humid air. At the sight of Torchwick everyone raised their weapons for a heavy fight.
Winter paused from her attack, "You know her?"
"Yeah," said Ruby, "She helped against Torchwick last year. Penny, what's going on?"
"General Ironwood told me to protect him until we reached the prison," said Penny, "Why are you here?"
"They're with me," said Winter, "We are here to collect him, "Weiss, you know how I like to work. Umm… if you can solve this amicably, that would be marvelous."
"I'll try," said Weiss, "Sis, can you take the ice off her?"
"I can, but if she does anything funny its back to being an ice cube."
Winter waved away the ice blocks. Winter kept her pets around her while Weiss and her friends had a conversation. The idea to slip away crossed Torchwick's mind but Blake Belladonna would have none of it.
"Weiss, why are you trying to free this bad person?" asked Penny.
"We're not actually trying to free him," said Weiss, "It's more like we want him to work for us."
"Why?"
"Penny, you know about the grimm that are sinking ships, right?" said Ruby, "Our boss told us he could make something to stop them."
"Make something?"
"I am an engineer," said Torchwick, "Hard to believe, I know, but it's true."
"But he's a terrible person. General Ironwood said so. And I can't betray General Ironwood, it's not right to do so."
"But Penny if we don't more people will die at sea and we won't be able to sail anymore."
Penny shook her head, "Orders are orders. You can't have him."
"And I'd rather not go with them," said Torchwick.
Blake pointed her sword, "You stay out of this."
Penny shook her head again, "Sorry, I can't let you take him. I'll fight you if I have too. Even if I don't want to."
Winter turned around and squared off against Penny. Her whirling flakes made a cage around her. They sang and shone as the keen edges spun.
"Well, sis, you tried," Winter sighed, "Sorry about this. Don't really mean it. Sis, go ahead and grab Torchwick for me."
"Sis?" asked Penny bewildered, "She's your sister, Weiss?"
Winter calmed her weapons, "Yes, I'm her older sister, Winter. And you're her friend right? So I guess that makes us friends too!"
"We're friends?" asked Penny, "You'll be my friend?"
"Why not? If you can have friends of friends, why can't a sister of a friend be a friend," Winter smiled, "And friends shouldn't fight should they?"
"No they shouldn't. But I thought he was your friends' friend?"
"Oh he is, but since I'm closer to my sister wouldn't you say that since my sister is a good person that would make me more of a good person than a bad person?"
Yang's expression became pure confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"I know, how about a compromise?" Winter clapped her hands together, "We take Torchwick until he's done his work and then you can take to where he belongs after. If you'd like you can accompany him the entire time to make sure we aren't doing anything too drastic with him. Yes. Sounds good right?"
"I don't know," said Penny relaxing a bit.
"The alternative would be that you fight us. All of us. Your friends. And usually after fights like this people don't stay friends."
"Penny, that's not –"
"Tut, tut, Ruby," warned Winter, "Let her think it over. So, what do you say? Can we borrow him or do you want to lose your friends?"
Penny shuffled on the spot. Her eyes darted back and forth between Ruby and Torchwick. Winter patiently waited but took every measure to make a decisive strike. Her glyphs grew on every surface. The snowflakes charged and shifted around Penny. RWBY reluctantly gripped their weapons. During all the posturing Torchwick had resigned himself to his fate, whatever it may be.
"Okay, that can work," said Penny.
"Marvelous!" declared Winter recalling her snowflakes, "RWBY be so kind and round up our guest over there. Blake seems to have it under control but, you know. Now, I'll just make a phone call. How about you all get reacquainted."
"Well, this is awkward," said Ruby, "So… how you been, Penny?"
"White Lady, here," Winter said into her phone, "I need a few of Santa's little helpers at my location to help with clean up. Oh, don't worry about that. I'm sure the cretins have already stripped them clean. That's right organic waste. Sorry, Ruby dear, how many men were there?"
"Twelve?"
"About twelve," said Winter into her phone, "Come armed. I'm assuming that a few may still be capable and that their boss will come by investigating. Remember, nothing left behind. Excellent. Oh, and tell Old Man Winter that Snow Fairy did very well. White Lady out."
Winter clapped her hands and grinned her signature grin. Penny returned the smile giggled as she glanced at her friends. While RWBY was bemused by the odd turn of events none were more so then Torchwick. The man gave Winter a sneer and a sarcastic half chuckle.
Within moments an umakred vehicle arrived and, with Winter's instructions, took them deep beneath the city. In a dark maze of tunnels it impossible to tell exactly where they were headed until they finally emerged in a vast parking lot filled with Schnee men. The soldiers escorted Mr. Torchwick and Penny into the facilities leaving RWBY with Weiss' sister.
"Very good work everyone. The was a success and everything returns to normal," said Winter, "Now, would you prefer to return to Beacon immediately or would you rather spend some time here? Anything can be arranged for you. Within reason of course."
"Within reason she says," said Ruby softly, "Hey, think we can get the company to do all our course work for the year?"
Winter wagged her finger, "Now, now, now. A true does not shy away from a challenge no matter how small. Speaking of being a true hunter, how did feel about your first real foray into our daily lives?"
"Daily lives?" asked Ruby perplexed, "That can't be. We're hunters we're supposed to kill grimm and keep people safe."
Winter nodded, "Yes that is true but keeping people safe doesn't just mean from the monsters. We do what ordinary people, and sometimes extraordinary people, cannot. If that means mucking about in an alley to kidnap our compatriot, knocking out a few officials, inspiring a rebellion, or quelling a terrorist group, then so be it. We are watchers on the wall, the last line of defense against chaos. What are they teaching you at Beacon?"
"Winter, I don't think much has changed since you attended here in Atlas and at Beacon," said Weiss.
"Clearly much has, but I suppose if they think dropping you in the deep end as soon as you graduate is the best way then who am I to fault them," Winter looked at her watch, "Now if you'll excuse me, I must speak with father. Don't worry, sis, I'll say only good things about you. Ta, ta!"
Blakes phone began to ring. Hundreds of texts had flooded her inbox, all from the same person. Each message became more frantic and panicked as the last. Neptune's name scrolled across the screen. She put the phone on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Blake? Blake!" said Neptune relived and worried at the same time, "Where the hell have you been?!"
"In deep trouble," said Blake, "Neptune, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What do you mean what's wrong?" Neptune's voice rose, "Sun hasn't called in. He's missing!"