Chapter XVI
Ozpin's office, 12:00 PM:
-This….isn't what it think it would have resulted. , said Ozpin, reading the report of Simon with them.
The report that Ozpin was reading was troubling for him, since he almost send a team to their own deaths without even knowing it.
-Well, at least we survived, didn't we? , asked Simon.
-Even if you were faced in faced in front of the worst criminal of the territory, you still have beaten your foe. I must admit that I am very impressed with you all. In response, you will be given three days without classes and you will be free to walk in the school without being advertise. , said Ozpin.
-I…didn't think we would have had a reward. , said Emma.
-Well, we have to at least give recognition to our students. , said Ozpin, with a grim on his face. You can go, now.
Before going out of Ozpin's office, Ozpin wanted Simon to not leave the room to talk about the report for a moment.
-Go without me, I'll rejoin you somewhere in the day. , said Simon to his team.
He returned in the room and waited for Ozpin to talk.
-M. Seablue, don't you think of what you did to Ms. Xin was a bit….extreme? , asked Ozpin.
-Frankly, now that you mention it…yes, I think I got a bit too far. I already knew that, if there was known criminals on operations like this, we have to capture them and escort them to the police department, but she would have killed us all if we didn't kill her. , explained Simon.
-I see….well, keep up the good work for now. And remember, the Vytal festival is only two months away now. , said Ozpin.
-Yes, professor Ozpin. , said Simon, leaving the room.
When he got out of the room, he went to the training room. When he was there, he began to train himself into hand-to-hand combat to prevent the need of not having weapon on him. After that, he started the holographic training and opened the ranged training program with the use of targets.
The ranged training program objective was simple: shoot on the targets that appear to make the most points out of it. Surprisingly, when he finished the training, he noticed that he was the best pistol-user of the school in the leaderboards.
-There you are! I was searching for you. , said Emma, entering the room.
-I was only training for a bit, just for fun. , said Simon.
-Simon, I think you should relax for a while. You are too much concentrated on this thing and on the homework that Port is giving us. Come with us to the Vale Nightclub, you'll have some fun, I promise. , said Emma.
-''sigh'' I guess you are right. Ok then, let's go. , said Simon with a grim on his face as he began to walk with her.
Emma was very happy that she succeeded to push away Simon's depression from his past and from Alma Xin's death. He needs to get some fresh air from all the work he did for the past 4 years.
Meanwhile, secret hideout:
-Don't move, it's just going to sting for a while. , said a man in a white doctor cloak.
Alma shouted in pain as the doctor injected her with a black liquid. She was on a medical table in the middle of a bright white room with a lot of people around her that looked like the ones that studied her body a long time ago, when she was still a kid. They were all in a green medical cloak with a white mask on their face. Above her was a strange machine that looked like something that came out from a science-fiction book.
As for her, they put an oxygen mask on her face to keep her alive and put her in a black outfit. When she woke up from where she fainted an hour ago, she felt uncomfortable in this state.
Suddenly, a man with bright orange hair in a beige vest entered the room.
-Ah! Ms. Xin! Looking has nice as before. , said the man, looking happy and maybe a bit sarcastic.
-Who….are…..you? , said Alma, breathing every time she wanted to talk.
-Allow me to present myself, I am Roman Torchwick, at your services! , said the man. I am also known as the best friend you will have until the next month.
-And….what….tells….you….that? , said Alma, confused.
-I suppose you already know and feel the burns and the damage that the little brat did to you? Well, there is a solution to this. , said Roman.
-What…..is…..it? , said Alma.
Roman explained to her the meaning of this solution, which was called Project Phoenix by the medical team. The meaning of the project was to take her back from Death's grip by using nanobots and machines to help her get back on her feet to use her as a weapon along the side of Violet Primrose.
What he didn't admit, though, is that the nanobots that were injected in her contains a little bit of the same drug that was used on Violet, making her fall on their side even if she disagrees.
-Then….let's….get….to….it! I….want….to….kill….this….insolent…..ant! , said Alma with all the strength he had to the point that she fainted.
-With my pleasure. , said Roman, happy to have in his side one of the most feared witches of Vytal. Ok, guys! It's time to start the show!
He leave the room and the sound of machinery was heard in the distance as he was going in an airship in direction of the city. The spy had left on Simon a GPS tracker that was linked to his airship's automatic travel system. The airship's GPS screen was showing the usual map of Vale with a blue dot for the airship and a red dot for Simon.
-So, he goes to the nightclub now? Why don't we pay a visit to our little friend, Junior? , said Roman.
Junior, a tall bearded man in a suit, looked like he was anxious.
-Hey, what's wrong? Should I make you remember your position has a lieutenant in our ranks? , said Roman, intimidating him.
-No, it's not that, boss. It's just that is where I got beaten for the first time….by a freakin girl. But I gotta admit that she was beautiful though, he he! , said Junior.
The other men accompanying him started to laugh with him; even if he was saying the truth. About 5 months ago, he, his lackey and the Malachite sisters got beaten by Yang Xiao Long in this exact nightclub, of which he avoided the most as he can. But it looks he doesn't have a choice now.
-Well, let's hope you are ready for this, because he is maybe stronger than her now that he is a student of Beacon. , said Roman.
-I bet you I am gonna crush his skull apart! , said Junior.
-Ha! That's why I like you, Junior, because you act before you even think. , said Roman.
-Boss….are you sure that woman is still under our control? One of the guards of her cell was found dead this morning. , asked Junior, pointing Violet who was driving the airship.
-Don't worry, we used too many drugs to lose her now, she won't be a problem. , said Roman. And, besides, she even have her best friend accompanying her and she knows what will happen if she disobeys.
At the nightclub, Simon and Emma had just arrived. To go there, they didn't had the choice to use Emma's bike, since Simon's teleportation ability couldn't be used by multiple persons at the same time because he wanted to upgrade his speed in combat, so he had to sacrifice the travelling option for the ability. It looked like the party was on for a while now and it also looked like it was going to take a while before it will stop.
The nightclub had a lot of light in it with a light machine on the roof controlling the ambient lights and turning on itself. The principal dance part of the nightclub was in the center, with color-changing panels on the ground, but they were also a bar, where clients are served with alcohol or simple water. Anna and Tyler were waiting for them in front of it.
-Ah, so there you are! Looks like Emma finally convinced you to get here after all! , said Tyler, happy to see his friend doing something else than working.
-Yeah. At least I don't have to worry for you guys anymore. , said Simon, with a grim on his face.
-Nice to see you here too, Simon! , said Anna, smiling.
-Yeah, me too. , said Simon.
-Just relax, now, nothing is gonna happen. , said Emma.
While they were talking, Roman's airship landed on a roof of a building that was not very far from the nightclub. The airship's door opened and the passengers got out of it.
-You, sweetie! You wait here in case this fails and that we will have to get out of here quickly. , ordered Roman by pointing Violet.
-Understood, sir. , said Violet in a hypnotised-like state.
Roman's team began to climb down the building with the ladder installed on it. But, when, they were almost in front of the door, Simon's gauntlet's screen suddenly did a beeping sound, detecting hostiles. He then took his pistols and started to aim at the club's entrance.
-What are you doing? , said Anna, confused.
Simon is still silent and is still aiming at the doors. When Roman's team opened the doors by kicking them, he started to fire. Simon was surprised for a second, but suddenly got angry, took his scimitar, teleported himself in front of Roman and put his scimitar under Roman's neck.
-Any last words, you slave-master? , said Simon, in an intimidating tone in his voice.
-Actually, yes. Junior! , shouted Roman.
Suddenly, Junior jumped and punched Simon in the face, launching him in one of the light columns. Roman's lackeys, then, started to run in Simon's direction, electrified sticks in hand. When one of them was right in front of Simon and was going to strike him, Tyler rushed to him, took him by the head and throw him into the crowd, taking most of Roman's lackeys with him in the blow.
-You touch my best friend again and I will crush your bones to the point that you will no longer be able to stand on your own feet! , shouted Tyler.
-Oh, so you have your little team now? ''laughs'' How incredible! I am so much impressed! , said Roman, trying to discourage Simon.
He then took his cane and shot a bullet in direction of Simon. Emma took one of her blades and hit the bullet with her sword, deviating his trajectory right in the head of one of his men.
-Ok, that's enough. Get him! , ordered Roman to his men, looking exasperated by the interruption.
His men began to run again, but Anna had already began to shoot them in the head, killing five of them. Ten of them split into two groups of five, attacking Emma and Anna. Junior had begun his strike on Tyler and all of the others rushed on Simon.
The groups that attacked the girls had no chance versus them, having casualties even before trying to attack them because they got shot by bullets or arrows, reducing their number to six.
When three of them was about to hit Emma, she slash one of the lackeys legs, cut his throat and left him for dead to intimidate the others. It had a little effect on them, but they still rushed to her, not evaluating the consequences. She evaded at the moment she was about to get the strike, planted her sword into the first one's back and kicked the second one into the stomach, launching him into the lackeys who were attacking Anna.
When something had hit her enemies, Anna took her chance when they stood up. She took her weapon and planted one of its blades into the first men, shot him to get back, slashed the head of the second one and shot in the head the third one with the use of the optional barrel. When she killed them all, she reloaded her weapon by putting a magazine into the slot that was placed the side of the weapon.
Tyler, though, had a tough fight versus Junior. Junior had started the fight with his mace, trying to hit Tyler by the stomach, but Tyler had blocked the attack with his sword and kick him in the stomach in return, launching him a bit back. Tyler, then, took his rocket launcher and shoot…..but Junior had the same idea. The rockets hit themselves and exploded with an ear-shattering explosion. When there was only smoke left of the explosion, Tyler jumped in the air and stroke Junior's mace while he was blocking himself with it on the ground, almost breaking it by producing a crack into it.
-What's the matter? Felling weak? , said Tyler, provoking Junior.
Junior, then, got out of the impasse he was in and jumped back to the exit.
-Sorry, boss, he is too strong for me! , shouted Junior while he was going out of the nightclub.
-You coward, get back here! , shouted Roman.
While Roman was shouting to get Junior back, Simon was fighting versus ten lackeys. Although, it was easy for him to put them down fast. In two seconds, he had enough time to kill six of them by a bullet in the head. When there was only four of them left, he rushed to the first one, split it apart, teleported to the third one, planted his scimitar into his stomach, ran to the second one and cut his throat. The fourth one was about to flee from him, but Simon reacted to it and threw a lightning bolt to him, killing him instantly.
-Ok…I think that will be enough for me here. Enjoy your party! , said Roman.
-What? Hey! Come back here! , shouted Simon.
-Simon! Wait! , said Tyler, warning him.
But he didn't listen to his warning, Simon was already outside, watching Roman going on a ladder to get back to an airship. When he got to the top, Simon teleported himself on the building.
-Ah! Looks like you really want to kill me, now, do you? , questioned Roman.
-You prick, you don't even have the guts to kill someone? How pathetic for a gangster like you. , said Simon, trying to provoke Roman to fight.
-You know, I was wondering if you wanted to meet your mother's best friend, just in case. , said Roman.
-What are you talking about? , asked Simon, confused.
-I want to show you what our little ''gang'', has you call it, is capable of. , said Roman. Maria! You can get out!
Suddenly, a woman in a red combat armor got out of the airship. Maria, which was how Roman called her, was looking like she was using a sword and a dagger. Simon, then, remembered something that he should have forgotten since when he read his mother's diary 4 years ago.
He was going to fight Maria Richards, her mother's best friend.