A/N: I must admit, I was kind of worried the last chapter would tank, seeing as it followed what was seemingly the best-received chapter I've ever done. I'm glad it turned out well. Thank you for all the kind reviews, follows and favourites - while I'd never say I write just to hear your praise, it certainly does add icing to the cake!
AceAmir: To answer your question, I generally try to put out an update at least every 2 days. Smaller chapters helps with that, as does having the entire story outlined on a separate document so I can keep myself on track with what I'm writing.
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY - it all belongs to Rooster Teeth.
"So, I believe this is the part where you tell me exactly how your fool-proof ambush turned into a complete disaster."
Cinder held a hand to her forehead to stem the oncoming headache. "Torchwick did something I didn't anticipate," she admitted, "I was expecting a known criminal to stay far away from Beacon, not go to them directly. It was a very risky move."
"Between you, the Lieutenant, your two little tag-alongs, and the troops we had on hand, you should have been able to handle one Huntress and a group of students," Adam replied coldly, "I've got to admit, I'm quite curious as to how you and those kids got away when none of ours made it back, Cinder."
"They separated us," Cinder began the explanation she had cooked up, "Mercury, Emerald and I were at the cells, interrogating Torchwick when they attacked – the Huntress managed to put herself between us and the rest of the troops, who were guarding the main section of the warehouse. It was quite ingenious of them."
"And you couldn't overpower her?" Adam asked, "Even with three of you, against one Huntress?"
"That 'one Huntress' was Glynda Goodwitch," Cinder reminded him frostily, "She is an extraordinarily powerful opponent, and not someone you simply 'overpower'. Our numbers advantage meant nothing, Mercury and Emerald, skilled as they are, would have been nothing but a hindrance in that fight."
"They didn't end up doing much better," Adam noted correctly – the pair's injuries would see them out of action for at least a couple of weeks. "And I see that you and yours still managed to escape."
"As you know," she sighed, "That was a close-run thing." She then changed the subject, "The members who were captured. What did they know?"
Adam grunted in frustration. "The Lieutenant knows a lot of things, but he's not going to talk, and neither Beacon nor the Police have the guts to make him."
"And the others?" Cinder pressed.
"Oh, they knew nothing of value..." Adam began, "...Apart from, oh, OUR LOCATION. They were picked for you mission for reliability, but eventually, most people will talk. I'd give us a few weeks, at most, before someone opens their mouth."
"So we need to assume the authorities will soon know where we are," Cinder mused in irritation, "Have you begun preparations to relocate?"
"Of course I have," Adam said simply, "Initiative. It's one of the perks of knowing what the hell you're doing."
Cinder managed to ignore that slight to her ability. "And our stockpiles?" she asked delicately.
"We can move all of the dust to a new location simply enough," Adam told her, "But moving everything out is going to set us back significantly in terms of what we're bringing in."
Cinder thought it over. "More and more, it seems that we need to take a large shipment."
Adam grunted. "That, we can actually agree on. So you're going to find one. When you do, you'll tell me. I'm not going to let you screw things up in the field again," He turned to leave.
"I'll handle the next operation personally."
Cinder silently seethed, as he left the office. There were moments when she wished with the utmost sincerity that she didn't need Adam Taurus, and this was one of them.
"So... run it by me, one more time," Junior requested, scratching his head, "Just so I know I understand it correctly. You knew we had a rat."
"Yes," Roman rolled his eyes, "I knew we had a rat. I knew that said rat would give the charming Miss Cinder an indication as to what our plan was – namely, finding their location. Following me so far?"
Junior nodded. "Yeah, but... how did you know we had a rat?"
Roman chuckled. "Junior, Junior, Junior..." he tutted, "One thing you really should have learned about this business is that there's always a rat."
Junior shook his head. "Whatever. So you knew they knew your plan."
"Indeed!" Roman went back to his explanation, "Now, as you know, since they knew I wasn't on the up and up," he paused, "Which they really could have determined just by interacting with me, but I digress, they took me not to their main headquarters, but to another location, instead, where they had a not-inconsiderable amount of goons and fighting power holed up, just waiting for whoever came to pick me up."
He began pacing around the room. "Now, this meant I could kill two birds with one stone. I called in the authorities, who launched their raid, and took down a significant chunk of the White Fang's manpower, and hopefully one or two of their higher-ups. On top of that, since it wasn't the headquarters they were raiding, all of that stockpiled dust that's going to make us rich didn't get confiscated by the authorities. We don't want that to happen, of course, do we?"
"I... no," Junior agreed, "I just had no idea you were planning this far ahead the whole time."
"Junior, I'm always planning this far ahead," Roman assured him, "As I always say: you can't set up the trip-wire if you're not a few steps ahead of the person you want to send tumbling to the ground."
"That makes sense," Junior agreed, "So what now?"
"Now," Roman said bluntly, "We need to get the hell out of here again."
"Because of that rat-bastard," Junior grimaced, "We don't have another safe-house."
"Well, that is where you're wrong," Roman disagreed, "You see, I just happen to know of an old warehouse district with a large amount of unused real-estate – and I assure you, it's the last place they'd think to look. Get everyone packing up, and I'll tell you all about it when you're ready to move. Now then, Neo, shall we?"
He walked out of the room, leaving a confused, but grudgingly accepting Junior. After all - his plan had worked, right?
The two flamboyant crooks were silent until they reached Roman's (recently appropriated) car. Once the vehicle door was shut, Neo turned to Roman with a raised eyebrow.
"...?"
"And what makes you think any of that was a load of crap?" Roman asked defensively.
She gave him a dry look.
"Fine, so maybe I was a little bit liberal with the truth in places..." he said nervously.
She didn't let up.
"Fine, fine, okay, it was all a load of crap! Are you happy now?" Roman finally admitted, "I had no idea we had a damn rat and I definitely had no idea things were going to turn out the way they did."
"...?" she asked.
"I expected them to take me to their headquarters!" Roman explained, "I wanted to end this whole thing then and there. Did you really think I asked you to turn me into a punching bag," he glared at her sudden innocent look, "For the sake of taking out a few low-level goons and a few members of the middle-management?"
"..."
"Of course they would have confiscated the stolen dust," Roman rolled his eyes, "Do you think I don't know that?"
"...?" she asked in confusion.
"I promise a lot of people a lot of things, and don't deliver," Roman hissed, "I was lying through my teeth. I didn't intend for Junior to get a damn thing out of this. In fact, I expect him to get even less than that."
Neo shook her head in amusement as she realised what he was saying.
"Think about it," Roman told her, "This entire thing is just one big opportunity. At the end of all this... The White Fang, driven out. This new enterprise, gone. Junior's group, either destitute, detained, or dead," he listed off the possibilities, "Who does that leave? Us. Roman Torchwick, the undisputed kingpin of Vale. Has a nice ring to it," he paused, then added, "And his sidekick Neo, of course."
She gave him an unimpressed look.
"Aha," he chuckled nervously, remembering his recent beating, "Did I say sidekick? I meant partner. Clearly."
She nodded in acceptance of the rightful correction.
"But really," Roman continued, "We can come out of this on top, with nobody left to challenge us. Think about it... all the good jobs running through us first, all the useful information being ours to sell, all the manpower hired coming from us," he said wistfully, "We'd never have to do another dishonest day's work," he then shot her a glance, "And we can run our own bar as a front so you can drink those horrific ice cream concoctions all day."
That was the point when she finally looked absolutely sold on the idea.
"For now, though," Roman frowned, "We still need Junior's information, and maybe his man-power. Thanks to that damn rat," he growled, "Those idiots at Beacon didn't exactly give the kind of response I was expecting, either. One team? They could have captured that damn woman if they'd sent more, like I expected them to when faced with an opportunity to take down the entire damn White Fang! I'm going to give that idiot a piece of my mind... anonymously, of course," he clarified quickly, "And if that trigger-happy maniac hadn't shot down the airship we were in, you might have been able to track me all the way back to their actual base!" He seethed. "He'd better be regretting his decision just to send that bunch as much as I am."
"All in all, I must say I am extraordinarily pleased with the results of your mission," Ozpin praised, "While it was not the intelligence coup we hoped for, you still managed to shut down a major White Fang operation, bring in a high-level member, and gain vital intelligence on several new players we were unaware of."
The four members of team CFVY, alongside Glynda, were in the middle of their debriefing for the White Fang mission.
"I wish we had been able to capture that woman, though," Velvet frowned in disappointment.
Coco put a hand on her team-mate's shoulder. "There's nothing we could have done about that, Velvet," she said reassuringly, "She was out of our league. Besides, look on the bright side. We took down a load of their members and a high-ranking guy! Really, we actually did more than the Professor."
The aforementioned professor's eye started to twitch.
"She didn't mean anything by that!" Velvet hastily tried to placate their teacher.
"Coco," Fox sighed in resignation, "Maybe you could, I don't know, not annoy the woman who decides our grades? Or maybe even apologise?"
Coco gave him an odd look. "You used a strange word just there," she said suspiciously, "I'm not quite sure I know what it means."
"None-the-less," Ozpin cut in, with visible amusement, "Miss Adel's appraisal of your success is quite true, Miss Scarletina. Do not worry - in time, the members you helped to capture will lead us to the rest of their organisation."
"You can all expect to receive high marks for your performance during the mission," Glynda added. "Velvet, you performed admirably in hand-to-hand, and you showed no hesitation in attacking a difficult opponent like the Lieutenant you faced. That is a big improvement, well done." She turned from the now-embarrassed girl to Fox, "Mr. Alistair, you proved vital to ensuring we had accurate intelligence on the enemy's numbers before we entered the building, and as always, performed very well in combat, striking the decisive blow that allowed your team to bring down a high-value target. And Mr. Daichi," she addressed Yatsuhashi, who had been standing silently up to that point, "As always, you performed very well in your role, defeating large numbers of enemies and keeping the attention of a powerful opponent so your team could plan their defeat."
There was a moment of silence. Coco cleared her throat. Glynda looked at her, as though surprised she was there.
"Oh, yes. You weren't bad."
"Glynda," Ozpin scolded.
"Fine," she sighed, "As always, Miss Adel, you kept a level head in the chaos of battle, directed your team well, and made sound tactical decisions, and in direct combat, you were as efficient and pragmatic as ever. While your decision to shoot down the airship was a risky move and hastily made, I do not, in hindsight, believe it to have been an incorrect one. Now, unless there is anything else?" she turned to Ozpin.
"I do not think so," he shook his head, "Do you have any questions?"
They all shook their heads.
"Very well," Glynda nodded, "Again, thank you for your hard work. You may go."
"I really thought she was going to mark you and the rest of us down, there," Velvet said, sighing in relief as the team headed back to their dorm.
"Ah, it turned out fine," Coco waved it off, "Professor Goodwitch is a pro. She doesn't let little things like not being as awesome as us get in the way of grading."
"I still say you could have apologised," Fox added in amusement, "Just to be sure. I kind of like being the top-rated team in the school."
"Fox, let me let you in on a little fact of life that you should probably know about by now," Coco declared, "I don't apologise."
"Yeah," Fox chuckled, "We get that."
"No," Coco shook her head, "I don't think you do. I don't apologise for anything, because I value the decisions I've made, the actions I've taken, the experiences that I've shared with all of you guys."
"What do you mean?" Velvet asked quietly.
"Apologising implies that you regret the actions, the decisions and experiences which lead you to that point," Coco explained, "That you wish they'd happened differently, or hadn't happened at all. To that? I say hell no. I don't regret a damn thing and I never will. Look at us," she indicated, "Can you honestly say you would rather that any of things we've done together had gone differently?"
"No," Yatsuhashi, surprisingly, was the first to respond.
"No," Fox replied a moment after.
"No way," Velvet shook her head.
"And that," Coco nodded finally, "Is why I don't apologise for anything."
"You do ruffle a few feathers with that attitude, though," Fox pointed out sensibly.
"Well..." Coco began slowly, "If people don't like how I roll? They can pick up their gym-shorts," she held up a finger, "Grab their running shoes," she held up another, "Play some music," she held up a third, "And jog on."
"While I am reluctant to interrupt this interesting philosophical discussion," Yatsuhashi's voice was an amused rumble, "I am curious as to whether we will be part of any further action against the White Fang, once they have obtained whatever information our mission will provide."
"I hope so," Velvet spoke up, "I'd quite like to see this through to its end."
Their conversation, particularly the end part, was overheard by several other students. It would slowly spread, until eventually, the rumour that CFVY had gone on a mission against the White Fang would be all around the school... eventually leading to some rather interesting ramifications for certain other teams.