Chp. 8: Party Infiltration

Schnee Manor

February 10, 2020

A couple days had passed. It was now night time at the Schnee Manor as a number of dressed up people were socializing with each other in front of the main stairway, while several waiters wandered about serving drinks and food to them as someone softly played on the piano. Among them was Jacques Schnee as he was conversing with a man and a woman as Whitley Schnee stood next to his father.

"After I had let go of that Faunus from working in the mines after trying to organize a strike, he soon joined the White Fang and had just been killed a few days ago after he aided in an attack on one of the mines. In all honesty, it's what he gets for his actions," Jacques spoke as he and the other two guests chuckled.

"And you gave them all equal pay. To think that Faunus tried to start an uprising against the Schnee Dust Company. You promised them jobs and opportunities," the man said.

"Sounds like I'm being the good guy here," Jacques said as they all shared a laugh.

Just then, General Ironwood walks up to Jacques as the CEO then takes notice.

"General Ironwood. So glad you can come here tonight," Jacques said.

"It's a pleasure, Jacques," Ironwood said. "I have a question to ask you. What do you think of the Unknown militia that came to defend Vale and Beacon?"

"What? Them? If you ask me, they must have some sort of ulterior agenda. They cannot just defend Vale and leave just like that. They might be planning something for Vale if that's the case," Jacques answered.

Ironwood resisted the urge to retort at the Schnee Dust Company's CEO.

"Oh. And how dare these unknown militias upstage Atlas when we had provided the kingdom of Vale our protection? We would have handled the situation easily without their help," Jacques added.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Keaton, Alex, Cassandra, Bulldog, Missionary, Ice Pick, and Steel were watching everything from outside through a window. They were all dressed up as Schnee Manor staff members.

"Just keep him talking, General. Let the bastard stroke his own ego," Cassandra said.

"You all know the plan, right?" Keaton asked.

"You and Steel get access to Mrs. Schnee's Scroll and her security cameras, while the rest of us keep a close eye on Mr. Schnee, right?" Alex asked.

"Affirmative," Keaton answered.

"We can go in through one of the windows," Cassandra said.

"We'll go in from there and split off," Bulldog said.

The marines snuck away towards another window and approached it. Ice Pick pulls out a small crowbar and uses it to pry the window open. The Marines and Army men then climbed inside through the now open window and into an empty bedroom. Ice Pick closes the window behind them and puts away his crowbar.

"We'll split off from here," Keaton said as everyone slowly approached the door.

The captain cracked the door open and peered his head out. He looked around the hallway from side to side, and saw nobody around. Keaton steps out into the hallway as the others follow him out of the bedroom. Keaton points to Steel, then points his thumb down the hall behind him. He then points to others before pointing to the opposite end of the hall. Keaton and Steel turned around and started high stepping down the hall, while Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, Ice Pick, and Missionary all started to walk down the opposite end.

The two marines and the soldiers walked up a set of double doors and opened them as she entered the front room. She looked around at all the guests socializing and soon spotted Jacques, Whitley, and Ironwood as both men continued to talk with one another. She picks up a tray full of biscuits from one of the tables and starts to walk around the room to serve them to the guests, while keeping a close eye on Jacques.

"Just need to watch Colonel Sanders here until Captain Gordon and Barker gets access to Mrs. Schnee's hidden cameras," Bulldog whispered to the others.

"Right," Missionary said.

Hallway

Meanwhile in the halls, Keaton and Steel wandered through the hallway searching for Willow, while watching out for the Schnee Manor's staff. The marine and soldier walked up to a corner of the hall and stopped at the corner. Keaton looks around the corner for a moment before quickly backing away and placing his back flat against the wall. Steel follows the captain's actions as both men stay silent. Walking out from the corner was a staff member as he walked past the two marines, failing to notice them. Once the waiter was out of sight, Keaton and Steel stepped out into the hall.

"She's got to be around here somewhere in this goddamn place," Steel said. "We'll be here all night at the rate we're going."

"Just keep looking. She's bound to pop up at some point," Keaton said.

They continued their search for Willow as they walked down the hallway. After a moment of walking down the hall they see several doors on each side of the hall.

"This will be fun," Steel said.

"What are you doing here?" a new voice spoke from behind.

Startled, Keaton and Steel turned around to see the Schnee family butler, Klein Sieben. He looked at the two marines and gave a suspicious look.

"Who are you?" Klein asked.

"Isn't it obvious? We work here," Keaton answered, gesturing at his and Steel's suits.

Klein's eyes turn red as he then glares at Keaton and Steel.

"I know every staff member who works here. And you two don't work here," Klein said in a gruf voice.

"Klein, what's going on here?" another new voice cuts in.

The three men turn around to see Weiss Schnee. The heiress looks over to Keaton and Steel and soon widens her eyes upon recognizing the captain.

"Captain Gordon?" she spoke.

"Ms. Schnee, do you know these two gentlemen?" Klein asked as his eyes turned back to light brown.

"Yes, Klein. These people are part of the militia that protected Beacon and Vale," Weiss answered.

"Is that right?" Klein asked.

"Yes, that's them," Weiss answered before turning her attention to the marine and soldier. "So what are you guys doing here anyway?"

"We are here to gain access to the hidden cameras that your mother had set up," Steel answered.

"But in order to do that, we need to gain access to her Scroll," Keaton added.

"You're trying to protect us, are you? Protecting us from my father?" Weiss asked.

"We are," Keaton answered.

"If you're looking for Mrs. Schnee, she is in her room," Klein said.

"Can you two take us there?" Steel asked.

"Yes. If you'll please follow us," Klein answered.

The Schnee family butler and heiress quickly walked down the hall as the marine and soldier followed behind them.

Main Stairway

Meanwhile back at the main stairway, Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, Missionary, and Ice Pick continue to watch over Jacques talking with General Ironwood as she continues to maintain her cover.

"Where is my wife?" Jacques asked. "She should have been down here by now."

"Probably still getting herself ready. She does make a fashionable appearance," Ironwood answered.

"Ungrateful wife," Jacques thought.

Cassandra watches looking worried and turns her head up the stairs.

"Captain, you and Steel better hurry your asses up. He's starting to wonder where Mrs. Schnee is," Cassandra thought.

Hallways

Back in the hallways, Keaton and Steel continue to follow Weiss and Klein to Willow's room. They soon came up to a door as Klein knocked on the door. There was no response.

"Willow?" Klein called as he knocked on the door again, but again no response. "Weiss and I have a couple of guests here that want to see you."

Still no response. Not wanting to wait any longer, Keaton opens the door and enters inside with Steel, Klein, and Weiss following behind. They find Willow Schnee laying on the floor with a bottle of spilled alcohol next to her. Keaton and Steel rushed over to Willow as Klein sighed and Weiss shifted herself around uncomfortably.

"Oh dear. She's had too much to drink again," Klein said.

Keaton and Steel picked Willow up off the floor and placed her onto the couch chair. Klein approached Willow to help treat her. Steel searched for Willow's Scroll on her person for a moment before finally pulling it out from her pocket.

"Got her Scroll," Steel said.

"Get access to it," Keaton ordered.

Steel starts tapping into the Scroll for a moment before looking up at the captain.

"I'm in," he said.

"Good. Start linking the cameras to General Ironwood's Scroll," Keaton ordered.

Weiss had been standing at the doorway watching everything going on before her. She soon walks up to her passed out mother as Klein pulls out a cloth and starts to wipe off some of the spilt alcohol on Willow's clothing.

"Mom," Weiss softly spoke.

Main Stairway

Back down at the party, the party still continues as Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, Ice Pick, and Missionary were still watching over Jacques interacting with General Ironwood. The president of the SDC was growing more and more impatient as Willow had now shown up yet.

"That's it. I'm getting her," Jacques said.

"Come on now, Jacques. I'm sure it's nothing," Ironwood said, trying to get the CEO to stay.

"I don't care. I'm bringing her down," Jacques retorted.

Jacques began to walk away and started to climb up the stairs. Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, Ice Pick, and Missionary grew panicked as Jacque was leaving to find his wife.

"We've got to keep the bastard occupied," Missionary whispered to Bulldog.

"How?" Bulldog asked.

"I don't know but it better be quick," Missionary said as he was looking around.

Ice Pick looked around for a moment before spotting a small active stove sitting on a table, and a bottle of flambe alcohol. He approaches the table and looks around for a moment. When he sees nobody was looking, Ice Pick opens up the bottle and knocks it over to the side away from the stove. He then grabs a nearby napkin and positions one side onto the spilt alcohol and the other into the stove. Ice Pick then walks away looking around as the guests and staff hadn't noticed.

Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, and Missionary watched what Ice Pick was doing and quickly caught on to his plan. The napkin burns up, and as soon as the fire reaches down to the alcohol, the table immediately bursts into flames.

"Fire! Fire!" Cassandra shouted, pointing at the flaming table.

The guests turned and began panicking and screaming as they saw the table on fire. Jacques stops in his tracks upon hearing the commotion before he was about to leave the room. He notices the fire and races all the way back down stairs. Ironwood, Bulldog, Ice Pick, and Missionary were trying to lead the guests out the front door as Whitey approached his father. Jacques notices Cassandra and Alex watching the fire. He stomps towards them and grabs onto Alex's arm, catching the two marines attention.

"Don't just stand there like idiots! Do something! The more damage there is, the more costly the repair bills will be!" Jacques angrily ordered.

"Uh, right away, sir," Alex replied.

Alex and Cassandra race around to find a fire extinguisher.

"Good thinking, Ice Pick. This outta buy Captain Gordon and Steel some time," Bulldog said.

"It was the only thing I can think of," Ice Pick said.

Willow's Room

Back inside Willow's room, Steel continues to gain access to Willow's cameras and transfer it to General Ironwood's Scroll. Klein puts a blanket over Willow.

"Willow will be fine. Just let her sleep," Klein said.

"You treat that woman and the kids a lot better than her husband does. I'm sure she's grateful," Keaton said.

Klein's eyes turned pink as he gained a bashful look.

"It... It's no problem at... at all... It's a pleasure t-to help," Klein said.

"Okay. I'm done," Steel said as he handed Willow's Scroll over to the butler.

"Weiss, can you escort these two men out of here please?" Klein asked. "I'll look after your mother."

"Yes, Klein," Weiss answered.

Weiss, Keaton, and Steel all exited the room, leaving Klein to tend to Willow. The heiress was sneaking down the hallway with the marine and soldier following behind her. As they were going down the hall, they started to smell smoke.

"Is something burning?" Steel asked.

"What's happening?" Weiss asked.

"I contact the others," Keaton said as he placed his fingers on a communicator in his ear. "Rogers, Steel and I have camera access and we're leaving. And what's going on down stairs? Why are we smelling smoke?"

Main Stairway

Back down at the main stairway, all the guests were all escorted outside with Ironwood, Bulldog, Ice Pick, Missionary and several other Schnee manor staff members preventing them from coming back in. Jacques and Whitley stood by and watched as Alex was putting out the fire with a fire extinguisher as Cassandra stood next to him.

"Small fire. But under control," Cassandra answered.

"Well we're done here. So hurry it up. We're leaving," Kaeton ordered.

"Copy that," Cassandra replied before leaning into Alex's ear. "Barker, time to go."

Alex nods as had just finished putting out the fire. Jacques and Whitley walk up to the to disguised marines.

"About time that fire was put out! Now I want this mess cleaned up!" he ordered.

"Right away," Cassandra said.

Jacques walks out to the front door and heads outside as Whitley follows him out.

"Fucking asshole. I was real close to punching that stupid fuck in the face," Alex said.

"Well let's go before he comes back," Cassandra said.

The two marines then walk over to the doors that they had come from and enter into the hallway.

Driveway and Entrance

Meanwhile outside of the manor, Jacques was calming down the guests with Whitley standing by his side. Bulldog, Missionary, Ice Pick, and Ironwood were all standing by watching everything. Bulldog glanced at the window they had broken into and saw Keaton, Steel, Cassandra, and Alex coming out the window as Weiss kept a lookout. Bulldog turns to his two other teammates and Ironwood and taps on their shoulders, getting their attention.

"Time to leave," Bulldog said.

"I've got Mrs. Schnee's camera access on my Scroll. You guys go. I'll cover your tracks," Ironwood said as he then made his way up towards Jacques.

The three soldiers snuck away from the crowd and made their way toward Keaton and the others just as Weiss closed the window from the inside. The marines and soldiers then started to sneak away from the area with everyone else present completely unaware of their presence.