Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of the thief and the girl who walked on fire. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.

Cye looked at the pair of guards passing by as he hummed. These guards were not as numerous as he believed. However? They were still outnumbered, not outmatched. But the guards didn't individually have to match them.

"See any automated defenses?" Cye asked Cinder as he hummed. "Or anything I might have missed?" Cye added and continued to keep his sword ready.

Cye questioned that the rest of the guards were going to be dangerous. They had blind spots, a clear patrol route that Cye believed he could figure out with time. But that would take time… And neither he nor Cinder had the time to deal with them.

"Nothing I can see." Cinder put in as Cye hummed as his ear twitched. "What are you doing?" Cinder asked while Cye closed his eyes.

'Trying to hear everything.' Cye thought to himself as he cracked a smile.

One thing Nicholas respected about the Faunus that he believed Jacques didn't? Their senses were superior to humans, Faunus could see in the dark, hear for miles and detect sounds that others normally couldn't.

"I don't hear any turrets or mines." Cye said and let out a hum. "But that doesn't mean there's no security. The guards are probably deeper in the mines and watching the workers." Cye said and shook his head with a hum.

He knew Jacques and Atlas didn't much care about his people. The wealthy didn't at least, it annoyed him to no end, but there was nothing he could do about it. Faunus would be seen as animals to humans and that change would have to be made later.

He turned to Cinder who was curiously waiting for Cye to make a move. Cye raised his head to the air and took a deep sniff. The scent of dirt, dust, and sweat reached his nose.

"We need to go downwards." Cye put in as he turned and started down the tunnel. "The dust I smell is coming from below. Jacques will have the transport craft somewhere above that." Cye said while he and Cinder slowly but surely made their way down the path.

"How do you know?" Cinder asked and placed a hand on a dust cart. "Why would they keep the transports below ground?" Cinder questioned Cye who raised an eyebrow.

'Because Jacques doesn't want anyone seeing him breaking labor laws.' Cye thought to himself while closing his eyes to mentally draw a picture of the path.

"Because Jacques and a lot of people don't respect Faunus." Cye responded as he paused to take another sniff of the air. "Jacques isn't someone who cares much for rules as much as money. Knowing him? He'd also be bringing in valuables you can sell to make extra profit." Cye said and rose up.

That was when he heard the noise of a moving cart as Cinder stumbled. The card creaked and thundered down the tunnel before smashing into the wall. The sudden noise echoed through the tunnels, signaling the guards that something was off.

Cye cursed as a trio of guards turned their gazes towards the two. Cye said nothing as the guard's laser sights swept towards them.

"You two!" One of the guards said as they marched towards them. "What are you doing here?!" The guard bellowed while Cye closed his eyes.

"Do NOT kill." Cye said before activating his semblance. The guard swung his gun around.

A swing of Nightingale disarmed the man of his gun before he was kicked in the face by Cye. It wasn't enough to injure him badly, but it was enough for Cinder to land a running heel kick to the man's head, knocking him out.

Cye deactivated his semblance in time for one of the guards to fire off a trio of shots. Cye was quick enough to roll to avoid this, but a glancing bullet did nick his shoulder.

Cye cursed and turned towards the man as Cinder vaulted off his shoulder. She flung one of her swords at the third guard as the woman rolled to avoid it. Cinder smashed a fist into her face, crumpling her to the ground as Cye blinked with interest.

The third guard swung his rifle at Cinder only for Cye to block it with Nightingale. The clang of metal echoed through the tunnel while Cye spun away from the guard. Cinder smashed the hilt of one of her swords into the man's face before Cye vaulted off her shoulder and kicked the man into a minecart. He collapsed a moment later.

"Nice work." Cye said as he brushed off his arms. "There will be more down the tunnel." Cye said while Cinder frowned.

"We should kill them." Cinder said while retrieving her other sword at the moment. "Their tell the others we're here if we don't." Cinder added and watched Cye shake his head.

"It will only make them stop holding back." Cye said before grabbing Cinder's arm. "And their find the guards even if we did. We aren't going to rip through the tunnels. I didn't want to have to fight to begin with." Cye said and shook his head.

One of the guards would obviously call in for a report. If the guards were unable to respond? They'd sound the alarm, if one of the guards did? Cye and Cinder would still have the alarm sounded on them.

Cye shook his head, this plan had gone sideways fast…. But then again? He doubted stealth would last. The Atlesians were not bad when it came to scanner tech… And he knew someone would get lucky and see them.

"We need to keep moving." Cye said before placing his hands on his hips. "The longer we wait? The longer Jacques has to lock down the mine…. And that will make it near impossible to get to the craft." Cye stated while he turned and started down the hall with Cinder following after him.

Both teenagers were unaware of how dangerous tonight would be for them. If they did? They wouldn't be here, risking their lives would be saved for another day for them.

But they didn't know, and thus? They had no idea what was coming up and how they'd create monsters upon the city in question.

Cye hummed and then turned to look to Cinder as he and her started to descend into the mines.

He could only brush off his jacket, wondering what would happen next soon. He kept a hand on the hilt of his sword once more. Cye knew violence would be upon them once more and it would be near sooner than later.

Author notes

Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out that next chapter will be in 2-14 weeks or such and will show more of the tunnel scenes and set up a fight with Adam. Next chapter will be 900-1200 words and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter is 1200 words Friday. Pyrrha 800 words Friday. Yang 1500 Thursday. Neo 1200 Wednesday, Ruby 1200 words Monday. Elm 900 Wednesday. Penny 900 Tuesday and Raven 1200 Sunday.