Chapter 31: Peacekeepers, part six
AN: Sorry about the late release, I've had some things on my late that just sapped my motivation for a while mixed with extreme cases of writer's block. That said, not everything is fubar. I managed to rewrite most of the early chapters of this story to make it sound much better, I've also removed some things that people thought actually part of the story (Example: The dear smoking cigarette, obviously deers don't smoke menthols). Expect them to be released in the next week or so. Alright now for questions...
King: If you haven't realized it yet Julia is a lesbian lol as for Peach and Bravo I can only speak for Bravo, Peach belongs to Commander Cody.
Devil Dog: No one knows really for sure but he has the appearance of a man in his thirties.
[Cross]
Getting in people's head was easy for me or maybe even second nature. I've dealt with murderers, traitors, and the like. It wouldn't be farfetched to say that I've passed judgment on enough people to jump start start my own kingdom. That said, the amount who have escaped my wrath is a staggering zero. Which brings my current vexation.
Lying was part of my trade. If you could make them believe you had a better hand then you really did they would sing you a song of deception and trickery. I lied to the Private about telling her friends hoping it would shame her to confess her sins. If she didn't crack then I would leave and let her brew on it.
So that's what I did, I backed off biding my time until our next visit. I would return with a list of names of her brothers and sisters who had died while she was harboring a known fugitive. That was the plan when I left her mangled shell at the hospital.
Mangled but very much ALIVE.
My orders were to forget the name Julia Snow for she was no longer of this world as of yesterday when she was killed in a prison riot. They must believe I am a total idiot. A highly trained and highly lethal spec-ops member killed by some gangster wannabe. Color me surprised that a case as off as this one would take some unseen turn.
A good detective would know better then to stick his nose into such a conspiracy as this. To follow the trail of lies like a bloodhound hot on the trail of a rabbit would no doubt anger some very influential people. Never backing down from such challenges is what makes me a great detective.
Still, it would be wise to tread with caution. When effort is made to bury a secret you can know without a doubt the undertakers will do anything to keep it dead.
A knock at the door ripped me from my thoughts and sent me in defensive mode. Was I perceived as target so soon? Again the unknown person rapped on my door, this time more aggressively. I pulled open the bottom drawer on my desk in search of my fathers old .32, given to me on my thirty-second birthday. At last my hands wrapped around the old cracked handle and I quickly hid it inside my jacket along with my hand.
The knocking by this time had turned to irate pounding. I exited my study with quiet steps as I approached the front door of my home. Whoever was behind all of this was one ballsy son of a bitch. This certainly added some clarity on the mastermind.
"HOLY FUCK!" yelled a very startled Cole as I threw the door open and drawled my revolver. He threw his hands up in surrender "What then the hell is wrong with you?! First you call me in the dead of night then you aim a gun at me!" I did didn't I?
"Thought you were someone else. Now quit your bitching and get inside"
"Sorry but I cant exactly get behind going inside with a man who just pointed a gun at me! See I already have some flesh missing and I don't care to lose some more!"
"Cole" I scolded "Get your ass inside, Now"
With an over exaggerated sigh he stomped passed me "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?" You have no idea kid, me an you are about to shine light on the biggest scandal of the century. So much for starting your career off smoothly.
[Snow]
A kind half assed smile that didn't match his eyes, long graying hair and an ever present cigarette. Now the clothes will be difficult; the only thing I ever seen him in was a uniform not counting when we were being secrete...I didn't really know much about him at all. His family and life behind the military was something I had no knowledge or recollection of.
'You know I was going to turn you down that day old man? Me leave the service? For a man who had it all figured out you forgot some very major details.' Looking at my current state however it wouldn't be hard to believe. I guess I should say I wouldn't 'willingly' leave the military and if I could do it all over again id be one fatherless Headhunter.
He gave me a look 'Alright so maybe there was a chance I would of said yes to your invitation to a nice boring life. Could you imagine me being a college student, there would be some good looking woman but I already went through a life time of schooling and there's no way they are getting me back there. Yes I pointedly didn't mention huntress. I cant seem to not compare them to spandex wearing super heroes.'
Nice and boring...his wife and daughter had that taken from them. This whole time I had been thinking about me and I hadn't even spared a thought about them. Could I even compare to what they must be going through right now? I turned back to Leo who's face hadn't changed.
I promise I'll fix this.
"Are you supposed to be this lazy?" I looked up from my drawling to glare at the nuisance "Let me rephrase that! Aren't you supposed to be, I don't know, more umpth?"
"Aren't you supposed to be quiet?" She was honestly harder to zone out then Three. Years together had forced my body to naturally become immune too him over time, apparently like a virus not all are equal so begins the immunization processes.
"So you're allowed to pick on me but I cant ask you a question?"
"Problem?" I asked hopping down from my bunk. Three could also beat me in a fair fight so there was no intimidating him, at least I have that going for me. I continued on while marching her in a corner "I believe you have a misconception about something, just because we aren't on the battlefield doesn't put us on even ground. Me and you are enemies and the only thing stopping me from decorating this room with your corpse is about a hundred armed guards outside. And it's not even because I don't like you or its my duty to do so. No you see I love the White Fang. Without them I would have been out of the job years ago."
"I'm sorry ill leave you alone" she stuttered unable to look away.
I slammed my hands on both sides of the next to her head trapping her. With my face mere inches from her she began to cry. "I'm disappointed, standing in front of you is the woman who killed your friends and all you can do is whine." Her face was a mess.
"Please..." Beg, cry, hide. It's easy to tell the difference between the wolf and the lamb. The lamb runs in fear not caring what happens to its kin. The wolf kills for its home, kills for its pack. A stupid motto that the army beat into my head, truthfully I always thought it completely wrong in most cases.
"I have a shred of respect for your comrades, at least they fought and died for what they believed in. More then I can say for you" Instant justice in the form of of a knee would see me punished for my bullying.
Compared to other non hunters I am defiantly leagues above most. I say this but at the same time I always accuse people of being cocky and leaving their defenses wide open. Now Yuri was nowhere near my level however she was still above some with her paramilitary training. That didn't bother me a bit, I had killed groups of similarly trained White Fang with ease so her even being considered a combatant was an alienated thought to me. Whether it was from fear or all part of some elaborate scheme, most likely the before mentioned, today I would learn a valuable lesson in humility and the female anatomy.
I weakly reached out to Yuri trying grab ahold of something to right myself as I dropped to the ground in a ball, the cursed knee responsible for this agony briefly entering my field of vision. Was there a pain comparable to being shot? I think there is.
I wasn't the only one surprised by her actions, she looked frozen to the spot in denial. A brief moment passed filled with heavy breath intakes and shaky stare downs before the dam broke down and she spewed out an endless supply of apologys. They wouldn't save her "You're DEAD cat" I wheezed as I clutched my groin.
"Shit shit shit I'm sorry it just you were getting all scary and I-I got places to be!" Said the retreating dead girl walking "So I'll be back around six and we can play some games, seeya!"
Any movie that depicts girls being hit in the crotch painless or funny compared to our men counterpart is baseless and the writers need to be hung. You don't know what true pain is until you've taken a hit right in the baby-maker.
Being down here gives me a good view of underneath the bed or more importantly the bed springs, shouldn't be to hard to manipulate the metal into a shoddy shank. No that would take to long, I can easily use the game cords to strangle her. You know what why even go through the trouble when I was given a great pair of weapons after basic...my bare hands!
The time I had to plot the demise of a certain cat faunus wouldn't be an issue it seemed with our new arrival. Whether one of Vespin's shadow operatives or a bribed guard I did not know, I did know he had a horrible knack of come at the worse times. The insensitive banging on the cell was really pissing me off too. Better me pissed off then a pissed off Jacinto due to my late arrival.
This is going to be one long and painful walk.
[One long and painful walk later]
"Report" Asked a stern voice as I moved like an old woman to the chair in front of him.
I got kneed in the ovaries by a cat "I quarreled with my cellmate, nothing special"
He tilted his head in acknowledgment. I wonder if he'd still see me ass useful if he knew I got surprised by a mere White Fang grunt. "I understand you must have many questions that I wasn't able to answer before. Go ahead and ask me anything"
"Ask you anything Sir?" I repeated still not sure if this was all one big trap. Imagine walking up to a council member and slinging your arm around their shoulder like you were buddies while talking about old times. Now give that council member the ability to end your life within a split second and unimaginable kill count.
"Before we can establish any sort of trust between us, you need to stop seeing me as an authoritative figure" That's impossible, your presence demands it "And loose your fear of me"
"It's not so much fear, more of respect" I replied. His abilities, personality, prestige all things I tried to replicate but only came off as a poor imitation. The fear is still there though mind you.
If he was humbled he didn't show it, things such as reputation offered no meaning to him. When we first met in Ruben Fields I was alone and it felt as if the whole world was bearing down on me, I was weak. He appeared nothing less of invincible, he carried me who knows how many miles to an overrun FB. There we met up with a paratrooper and a not all there crewman. My memory of the event is somewhat hazy, but I can still remember how safe I felt with him. Thank the stars above we are on the same team still.
Which reminds me "You said that we would only have each other to rely on in the future, what did you mean by that?"
"That is the only thing I can not answer at the moment. We will talk more about it when we are free from prying ears" his hand formed a V all but hidden by his stature.
"Can you at least tell me the nature of the mission?"
"Only that its not a mission. This is something you will have to complete on your own free will and its going to be very long term. If we manage to succeed there's a good chance you may just end up the same as you are now without the commodious and a swift sentencing."
"That's discouraging..." So much for back in the ranks "So even if he win we lose?"
"Most likely. What are you going to do Julia?"
Stay in prison for a short while longer and die or leave for an extended period then come back and die? "Who is this for?"
"You're asking if this a plot to further some high ranking officials career? This is for everyone. You could say we were acting in the name of global peace."
"No offense but that doesn't seem very...you"
He ignored me in favor of pulling out some pictures of the damn uniform jacket of bottomless black holes. Another picture but not one of my dead friends family, instead a cat faunus, my ovaries exploded the second time today. A dead cat however not my dead cat. Shame too, she was pretty hot.
"This is Blake Belladonna" Belladonna, that rings a few bells "Daughter of Schwarzer Belladonna" Great me and some asshole killed the daughter of the White Fang's top assassin. It they interrogate me ill definitely squeal on him, they might let me go...HAH.
"Adam Taurus knows my face. Even if I get out of here Schwarzer will have my head if I'm not behind the walls of Amata" Execution didn't sound all that bad compared to facing that man with my new found knowledge. I wonder if he turned sniper boy into a sniper girl yet.
"Schwarzer is dead. Killed by this young man for personnel revenge" He produced another picture from that laws of time and space defying jacket. Alright he said young man not fifty eight year old grizzled veteran in a youths body. Did somebody accidentally throw this kid in a meat grinder I wondered while observing his scarred face. Whoever you are and whatever crap you went through, thanks kid I owe you one.
"How does Ms. Belladonna pertain to this operation?"
"She doesn't, directly anyway. Her presence may or may not be a problem" Explained Jacinto "If you run into her just know that she isn't an enemy anymore. She will be attending Beacon this year under the watchful eye of Vale intelligence. If you come in contact with her act as if you're still a soldier and aware of her situation"
"Understood"
"Do you have anymore questions? He asked. Whats your head count? Your first name? Got any hobbies?
"No sir" I answered keeping my inner fan girl in check.
"Good. Now about your cellmate problem" If you could give a new one that would be great "Be nice to her. I partnered you two together for a reason, she will of great use in future"
"Sir the only use she serves is being my personnel punching bag." What was he expecting I make friends with her and she share a bunch of White Fang secrets with me? Maybe it would be worth the try if she was an officer but she's clearly no animal trainer.
"This is nonnegotiable" He replied with authority as he pulled out my daily dose of ped from the same pocket he pulls everything else out of. "So suck up your pride and remember to smile" Showing off a smile encouragingly, a perfectly normal smile that would send shivers up your spine, he stood up to leave "We are going to do great things" Please never smile again.
I pushed the injector into my arm as I watched him leave. The man who I shrived to become was still so very far away from my current abilitys. A man respected even by his enemies and feared by his own.
The ped rushed into my system filling me with energy and giving me a pleasant high feeling. Third time and I'm already hooked, whoever made this stuff really knew what they were doing. I still couldn't help think it felt familiar somehow. It didn't make sense, I had absolutely no history with any kind of narcotics. I took a sip of beer when I was younger and found out it was disgusting and then the wine when Three pissed me off, that was it.
I guess its not like knowing why would help be in anyway. Now I can finally go back to planning Yuri's ultimate demise.
Remember to smile...
Or I can plan out how to be the greatest friend puss has ever had. Being an underling really has its crummy moments.
[Yuri]
Goodbye mother, goodbye prison, goodbye possibly hermaphrodite lesbian in the corner who keeps giving the 'wink', goodbye life. I Yuri have lived a good eighteen years, admittedly there have been some bumps, so I had nothing to complain about. Other then some piece of work out there decided to pair a headhunter with its prey. Who in remnants name does that with a clear conscious?
I wonder how she's going to do it. Pull out my heart and eat it in-front of me, that's always good. Maybe she will make good on her promise and rape me first. They say we are the animals but I beg to differ. All we did was bite back when we got tired of being pushed around like second class citizens.
Some of the prisoners seen me cry or noticed I had been at one point in time. Not like it mattered, they wouldn't have anything to beat on when that thing was done with me.
I stopped right before I made it to our shared cell. I've led my entire life with as much avoided confrontation as possible. If this is going to be it then I'm not going down a bitch. I pushed my tears back while putting on a brave face and took a deep breath. Let's do this.
I wasn't ready. Dust I wasn't ready. Frozen in my tracks I couldn't take my eyes off of the image infront me. The lady headhunter in all of her glory was sitting on my bunk in a way that made it very apparent that she was waiting on me. And she was SMILING.
Fuck this.
I turned fast and ran for the railing. We are on the fourth floor, this should kill me right? If it doesn't at least the med bay isn't assessable to other prisoners. Saying a quick prayer to whatever sentient being was out there I dived over the top.
Or I would have if not for the arms that wrapped around my waist and hauled me back with monstrous strength. she yelled something to the guards above who surprised at my attempted suicide. Well that's it I failed now I'm going to have to suffer through the pain of a hundred deaths.
"You think you can just go and kill yourself like that" Her breath ghosted across my ear before she tossed me onto the bed. So I was right, rape first. I hope they make your noose extra tight.
"Just get it over with"
"I cant" The cruel bitch. She was loving every bit of this. I felt a weight drop on my stomach and I tried to block it out. If I can just power off maybe it will go by faster. "I don't know how to play and the controller feels weird in my hands"
What? I opened my eyes to see the weight on my stomach wasn't an invading hand but a controller to a gaming system.
"You said we'd play some games when you got back"