Experiment V

Hey everybody, I'm back and I'm sorry, please enjoy. Be warned, this chapter isn't like the others before, it's a little heavy in the beginning. I don't own RWBY.

Chapter 22

Time.

That's something I have long since giving up on keeping track of.

The sound of the door opening was a sound that I have long since grown accustomed to hearing.

"Well, well, well, look who's still holding strong in here. I would've thought that you'd have killed over by now." Jade said to me with a grin that I know is on her face. I glance up at her before looking back at the ground I was laying chained to.

"Aww, V, don't be like that. I just wanna talk." she said in a mocking tone "...fuck...off" I breathed out, my voice having long since lost its usual bite.

My words however proved to be the wrong thing to say to the woman, if her slight growl was anything to go by. "Y'know, I was gonna try to be nice today, because I felt pretty fucking good about myself when I woke up this morning but if you want to be a little shit, then fine, I'll play along." the older woman said before I felt her fingers curl around my long, disheveled hair, pulling me up to a kneeling position.

I now saw the angered face of one of my torturers before the anger twisted into a smug grin "Instead of hitting you, how about I show you something?" she asked before reaching behind herself and pulling out her scroll. "Here, look at this." she said as a video started to play.

"Hello?! I-is anyone there?!" a familiar voice asked, fear laced heavily in her voice.

"Ruby?!" I asked, panic gripping me immediately "Where is she?!" I asked, snapping my glare towards the still smirking woman "Just keep watching" she said, joy leaking into her tone. I do as she says and turn my eyes back to the video.

"James, are you here? Please come out, this place seems a little creepy." Ruby said, coming into the frame of the camera, which seemed to be hidden somewhere that she couldn't see but suddenly, the camera started to move, then footsteps made themselves known to the young huntress. Ruby snapping her head over to the footsteps, a smile present on her face but suddenly that smile disappeared and she reached for Crescent Rose.

The owner of the footsteps however rushed the girl faster than she expected and just before the she could fully pull her weapon, the cameraperson outstretched their hand, an obviously masculine one, and ripped the weapon from her hands, tossing it it the side. The other hand then snapped into view and wrapped itself around Ruby's neck, causing the girl to immediately try to break from the grip. Heavy breathing could be heard in the camera's mic, the hand starting to squeeze around her neck. Ruby began to gag and choke, her small hands now clawing at the sizably bigger one, her clawing motions starting to become less erratic.

The hand squeezed tighter, causing Ruby's eye's to start to roll back, but before she could continue to struggle, the muscles in the hand flexed and a snapping sound could be heard. Ruby's hands went limp and her body went slack, the hand released her and she dropped to the hard floor, unmoving. Her usually vibrant silver eyes were slowly starting to dull.

The camera began to jostle and move before finally it stilled again, giving the impression that it was being held, and it began to turn and finally, I saw the face of the person.

Me.

I saw myself but I looked completely out of it. My eyes were blank and I had a twisted grin present on my face. The video however, quickly ended.

"W-wha-?" I began to ask, shock and confusion taking over in my tone. "Like It? I feel that this really brings out that assassin instinct in you" Jade says, I quickly realize that she had taken her fingers out of my hair sometime during the video. "That's not real..." I muttered out in complete disbelief, still staring at the illuminated black screen, "Oh no? Tell me, do you have any evidence to prove its not?" she asked.

"I-I didn't...I wouldn't! I love Ruby too much to do something like...like that!" I said, my voice starting to quiver. I knew almost instantly this was what Jade had wanted, to start breaking me in ways they hadn't done yet. Before I could stop them however, the tears started to streak down my hollow cheeks.

"N-No...R-Ruby..." a sob escaped me before I finally collapsed back onto the ground, crying uncontrollably.

The sound of footsteps was the only other sound that could be heard, followed by a door opening and the closing.

Beacon Academy

"Are you sure this information is correct, James?" Ozpin asked his old friend through the holographic screen. "It's the closest thing we have, Ozpin." the holographic image of the man said back to the headmaster "James, I shouldn't have to remind you that if this doesn't hold true then we might not have a chance like this again." Ozpin said, his anger temporarily seeping into his tone before he could stop it.

Ironwood simply nodded in agreement with his friend "Should we inform Teams RWBY and JNPR about this?" James asked, Ozpin merely shook his head "If we do that, we run the chance of getting their hopes up and that could lead to them making...hasty decisions...again" Ozpin said, remembering all the trouble the two teams had started to stir up in the past six months since James had disappeared.

"I understand, Ozpin" Ironwood said, "I shall personally see to James' rescue myself" he stated. "Take the Branwens along with you and your squadron." Ozpin said, leaving no room for argument and Ironwood not daring to even try. "Very well, we move tonight, make sure they're ready and in the location I send you." Ironwood said, doing just that before ending transmission with Ozpin. The man leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes, trying to rid himself of his mounting frustration but that was stopped when he heard the elevator door open.

"Uhm...Professor Ozpin?" the meek voice of Ruby Rose entering the mans ears, Ozpin immediately knew why she was here "Ms. Rose" he began before righting himself to look professional "I know why you've come here and there has been no change in information as of late" he said curtly but politely as to not upset the poor girl anymore than she already is. "O-oh...okay...thank you" the distraught girl said, Ozpin noticing her slightly disheveled appearance, but her attire was nothing compared to her expression.

Ruby's once kind and bright smile now dim and false and her lively eyes now dull and slightly red from her many tearfilled nights. "I'll be going now, sir" the girl said politely before turning and entering the elevator door. "Ms. Rose, don't worry, we will find him" Ozpin said as the doors began to shut.

'If only I could believe that...' Ruby thought as she began to make her descent.

An Unknown Location

"Things seem to be getting interesting." The haughty voice of Cinder Fall said, looking at the tablet, or more specifically the files on it. The coordinates Ironwood had sent Ozpin were accurate but Cinder wasn't worried due to the insurances she knew Alexander had put on the location, including her two lackeys.

"Quite interesting" she said with her usual sinister grin in place.

And that marks the end of this chapter, hope you all enjoyed it and can't wait to see what happens next but until then...stay tuned readers.