Chapter Twenty Nine: The Search (Part 1)

"So, scale of, say, 1 to 10. How much of a problem will this trip become?" Blair's voice mutters lowly to Roman. The adults walk shoulder to shoulder, Carmine leading the two down the street. Neo taps along behind them, picking up on the low words. "After all, you were aware of the... incident before."

Roman scoffs. "Oh, it'll be a shit show, I'm sure. I barely had anything to do with him back then outside of ensuring he didn't play Breath Hold at the bottom of the ocean." He then huffs a laugh. "But it'll be fine. I highly doubt AZRL holds that strong of a presence here. Going off the report from ole Dory, this city is likely being used to store supplies or maintain a chain."

The blonde huffs. "So, someone with an in to the supply shipping of the city, then? Sounds direct, but that could mean corruption at any level, even down to the individual dock workers. It's also not a very telling way to know if they've been using children from this city for their plans."

"Then it's a good thing I know where to start." Carmine grunts out. "I CAN hear you, by the way."

Roman chuckles. "Look at that! He's still aware. He's fine." Sending a small 'told you so' look to the blonde, he speaks up. "So, you care to share your sources with us?"

The group stops at an intersection, waiting for the light to allow them forward. The work day in full swing of day shifts, the streets cleared for the most part of those walking to work. The area was quite urban, much like Vale itself, but seemed to be more structured with elevated train rails overhead. The familiar logo of Rata Railways shows on slightly peeled stickers at many stair entrances to the lifted train platforms within the city.

No one close by, Carmine grunts out. "The police of Sanctuary actually review the manifests and check shipments that move between kingdoms. It makes up a good deal of the Chief Inspector job, so the first check is the police station."

Neo raises a brow, sharing a look with Blair who voices. "I don't recall seeing that policy. You remember that from when you lived here before, I assume?"

"It was my dad's job." The boy's voice dips unhappily, but he presses on. "He would always complain to mom whenever someone did something stupid..." He shakes himself off as the light shows a walking stick man, the group walking through the stopped traffic. "Either way, if we start anywhere, that's a good place for it." He looks over his shoulder sending a raised brow to Blair. "Right?"

The blonde nods, but Roman sighs. "Recalling that our enemy had infiltrated CVPD already, it may not be wise to just waltz on in. After Vaterra, I think they have a decent idea what we look like."

Carmine halts on the other side of the road, the group stopping as they face one another. "They definitely know you three, but they haven't had as much time with me. I'll go to the police station alone."

"Nonsense." Blair cuts off. "Neo, go with him. It's unwise for us to be splitting up alone when we don't know the storm we're going into. Be sure to disguise yourself."

Neo and Carmine share a glance, slightly awkward, but he sighs and nods. Neo walks two steps off into the nearby alley... then walks back out, now wearing a green school uniform with jet black hair, blue eyes, and Hush turned black. Go shatter illusions! She even smirks as she pirouettes.

"Yes, yes. You're very impressive." Roman sarcastically drawls. "It might not be the same, but I think I recall a few of the less than upstanding sects of the city. Barbie and I can check those for any sob stories of sad stolen kiddies." Blair's unhappy glare gets a smirk out of him, but she doesn't disagree. "Then, break."

He heel turns to the side, walking down the other street. Carmine rolls his eyes and walks away. "Be safe."

Blair nods at him as he turns. She catches Neo by the shoulder, stopping her for just an extra second. "Play nice and be careful." Neo herself also rolls her eyes, giving a half heart nod. She walks off after Carmine, leaving Blair to sigh and move after Roman.

. . .

The boy halts upon spotting the lineup of cop cars in the large parking lot. Amazing. After all these years, the first thing he looked at was still counting the cruisers present versus the empty spaces. Twenty four shut off vehicles, five of which unmarked undercover cars, plus thirty two empty spots. Hmm.

Cocking his head, he walks into the lot, Neo perking up behind him. The girl looks between him and the main building off ahead of them. Wordlessly, she follows him, allowing several feet of space.

Carmine stops at spot number 14. 1 through 5 were spare handicap spaces for injured workers relegated to office duty. 6 through 10 were emergency response, always tuned and ready to leave at a moments notice. 11 and 12 were armored SWAT vehicles. 13 was the City's Police administrator, their replacement for the stereotypical chief, yet held more power.

14... the space marked for the Chief Inspector. Empty.

Figures. He sighs, sensing a poetic theme to the moment, but if the Chief Inspector wasn't here... they'd have to see when he'll come. He catches eyes with Neo, the girl's illusion image raising a brow. He sputters to explain, eyes flicking between the space and the building. "The Chief Inspector won't be in. The space is empty. I'll have to ask where he is."

He notices she's still staring, a bit critically. "Still mad I take it?" The simple question gets a light curve of the lips and narrowing of the eyes. He sighs again. "Wanna take your pot shot now or wait until later?"

She gives a dramatic hand to her chest, faking offense and shock. In her hand, a note forms. 'Assaulting you in front of a police station? Never.'

"Why do I get the feeling you just want it to be more surprising?" He scrutinizes her, the girl's smirk only slightly widening. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Come on." For as much as he apologizes out of instinct, he really doesn't know how to actually make amends. So, he gives in and resigns himself to the backlash to come someday.

Stepping to door of the main complex, he eyes the lettering along the wall. 'Sanctuary Police Department'. Deep breaths, Carmine. Come on. In through the nose... and out through the mouth. He opens the door.

A bell attached to the door arm dings as he holds the glass door open for Neo. Soon as the girl is in, he moves to close it, only for a duo of cops to step around a nearby corner. He keeps the door open as the officers give a glance, but nod appreciatively. "Thanks, young man." He shuts the door, already blushing and scratching the back of his head bashfully.

He glances over to see Neo staring dryly. "What?" She blinks, then shakes her head. "What?" He repeats slightly louder.

Snickering, she pulls out Blair's sign language book. Opening it, she searches through, flipping by pages rapidly. She performs a motion. 'You.' More flipping, then another motion. 'Really.' Flipping. Gesture. 'That.' One flip, repeat. 'Easy?' She performs a slight added gesture to illustrate it being a question.

Carmine purses his lips in a blank poker face. "... I can't read sign language yet."

Her eyes bug out, herself realizing the secondary language barrier. She snaps the book shut stiffly as her brain fries just a second.

Then she cracks him in the skull with the spine of the book. "OW! What the hell?!"

She flashes the book, its cover now shrouded in a shatter illusion displaying the nickname 'Dumb Dumb.'

Before he can bite a remark back, a voice cuts in. "Hello there, kids. What can I do for you?" Glancing ahead, the kids spot a reception desk, a bullet proof glass shield over. The desk is built directly into a low wall, separating the entryway from a room filled with cubicle offices. Officers mill about speaking to one another, on phones, and over radios.

The boy clears his throat and steps up to the desk. "Uh, yeah Officer..." He glances at the badge, making out a name. "Bangle?" His eyes flicker between the name and face, connecting it to blonde hair, brown mustache, and blue eyes.

That sounds familiar for some reason...

He clears his throat again. "I was hoping to speak with the Chief Inspector. I, uh, noticed the space is empty, but I'm willing to wait until he comes around?"

Bangle nods in understanding, but his brows knit together. "He's usually available when he's in, but I wouldn't exactly be doing my job if I didn't ask what the issue is. What seems to be the problem?" The man seemed jovial. Mostly muscular, he seemed to be a cop that kept in shape.

Now, where's the three eyed skull? That would just be his luck.

Remembering the receptionist at the Vale City Police Department, Carmine keeps vague. "It's... unfortunately hunter related business." The guy raises a brow skeptically. Shit, need something official. "I'm... associated with Beacon Academy. Not supposed to talk to the wrong people." Relax, damn it. He scratches his head giving a nervous smile. "Headmaster Ozpin can be a dictator for rules."

His father's name comes out like sandpaper, but the cop merely raises a brow. Giving the boy a once over, his eyes trail along Carmine's Buster Armor. Definitely hunter style tech. "Don't be insulted, but I have to ask for at least some proof of that. Anyone can say something like that after all."

He can feel a look from Neo behind him, sending his hairs up. Damn it, Roman is supposed to be the face of the team. "Do you have base access to Vale's hunter registry?" The officer nods respectfully, hands flicking to the keyboard. May need to actually thank his father. "Look for Team CRBN. C. R. B. N. Identification code V930809."

The man types away, perking up. "I see, then." He nods a few times before addressing the boy. "I suppose Chief Inspector Lee can see you once he's in. What's your name, son?"

"Carmine Uhlric, sir."

The man types before freezing. He turns his blue eyes on the boy, wide and shocked. "Uhlric, son?" Carmine shifts uncomfortably, but nods. "Boy, is that really you? Jared's son?"

Neo eyes Carmine, whose mouth parts as he struggles to respond. He settles on a nod and a grim smile. The officer's face lights up in delight. Neo's grip on the black Hush tightens as she watches the officer bellows a laugh, spooking the two.

Bangle stands, gleeful. "Well, kick me right in the ass, YOU'VE GROWN!" He exclaims loudly. A few faces peek out from the cubicles. Bangle smiles wide. "I was your father's partner back when he was a detective!"

Now, it was Carmine's turn to light up. "Detective Bangle?"

The man grins. "Lieutenant, these days." His eyes give Carmine a second appraisal, falling upon Heulin Noon strapped at the boy's thigh. "Man, that takes me back." Eyes sad, he keeps the smile plastered as he looks around. "Hey, while you wait, come on back." He opens a gate in the wall to the cubicle areas. Carmine and Neo share a glance as she relaxes. The two follow as Bangle continues shouting about.

. . .

Roman's cane taps along as he and Blair enter a series of alleys. The blonde keeps an eye out, seeing only the odd beggar and junkie. "Much as I enjoy seeing the depressing part of town, even I know you have SOME standards for environment. Where are we going?"

"I haven't been to this one, so that leaves looking for the signs. Think a trap house but for high class... immoral jobs." He ignores a beggar's outstretched hand and makes a turn. "The location will typically look horrid to the outside, using poor areas as a buffer from any searches. Yet, the entrance will be quite secure... Ah HA!"

A dark split in the alley leads to a hidden door. Solid metal with a sliding viewing sleeve. Blair crosses her arms, judging. "How cliché."

"If it works." Roman quips, giving a rapt knock on the metal. "No, be smooth. Might be some less than friendlies inside."

"So long as it's not more pirates." Blair huffs.

The metal slide wipes open, revealing green reptilian eyes. "What's the password?"

"What's yours is mine, and mine is mine." Roman rattles off smoothly.

The eyes narrow. "Vale? What does Junior want?" The voice snarls out.

Roman remains unfazed, smile growing. "Him? Nothing. Me? Information is all." The growling response behind the door is coupled with shifting. The slit slides closed as the metal door opens. It reveals a short lanky man with an off yellow hue for skin.

"We'll be watching."

"Then get popcorn. I'm quite an entertainer." Roman and Blair push by the faunus, following a thin hallway into a staircase down. Moving further and further down, noises of rambunctious revelry sounds. Louder and louder.

The two descend into an open pub. Low lighting, but at least five patrons eye the two newcomers. Grimaces and appraising glares absorb the image of the two. All were faunus. Blair resists the urge to rest her left hand on Fluorescent's hilt.

Roman leads the way, leisurely settling into a booth. Blair settles across from him, although she quirks a brow at his snicker. "While I applaud you doing as you see, whomever we speak to will be expected to sit somewhere."

Blair glares forward before sliding around the circular booth until she's on Roman's side, the man on the outside. "How's that? You can be a meat shield if they attack us."

He smirks amused. "You have so little faith that I can charm my own kind of people?"

"Exactly." She states dryly.

Beside the table, a man in bar wear steps up. He removes a pen and paper from an inner pocket of his black vest. He tips his head in acknowledgment, showing his bull horns. His raspy tone comes out. "What can I do ya for?"

Roman gives a cocky smile. "Whatever the lady wants, second for me." He sends a smirk to the blonde beside him. "I'll pay."

Blair's right brow raises just an inch. With little hesitation, she holds her hand out for the waiter's notepad. He narrows his eyes before allowing it. She writes for two seconds before handing it back, the man's eyes widening as he gives a polite smirk. "Yes, Ma'am."

Roman watches the man leave as yet another newcomer steps up. Another faunus, this one had cat ears, one ear clipped. He glared with violet eyes, short black hair. And he sits across from the two. The man speaks gruff, scars showing from under his clothes, but the fabrics are smooth and clean. "Greetings. What brings you to my establishment, Mr Torchwick?"

Roman's smirk grows. "Oh, I'm that well known, then?"

"We do well to know Senior's top man." The violet eyes trail down. "The cane also is a giveaway." Meeting Roman's amused gaze, he starts again. "Now, what interests you?"

Blair speaks before Roman can. "We can start with habitual kidnappers." Pulling the man's attention to her. "Know anything about random adolescent disappearances?"

Credit to the man, he doesn't move a millimeter at the subject. No change in his expression as he looks at the woman. "I'd say it doesn't ring a bell." He then leans back slightly, no blinking once at the blonde. "And for the record, you aren't the one I was speaking to."

"Excuse me?" Blair narrows her gaze, only for Roman to huff a laugh beside her.

"Barbie, it pays to be recognizable. More respect... or fear. Comes with the territory." He lifts a hand, showing a bundle of Lien on the table. At least 2,000 on its own. "It also matters to use the right tact." The conman smirks charmingly.

The man accepts the bundle, maintaining eye contact with Blair. "The man knows his business. Speak to me when you're a bit less green." He finally removes his gaze from the blonde. "Ah, yeah. Now, I remember something. Something about some big wigs needing to acquire some living resources."

The CRBN members share a look as the faunus continues. "I'm not in the know of who said big wigs are, but I hear whispers about them hiring outside their typical staff for at least three disappearances in the city in the last six months."

"Whispers don't come from nowhere. Where did you hear of it?" Blair asks pointedly.

"From the last person they hired." The faunus smirks at Blair and Roman's faces lighting up. "Guy was a bit too loud mouthed for them, so he came blabbing and ranting to drink his troubles away after being sacked. Also mentioned mad science. That was three months ago."

Mad science? Hiring outside sources? The science definitely sounds like AZRL after their control grid in Vaterra... or the hard light dust field in Vale. But what would a kidnapping have to do with it? A better question though... why hire outside their organization? Where are they pooling their resources to?

"Where can we find this man?" Blair presses.

The man scoffs. "I don't think-" Blair's hand slaps onto the table. All the other faunus in the room, perfectly aware of the conversation, albeit not fully hearing it, rise from their seats. The cat faunus across from the CRBN members looks down at the hand. Blair withdraws the hand, revealing another 2,000 lien. He raises a brow.

He raises an open palm, waving off towards the other faunus. All of them calm, sitting back and resuming their lax activities before.

"I wouldn't recommend this." The faunus states, eyeing the two again.

Roman grimaces, but Blair presses. "I'm afraid we'll have to insist." And she adds another 500...

The man still hesitates, but growls out. "Very well." He gingerly takes the money from the table. "He's here. In one of the side rooms specifically." Roman and Blair share a glance. "I'll grab him for you. Just be civil."

And the man gets up, leaving through a curtain door into a corridor.

Blair narrows her gaze. "Go ahead. You have something on your mind."

Roman, while looking lax, can't match his posture to his cutting eyes. "The man he's bringing out is violent. He's hoping WE'RE the civil party. He doesn't want to pay for potential damages."

"I understood that much." Blair retorts. "Go on?" Roman holds his hand up to pause the conversation. The waiter returns, placing two glasses filled with a light green liquid. Roman raises a brow as the waiter nods and retreats.

Roman washes the strange drink of Blair's ordering. "It mostly means that we're walking on egg shells or blasting our way out of here. I'd much prefer the former option, which means temper your temper." He quips as he takes a sip.

His eyes buy out, gulping down as he sends a shocked between her and the drink. "You scoundrel. Is that brandy?" He breaths the question out, almost proud of the choice. It was astounding!

"Southern Sanusean Greene, import from Vacuo. Its special minerals give the green glow." Blair rattles off. "It's my favorite drink, and you're buying as you said."

Roman sweats lightly. "This is in the top five most expensive brands." He says absently before cracking and chuckling. "Okay, I must commend you, both on abusing an opportunity, and your tastes."

For once, the blonde cracks a small curve of the lip at him. For only a second. "Noted."

"Although, I had originally planned to only use money I picked off four people since we arrived here. Now, I'll actually have to pay." The comment gets her to immediately cut a glare at him from the side.

Before she can chastise the criminal, the two catch the muffled yelling from a man behind the curtains. "I sayyyy~ GET THE HELL OFF ME!"

Roman's form freezes. Blair notices this, seeing the conman completely frozen. His eyes were much harder than before. The blonde picks up on the tension as she spots the curtains pull apart... and she sucks in a breath. She recognized the face.

The man walks into the pub, stepping around them before drunkenly sloshing into the booth across from the too. Roman's eyes close, as if calming himself. The man slurs out. "Ah, come on. Humans of all things, too? What kind of establishment is this..? Wait..."

Man had tight padded pants, a dark gray open trench coat, black boots, and black gloves. He has golden chains around his neck, and a golden tooth. His skin was tan, scarred, but muscularly built. His hair was no more than a blonde Mohawk, and his eyes were a matching yellow.

He has just a couple wrinkles since last Roman saw him, and the man's face lights up. "My, my! One of the good ones! One of Senior's good ones, yeah!" He snaps his fingers. "Roman Torchwick! Aw, you're a survivor man."

Blair could only glare... and Roman snaps his eyes open, smirking and masking his own nerves. "Killian Gonzola... How's it been?"

. . .

In stark contrast, a boisterous crowd of laughs rings through the department floor. If there was one thing Carmine didn't expect, it was for HIM to become the center of attention. Some twenty police officers had gathered, almost all the department veterans and some of the greenhorn newbies.

And just...

He's overwhelmed.

These people were all bright. Uplifted. They were smiling. Smiling as they rambled into stories. Memories. After all these years, just hearing his last name brought about an emotional reaction from them.

And Carmine sits, center of the room, wide eyed and flush red. Yet, with the largest smile for as far back as he can remember. Before him, a tall black cop rattles out, grinning at the newer cops. "-And the dealer decides 'okay! Cops is comin, so I'm gonna hike on up the woods and wait em out!'" He rattles off speaking quickly in bursts.

The detective, Carter, continues. "And this man gets half way up the hill before Jared's got him cold! The two stand there and they're negotiating! NEGOTIATING! Screaming thirty yards way from each other. And Jared..." He pauses for effect. "He ACTUALLY convinces this high off his kite guy to come down, speak man to man... until the dealer sees me and Bangle parked beside his jeep. First words he shouts 'COME ON, MAN! YOU SAID IT WAS ONLY YOU!'"

The rounded crowd erupts in laughter, Carmine included! He remembered his dad ranting about that to his mom! Hearing it was... he couldn't describe it.

Beside him, Bangle adds. "Vacuan drug dealer, smuggling crack and tweak, no less, and he got caught because someone walked by his car. That's it."

Carter snaps a finger, looking back at the blonde. "It was an open beer! Dumb man left an open beer in a cup holder, and the passerby calls us up to check the driver inside that casino while he was playing craps. Hand to god, a high end criminal was that stupid! Busted by an open cap!"

A female officer snaps her fingers. "I think my favorite think Jared got stuck was the screaming drunk at the casino. The woman."

"Which one." Five cops chime in simultaneously, chuckling at one another.

The female, Dana, rolls her eyes. "The newly wed lesbians."

The odd cop or two sucked in a breath as Carter, hand to head, held on to another cop to keep stable. "Oh. My. God." He grins back at Dana before looking at Carmine and Neo, the tricolor girl sitting beside Carmine amused. "So, Dana here ruined a marriage that night."

The female cop huffs up. "I did NO such thing." Carter, Bangle, and six other cops set a look on the redheaded woman. She stands her ground. "I only did my job."

Carter, ignoring her, leans on Carmine's chair, pointing a thumb at her. "So, two girls go to the casino, and one gets trashed, right? Just, slobbering passed out all over the machines. Dana's on site and goes with medical services to check, okay? Just doing due diligence."

Carmine chuckles, But both he and Neo share a confused glance at where it's going. "Okay? What does them being lesbians have to do with it?"

Carter wheezes a laugh, unable to continue as Bangle pushes the man back. "The one passed out was the one wearing the tux, if you catch what I'm meaning. Don't know why they decided that, but the one dolled up in the dress sat and was chatting with ole Dana while the medics got drunkie back on her feat. First thing she sees is her new wife talking to a female cop, and, well..."

Carter leans back in. "The prissiest 'get away from MY woman' that you'd ever hear! Instant fight going on!"

Carmine huffs out a laugh, slapping his hand over his mouth. Neo grins widely at this one.

Bangle chuckles, hands up for silence. "The woman goes back to their hotel room after Dana is too shocked to go after immediately. So, here comes Jared, stepping on up! He goes right into that room-"

"-And gets manhandled by the broad like he was a 5 foot nothing girl dating a 6 foot 6 behemoth of a man! Crazy, crazy time. Five minutes on and Jared comes out, the girl held out in front of him by the arms like a monkey on display! She's flailin and whining, but Jared just looks done!"

The group bursts into a laugh again as Dana is now beat red. "It's not my fault they divorced after."

Another cop speaks up. "But it IS your fault that you and the missus now live together!"

A chorus of raising pitched 'oh's sounds as Dana looks away. The odd clapping from the other cops adds to it as Neo shares a glance with the cop, grinning and wiggling her brow at her. The cop scoffs. "ANYWAY, it's not much better than the first time this one popped in here!" Dana deflects, pointing at Carmine.

"Pardon?" He blinks with the word, innocently.

"So, this little one was only three years old when this happens." Carmine looks like a deer in headlights as Dana cracks up. "Jared is holding up patrols. Dunce is thirty minutes late, right? So, he finally arrives. He parks outside, we're ribbing him, but suddenly 'BEEP!' BAM!" She slaps her hands together. "His cruiser is planted into the wall the building!"

And Carmine goes white as a sheet... He's remembering this.

"We get the car open. Not much damage. Car only had five feet of acceleration, but in the driver seat? This little bugger right here, having snuck into the car before Jared could leave for work!"

Carmine gulps, Neo's eyes shining and boring into the back of his head. The mute now had a Cheshire grin. Carmine gulps as the officers are all laughing at the poor boy's expense. Neo was filing this for later use.

Dana continues. "We try to get the little kid out, but every time, he'd just shout 'No! Car mine!' His first pun used to argue with police." Carmine shrinks down at the laughter. Dana asks directly. "You remember how Jared punned you back?"

Carmine shrinks further as Neo pokes her head around, reveling in his embarrassment. He still gives a small smile. "He flipped it back on me, saying 'Oh, this Carmine.'"

Much as they all were jovial, they all groaned at the pun.

Carmine chuckles at their pain of the pun, seeing it reflected in Neo's now sullen look. "What? He used it to teach me word play and how to pun."

Her look screams 'kill me' at the defense. Although, her lips curl up for him, seeing the boy like this was... she didn't know why, but it was nice.

The bell of the door rings as Carter waves. "Aye, Shamone Lee!" He says, slang wording 'come on'. In walks an officer wearing an overcoat. He's Asian, black swept hair, with bright pink eyes peering back.

A badge on his coat shows. Chief Inspector Lee. The man smirks. "Carter. What nonsense is going on today?"

"We got a surprise blast from the past. You remember Jared? His kid is here! Full on Huntsman in training and everything! Looking for you, my man!" The exuberant energy vibes off as Carmine looks at Lee... Vaguely, he remembers this man's face too. Vaguely.

The inspector's face brightens. "Jared Uhlric?" He then goes dumbfounded, smiling. "My, that's a wonderful surprise." He registers the request, smiling politely and looking back and forth. "Um, allow me to get situated, and I can see you."

Carmine returns the polite smile and nods. "Y-yeah."

Carter stops the man from moving on. "Aye, man. You gonna at least stick around for the reveal?" Carmine and Neo cock their heads as half the room grins wide, the other half losing all care. "First of the month. It's tradition!"

Many of the officers groan, returning to their cubicles, but the rest remain forming a semicircle around the wall. Carmine looks over confused at the light cover wrap hiding a large panel of the wall. Lee cracks a slowly grin to Carter. "Alright, reveal first."

"Reveal?" The boy asks, Neo quirking beside him.

Bangle explains, waving at the covered portion of wall. "Every month we reveal the new month's calendar. And, with each month, we bet on what we're going to see. Or more specifically, the species."

He holds up a magazine to the children... and their eyes bug out as Carmine reads "Feisty Faunus Catalogue..." The boy blushes furiously at images of scantily clad women with various themes of costume. He gulps, feeling the dark look from Neo beside him. Even disguised, her off brand of silent threat puts him on edge. "Ya don't say..."

"Want in on the action?" Carter speaks up. "Your father crushed these, the beautiful guy's taste." The cop brings a hand to his chin. "I got mink faunus. Long naval and a beauty in the water, nnf!" He wriggles, clapping his hand, ready.

A chorus of men betting on the faunus species of the picture ring out, all kinds of predictions. Bangle grins and rubs his mustache in thought. "You in, kid?"

Carmine looks back at Neo. Despite her sweet smile and hands gesturing for him to go on... her eyes spell death. "Um..." But the girl pulls out five lien. Neo hands it to Bangle, pointing to Carmine. Carmine's eyes widen, like a fawn spotting a wolf before getting hounded and chomped from all sides. "Guess... I'm in?"

An officer to the side fist pumps. "Alright! I got bear, so she can-"

"-go 'bare', we get it." A female cop interrupts, annoyed.

Carmine blinks... Then brightens. "Ha! Nice!" He sees Neo's head drop. "What? The pun is appreciated."

Dana speaks next. "Give me dolphin." She looks at Carmine, many of the officers waiting. "So, what's yours?"

"..." He blinks, nervously in thought being put on the spot.

"..." Everyone eyes the boy, waiting.

"... Fox?"

A whistle comes from Carter before clapping loudly. "Like father, like son! Let's go!" The words get a flutter inside as Carmine grins widely. Carter points at Neo, who blinks confused. "Little lady's endorsed him, too! Reveal it, go!"

And the material is pulled aside... The boy's skin flushes through three deep red hues before matching his hair roots. A round of angry snaps and excited cheers sound out as the image sinks in.

Round... luscious. The female idol on paper surrounded by wood and flame. A tribal flame spinner, wielding a flaming baton fast enough to create a wisp heart of sparking flame. Her back arched, chest roundly puffed out. Loose orange and black fabric barely contained her... assets, naval exposed. The woman has waving orange hair, blending in fur tuft ear. Black fur tips the ears, the woman biting her lip with her yellow eyes mid flutter.

Fox faunus...

Bangle cackles as he slides a pot of winnings to the boy, who remains still. Waiting a second longer, Bangle offers the bucket out to Neo, whose own wide eyes and sucked in lips remain on the calendar. "Ha! You win, kid!"

They all cackle as Inspector Lee sighs with a smile. "Alright, alright. Back to work." He pats Carmine's back. "I'll be ready in just a minute. Take your time."

The cops all disperse, leaving the kids alone in the center of the department floor. Carmine's eyes remain locked on the picture... until Neo's hand pushes his open jaw up closed. Realizing what she did, and what he was doing, he ceases leering at the image and shakes his gaze away.

He turns his gaze to see Neo's twitching eye, yet passive face. She holds up a shatter note card. He reads it out, embarrassed. 'So, fox huh?'

He gulps... "What?... She looks intelligent." At Neo's cocking gaze, he continues with an uneasy smile. "Cause she's obviously Foxy?"

Slowly, she sucks in a breath... and releases it. Getting the message, he hops to his feet, moving to go after Lee to his office. Neo slowly stands up, tense and sighing. Unsure whether to murder him for that pun or laugh at it. Her tight lips let out the quietest huff of a snicker. She'll kill him before letting him know that was funny.

. . .

Killian 'Killa' Gonzola sits in a drunken stupor as he smirks at Roman. "Man, it's been like, what? Three years, four?"

Roman sips down the brandy in the drink, smirk on. "Eight, but who counts anymore." He quips. "How's the addict and the brute these days?" Blair remains silent as the two seem to speak amicably.

Killa quirks his head, squinting his eyes. "Huh? You didn't hear? Can you believe some ffffFUCKIN' Huntsman and Huntress duo showed up all those years ago?" He hiccups, bumbling with his draft drink. "Bleedin heart super cop and that short broad bitch."

The casual mention of Carmine's dad sends a surge of ice through the blonde. Whether Roman felt at all similar, whose to say? He doesn't show a hint. "Well, you're still here, kicking. Things went well."

The chameleon faunus scoffs. "They got the brat an killed off both my boys!" He stews before his mood shifts on a dime. "Well, good for you though. You an Cally were ready to fight!" He bellows a laugh before taking another swig of his drink. He holds the draft glass up. "To compatriots."

Roman maintains a smirk, though his eyes narrow only slightly. He raises his own glass, down to half the green drink. "To assets." Neither of the table's other occupants miss the change in sentiment.

Granted, it gets a wider smile from the faunus. "Yeah, that sounds more correct. They were chumps regardless." He and Roman take their drinks. The slurping gulps sound as both men bottom out the glasses before setting them down. Killa's eyes trail over, foggy and unfocused. He sees that Blair didn't drink with them.

Slowly, without blinking, she downs the remainder of her drink, ignoring the burn down the throat. She sets the empty drink down, maintaining eye contact on the man. The man who destroyed Carmine's life. Her hairs stood on end just sitting across from him.

Sickeningly, his lips curled into a sluggish smile. "Hey, sexy mama... wanna kill all humans?" His wretched breath thick with alcohol wafts over the table as it burns her eyes. He leans forward just an inch-

A smooth metal tip pokes lightly into his throat. Blair's off hand holds a utility knife, drawn from her pocket from a single blitz movement. "I'd rather enjoy living, myself."

His gaze drinks her image in as he smiles wider. "Ah, a good one! Good judgment Roman!" Blair resists the urge to gag at this man's approval. He's almost as bad as Spyyra. "So, what do I owe this visit for?" He finally turns to Roman.

"You kidnapped a brat three months?" The query hung for less than a second.

And Killa's demeanor evaporated into angst. "You're workin for those avored bastards and whatever?!" His drunken stammer sounds in anger.

"Against them." Roman smirks, though Blair notes a bead of sweat at the brow. The conman was on edge around this man. "Heard they screwed you over."

Killa scoffs. "You better believe it, Chump!" He gags up a coughing fit, wheezing a breath. "They wanted a brat to play Operation on? I gave em one and 'Oh! You were too direct! We wanted him whole! What did you do to his fingers?'" He spits angrily. "And boom! Half my payment taken from me."

Roman and Blair share a glance. Blair speaks icily. "Why did they need you anyway?"

The murderer waves her off. "Didn't ask. Didn't care." He snarls, an angry twitch as his body's skin and hair tones shimmer an off color before neutralizing. "You screwing them over? Good. When you see that nurse bitch at the hospital, be sure to slit her throat for me."

"Hospital?" The CRBN members parrot back. Roman scoffs. "Perhaps just give a full picture. Who you took, where you dropped them off, and the important people involved?"

Killa smirks. "Tell you what. I don't give information for nothing. I want a question answered, too." Roman and Blair ready themselves for a demand, but Killa speaks darkly. "Did you sick super cop and the STRQ bitch on us back then?"

Silence befell the three, Blair realizing too late that her breath was held. Subconsciously, her hand itches back... closer to Fluorescent should she need it. It wasn't in her personal bucket list to throw down with an international murderer, but...

Roman maintains a stare, bringing up a cigar and huffing on it. "... Does it even matter anymore?"

THAT'S his answer?! Blair tenses, ready to fight-

"Sk...FTAHAHAHA!" Killian positively beams at the statement. "I like the way you think." His eyes find Roman. "You're right. Here's what I got on those bastards."

. . .

Minutes later, the metal slab of a door opens, Blair and Roman exiting. The blonde walks stiffly, though the conman still walks with a pep tap of the cane. Silently, they mill their way across the alleys, stepping away. Step. Step. Step. Step.

Upon reaching the street, Blair sees Roman's shoulders slouch. His grip on Velvet Valentine tightening to support his weight. An angry sigh comes out. "So, there's a concern."

She snaps a hard look at him. "'A concern'?!" She parrots angrily. "For that topic, 'does it even matter anymore'?! Are you even remotely capable of not antagonizing someone? That was the best you had?"

"A bit more than a concern. Yes. No. and Yes." He answers each in order. "Had I said yes, he would have taken it as a hard stance against him. Saying No? I'm convincing, but I don't like being blindsided. Didn't need him calling a bluff." He shrugs after a deep breath. "Going ambiguous at least comes off opportunistic."

"Which you are." She points out.

"SO, he'll take it as a 'betrayal of opportunity', and since he does similar things. I guessed he would relate to that reasoning and be less offended." He then smirks, albeit looking slightly tired from stress. "And being the people person I am, I guess I called heads." Suddenly, the smirk vanishes. "But it may be a future target on my back."

The blonde huffs angrily, eyes clenching closed in thought. "... We won't tell Carmine about this." The two begin slowly walking along the road. "Our thoughts should remain on AZRL, and I don't believe he's ready to handle an encounter with that man."

"No one's ready for an encounter with Killa." The conman quips, gently smoking his cigar to wind his nerves down. "And I thought it was a given. Silver Streak'll go ballistic if he catches wind about this."

"In this city of all places, too."

Roman rolls his eyes. "The only thing that ever kept me in Vale was Senior and the ladies." He quips, lightly smirking when Blair sends back a sullen glower. "Criminals get around after they get big."

Blair sighs, reigning her anger in before sending a second heated glare. Get around... right after that line about ladies. "Really? A double entendre?" Her eyes narrow. "I've already had to add Killian Gonzola to my now growing list men with unhealthy habits of deviancy. Don't make me add you too."

Roman barks a laugh. "I'm not on there already? Now I'M offended." Calming down, he seriously glowers. "About what he told us though, it's quite a lot to take in."

The two ran the information through their heads. AZRL was using the bulk of their resources around 'something'. AZRL has a side project that required a test subject, and they elected to use someone that they haven't already captured... Again, for an unknown purpose. Lastly, the contacts that were use to brief Killa and receive his prize were members of the downtown hospital staff.

Of course, the drunken, murderous, psychopathic faunus couldn't be specific beyond at least one of them being an annoying nurse. But... they'll take what they can get.

Roman huffs. "I know where the hospital is. We can check out the location before collecting the brats."

"Agreed."

. . .

The door clicks shut, Neo lightly prances into one of the open chairs. Sitting down, she glances over her shoulder to Carmine, who drifts into the other chair. Her eyes analyzed his reactions, his absorbing of the details within the room. His lips gave away his thoughts easily.

When he was disturbed from something awkward, his lips in a fine line would suck in and widen, his frozen blank eyes attempting a poor neutrality the rest gives away. When he was embarrassed, his mouth twitched, not opening until his fried brain found what to say.

When he was angry... truly angry... just a firm tight line, his eyes a touch wider. He'd remain tense, and the tension in his face would belay just how irate he'd be.

But right now? It was awfully similar to when he loses himself in whatever thoughts pester in his mind. His mouth just barely parted, eyes looking far off, almost faded. However, his brow usually was tense or twitched. Now, he was... relaxed. His eyes held just a little more light than those other times. The blue orbs even danced around the room more than usual as well.

Chief Inspector Lee sits behind the desk, removing his black jacket and looking back with violet eyes. He smiles. "You've been here before? I hope I've kept it clean enough."

Carmine blinks, but smiles. "... Yeah. Too clean." He points to the cleared desk with an organized folder upon it. "Much more organized, I think. I remember a bunch of papers all over the place." He then scratches the back of his head, grinning. "Well, maybe I caused that. I can't remember if it was my fault."

The response got a touch of a wider smile from the chief. Lee nods. "Of course. Of course. Remind me when we are done, there's something in our department you may approve of." The man's bright eyes turn down, finding Heulin Noon on the boy. A look bathing in nostalgia. "Seeing THAT weapon being put back to hunter use... brings a smile to me. I can't imagine anything making him prouder."

He sucks in a breath, held for just a moment. The image of the man smiling down at his son comes to mind. Showing him the pieces of Heulin Noon and showing off with the gun.

Carmine smiles, eyes brighter than before. "Yeah. It's really cool too." Neo herself finds a smile for him.

Lee looks over to the illusion girl. "I apologize for how much you've been alienated from this. What is your name, dear?"

Neo blinks blankly before looking for help from Carmine. Refraining from conjuring signs and outing herself, the boy would sadly speak for her. And he does. "Ah! This is Neo. She's actually mute..."

Lee blinks in surprise. "Oh!" He smiles with full attention on the girl as his hands move into a quick stream of signs. 'Apologies! I hope you are feeling welcome!'

Neo blinks wide eyed, frozen as she struggles to interpret the signs on the fly... Then out comes the sign book. Page flips sound out as Carmine flicks his gaze back and forth. Lee just smiles and waits. She begins slowly signing back. 'No problems... Here... For... Dumb Dumb... Nice... People.'

Throughout the long ordeal of her searching words, Lee remained patient, nodding along. He DID raise a brow at the repeat of 'Dumb'. However, seeing the way these two seemed to just be aware of each other, it made him smirk. "Then as a respect for his family, I thank you for looking after him."

"Wait, what?" Carmine speaks, confused.

But Lee shakes his head. "On to business. Huntsman and Huntresses in training, huh?" He calms the smile, eyes shifting slightly to more stoic. "What can I do for you?"

Right... back to the real world.

Carmine grimaces. "First, I'd like to know which major groups and organizations enact and provide shipping in and out of the port here in Sanctuary. As well as what exactly each group and company trades."

Lee recoils at that, blinking rapidly. "That... I'm afraid I can't do that." He seems to focus more on the request, leaning on the table. "Do you have a request Professor Ozpin himself? A judicial order, perhaps?"

Carmine slumps as he and Neo share glances.

The act says enough for the inspector. "Then I cannot fulfill that request, unfortunately. Even for a fully licensed Huntsman, doing such a thing would violate many of Vale's private property and privacy to disclose it without authorization." At the forming scowl on the boy, Lee continues. "I'm not privy to Hunter life, so it may be me overstepping, but why would you need such information?"

The boy works his jaw in thought, how to word it. "... We're investigating a group... that is multinational." He begins slowly, getting more steady as he goes. "We have no means currently on how they move their resources, but we know what the resources are... So, if we find the trail of resources-"

"You find the proxies of the group, and thus the group itself after." Lee deduces. He nods and continues. "I see... but as it stands, I can't simply give you the list of everyone contracted to the shipping companies and show you their entire log of trade."

Carmine growls under his breath. Neo scoffs. "I see..."

Lee watches their reaction, narrowing his gaze as he hums. "However... I think there may be a workaround." Before they react, he types into the phone at the desk. "Lieutenant Bangle... I need every incident report that's taken place at the docks for the last..." He holds the phone away from his mouth, speaking to Carmine. "How far back is a start?"

Startled, Carmine speaks lightly. "A year would be most helpful." Considering how, on Roman's word, Senior mostly shielded Vale from AZRL, the bulk of their growth in the kingdom must be more recent.

Lee smirks. "For the last year. Have it on my desk in fifteen, okay?" He speaks into the phone. "Yes, all of them." He hangs up and smiles at the two with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"What's the workaround?" Carmine questions.

"Just a loophole Jared used to do in this position." The name drop perks Carmine's ears. "I can't give you ALL the suspects you're looking for, but I CAN give you the USUAL suspects. Former reports where certain groups were transporting forbidden substances and the like. On the pretense of looking into shut cases, there's certain information already in the public access via the justice system. We might not find who you're looking for, but it might give you noteworthy names for you to pursue further."

Carmine's face lights up, a broad grin growing. "You rock!" 'You rock!' Simultaneously, Neo signs, smirking confidently.

. . .

The reports were... not quite as informative as expected.

The two teens had spent the better part of two hours scouring through pages of clinical, accurate... boring... eye gouging... WORDS! It took half an hour to know what parts of the page were more important, and even then, Carmine felt his eyes starting to bleed the more he gazes upon the sheets.

Let's see... another busted shipment report attempting to mask... snortable dust?! AS POP ROCKS CANDY?! What? What?! What ARE criminals?!

He'll never look at candy the same again...

Tossing another paper, he grumbles before looking at Neo tiredly. "Anything with Black Dust?" The disheveled girl shakes her head staring down at another paper. "Suspicious persons with kids?" Another shake. "Industrial machinery transports?" Another shake. "Electrical or construction material?" Another shake. "Anything from the SDC?" Another shake. "ANYTHING from Atlas?"

The girl's frustrated hand flashes a single page towards him. He blinks and looks it over... Yada yada... 72 year old male... stowing away on a ship to avoid paying child supp-

Okay, criminals aren't just stupid. They're retarded assholes! "Hmm." He grumbles, stewing in his building irritation.

"Hmm." Neo hums back, absently rubbing her throat after the utterance before tossing the page. Her body suddenly tenses, looking upon the final page in her pile. Carmine raises a brow at her before sits upright, blinking bleary eyes. "Hmm!" She hums again, arm waving out without looking to grab the boy and pull him in.

The two eye the page. An investigative report into a supply shipment made four months ago. A shipment of medical supplies being shipped from downtown's Hallowed Heart Hospital to Atlas. Carmine's brow raises, hearing the name of his mother's old hospital.

They'd mislabeled a medication, using a name of a common pain reliever that could be found at any pharmacy. Upon investigation, they found that the actual drug used was... Nomaura? They needed to contact another doctor, Dr Knox, to discover the error. Nomaura was an-

Aura suppressant? Nomaura was a high end drug used primarily by high end hospitals and medics in the Atlas military to perform operations on Hunters... or for prisons to hamper and control prisoners who have learned powerful aura control. Heavily monitored and controlled substance.

"Neo?" Carmine looks over, seeing her scowling.

The girl peeks towards the door, the two being the only ones in the room while Bangle was out. She conjures a card, flashing a message. 'AZRL used aura suppressants to restrain problematic series black members. I'm pretty sure I may have been given Nomaura a few times, even.' She shatters the note and scowls. Her hand then returns to massaging her throat.

Right. Her aura is always healing that... If her aura was suppressed, the pain that would bring...

She points further down the report, breaking his thoughts. Carmine follows her finger. The shipping report was identical to dozens of shipments made throughout the years to lesser pharmaceutical locations in Anima and even Menagerie. None were authorized for that substance. However, since they couldn't go back in time and inspect those shipments, they could not confirm whether those shipments were also mislabeled and covered up.

Carmine raises a brow. "They couldn't go to the hospital itself? Don't they keep their own records of their- oh!"

Dr Knox was not the doctor who okay'd each of the orders. That was done by a Dr Maddox. Dr confirmed that their internal records had themselves been tampered with, meaning that even their ability to go back and look was hampered. Dr Maddox was not within city limits when police requested to speak to her. One month later, Dr Maddox was discovered dead...

"Shit..." Carmine mutters. Neo's gaze narrows. "She messed up. You think she was involved with AZRL?" Neo nods, positive. "That would mean other members of the hospital staff could be members of AZRL. They're using Sanctuary's hospital and pharmaceutical production for their own resources... or were."

The report continues stating that Dr Knox placed a Doctor Jacob Daren in charge of the shipment authorizations, and each shipment since has been personally inspected by Detective Carter.

"We have our next lead, I guess." Carmine mumbles. He pauses when Neo gives a raised brow. "Yeah, we'll check any missing persons reports also. The hospital isn't going anywhere."

At that moment, Lieutenant Bangle and Inspector Lee enter, chatting amicably. Bangle smiles at the kids. "So! Find anything?"

The boy's smile answers. "I think we got more than enough." The response gets a light smirk from Inspector Lee, Bangle blinking rapidly. "Before we leave, I'd like to ask about one other issue, if it's not an issue."

"Of course, but I do need to say, I have other duties to attend to, so it will need to be quick." Lee responds.

Right, they've kinda taken over the department leaders for the last few hours. Thank goodness not much was happening. Carmine blushes. "Ah, right. Well, I'd like to look over any of the missing persons reports for minors over the last year."

Neo jabs him in the gut, getting an 'oof' out of him. He glares at her and she holds up her thumb and index fingers wide, then inches them closer. Ah, shorter time frame.

"Ah, make that last four months, actually." Right, the farther back, the less likely they could do anything with it. Don't want to waste time.

Lee nods, looking to Bangle. "Right. Give em what we got. I have a meeting with the main chief and the city mayor about last week's budget change."

Bangle huffs a laugh. "Ha! That's gonna be a fun conversation for ya. Give them hell. I like having the good coffee!" He hounds the inspector before being left alone with the kids. His smile seems to vanish as he looks at them weirdly. "So... any missing persons reports? A lot of messed up stuff happens to kidnapped kids."

Carmine shakes his head. "Specifically if they were never found, or if there were any unanswered questions leftover even if they were." He grimaces, mind following the cop's thinking. "We... don't need those kinds of details. I like eating."

Bangle continues giving an off look, Neo slowly raising a brow at it. However, the man sighs. "Well, you're in luck then." He starts unhappily. "All the ones in the last four months for those under 18 were found safe and sound. However, one was weird."

The boy nods. "Sounds easy if it's just the one."

Bangle pauses a moment before going on. "Boy by the name of Miguel Milano Murphy. 17 years old. He was taken about three months ago. However, no evidence of anyone leaving the city during the time frame of his disappearance. It seems he was within city limits for the duration of his absence."

He continues on. "Kid was a member of a local gang, typically hanging out closer to the school districts and preying on kids with drugs. He was a true scumbag." Carmine's glower at that information was clear, Neo finding it weird. Bangle seems to pick up on it. "Yeah, I remember your father fretting over you stopping one of those gang banger brats before. Same gang as that bastard that knocked your jaw loose."

Neo's confusion mounts as Carmine grimaces, looking down. The incident that got his semblance out to the criminal community... and led to his parents' deaths... He was part of a larger gang? He'd never heard of that part. Then again, he was what? Turning six?

Bangle then sighs. "However, three weeks ago, we had confirmation that Miguel was still in city limits. In fact, his family saw him and closed the investigation. No looking into where he went. No questions."

"You didn't follow up?" Carmine asks incredulously.

"Cause he wasn't there." Bangle defends. "His family won't talk to police. They seemed... off, but without warrants or active investigation, we can't go harassing people without probable cause. We staked out the home, but Miguel never once showed up." He shakes his head, confused. "We tried going to his usual hangouts and usual... 'friends', if you can call them that. Their first response was to accuse us of messing with his head. Their second was to spit in our faces saying they wouldn't talk to us 'pigs'."

The hell? Definitely weird. "Right. Can we get a picture of him? And his usual hangouts? We're not cops, so maybe we don't count as 'pigs'."

"Right, right... Just be careful kid." Bangle says as he marches off to get the information. Leaving the kids alone, Carmine scowls as he nods to Neo to leave...

Then he spots an object in her hand... A clip with a wallet- He sucks in a breath and looks around before grabbing her wrist. She smirks. He whisper screams. "What... did you- why?! We are INSIDE a police station!"

Neo smiles innocently, holding up a shatter note. 'Making sure you're still aware, Dumb Dumb.'

Carmine flushes furiously in anger. "Put. It. Back. I'm checking your pockets when we leave."

She recoils at that, narrowing her gaze as the shatter message changes. 'You wouldn't dare.'

"Try me." He challenges, but his gut immediately sinks as she grins evilly.

She bats her eyes as the note changes. 'Oh? Should I make myself look like a FOX FAUNUS for you when you check me?'

He blanches, flinching as he lets her go. Face immediately set ablaze. His hands hang in the air as he sputters and fails to speak. "Hey- Th-that wasn't-... Sh-shut up!"

"Ahem!" The two glance over to find Bangle at the door with more papers. The man seems to give a sly grin. "Having fun, teenagers?" He then looks past Carmine to Neo, blinking. "Um... you gonna put your gun away?"

"Pardon?" Carmine blanks on what he- He flails. "SHIT YOU CAN SEE THAT?!" He looks down... Wait, nothing. He looks over his shoulder, seeing Heulin Noon in Neo's hand... swiped from its holster.

"..." No sound comes from her, but her grin is MASSIVE.

"You... but... For a jo-..." His bugged out eyes belay his shocked anger at the girl making a complete joke out of him. Her forcefully rips the gun away from her and holsters it! "Give it!" Gun back, he marches out of the room, accepting the papers from the officer. "Crazy freaking- GUH!"

Neo and Bangle exchange a look, the mute girl breaking as she hunches over, silently laughing. Bangle chuckles. "Well, I feel used. Take it easy on him."

The girl looks in thought for a moment... then shakes her head, no. She walks out after Carmine. The stewing boy was fuming, practically with steam coming out his ears as he walked. Stupid Neo. Stupid criminals. Stupid... fox faunus calendar pictures. ALL DUMB!

As the two head for the door, the officers of the department, many going about their duties, now offered warm smiles and waves. The gestures melt away the boy's bad mood. No... he was very happy to have come here. Maybe there really was plenty left behind here.

He smiles and waves back as Carter gives a mock salute, speaking on the phone. The smiles remain as Carmine and Neo exit the department building.

Stepping to the side walk, the two teen begin walking. A bit more pep in their step. Neo tips her head towards the papers in his hands. "Ah, yeah." He looks at the papers, starting with a photo of Miguel.

The photo was a mug shot for a clear image of his face. Squinted green eyes, the boy had off tan skin. A scar on his cheek, his skin was dirty. Short, messy, matted brown hair showed on his head. Hmm... Six foot three inches. Tall! Only one hundred eighty pounds. Guy was described as lanky.

His address, and several hangout spots were listed. However, Carmine pauses as he eyes the 'Known Contacts' section. Several gang members and their related crime records were there for their means of contact. However, one specific name made him stop.

Kerry Bifton, age 14. The same age as Carmine. The same kid that used to always start fights with Carmine while victimizing other kids. He was involved with the drug addicted losers even way back then. Carmine's nose wrinkled in disgust. Great, so he only got worse.

Neo raises a brow as Carmine groans. He meets her eyes, shaking his head. "Nothing... it's totally, totally lame... and not at all surprising. Which is ALSO totally, totally lame." A quick in and out breath comes as he looks back at her. "Message Blair. See where they're at."

She pulls out her scroll, perking before she shows him the message on screen. Blair already was messaging them! Cafe near the hospital downtown... The hospital again. Carmine narrows his gaze. That's something to get into.

"Cool. Let's go."

. . .

Earlier

Downtown, a multi story parking garage is connected to a massive hospital complex. On the streets below, Roman sits at a sidewalk bench, tapping his cane as he reads a local paper. "Hmm. The city outskirts has a new record of no Grimm activity. Neat." He speaks loudly next to Blair, intentionally breaking her thought process.

On her scroll, she looks through the hospital's public records. Their listed doctors, staff, and authorized personnel. Obviously not everyone, but enough. During her studies at Beacon, the woman had taken many electives into biology and medical practices. If any names she recognized came up... "If you're going to speak, picking the local paper as a subject is quite possibly the most boring option."

Roman snickers. "Well, then how about how absolutely WILD your parties at the shining school on the hill were? I mean, getting a taste for Southern Sanusean Greene of all things. Parties at the Superior palace must be off the hook."

Blair looks through the endocrinology department's listed doctors, but her lips crack upward for just a second. "The campus was quite an experience... Though, I rarely partook in those experiences." She's silent for a moment, moving to the next department of information on her scroll. "But certain events were more or less required, according to my team partner."

He chuckles. "Oh, the late school romance partner?"

The blonde suppresses the bile threatening to come up. "No, she was most certainly not." Sighing, she does think back to Rowa. "But she was rather forceful when it came to 'partying all night long'. It almost always translated to me dragging her back to the dorms."

"She ever drag you to Junior's Nightclub?" Roman asks, smirking.

"On more than one occasion." Blair states, then thinks back. "Something I heavily contested."

"Oh, come now! Junior knows how to have a fun time." Roman cackles. "If there was anything he was the man for. Outside of that, though... Okay, he's just lax." The admission gets a grimace from the conman. "If I'd known he would be relaxed enough to not at least TRY and keep Vale AZRL free, maybe our deal would have ended differently."

"To think that HE was your closest ally in Vale is a scary thought about Vale's underworld." Blair dryly responds.

"Yeah, well. I suppose I turned out okay." Roman chuckles at Blair raising a brow at the response. "A safe life is a boring life."

She pauses for a moment. "... I'm sure this will never happen again, but I think we have common ground there."

"Ha! Between that and a fine taste for drinks, I'd say we're two for two thousand." He sobers up upon seeing her eyes gravitate to a single name on her scroll. "See someone you know?"

She blinks. "Yes, actually." She honed in on the name. Doctor Jacob Daren... Medical Attending. Looking at his office hour scheduling, she finds that his lunch hour is coming up. "Just in time, too. His lunch hour should come soon." She stands. "Start searching the garage complex."

"Can you give me anything to go off of?"

"He's a bear faunus whose license plate will be Sasha, spelled S45H4." Unhappily, she grumbles. "I had to shadow him for a learning trip to the Southern territories once in my second year. Seems he transferred here last year."

Roman smirks. "Well, isn't that convenient."

"It really isn't. He was the thirteenth person I had to shadow during those classes. Part of being a Huntress was getting around and gaining connections." The two march around and begin searching each floor of the parking garage.

. . .

From a connecting sky bridge between the hospital and the parking garage, a man in navy blue scrubs steps out. His hair was styled in an upward twist, jet black and thick! His bear ears were perked upward, blending into the hair. Looking around, he sees no one else, sighing happily.

Popping a set of headphones into his ears, he begins walking with a pep in his step, bee bopping to the music. "Baa da ba! Bum Bump bow." Body wiggling with the tune, he bump walks his way through the garage, the verbal utterances coming easily.

Finally, he comes upon a baby blue sedan. Its plate reads 'S45H4'. He stops at the trunk, performing spin! He opens it up and sets his bag inside. Wiggling back and forth, he sings the next lyric, head bopping. "Are you having a good daaaaaaay?"

He slams the trunk closed, Roman now behind him. In a swift motion, he pulls the headphones off, spooking the faunus. "No, and neither will you."

"AH!" The doctor yelps and backs into the car. Eyes clenched closed, he puts up his fists in an awful stance. "YOU WILL NOT HAVE SASHA!" A whipping flick from two feminine fingers thwacks his forehead, flinching him to hold his head. "Ow..." The whine comes out as he looks, finding Blair beside Roman.

Blair narrows her gaze. "JD."

Blinking twice, he perks. "Blair?" He looks between her and Roman. "Oh, wow. What are you doing here?" He then double takes between the two CRBN members and his car. "Listen, I'm kinda on lunch right now..." Metal drawn from metal sounds as Fluorescent Finish halts just under his chin. The man's wide, shocked face, freezes. "Okay... It seems my schedule has been freed."

"If you want to keep your Adam's Apple, I need you to tell me all you know of AZRL."

He scrunches his brow, confused. "Is... that a new drug I'm unaware of- EE!" The blade presses up into his neck.

"Don't mess with me. What is your connection to them?"

"AH! I don't know what you're talking about!" She glares into him, dread icing his veins. "I-I swear on my love of nectarinis!"

The woman scrutinizes him... then removes the blade and sheathes it. "Alright then." The doctor, JD, blinks confused.

Beside them, Roman crosses his arms. "You positive?"

"Yes. He's essentially utterly incapable of lying as is." Blair answers.

JD looks between them, lightly shaking. "This has been so heartwarming a reunion, but..." He points between himself and the sedan. "Can I... go to lunch? We can catch up later. You know, you can meet me in Atlas by 9 where I'll totally be. Not hiding in my basement away from you. Totally not that."

"Lunch sounds pleasant. The cafe on the corner." She eyes Roman. "You drive."

Roman smirks, holding up a set of keys. "On it." He walks around JD to the driver side of the sedan.

JD rapidly pats his pockets. "Wait, I-" Blair grabs and tugs his arm towards the back of the car. "Ah. Wait, but SASHA!" And the three are in the sedan, leaving the parking complex.

Well, this was wholesome. Family friends, fond memories, friendly chatting with mass murderers, old school bullies now gangsters, the usual.

Jokes aside, uh oh. Killa is back, brief as it is. Maybe it'll come up again? Maybe not. You'll have to see. Originally intended for all the content in this and next chapters to be one, but as writing realized it was a lot more than I expected.

Some more Carmine teasing. Always fun to crap on him.

For the record, ALL the police stories told to Carmine by the SPD are minor variations of things I've witnessed cops have to deal with at my place of work, a casino. Honestly, the only liberty I took was saying the lesbian newly weds divorced when in real life, they came back to the casino a month after.

Yes, the guy I witnessed yell with a cop literally said, "Come on, man. You said it was only you." upon seeing three cruisers around his Detroit drug dealer car. The dumb ass.

References:

All the police names were based off fictional police officers. Detective Carter from Rush Hour. Chief Inspector Lee, also from Rush Hour. Lieutenant Bangle based on Dangle from Reno 911. Dana based on Sculley from X Files. ETC. Just any names I could think of.

More on others next chapter.

Join next time in Chapter Thirty: The Search Part 2.