Chapter 17: Chaos
"To think Ivy Brown would stoop so low," Camilla said, as she set down the file she was given, shaking her head. "I had thought she cared about the people of Mantle, but doing this."
"It goes to show that people will do whatever it takes to sway the vote. The Atlas Military has been doing its best for Mantle since the beginning. Despite that, Mantle continues to push and prod us. Going as far as attacking our transports, stealing our supplies, and redistributing those stolen goods all over the city," the General said, glancing at Robyn, who had her arms crossed.
"Well, Mantle wouldn't have to do that if some people prioritized what is important. Like our defenses! Do you know how many of our Long 9's have been blasted by Grimm? Nearly all of them. We've lost the cannons, we've lost the blasters, and our wall was destroyed!"
"By Goons that were hired by Miss Brown," the General reiterated, folding his hand. "Case in point, the recent death of a homeless man who asked a simple question. Special Operative Athan and Special Operative Schnee, alongside partners in Mantle, followed this rabbit hole until they arrived at this. It was only with the theft of a very important item that they were taken off the case." he said, causing Jacques to sit up.
"Oh? And by all means, explain to us what this item is. Because this is news to me."
The General nodded to Clover, who stood up, activating his hologram screen. It showed various plans along with pictures showing off a black orb. "Ladies and Gentlemen, these are plans for one of Atlas's shelved projects. The Crystal Nexus, or as it was referred to, the Emotion Orb. This special orb attracts Grimm by using synthetic miasma generated from harvested fear energy. It was conceived under the notion that it could be used to attract Grimm away from the cities. Alas, that was before the discovery of Grimm being attracted to our Aura."
"The project was shelved and hidden away from prying eyes. Fort Arrowfell was constructed over the lab and then allowed to be destroyed. This is something that happened when I was still young. It wasn't until I became Headmaster of Atlas Academy that I was told of this," Ironwood said, shifting his gaze around the room. "Recently, a Junior Team of Specialists, alongside the Protector of Mantle, were stationed near Fort Arrowfell and were attacked by a Masked Woman. This woman has connections to Ivy Brown and is her personal hitwoman. She is the one who currently has this device."
"Oh, fantastic! Another lunatic who has the ability to attract Grimm, just what we needed," the white-haired businessman quipped. "Oh James, the only thing you are good for is repeatedly failing."
"Sir with all due respect, perhaps if you'd let him finish, you would learn more about this device." Sonata snapped, glaring at the man.
"That's enough, Miss Piccolo." the general said, earning a sheepish nod from the blue-haired girl. He adjusted his tie, narrowing his eyes a bit. "She does have a point, Jacques, you don't let people finish what they begin. As I was saying, this Emotion Orb is completely inert. The only one capable of activating it was the one who designed it, and he is not among us. Even with it being in their grasp, it is a useless trinket."
"That doesn't mean they can't figure out how to activate it," Sleet said.
"Worry not, we are already tracking down all likely suspects. Given Ivy Brown's co-conspirators, it is likely someone close is this Masked Woman. Quintus Piccolo has been cleared of this, as his daughter is among our ranks. That leaves one potential candidate, Octavia DiCappriccio." Clover said, tapping on his scroll.
"We've been following her movements for a few days now, and she hasn't done anything suspicious. But comparing her body type with Penny's scan, as well as her height, weight, and physical capabilities, we are 89% sure she is our suspect," Sonata continued, giving the Councilmen a firm look. "We have more than enough probable cause to warrant a search, all we need is approval from the judge and we can begin."
Jacques set down his wine glass, sighing in anger. "Of course, instead of going out there, you have to wait for approval. What is the point of being a General if you don't act?"
"I am not above the law, Jacques. I have to go through the appropriate channels, just like everyone else. I may hold two council seats, but that doesn't mean I can do what I want." James said, glaring at the man.
"Doesn't seem like it, given how you've been acting recently,"
"This again?"
"General, since the day you were appointed Headmaster, there have been Atlesians who are skeptical of one man holding two council seats," Camilla said, giving the man a concerned look. "You'll have to forgive us if we come out sounding like this,"
"It is alright to be skeptical, Councilwoman, which is exactly why we have checks and balances," he said, tapping the table. Sleet let out a laugh, setting down his glass.
"We're supposed to, but lately, you've been running roughshod all over them, making unilateral decisions without us."
"Councilman, I never intended-" The general began, only to be cut off.
"What people intend and what they do aren't always the same, General," Sleet replied, making the man tense up. He was about to reply, when a butler stepped into the room, hurriedly moving toward Jacques. The man narrowed his eyes, vaguely interested in what was going on.
"Hm? What? For how long?" he hissed, eyes widening in surprise. "My authorization? Check it again!"
"Councilman Schnee? Is something the matter?" Sleet questioned, causing the man to laugh, sitting up a bit.
"Of course not, of course not. Just something unimportant. I agree with everything! Everything that was just said, haha… no further questions."
They all shared a look, wondering what had happened to make this man change his attitude. Robyn reached for her scroll for a moment, shooting a message to Fiona, to make sure everything in Mantle was alright. She glanced back at the General, giving him a leveled gaze.
"I'm not quite done yet. What is it that you are afraid of? This whole meeting, you've been sitting there, fidgeting, speaking with purpose yet lacking emotion." she said, causing the man to chuckle.
"That's obvious, Miss Hill. I am here aiming to prevent what happened in Vale from happening to Atlas. I do not want another Haven, and I most certainly do not want another Beacon." he said, clenching his fist tightly. "I lost more on that day than you can imagine… my close friend, Headmaster Ozpin, several staff members of Beacon, a close friend in Miss Terra Athan, and of course, Headmaster Lionheart… all good friends who have departed, all because of the machinations of that… woman."
Jacques seemed uninterested as they spoke, looking expectantly at the door behind him every so often. As Robyn continued, she stood up from her seat, gesturing to the people beside her. "You don't trust your own Council to help you. Operating in Secret? These are the actions of someone who's hiding something. And what's all this about some woman? What woman? If you want people to trust you, you need to tell us!"
"I am not hiding anything," he stated, glaring at the woman.
"Oh? If that's the case then you wouldn't mind putting that to the test, right?" she said, holding her hand out to him. Clover and Sonata looked at him, wondering for a moment if he actually would. "You are aware of my Semblance. Let's settle it right here, right now, General Ironwood."
Everyone jumped out of their chairs as the doors flew open. They looked back, seeing the second daughter of the Schnee Family, panting a bit as she stepped into the room. "Everyone wait! You've got the wrong man!"
She caught her breath a bit as she strode forward, locking eyes with her father as she walked. She stood beside him, giving him a look of pure hatred. "I know you've all been brought here to discuss the General's actions, but I know who is truly framing him. I know who rigged the election, and my father does too, he's been working with him."
She set the scroll down in front of him, activating the hologram screen, showing a paused video. Jacques visibly paled when he saw it. It was a video of himself, himself, and Arthur Watts, in his study. The Councilman looked at it, shock spreading across their faces.
"That's… Arthur Watts!"
"But that's impossible," Sleet said, leaning forward to get a good look. "He died in that incident several years ago. Inside Schnee Dust Mine #2!"
"What… what is this?" Jacques exclaimed, shooting out of his chair. "This is a fabrication, a mere fib! Do not believe what this insolent girl is presenting before you. She has clearly been brainwashed by Ironwood and his lackeys,"
"Well if that's the case, then play the video, Jacques," James said, having taken the time to walk to his side of the table. He glared at the businessman, a look of no-nonsense on his face. "If you are so sure it's been doctored, then we'll easily figure it out. So go ahead, play it."
Weiss did so with zero hesitation, a smirk on her face as she stared at her father. Seeing the myriad of expressions that went over his face was glorious. Fear, anger, disbelief, anguish, fury… all of these happened within a second of each other, and for a brief second, she thought she saw regret wash over him.
"That bastard is costing me more money every day with his senseless embargo. I'd lay off every employee in Mantle if I wasn't trying to get their damn votes for this Council seat!"
"What if I said you could have your cake and eat it too?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"James Ironwood never recognized my genius. After everything I gave him, he still disgraced me. I simply wish to return the favor." Watts said, turning to face the man. The Councilmen watched intently as he turned around, his face in full view of the camera.
"What's in it for me?" Jacques asked, earning a chuckle from the doctor.
"A seat on the council. All I need is your login credentials for the Atlas Network. You promise to make Ironwood's life a living nightmare, and I will guarantee your victory at the polls, by giving the voters down in Mantle a uh… digital push, if you will…" he said.
"Heh… I always knew you were a good scientist, Arthur, but I never knew you were such a good salesman."
"That's enough," The General said, pausing the video as Jacques shook the man's hand, letting out a laugh. He turned to the man in question, who merely stammered.
"That… that is… is-"
He quickly stood up, putting his hands up. "As I've said before, that is a fabrication. I was merely playing along with him. Of course I was going to turn him in to the authorities, you've got this all wrong."
"Jacques, take your seat," Sleet said, making the man swallow the lump in his throat. He took a deep breath, adjusting his tie before breaking out into a sprint, running toward the back doors. He threw them open, only to cry when a giant glowing suit of armor aimed its sword at his feet. He turned around, seeing his daughter standing behind him, a grin on her face.
"Jacques Schnee, you are under arrest!" she said, scroll in hand. She paused for a moment, glancing at the General. "Can I do that?"
xxx
"Wonder if Weiss has given her father the ol' one-two," Yang said, leaning against the wall. "After giving our favorite Miqo'te the kiss of a lifetime, she sort of ran out of here."
"Yang, I will give you 1000 Lien if you shut up," Levi said, holding the card out. She swiped it, shoving it in her bra.
"You got it, Kitty."
"Ugh…" Alto muttered, leaning back in her chair as she stared at the ceiling. "I have made a continuous error in my judgment."
"That's what you get for eating so much, Alto. I told you, you'd get sick," Oscar said, crossing his arms in vague disappointment. She held back the urge to laugh as she reached into her skirt pocket, pulling out her notepad.
"Eating… lots of rich people food… c-check," she said, adding a checkmark to her notepad. Blake crossed her arms.
"You know Alto, perhaps eating so much food was a bad idea. I'll go see if I can find you some seltzer water, that usually helps,"
"Thanks, Blake. I appreciate it." the wolf faunus said.
Levi watched his fellow faunus leave, hoping to find something for Alto. He shifted his gaze toward Ruby, who had been glancing at her scroll. She had a frown on her face as she kept scrolling. He knelt down beside her, sitting down on the floor. "Is something the matter, Rubes? You haven't talked for a while."
"Just thinking. I've been rereading some of my old school reports from Beacon. Even in my writing, I sounded so childish. Looking back, I can understand why Weiss didn't trust me to be the leader of Team RWBY. I wonder, if I was seventeen, better trained and more mature, would I have made a better impact?"
He frowned, glancing away for a moment. "Ruby, if I'm being honest, you are way more mature than you give yourself credit. It's okay to be a bit childish, just because you are an adult doesn't mean you can't let out your inner child. Take it from a brooding serious person like me, being stern doesn't do wonders for you."
"I know but… you know, it's kind of silly. Overthinking things because of current events. You always wonder if you acted a different way, things would be different,"
"Hm… I'm not sure, given what happened at Beacon, we'd likely still be here… or somewhere else." Levi replied, leaning back against the wall. "It's easy to imagine where we'd be, but that's all we can do, imagine."
The pair remained silent, listening to the classical music that filled the foyer. Levi closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking a deep breath. "When you used your silver eyes for the first time… what did it feel like?"
Ruby pressed her lips together, putting her scroll away. She tucked her legs against herself, resting her face in her arms. "I felt despair… seeing Cinder dissolving Pyrrha like that… being unable to do anything but just stare. I felt weak, I felt helpless. Then this… burst of energy exploded from me, and then I just passed out."
She looked toward him, staring into his eyes. "Your eyes are silver as well… you've never used those powers, and I pray that when you do, it isn't using a feeling of despair. Maria told me that they activate via emotions. Think about happy memories and just let it rip."
"Hm… so that's how it works," he said, nodding his head. "I'll keep that in mind if given the chance to."
A beep filled his ears, causing him to reach into his pocket. He pulled out his scroll, flicking it open. He saw a message from Neo on screen. "Guess the Wicked Bitch of the West did something."
"Hehe… go, see what she has to tell us."
He gave Ruby a pat on the head as he stood up, heading toward the stairs. He tapped the message, reading its contents. "I'm here, come up to the second-floor hallway,"
His ears stood up a bit as he read this. He looked around for a moment before climbing up, making sure no one had seen them. Thankfully, Whitley was nowhere to be seen, and no one else seemingly paid attention. He looked around for a moment, following the path he had taken to Jacques's study the last time he had been there. Turning the corner, he spotted a waitress nearby, staring out the window. She turned to him, making him jump a bit.
"Oh um… I'm just looking for a bathroom."
She merely rolled her eyes, her body glowing a brilliant pink as her disguise fell. Neo tipped her hat back, bowing her head a bit. Her eyes shimmered for a moment, settling on their usual pink and brown as she silently giggled. He let out a sigh, crossing his arms.
"Your sense of humor bores me."
She had a look on her face that practically screamed 'weenie' at him. He closed the distance, sharing a hug with the woman. She pulled out her scroll, showing him the message she had received.
"Whenever you return, we need to have a serious talk about our invasion plans. We cannot wait any longer. Clearly, Arthur Watts and Tyrian have set their plans in motion. It won't be long until Salem shows up and we need to be ready,"
"So she's planning on invading Atlas Academy, huh? She isn't going to get anywhere without the Winter Maiden's powers. The Staff is safe for now."
"The Staff might be safe, but the Lamp isn't. It's hanging off Oscar's belt at the moment. I know we made plans just in case this happened, but how exactly will we execute it?" Neo's scroll asked, causing him to sigh. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he thought.
"None of us know where the Winter Maiden is, or if she's even in Atlas Academy. For all we know, Ironwood could have her hidden away in some bunker. In order to appease Salem, she'll want the Lamp. Invading is not a good idea, but knowing her, she's going to do so anyway, so here's my proposition."
He took her scroll, opening the chat box with Cinder. He typed out a quick message, hitting send. Neo ripped the device from his hand, giving him a look of shock.
"It's too risky to get in. So here's what we're going to do, we're going to split up, I retrieve the Lamp and you remain where you are. I can't use my actual appearance, so I'll be borrowing yours. That way, I can work in secret and you can get all the credit."
Within an instant, she had replied. "No, that won't work for us."
"Doesn't matter if it works for you. I'm laying the foundations here, I'm the one who's risking her ass while you hide away in your safehouse. We do this by my rules. I'll get you that lamp, and you will wait until Salem arrives. When her forces are here, we invade Atlas Academy, find the Maiden, and take the Staff." Levi said. Neo rapidly typed everything, fixing her mistakes before sending it off.
It was silent for a moment before she got another reply. "Fine. You do bring up a good point, sticking to the shadows is a better option. But don't keep me waiting, Neo. I expect you here after that ghastly party is finished. Oh… and tune into the News, I think you'll like what's going on in Mantle."
The pair shared a look, with Neo backing out of the messages. She tapped the Internet Icon, going to the first live broadcast. "This is Gretchen Arenas bringing you the top story tonight. Mantle is under attack. Creatures of Grimm have started attacking the civilians, this comes after initial protests following the shutdown of Mantle's Heating Grid. The Atlas Military has responded, claiming to be fixing the problem but so far, the city has yet to receive help. All over, snow is gathering in the streets, and the people are freezing.
Break-ins have occurred at large Dust shops, and giant infernos are raging across the city. There are reports of looting and petty thievery, and at least 13 people have lost their lives to the Grimm. The Mantle Police Department Chief is pleading with civilians to remain indoors while they deal with the situation.
We have tried contacting Jacques Schnee to ask him why he shut down the Heating Grid, but he nor any SDC Spokesperson have yet to reply. This comes after Atlas's Military officials confirmed that under his directive, the Heating Grid has been shut down. Some speculate it is a political move, while others claim he is breaking his promises and only used Mantle to get on the Council. More as the situation develops."
Levi pinched his eyes, ears folding back. He let out an annoyed hiss, clenching his fist tightly. "So after all that bullshit he spouted, he still went and pulled this?"
"I don't think Jacques is responsible for this. Cinder mentioned a man named Arthur Watts. When I was younger, I remember hearing in the news that a famous Atlesian Doctor died in a mine explosion. He was the one who created the code for a lot of Mantle's operations. A brilliant doctor who was never recognized for his efforts."
"If that's true then… it isn't hard to assume what Jacques did here. That bastard probably rigged the election and traded Atlas's security codes for it. Who the fuck is that stupid? All for a Council seat?"
"You clearly haven't met my husband,"
The pair jumped a bit, whirling around to face the speaker. Willow Schnee was standing behind them, a tired look on her face. She glanced away from the two, frowning. "You know it isn't wise to speak about things in another person's home. Especially near someone who heard everything you said."
"I…" he paused, clearing his throat. "Ma'am, what we were discussing is classified information, I'll thank you for your discretion."
"Pfft… whatever, who'd believe what I have to say? After all, Atlas thinks of me as nothing more than some drunkard," she muttered, meeting his gaze. "My husband has been dealing with some shady people, and he will face those crimes. With him out of this house, I think… stability will return."
"You think? Forgive me for saying this, but you have been a terrible mother. I understand that your husband fucked you over in the worst way possible, but you should have stood firm and told him no. He married into the Schnee Family, didn't he? The SDC is yours, not his. Yet you decided to turn to the bottle to settle your issues."
"Don't speak to me like you know me, you don't know my suffering, what I've been through."
"With all due respect, ma'am, I crossed swords with a killer to protect your daughter. I lost my limbs for her. And the reason that man became that way is because your husband branded his face, all because he was a faunus. The vile things he said about you, what he wanted to do with Weiss, with Winter, with Whitley… to you…" he said, looking away. "They are awful… we have been through much worse than you have. I lost my mother, both of them… I lost my teammates, I've lost friends, but I am still here."
Levi closed the distance, taking a hold of her hand. She pulled on it but he held his grip, giving it a squeeze. "I was a lot like you when I was younger, before Beacon. I was always alone, I felt unloved and I was bullied a lot. My mother had these blue pills in her cabinet… I don't remember what they were for. Every day, I stared at them, counting how many there were in there. Every time I felt alone, I would grab that bottle, walk to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water. I'd shake those pills, and think about doing it, but when I stared out that window, I saw the shining light of Beacon Academy, and I thought about the people that loved me. I never gave into those thoughts, no matter how in pain I was."
"That's different. You don't know what I've been through, the ridicule I've had to endure. I had to watch my darling daughters leave home, my beautiful boy turned into a spitting image of him. My house became this cold abyss of suffering and loathing, where only alcohol could soothe me. That man took everything from me, the man who stole my heart, the one who looked me in the eyes while I was pregnant with Winter and told me he'd give me the world. You have never been through that, you have never been abused the way that I have."
He sighed, giving her a nod. "You're right… I haven't. But it isn't too late to fix things, ma'am. Weiss adores you, she's spoken so highly of you. Winter loves you as well, she's your spitting image. She may act like a hardass, but she loves you."
"That may be true, but I'm afraid it's too late for Whitley."
"It isn't. He's just going through a phase, he might act like he hates you but he doesn't. There isn't a woman more special to a man than his mother. You are still here, alive, be more active in his life. Cherish those moments, because if one day you are gone, he'll regret not spending time with you." he said, giving her a smile. "Willow, you've been through a lot, but that ends now. If Jacques rigged this election, he's going to prison for a long time. That dark cloud above you is gone, it's time for you to come back."
"You have a point there," she said with a long-winded sigh. "I've made a mess of things, haven't I?"
"You're human, it's okay to make messes, just as long as you pick them up," Neo's scroll said. Willow shifted her gaze toward her, giving her a small nod.
"You're right," she said, a genuine smile on her face. She placed a hand on Levi's shoulder, moving it slowly to his face. "You have silver eyes."
"Oh uh… yes, I do."
"Just like her friend Ruby… she told me in a letter once. I can tell how much she loves you… will you take care of her? Make sure nothing bad happens to her?"
"I will, though if I'm being honest, I think she'll take care of me instead," he mused, chuckling a bit.
"Yo Levi, Ruby's calling a-" Yang stopped mid-sentence, looking between the miqo'te faunus and Willow. She rubbed her neck, tilting her head a bit. "Bro… Levi, I don't think Weiss will be happy if she finds out you are hitting on her mom."
"What?" he screeched, clenching his first. "Yang Xiao Long, I am going to-"
She took off, laughing as she went. "Head to the dining room when you are done, lover boy!"
Levi took a deep breath, turning back to Willow, who had a look of amusement on her face. He bowed before her, holding his hands out just like Neo did. "I must get going, but I'm sure we'll meet again."
"I'm sure we will."
He swiveled on his foot, darting back toward the foyer. Willow felt herself smiling, for the first time in a long time. "He's a good person, isn't he?"
Neo gave her a nod, clapping her hands happily.
xxx
Jacques had been easily caught, forced to sit in his fancy chair at the head of the table. Weiss was standing by him, a look of disappointment on her face, her hand on Myrtenaster's handle, just in case he tried doing something. Levi was close by her, arms crossed as he waited for the General to stop pacing. Clover, Winter, and Penny were at Jacques's other side, alongside the Councilmen, who had been reviewing the entirety of the video. They had seen it so many times that they had practically memorized it. No amount of time could erase what they had seen, the utter disbelief on their faces was palpable.
After what seemed like an eternity, the General stopped pacing, looking straight through Jacques. There was so much anger in his eyes that it made them all shiver. How the man hadn't exploded yet, they didn't know. He clenched his hand tightly, closing his eyes for a brief second as he spoke. "I knew you'd stoop low to get what you wanted, Jacques, but this?"
The man let out a chuckle, looking away from him. "This is all a great big leap, James."
"No, it's quite simple really. Now that we know Arthur Watts is alive, working with a madman like Tyrian Callows, it would be easy for someone like him to coordinate an unthinkably heinous act. Using Ivy Brown as a shield and the deaths of those journalists, Callows managed to kill people and put them on edge. Watts was able to get the necessary footage for the warehouse massacre because he designed Mantle's entire security network. He used that access to hack the surveillance system and frame someone else for the job."
He glanced at Penny, who looked away, hand clasped over her chest. Ruby gave her a pat on the shoulder, along with a reassuring smile. The General looked back to Jacques, jaw clenched tightly. "All while stealing an election."
The man stepped toward the frightened councilman, who tried to back away but was unable to due to how he sat. "And once you became a Councilman, your newly granted clearance gave him a backdoor into Atlas's secure network!"
Levi jumped a bit from how hard the man had slammed his fist on the table, rattling every dish and glass still on it. He grabbed Jacques by his shirt, slamming him into the backrest of his chair, the man shaking fearfully. "But you didn't think about that did you?"
"The people that died that night, their blood is on your hands!" Robyn cried, seething with rage. She held herself back, but her left hand was shaking, as if tempted to notch an arrow and shoot the man.
"Jacques Schnee must be tried, not only for treason but as an accessory to murder!"
"These are outrageous accusations! I only intended to win the election! I had nothing to do with-"
"Only?!" Robyn shouted, throwing a nearby chair at the back wall. It shattered into pieces from how hard she had thrown it. Ruby and Penny backed away from her as she approached Jacques, being held back by Sleet. "Your actions got three mothers killed you piece of shit! Their fucking kids are out there, doing who knows what? And for what? For a council seat? So you could try and show the world what a piece of shit the General is? You succeeded in doing the opposite!"
The General straightened, placing his hands behind his back, glancing around the room. Camilla looked around worriedly, shyly glancing at the General. "What else will he be able to do with the access Jacques has given him?"
"With enough time… whatever he wants."
Several scrolls beeped at once, causing everyone but the General to jump. Sleet and Camilla grabbed theirs, answering their calls. Ironwood stared at his, eyes narrowed as he read the message displayed on the screen.
"Wait… wait what? What do you mean the heat's gone off?"
"No! He didn't authorize it, the likely suspect is someone who breached our system! Try to get the heat back up as soon as you can!"
Weiss glared at her father, slamming her fist onto the table, causing him to jump. "See what you did? Thanks to you, thousands of people are going to freeze to death! Men, women, and children, all of them rely on the heating grid! If you had stopped to think, this wouldn't be happening!"
"Y-you have to believe me! I-I-I didn't know he was planning this."
"That's not the only thing," Levi muttered, causing the General to look at him. He turned to the man, a frown on his face. "About two years ago, in order to find medical supplies to help Trivia with her broken arm, I climbed aboard what remained of the Prydwen. In the bridge, I found a black scroll, a scroll that I'm certain Roman Torchwick used to overtake the Atlas Airfleet as well as hack all of Atlas's drones. I carried it with me and when Pietro Polendina told me the footage was lifted from the surveillance system, I gave it to him. He confirmed that Scroll was using a modified version of AtlasOS 11. That operating system was the one used to hack Beacon's CCT and the Atlas Air Fleet. That's likely what he's using now."
"I see… while I am disappointed that it wasn't brought to me earlier, this is a massive boon. If we can use that system, we might be able to counteract what he is doing. Pietro still has that scroll, correct?" The General asked, earning a nod from the faunus. "Then that's our play, I'll have him deliver it to our Cybersecurity Specialists. The best way to fight a hacker is to hack them back. If we can delete his root access credentials, we might be able to get things back on track."
"S-see? All's well that ends well, right?"
Winter took her turn at the table, slamming her fist on it. She glared deeply into her father's eyes, making him shake in his boots. "You will shut your mouth and work on getting the heating grid back online."
"I um… have been informed that we can't into the system. It's been uh… blocked off."
The Atlas Security System had been activated, several alarms ringing throughout the dining hall. They all hastily turned their scrolls down as the message played. Robyn moved toward the window, her scroll to her ear as she tried to contact her friends. Sleet lowered his scroll from his ear, looking back at the others.
"Without heat down there, people are going to start freezing."
"If we've been blocked off, there's nothing we can do. Even if we managed to get it back online, with the access Arthur has, he'd just override it." Camilla added, a hopeless look on her face.
"General Ironwood, how bad is it?" Ruby questioned, as he walked past her. His scroll was glowing red.
"He's using Jacques' credentials. We can follow that activity on the network, and with the aid of that scroll, we'll be able to divert his access. But if he's found his way into the Amity System…" he said, shaking his head, closing his scroll. "No, the secret is safe. But if he learns about Amity, she learns about Amity… we can't have that happen, we can't have that happen."
"General Ironwood, sir?" Levi called, trying to get his attention, but the man was clearly distracted. He let out a sigh, glancing at the Councilmen. "Councilman Sleet, Councilwoman Camilla, this might be presumptuous of me, but if we can't get the Grid back online, then we need to start thinking about a mass-scale evacuation."
"An evacuation? We can't do that!"
"What choice do we have, Sleet? It's either they die or we bring them to Atlas. The problem is our ships are connected to the network. If Arthur locks us out, we can't do anything." Camilla replied, causing Weiss to frown.
"Isn't there anything we can do to block him?"
"It's too late, he's already starting to lock us out." the General replied.
"Then we need to trace him, figure out where he's hiding," Blake said. The General shook his head, turning to face her.
"He's going to stay mobile. We need his access point, we need to get him to come out in the open."
"Alright, let me get this straight," Robyn said, grabbing their attention. She tugged on her sleeve, looking around for a moment. "Okay, so, how do a disgraced scientist and a disappeared serial killer find each other, General? Why would they target you? And why are you working so hard to hide the Amity Communications Tower from them?"
She received stunned silence. Ruby and Penny shared a look, while Levi's face paled, not expecting her to say that. Weiss looked around the room for a moment, wondering if she had heard the woman correctly. After a second, Ironwood spoke, clenching his fist tightly. "You know?"
"I used to think you were hiding something to protect yourself. But I can tell there's something much bigger going on here. Now I think it's to protect something else. Us… Atlas, maybe even all of Remnant. And you are afraid of what might happen if you tell the truth."
The doors flew open, startling everyone. Clover raced inside, followed by Oscar and Alto, both of them looking exasperated. The leader of the Ace-Opes caught his breath, giving the General a worried look. "General, the Grimm are all over Mantle."
"The air fleet's doing everything they can but they can't shoot down targets. Not without risking casualties!" Oscar added. Ironwood let out a defeated sigh, bowing his head.
"This.. this is what I was afraid would happen."
"Sir, we need ground support as soon as we can, sector 14 has already been overrun. There are Manticores and Teryx's approaching Midtown and several units have started firing at random. We need to do something!" Alto exclaimed.
"What we need is to start evacuating Mantle. Whatever it is that was gonna happen, it's happening, and the more we wait here with our thumbs up our asses, the more people will die. Kitty has a good idea, let's start sending ships and bringing them up here. Use the fleet to get–"
"If we move the fleet then Atlas is vulnerable. I… I tried to keep the kingdom safe. And now we're losing everything!" he exclaimed. He leaned against the wall, a look of defeat on his face as he shielded his eyes with his arm. Oscar stepped up to him, placing a hand on the Relic of Knowledge.
"General, earlier you asked me for my advice."
"I wanted Ozpin's advice." he deadpanned, causing the boy to shake his head.
"And his advice probably would have been to keep your secrets. When we first got here, you already knew that wasn't the right course. You had a new plan."
He straightened up, lowering his arm. "It's time to give up on that plan… it's all falling apart."
"The panic you were worried about? It's already happening. The secret's you are keeping? They're about to be open anyway. It's time." Oscar said, causing the man to turn and face him. He was standing just like Ozpin used to, cane in his grasp. He gave him a nod. "It's time to tell the truth."
"He's right, you aren't alone, General. All of us are here, we are ready and willing to help." Ruby added. The rest of her team stood beside her, looks of pride on their faces. He looked at them all, proud to see how far they had come. Levi gave him a nod, gesturing to the Council Members behind him.
He adjusted his tie, clearing his throat. "Councilman Sleet, Councilwoman Camilla, Miss Hill… or rather, Councilwoman Hill. There are several things I must share with you. Things I have kept from you that I shouldn't have. It is time for you to learn the truth, about Project Amity, about Remnant, and about what is coming to attack us. Let's figure out how we can help Mantle… together."
"I've called transport, split up into teams of two, and get ready. We need to clear out Mantle sector by sector if we want to protect the people. I've contacted some higher-ups at the Schnee Dust Company and they are going to send whatever ships they have. We must remain calm, and we must act quickly,"
"But what about Tyrian and Watts?" Yang asked, earning a firm look from Ironwood.
"You leave those two to me. Right now, you are needed down below."
Ruby grinned, hands on her hips as she looked at her team. "Alright Team, we're needed down in Mantle. Dust off your weapons and get ready to fight, the people need us!"
"That's the spirit! Let's make it happen, Huntsmen." Clover said, taking the lead as he darted out of the room. They made it to the foyer, where Marrow was holding the door open for them. Levi slowed to a stop, glancing at Oscar.
"Hey man, this might be it. We wanted to discuss the plan with you, but it seems that won't happen. Let's hope nothing happens, but in case it does, Neo will explain." he said, earning a nod from the boy.
"I understand, I'll keep it safe until then," he said, holding his hand out. Levi nodded, giving it a shake before quickly leaving the house. Ruby slowed to a stop next to him a nod.
"Oscar, things are moving quickly but…" she paused, gathering her thoughts. "I think the time has come."
"I was about to say the same thing. Don't worry, I'll make sure to tell Ironwood everything, everything that Jinn told us."
"Ruby hurry it up, the transport is leaving!" Marrow shouted over the engines. Ruby turned to the boy, giving him a brief hug.
"Good luck in there, Oscar."
"Good luck down there, Ruby."
She shot out of the house in a swirl of petals, causing Marrow to sigh as he brushed them away, stepping out the door. "Kids."
Oscar watched them go, turning around only to be met with the worried blue-eyed wolf faunus. She gave him a smile, holding out her hand. "Let's go, you don't have to do it alone."
"Thanks, Alto, I don't know what I would do without you."
"Honestly? I think you'd be just fine without me. If I'm being honest, I didn't go down there because my stomach is still full," she said, making him laugh.
"Don't ever change,"
xxx
"Alright, I want to stress this out to the new recruits! You might be specialists and two of you might already be Special Operatives, but you don't have our years of training. Not yet at least. Our orders are simple, we need to prioritize civilian lives over killing Grimm." Clover said, hanging onto the bar as the ship shook. "Once we're on the ground, stick to your sectors, only the northern parts of Mantle as well as Midtown have been invaded. Downtown is still relatively clear, for the time being."
A loud screech filled their ears, beeping coming from the radar. Harriet grit her teeth as she held onto the yoke, glancing away from the screen. "We got trouble guys, buckle up!"
Everyone did so, hanging onto the sides of the ship as well as they could. Jaune looked visibly sick, and Ren had his eyes closed tightly. Nora looked giddy, as if ready to fight. Weiss and Levi were holding hands, squeezing them tightly as the ship jittered and shook.
"Fucking son of a bitch! I can't shake it off!" Harriet shouted.
"I think it might be time to put those landing strategies to the test," Elm said.
"We haven't even cleared the outer border yet!" Marrow added, only for the ship to take a steep nose dive.
"Oh for the sweet love of god, don't let me die here!" Jaune shouted, hugging Crocea Mors tightly. The ship leveled out before climbing upward, the audible sound of wings flapping cutting over the engines. Levi let go of Weiss's hand, unbuckling his seatbelt.
"What are you doing?" she cried, earning a smirk from the man.
"My job. Clover, open that hatch!"
"Are you insane, kid?"
"Just trust him, Clover, the kid knows what he's doing. He's Terra Athan's kid," Qrow said, earning a sigh from the man. He grabbed the lever, pulling it. The back door opened, the roar of the giant teryx shooting through the cabin. The wind was kicking up, blowing their hair and clothes. Levi summoned a violet glyph beneath his feet, loading his rifle with ammo.
"Harriet, pull up a bit more."
"If I do that we're gonna stall!"
"Just do it!" he shouted back, cylinder clicking loudly. It stopped on the lightning crystal, his blade glowing and crackling with electricity. He felt the ship climbing up higher, almost vertical. He turned to Weiss, giving her a wink. "See you down there?"
"You better not die or I'll kill you myself," she said, crossing her arms. He rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Alrighty, time to make minced meat of this bastard," he said, darting forward toward the back end of the ship. "Yippee Kai Yay motherfucker!"
The moment he leaped from the ship, he sent himself into a terrifying death spiral, courtesy of his energy bullets. He extended his estoc, running the blade clean through its wing, earning a howl of pain from the Grimm. He spun in mid-air, forming a vermillion glyph beneath his feet before shooting himself back up, leveling his rifle, he shot an energy round right at its head. As the Teryx started falling, he grabbed a hold of it, sheathing Overture as he did so. He drew Shiva, firing three rounds into the Grimm's skull, causing it to dissolve in mid-air.
Noticing he was fast approaching the ground, he once again drew Overture, cylinder spinning as he selected Wind Dust, flicking a green glyph to the ground. A fierce gale kicked up, allowing him to slow himself down before landing on his feet. He heard several screams around him, causing him to look around, and with a flick of his wrist, he blasted himself forward.
A Manticore had been flying after a group of people, firing fireballs from its tail at them. Levi raced over a Police Cruiser, shooting himself into the air with a vermillion glyph, throwing a slash at the Manticore's tail, slashing it clean off. It let out a hiss, falling hard to the ground, turning to face its new foe. The miqo'te faunus landed on the ground in a roll, darting forward.
"Hello beastie~" he greeted, flicking several ice glyphs at the creature, blasting it with giant shards of ice. He threw several speeded slashes at its face, avoiding its giant bony paws. It threw a slash at him, but he flipped over it with ease, throwing two swipes at its face.
He spun Overture around, simultaneously loading a shell while it transformed. He rested the hard-light stock against his shoulder, firing a rock bullet at its eye. He followed it with a second and then a third, chipping off some of its bone plating. He grit his teeth, reaching into his pocket for some shells. "Goddamn it, this thing is tougher than I thought it'd be."
The Manticore let out a roar that shook the air, planting its feet firmly on the ground. Levi summoned a violet glyph under his foot, ears twitching a bit as he smirked. The snap of a bowstring filled his ears as a glowing yellow arrow sailed through the air, flying straight through the Manticore's head, exploding into large bolts of electricity. He leveled his gun, barrel glowing with a pink glyph before he pulled the trigger, the Gravity bullet sailed forward with great speed, going straight through the Megoliath's head, killing it instantly. He swept some hair out of his face, glancing over his shoulder.
"Nice shot, Teri."
"Thank you dear." the woman replied. He almost expected her to be in her usual attire, but seeing her wearing a thick winter coat, boots and pants made him realize just how cold it had gotten in Mantle. "Please tell me there are more of you."
"There are, the General Mobilized the troops. We need to prioritize saving the civilians. Is there any place large enough for them to gather? The rescue ships will be by soon."
"There's a spot big enough next to Dynamo Park, but that place is almost across town, we're right on the edge!" she said, making him sigh.
"Well I need to get there immediately," he said, placing his finger over his communicator. "Attention Team RWBY and Team ORNJ, in order to evacuate civilians, we need to get them to a spot where the ships can land. Send all civilians to Dynamo Park, Winter, if you can hear this, send transport there, I'll be en route to make sure the Grimm don't attack."
"Understood, we'll send everyone there," Ruby replied, followed by Winter.
"You read my mind, Levi. I was about to issue the order to take all civilians there. Be advised, a large gathering of Megoliath's were spotted running down West 96th Street and Central Park West. Dynamo Park is across the way so there may be some trouble."
"Shit fuck! Alright, thanks for letting me know, Winter, we'll see if we can take care of it. Over and out." he said, looking around for a moment. He turned back to the police car, shaking his head, only for his eyes to land on the nearby motorcycle, grinning. "Hey Teri, have you ever ridden a motorcycle?"
"What? What kind of question is that?" she asked, releasing her notched arrow. The teryx that was flying toward them fell into a death spiral, slamming hard into a car, which exploded shortly after.
"Don't worry about it, how are you with shooting moving targets?" he asked, turning to face her. She didn't even take her eyes away from him as she shot down two Manticores that were aiming to attack them. He nodded. "Alright, let's go then."
xxx
Sleet, Robyn, and Camilla were talking among themselves, disbelief written on their faces as they processed what Ironwood had told them. They kept questioning everything, wondering if what was happening was thanks to her. Meanwhile, Oscar had pulled the man in question aside, bringing him back to the dining room. He had a look of seriousness on his face as he addressed the man.
"I would like to apologize to you, we've been withholding information since the beginning. We didn't know who to trust and how we would approach things. Ruby decided it would be for the best to keep this hidden until the time was right. Sadly, or well, thankfully, I suppose, that time is now."
"Just tell me what it is, Oscar. After what is happening, I think I can take it, whatever it may be," he said. The boy shared a look with Alto, who gave him a nod. He nodded in return, looking back at the General.
"When we recovered the Relic of Knowledge, there were two remaining questions. We are not sure who used one, but Yang theorizes it was her mother, Raven Branwen, the Spring Maiden. During the train crash in Mistral, we began questioning Ozpin and I managed to get the name of the spirit who resides within, her name is Jinn, and she can tell you anything you want, past or present."
"I see, no wonder you were hesitant to reveal that," Ironwood said, straightening up a bit. "What else did you learn?"
"Everything. The truth, about the Brother Gods, about Ozma, about Salem, but we learned something else, something that Ozpin hadn't told anyone. He…" Oscar paused, placing a hand on the Relic. Alto placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. The young man closed his eyes as he spoke. "Salem cannot be killed."
Ironwood's eyes widened, he sat down on the nearby chair. He looked as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown at him. His hands moved to his head as his fingers dug into his scalp. He stared straight at the floor, a million thoughts moving through his mind. Surprise, shock, anger, sadness, betrayal, and acceptance flew across his face within a fraction of a second. He looked up at the boy, licking his lips.
"S-she can't be killed? Jinn told you this…?"
"She told us when we asked her what Oz was hiding."
"But… why? Why would Oz keep this from us? From the people who trusted him?"
"He was worried," Alto chimed in, ears folded down as she looked away. "He was worried that you would all lose hope."
"We're sorry we kept it from you too. We didn't know who to trust… after fighting Leonheart in Haven, Cinder and her lackeys, Raven Branwen… Adam Taurus…. We just… we didn't know what to do. I figured you should know before you make any sacrifices." Oscar added. Ironwood placed his hands over his nose and mouth, deep in thought as he thought about what he had heard.
Salem couldn't be killed. There was nothing he could do to stop her, nothing. Now he understood why Ozpin had never succeeded, why he had hidden the Relics. It wasn't because he was scared to fight her, it was because he was stalling for time. To train people who could protect the Relics, eternally, because there were no other solutions. The direct attack on Beacon, on Haven, made sense. Salem wanted the Relics because she could use them to destroy the world.
"Sir? What are you going to do?"
Ironwood looked up at the boy, the young man who would one day be Ozpin. He sighed, rising to his feet. "I… All we can do for the moment is what we can to save Mantle. That's what's in front of us."
"He'd be proud of you. You're bringing the hope Atlas was meant to inspire. A city in the sky is held to a higher standard. You haven't lost your humanity,"
"You say that like you were ther–" he was cut off, his hand flying to his ear. He listened in, nodding to himself. "Our transports are here, we should move. Alto, you need to act as Oscar's shield. Atlas isn't compromised yet but we don't know if our enemies have infiltrated. Keep that lamp safe, at all costs."
"You got it, sir, I am not letting anyone or anything get at Oscar. I'll be his guardian," she said, activating Akuo for emphasis. The man shifted his gaze to Oscar, giving him a pat on the head.
"Oscar, you've been a great help to me. I've been treating you as if you were Ozpin this entire time, but you aren't. Not yet. For that, I am sorry, the advice you have given me, as yourself, has been immeasurable."
"Thank you, sir."
He started heading toward the doors, pausing for a moment before looking back at the pair. "Oh, and no more surprises, got it?"
"You got it." he replied, turning to Alto. "Come on, we need to head back to Atlas Academy."
The two raced off toward the front of the house, avoiding two soldiers who were in the process of arresting Jacques Schnee. The man was pulling and tugging on his restraints, demanding the officer's badge numbers. Willow watched him go, glancing over her shoulder at Whitley, who locked eyes with her. He slammed his fist on the ground beside him before shooting to his feet, racing up the stairs. She let out a defeated sigh.
Location: Mantle
"Things are flowing smoothly, but it seems someone on the network is actively trying to fight me, and with my OS as well," Arthur said, eyes glued to the scroll in his grasp. Several gunshots rang through the air, along with the roars of Grimm. Tyrian let out a cackle, resting his tail on his shoulder.
"Oh the irony, you modified a version of their OS and it's being used against you. That's why I dislike technology. I like being traditional and running people through with my blades!"
"That doesn't leave us with my options, does it, Tyrian?" Odette sighed, shaking her head. "Our goal is to make sure Atlas's defenses are down for when our Mistress arrives. We're not sure when that will be, but judging by the atmosphere, I'd say she's getting close. We need to be ready for that time."
"Yes, we do. But there is a secret that I want to unlock for myself, what is this Project Amity that Ironwood is protecting so hard? Every time I try to access it, I can't get through it." the man mused, seeing the bold "Access Denied" prompts on screen. "It's as if someone is actively defending it."
"Must be something big if Ironwood has people actively on it. Oh, whatever… I could care less about this Project of his. I just wanna have a little fun~"
"Sure, we all want to have a little fun but some of us have work to do. I haven't found out where Cinder even is and I can't keep waiting. So I'm gonna have to go out here and search for her myself." Odette said, reaching for her rolled-up whip. It glittered brightly in the light, each segment filled with different types of dust. "Tyrian, for the love of all that is good, please contain yourself while I do my search. I'll give you the location of some shelters for you to have fun later."
The man looked visibly distraught but relented. "Fine, you go out there and find that little bitch. But don't keep me waiting for too long,"
The pinkette rolled her eyes, bringing her hood over her head. She unfurled her whip, flicking it toward the nearby railing. She raced forward, letting out a small laugh as she sailed across the street. Arthur watched her go, shaking his head.
"At least she's proactive, unlike someone else I know. Had Cinder been with us, she would have let her need for revenge cloud her judgment."
"You're telling me. After everything Her Grace did for her, she ended up throwing it all away, and she didn't even get the Spring Maiden's powers. She's nothing but a fool that needs to be corrected. I can't wait to see what Her Grace does to her, if Odette leaves her alive that is," Tyrian said, letting out a laugh.
xxx
Neo took a deep breath as she dialed the entry code into the pad. It beeped three times, allowing her entry into the apartment. It was dark, the only light coming from the panoramic windows. The apartment overlooked Downtown Atlas, the blue lights from the hard-light shields were giving the room a nice ambiance.
Cinder was standing by the edge of the windows, staring down into the city of progress. She hardly reacted when Neo stepped into the room, her gaze off into the distance. "You're here early."
Her eyes glowed briefly as she dropped her disguise, walking forward with a firm look on her face. Cinder turned to meet her, just in time to catch the scroll the woman threw at her. She opened the device, showing several pictures of Oscar, along with the Relic of Knowledge which hung from his waist. She smirked, glancing up at her.
"Excellent work. Did you get anything else?" she asked, returning the scroll to her. Neo was swift to reply.
"Jacques Schnee gave his credentials to Arthur Watts, and he's currently bringing down Mantle as we speak. Furthermore, Ironwood is completely out of his element. I'm not sure what he's planning but he's prioritizing the protection of Project Amity. Finally, the boy is being sent to Atlas Academy, all by himself. I heard the General briefly speaking about a containment unit with him."
She narrowed her eyes in thought. "So the Winter Maiden is being kept in Atlas Academy, this changes things. Still… I can't believe those two beat me here. Vacuo was the next target, it seems the timeline has changed."
"Seems to me like Salem herself is on her way, but I can't really say for sure. I never crossed paths with Arthur and he seems like the sane one. Given what's happening in Mantle right now… who knows?" her scroll chirped.
Cinder frowned, glancing out the window for a moment, a myriad of thoughts on her mind. She clenched her fist, looking back at Neo. "The farm boy has the lamp, find him, take it."
Neo crossed her arms angrily, her body glowing a bright pink as she transformed into Ruby. Cinder hissed, her eye burst into flames as she glared at the woman. "NO! We get what I need first, then we get what we want! Now go!"
She walked past her, standing in the middle of the room, smirking. "Ironwood's been hiding the Winter Maiden for years. Tonight, I'm going to find her. The General's just as predictable as his androids, threaten what he has, and he'll flock to protect it."
The mute woman walked in front of Cinder, giving her a firm look. She held her scroll out, showing her the last message she had sent while at Schnee Manor. Cinder stared at it for a moment before staring into her eyes. "We do things as I say."
"We had an agreement, Cinder. The Winter Maiden's powers will be mine, I can easily change tactics. I'm a Huntress now, Ironwood trusts me. There is nothing you can do, no threat that you can give me that changes this situation." her scroll said, making the woman hiss in anger.
"Why you-"
"No, you listen to me."
Cinder was taken aback, the look on Neo's face was one she had never seen before. Yet she wasn't fearful of the woman. She knew she could easily overtake her. She gave her a nod, allowing her to proceed. "I will carve the path for you. You wait in the wings until I acquire what you need. A two-pronged attack is not ideal, knowing Ironwood, he's going to try and draw Watts out, and how will he do that? Amity Colosseum. But we don't know when he's going to initiate that plan. You will wait until I give you the go-ahead, I will get the lamp, we will meet up and I will get those powers. That is when our partnership will end… oh and if you try to take those powers from me by force well…"
Neo stepped forward, holding her hand out, creating a perfect replica of the Relic of Knowledge. She held it in her hand, allowing it to shatter into a million pieces. Cinder looked at the falling shards, eye narrowed in anger. "I understand."
"Good. Now then, allow me to work and we'll both get what we want… it's gonna be so satisfying, seeing despair on Ruby's face when she realizes I played her for a fiddle this whole time." she said.
"You and me both, Ruby isn't the only one being played for a fiddle." Cinder thought, the smallest of smiles racing across her lips.
A/N: It's about to go down
