Chapter 70

Marek

His eyes slowly opening and closing, Marek couldn't even tell where he was. Tied to some sort of gurney, any attempt he made to move sent wave after wave of pain rushing through him. His left arm and right leg felt as though they were dipped in molten metal. All he felt, other than the pain, was heat. A burning hot sensation.

"-old him still!" A woman's voice echoed.

With a loud pop, Marek's eyes shot open as more pain rushed through him.

With his distorted vision clearing, Marek saw two medical workers standing over him. Strapped down to a table, instead of a gurney like he had thought before, Marek glanced around the room, seeing he was inside the medical wing of the Atlas Academy.

"He's awake?"

Looking to the source of the voice, Harriet slowly approached Marek, her face twisted with a fiery rage.

"Ironwood is gonna want a word." She looked to the medics. "Hurry up."

Liam

Walking into Weiss' room where Penny and Nora were resting, Liam noticed Weiss seemed a bit off. Between helping Klein with Penny and Nora, Weiss paused when picking up a tray to rub her eyes. Letting out an exhausted sigh, she turned to take the tray over to Nora. Her motions were somewhat sluggish.

Seeing Weiss stumble a bit, Liam quickly moved to catch both her and the tray.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just..." she yawned. "A bit tired."

Suddenly, an ear shattering blast echoed from the distance as a blinding yellow light engulfed most of Atlas. Dropping the tray, everyone in the room and in the mansion could feel it shake slightly from the blast.

After the blinding light of the explosion, Liam and Weiss headed over to the window. The two couldn't really tell where the source of the explosion came from.

"What... was that?" Weiss asked.

"No idea." Liam shook his head. "I could use my avian form to che-"

"No!" Weiss suddenly shouted, causing Liam to jump slightly. "Last time, you were caught by the Atlas Police! You're going to stay here, with us. Got it?"

Liam was surprised by Weiss' sudden authoritve tone. Her gaze was sharply fixed to his own.

"A-alright, Weiss." Liam nodded his head. "I won't leave the mansion."

Weiss visibly relaxed.

"Thanks." Weiss' eyes softened, showing how tired she was.

Weiss blinked her eyes a few times as she placed a hand on her head. Placing her other hand on Liam to try and support herself, Liam quickly noticed she was on the verge of passing out.

"You okay?" Liam asked her again, placing one hand on her stomach and the other on her back in an attempt to help.

"Just a bit dizzy." She told him. "Probably from the flash."

Liam helped Weiss away from the window and over to the couch. Once Weiss sat down, Liam glanced around the room.

"Anything I can get you?" Liam asked.

Weiss was visibly exhausted. It was as though the past twenty-four hours suddenly hit her like a bus.

"Maybe..." Weiss yawned. "Maybe I could use a, uh, a nap. You... wouldn't mind, would you?"

Her eyes were ready to close any second now.

"Of course not." Liam said as he sat beside her.

Weiss moved closer to Liam, wrapping her arms around him as she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"It feels like forever since we've had any time to ourselves." Weiss said before yawning again. "Give me, like, ten min..." Weiss didn't finish as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

Glancing down at her, Liam was surprised by how quickly she fell asleep. She must have been fighting it for a while.

Well, since nothing was going on, at least, nothing near the mansion, what's the harm in letting her rest up for what is to come?

Pushing a strand of her hair back, Liam smiled before letting himself relax as well. He would have joined Weiss in sleep, but a thought nagged at the back of his mind.

A thought that crept its way up when he saw what the Hound really was. He wanted Weiss' input, but he wasn't going to bother her while she was this tired.

Instead, Liam pushed the thought away, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against the back of the couch.

Marek

Taken to the top of the Atlas Academy by the Ace-Ops, Marek was standing, hands bound, behind Winter. Even though he wasn't supposed to be standing, Harriet didn't care.

Upon seeing them, Ironwood walked over.

"It's about time. While we dealt a decisive blow to Salem today--"

"Actually that wasn't our payload, sir. I brought it back with us." Winter quickly stated.

"Then who could have...? But you still have it. This may be useful." Ironwood said. "Penny still hasn't come to the Vault, meaning Watts was either incompetent or he betrayed us. At this point, we'll never know. Cinder Fall has attacked command and escaped with him. And that's not all we've lost."

"Sir?"

"Qrow and Robyn have also escaped." Ironwood said.

Harriet grit her teeth as she turned to leave in search of them. However, Ironwood raised his hand, getting Harriet to stop in her tracks.

"Salem's creature was destroyed, but that doesn't mean we've stopped her." Ironwood continued. "She will return and she will throw everything she has at us until there is nothing left. And we are perilously close to that already. I need the Winter Maiden, now. It's the only way Atlas can survive. Schnee, bring me Arc, Ren and Xiao Long."

"What for, sir?" Winter asked.

"I had Qrow in my hands and I didn't do what needed to be done." Ironwood replied. "I will not make that mistake again. I know. I'm ashamed I didn't think of it earlier. Leveraging the lives of her friends is the only way to make Penny listen to reason." Ironwood placed a hand on Winter's shoulder.

"Sir. I'm sorry, but we don't have them. Operative Schnee let them go." Harriet informed Ironwood.

"You what?"

Winter's gaze was downward as Ironwood stared at her.

"Winter allowed them to go on board the creature to rescue their friend and they never came back."

Ironwood turned around and approached the table in the center of the room, placing his hands on it.

"They were our last chance. Now... Now I have NOTHING!"

With a yell of anger, Ironwood raised his fists above his head and smashed them down on the holotable, snapping it in two.

"We do have this." Harriet said, pushing Marek forward.

Stumbling forward, Marek fell to the ground. Looking up, he was met with Ironwood's furious gaze.

Before he said or did anything, Ironwood's earpiece buzzed to life.

"Sir! We are detecting non-military ships on radar, dozens of them!"

"Ships? Whose ships?" He asked as he took a few steps towards the window.

"They appear to beSDC freighters, sir. They're heading straight forMantle."

"Weiss..."

Winter gasped softly at hearing her sister's name.

"I see. They're trying to save Mantle." Ironwood sat down in the chair by the window, pressing the tips of his fingers together as he chuckled. "This has always been about Mantle, hasn't it?" There was a short pause. "I need to make a call."

Liam

Standing in the Schnee mansion, Liam was alone in the foyer. It was dark, the only light coming from the moon, peering in through the window. Slowly making his way through the mansion, Salem's Hound approached from the shadows.

Turning to face it, Liam's silver eye shined bright, hurting the Grimm and forcing the black substance to part from its face. However, beneath the Grimm substance, wasn't the Silver-Eyed fox. Instead, it was his own face staring at him.

Blinking, the Hound's face changed to look like Ruby. Then, to Summer.*

Waking up with a jolt, Liam looked around to see Weiss, staring up at him. Her eyes looked groggy, showing she had just woken up.

"Bad dream?" She asked.

"Sorta." Liam replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" Weiss pushed herself upright.

Liam fell silent as he looked at the floor.

Could his dream be true? Did Salem turn his mom into a monster like that Fox Faunus? Is that why he and Ruby are targeted by her? To become Salem's latest experiments.

He didn't know for sure, but after what happened with the Hound, it was a terrifying possibility. Summer could be one of Salem's Hounds. If not worse.

The thought alone shook Liam to his core. Eyes widening as they began to water, Liam buried his face in his hands.

"Liam? What's wrong?" Weiss asked, now seeming to be wide awake. "Hey."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, getting Liam to look at her. Looking into his pupils, Weiss could see something was very wrong.

"Weiss..." Liam said, his voice breaking. "That... thing... the Faunus... he had Silver Eyes."

"I know." Weiss said. "But why is that on your mind? We-"

"Summer. My mom. She disappeared going after Salem." Liam told her. "You don't think..?" Liam couldn't finish. He didn't WANT to finish.

Realizing what he was saying, Weiss had no idea how to comfort him.

"Ruby. Myself. If Salem catches us, then we'll become just like that F-"

"No." Weiss said, placing a hand on Liam's cheek. Looking into her eyes, Liam saw the determination in her gaze. "None of us will let that happen. I... won't let that happen."

Liam returned his gaze to the floor.

"What if you can't stop it?"

A heavy silence filled the air until a third voice spoke.

"We'll find a way."

Glancing over, Nora sat on the bed, looking at the two.

Liam gave a tiny smile, happy he wasn't alone.

Suddenly, a loud beeping sound came from each of their scrolls.

Pulling out their scrolls, they each saw a broadcast being displayed.

"This is an emergency CCT broadcast." An automated voice said.

The broadcast showed the SDC cargo ships, that Whitley had sent down to help Mantle evacuate, get shot down.

"What the-?"

"Those ships... they were going to save people." Weiss said softly. "Why would..?"

Suddenly, the image on the screen shifted to Ironwood, standing in a ray of light.

"I have always promised to defend this kingdom." Ironwood stated. "It's technology, it's future, from those who would see it destroyed. Our enemy is crippled. But one individual-" Ironwood raised his index tinger. "-denies Atlas its salvation. The protector of Mantle. Penny... wherever you and your friends are, I need you all to listen. I know how much Mantle means to you. That's why I'm going to give you a choice: you can bring yourself to Atlas Academy, and do your duty. Help me save as much of Atlas as I can, and Mantle will be left to fend for itself. Or... you can all watch as I destroy it."

Weiss gasped as Liam glared at the screen, his mechanical hand clenched into a fist tight enough that it threatened to bend the metal.

"I have one bomb." Ironwood continued. "That's all it will take. If there is no Mantle, then there is no reason for you not to work with me. Neither of us want it to come to that. But one of us is willing to do it. If anyone tries anything other than what I've ordered, Mantle... is gone. To give you all a bit of a push..." Ironwood stepped to the side, showing a bloody, beaten and tired looking Marek, tied to a chair.

"Marek!"

Liam's eyes grew wide as he rose to his feet.

Slowly, Ironwood grabbed the pistol that rested in his right holster. Aiming the gun at Marek, Ironwood shot him without even looking away from the camera.

Marek hunched over as he began to gasp for breath. Coughing, it was clear he was fighting just to stay conscious. It looked as though he was attempting to say something but the only noise that came out was a dry cough. After a few short moments of Marek coughing and gasping in pain, Ironwood stepped in front of him once more.

"You have one hour to respond."

With that, the broadcast came to a close.

End of chapter 70