"Well, this is gonna suck." Tai grumbled.

Summer shrugged helplessly as the gates to the Arc House opened and the couple parked their car in the driveway.

Summer still had Estelle's number after all these years, and even though she had decided once it became clear that the Arcs weren't taking their son back in that she would never speak to the woman again, the woman of the Arc Family held no such grudge, picking up as soon as Summer called and cheerily scheduling a meeting for the next day.

As they got out of their car a blond woman in a flowing white sundress came out on the front porch, eagerly greeting them.

Estelle Arc was a woman of 45 who looked 10 years younger. A stay at home mother with the resources of one of the most successful athletes in the world, she had plenty of help raising her large brood and plenty of energy to devote to keeping her body fit and beautiful. Her sleek golden hair was kept back in a tight ponytail, and warm blue eyes glimmered in friendliness; she was remarkably pretty even without the smooth skin, hourglass figure and deep bosom.

"Summer! Tai!" She said excitedly, guiding them in for a hug.

Estelle certainly played her role as eye candy on the arm of a celebrity expertly, a little less flashy and a little more grounded than most other trophy wives but unquestionably the kind of woman men fantasized about ending up with once they 'made it.' Summer, with her own trim figure and youthful appearance, was rarely jealous of other women, but even Tai couldn't help ogling Estelle and her low cut dress that showed off a bit too much of her bountiful D-Cups as they pressed against her guests. Summer noted, with some irritation, that in the years since they had seen each other Estelle Arc didn't seem to have aged a day.

Summer had never resented Estelle before- the two were both somewhat young, attractive and peppy mothers with husbands and children they adored, and Estelle had been one of the more frequent and helpful volunteers at the PTA. Other women might envy them, but the two of them could always laugh it off as they planned their children's next playdate. Now she despised the woman for daring to seem so utterly carefree after committing an act that should have been akin to self amputating a limb.

"It's been too long." She said, with genuine friendliness. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No." Summer said shortly, having the restraint not to elaborate as to why it had been so long and why the gap between their next meeting would hopefully be even longer, preferably forever.

She guided them through the foyer and to the sitting room next door, allowing the pair a peek at the understated luxury that pervaded the Arc household. There was nothing obviously expensive, but the numerous rooms were all clean and spacious. Every item in the house was of fine quality, deliberately placed, and the pictures and artwork on display all evoked a sense of hearth and comfort (Estelle had once told her that interior design was one of her passions in life.) The couple sat on a fluffy red couch while the woman of the house took the loveseat across from them, habitually leaving the left side empty.

"Mason's in a meeting right now." She said warmly. "But he should be done by 5 or so. I'll take you to the office when he's ready. In the meantime, would you like to say hi to the girls? Azora and Lavender are home, but they're busy studying in their rooms right now- I'm sure they'd be happy to catch up if you'd like to." She turned to Tai. "I know Azora's going to be in your class next year, maybe you could give her some tips to do well."

Tai seemed unsure of how precisely to respond. " She's a smart girl, " he said, "she just needs a little attitude adjustment."

Estelle laughed. "That's an understatement. I'm incredibly proud of her, but she's never played well with others. Kids," she said, rolling her eyes. "what can you do? That reminds me… how are Ruby and Yang doing these days? They were both bright, lovely girls and I'm sure they're turning more heads now than-"

It disturbed Summer how casually the Arc mother could discuss their children, like any loving parent might.

"-We're only here for Jaune." She said sternly. "And the medical records."

Something flashed through Estelle's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, and her features were overtaken with a polite disinterest. "Oh, yes." She said airily. "You did mention that."

Rage glinted in Summer's silver orbs. " If you could just release them, we wouldn't need to take up any more of your time."

Estelle shrugged. "As an emancipated adult, Jaune has full access to his entire medical history and can share his records at will. If that's all you want, that's a request for him and his doctor."

Tai put a restraining hand on Summer's leg. "We understand that." He said. " But the kid's results are incredibly weird, and we have no idea why. To figure out if we need to do something about it, we need something to compare it to."

"I can't help you."

Estelle refused them as easily as one might turn down a panhandler on the street.

Summer's eye twitched.

"I don't think you understand." She said slowly. "Your son's place at Beacon is at stake. His mental health is at stake. For all we know, his life could be at stake."

Estelle's face showed sympathy, but it was a detached sympathy, more appropriate to hearing about some horrible accident on the news that had nothing to do with you than the potential death of your own child.

"There's really nothing I can do." She said apologetically. " I don't suppose you want my medical records- Arc men are built differently- and Mason and I have already agreed that Jaune is a man who we expect to carry his own weight. How can we expect him to fly if we keep him in the nest? The best favor we can do for him is to offer no favors, no resources, no support so that he won't need them anymore. "

"This wouldn't cost you a dime." Summer said, wondering how anyone could be so stingy to their flesh and blood- the Arcs didn't flaunt their wealth but they could afford to support 100 kids without feeling the strain. "And he needs it."

"You can talk to Mason." Estelle said. "It's his approval you need, not mine."

Summer prepared her hail mary attempt. "Estelle… there has to be some part of you that wants to help your son. Remember how you used to dote on him? How you were so worried about playing favorites because of how it might hurt your other kids, but so thrilled to have finally gotten your baby boy? He's in pain right now, and he needs his mother to help him. There has to be some way for you to get Mason's records yourself- you're his wife, if anyone else in the world could get them it would be you."

"Mason said no-"

"-Fuck Mason!" Summer yelled… perhaps a bit too loudly. Tai looked at her, worried and impressed. "He never has to know. You can go behind his back if you want to, just do the right thing."

Summer knew as soon as the words had left her lips that she failed. Instead of the softening emotions she had hoped to see, Estelle's face hardened. There was a coolness to her posture now, a casual disdain.

"If you think I'd ever go against my husband." She said firmly. "Then you've badly misjudged me."

Summer's fist clenched. She thought of the woman who had once been her friend. "You're right." She said. "You're even more pathetic than I thought you were."

Instead of anger, a knowing smile appeared on Estelle's lips. "Someday you'll understand." She said. Then she looked at her watch. "Oh, 5 o'clock already?" She rose. "I suppose you have nothing more to say to me, so I'll cut the pleasantries and take you straight to the man of the house."

Summer said nothing. Tai rose, and wrapped an arm around his lover's shoulders.

"You do that." He said, holding Summer back as the two followed behind their hostess.

The office was on the top floor and at the end of a long hallway- a subtle power play, forcing anyone seeking to do business with the Arc Patriarch to walk the longest possible route. It gave plenty of time for the couple to appreciate the beauty of the home, and the hostess.

Yes, walking up the stairs, and showing off her long legs and luscious ass, it was hard to deny Estelle Arc was a world class beauty… even if she was nothing more than a servile slut.

"Calm down." Tai said, pulling Summer into his hold. "If you could glare any harder there would be holes in the back of her head."

"Like you're any better." She grumbled, though Tai's gaze was decidedly lower. His hand dipped lower until it was grazing against her breast. "...Tai." She whispered urgently.

"She might be hot." He conceded. "But no one burns hotter than my sweet little Summer." Her cheeks flushed as he breathed against her ear.

"Cut it out, perv." She said. "Someone might see."

Tai grinned, nipping at her upper lobe. "You're so cute when you're mad."

"I mean it." She insisted.

"I know, I know." He said, cupping her tit even more brazenly. "That's why I love my thorny, horny rose."

Summer was incredibly embarrassed and incredibly aroused. "...You're just trying to distract me." She said, voice quivering.

"Can you blame me?" Tai said, voice low and husky. "I think you might tackle her if I let you."

Summer pouted. "You should let me."

"And have the two of you wrestle on the floor?" He teased. "That would be pretty hot."

Summer elbowed him in the ribs, but there wasn't any real force behind it- Tai had a talent for calming her down. "Maybe when we get home I'll remind you why you shouldn't be looking at other women."

Tai's eyes glimmered. "Oh? Is Dommy Mommy going to make an appearance?" He whispered.

Summer grinned. "Only if a bad little boy needs to be taught a lesson-"

"Ahem."

The two lovers parted quickly and awkwardly, faces flushed with embarrassment.

Estelle was standing in front of the door, an amused smirk on her face. "If you're ready?"

Summer nodded, collecting herself, adjusting herself and trying to wipe all traces of arousal off her face. 'Not the right time, not the right place.' She told herself, though it would serve them right for the couple to fuck right in this stupidly clean house.

Estelle opened the door, but did not follow them in. The pair steeled themselves, took the plunge and walked in.

The study was more opulent than the rest of the home, with royal purple highlighted by bright wisps of gold on the walls, fine leather upholstery, and a marble floor. Two bookcases on either side of the room were flanked by two trophy cases containing the four heavyweight belts of the Kingdom Combat Leagues and numerous other accolades he had won over his legendary career. Pictures with dignitaries and other celebrities lined the walls- a charity dinner for a children's hospital, the Vytal Festival Opening Ceremonies, his wedding night, the graduation photos of his daughters. A group shot of his children was near the back, signed 'to the best dad ever' by 8 sets of tiny hands.

Summer wanted to puke.

At the center of it all, his body bathed in the sunlight from the window at his back, was Mason Arc, lounging behind his desk with his feet up. The light brought out the gold in his hair, the bronze in his skin, and the steel in his eyes, and he spoke with the relaxed tone of someone completely in control.

"Yes, see that you do." He said calmly. His eyes darted over to the couple. "I'm sorry, Councilor, I'm afraid I lost track of time. I have another appointment that simply cannot wait. Give me an update tomorrow."

He hung up the phone, giving the pair an apologetic smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting." He said, standing to greet them. "Politicians." He groaned. "Money grubbing blowhards as usual."

Tai made a murmur of agreement but otherwise said nothing as he shook their host's hand. Summer just stared at him.

Mason Arc had an astonishingly handsome, astonishingly punchable face, with broad shoulders and the kind of build that let you know right away that punching him might not be the best of ideas. He wore business casual clothes, with a tight blue shirt that showed off his body and matched his eyes. As he took her hand, Summer noted that he had a very strong grip.

Instead of squeezing her hand tightly, as he did to Tai, he gently guided it up to his lips for an old fashioned kiss.

"Forgive me." He said, looking her over. "We've been introduced at a few parties, but I don't think we've ever properly met."

They hadn't had a conversation that had lasted more than three sentences, and Summer was disappointed to break that wonderful streak. "Taiyang Xiao Long and Summer Rose." She said curtly. "Ruby and Yang's-"

"I know who you are." He said, letting her go. "You've both taught most of my children, haven't you?" He said warmly. "Saphron just missed having you, but she was the one who told us we had to get all the other's in Miss Rose's class, because she was the 'nicest and funnest and prettiest teacher in the whole school'." He chuckled, waiting to see the woman flush. He was disappointed. He turned to Tai. "My older one's have told me about you, too. Bit of a tough guy jokester, right?"

"I'd like to think so." Tai said. His eyes drifted over to a smaller plaque on the wall. "Is that from the Vacuan Casino Clash?" He asked, with an edge of eagerness he couldn't help.

Mason laughed. "Yeah, it was an unsanctioned, private tournament- the proper Vacuan League is a joke. I caught hell for doing it, but that final fight with Estrada was one of the best of my life."

"Gods, Estrada's high kick was out of this work." Tai said. " One of the best spacers in all of-"

Tai cut short. Summer was glaring at him, an unspoken 'are you really doing this right now' etched on her face.

Mason smirked at the exchange.

"Anyway." Tai said. " We need your son's medical rec-"

"Oh, yes." Mason said. "Have a seat. Might as well make yourselves comfortable."

Most people had a certain image in their mind when they heard 'Heavyweight Champion of the World.' You expected someone powerful, but also ruthless, vicious, rough around the edges, someone who was battle scarred and had no place in polite society.

While he was undoubtedly strong, the Arc Patriarch didn't quite match the description. In the ring he was elegant and efficient, the viciousness in his strikes masked by the perfection of his technique. There were no scars or signs of physical trauma at all, and while he came from a rough background in every interview he was articulate, worldly and even funny. In person, Mason Arc was charming, with an air of friendliness and sophistication that almost made you forget he beat the hell out of people for a living.

Almost.

Summer and Tai started to move, but stopped themselves.

Mason gestured them towards the couch in front of the desk. " I insist."

"That won't be necessary." Summer said, resisting the instinctive urge to obey. "We don't want to take up much of your time."

Mason laughed. "Well, Estelle has already blocked out the next two hours of my day. I have an appointment with Lisa Lavender at 7, but until then you have my undivided attention."

She sighed in annoyance. Then she and Tai moved over to the couch.

"I really should know the two of you a bit better." He said apologetically. "Estelle was always encouraging me to attend some PTA events, but I was busy with all of this-" he gestured to the accolades on the wall "-so we could afford all this ." His gestures became more sweeping. "Breadwinning is fine, but there really is something special about being involved in your children's education. Sometimes I regret leaving so much of it to Estelle, but she handles it well." He smiled warmly. "That woman is a godsend; a team player and an absolute trooper, plays her position perfectly." He reached into the drawer of his desk. "Can I interest either of you in a glass of scotch?" He asked, pulling out a crystal decanter. "I find it makes these sorts of discussions much more relaxing."

"No thanks." Tai answered, though he knew full well he would need a drink when this ordeal was over. "And this really shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. You know what we want. Yes or no?"

Mason smiled. "Straight to the point." He said. "I respect that." He shrugged, pouring himself glass. "But that can't be the only reason, because you both know well that the answer is no."

"Then we're here to convince you otherwise." Summer said sharply.

Mason's smile grew as he looked her over, before downing his shot in a single move. "And how do you propose to do that?" He asked, licking his lips.

Summer took some papers out of her bag and marched over to his desk. "By showing you the damage you've done." She said, slamming them down.

Mason picked the papers up lazily, scanning each page for a brief moment.

The grades aroused no interest in him whatsoever, nor did the teacher evaluations or evidence of Jaune's increasingly distant attitude. But when he got to the physical he stopped. He stared incredulously at the numbers for several seconds, a low rumble in his throat. It started to grow, and Mason let out a loud, barking laugh.

Both of the other parents in the room were confused, for very different reasons. Summer, for the life of her, couldn't comprehend what he found so amusing about the report, but more than that, she didn't even recognize his tone. It wasn't mocking, or hysterical, or even amused exactly, and while she had to have heard something like it before she had no idea what the laughter meant.

Tai did. He'd made and heard the same sound countless times- when Qrow had taken 10 shots and then done a cartwheel back in college, or when Qrow had seen him walk out of a party with two sorority sisters on his arms. Whatever the situation, it always meant one thing.

'That's my fucking boy !"

Tai just didn't get what Mason was proud of.

"My god." Mason marveled, placing the paper down. "I can't say I expected that . I've heard so little since he left that I assumed Jaune must have just been a late bloomer, or even a little soft. But this ? Numbers like these, he must have gotten into all kinds of trouble by now."

"...We're talking about your child's life you son of a bitch !" Summer hissed.

Mason chuckled. "Well, thanks for making my day." He said cheerily. "But I'm afraid I can't do the same thing for you. My medical history is incredibly sensitive information and I have no intention of giving it to you. "

Summer glared at him, but didn't back down. "Is Jaune in danger or isn't he?" She asked.

Mason arched an eyebrow.

"You know something." Summer continued. "Even if you won't tell us. Just let us know if he's going to be okay, if there's anything we can do to help him. What you would do, if you weren't such a rotten bastard."

Mason grinned wryly. "If you're trying to woo me over," he said "you're not doing a very good job."

"Why should I have to woo you?" Summer asked. "Why can't you just do the decent thing and help your son?"

"Do you like nature documentaries?" Mason asked.

"...What?" Summer responded.

"I love them." Mason said cheerily. "The gorgeous shots of the landscape, the majesty of the animals, the genteel narrator they always bring in to try and pretty up all of nature's ugly truths. My favorites are the ones about lions.

They're fascinating creatures. Ambush predators, powerful, but skilled, too. The lionesses work together to take down big game… but the lion… he's their ace in the hole. He's the biggest, he's the strongest. He gets the choice meat, he gets the big rock in the sun, he gets every lioness he wants, and you know why?" He paused, voice becoming harsher, deeper. "Because no one fucks with a male lion. His piss scares off the hyenas, and leopards, and wild dogs, because if they want a shot in hell they'd better come at him 10 to 1 and they'd better not miss. He's the King of the Jungle, he eats elephants for breakfast."

"Bullshit." Tai said. "Lions don't mess with elephants, they're too big. They can't even get near a giraffe without getting its foot up their ass."

Summer rolled her eyes. "Tai, don't indulge him." She said irritably.

Mason smiled, ignoring the woman. "That's true. There are fierce beasts out there. But did you know that some prides actually specialize in hunting elephants? Not all hunters are created equal; even amongst the king of the beasts. There's nothing so big and so strong that a lion can't learn how to kill it, and no matter how big or how strong a giraffe, or elephant or rhino is, you never see them picking a fight with a lion." His eyes twinkled in excitement, voice raising as he spoke. " As a matter of fact, the only real danger to a male lion ...is another male lion. You see, being the King of the Pride is a pretty good gig, what with the harem and all, and every other lion with a dick wants to take that crown for himself. If one of them comes into a lion's turf, he has to kill him… or he gets killed. And if he does bite it, the new guy doesn't waste any time. All of the old guy's cubs, he kills them too. Nursing keeps the lioness from going into estrus, wastes his meat and his milk on some other bastard's genes. He doesn't have time to waste, someday someone's gonna knock him off too. And you know what's really amazing?" He asked.

There was an intensity in his eyes, a primal force breaking through the civilized shell.

"The lionesses go into heat."

Summer looked at him in horror.

Mason chuckled, smiling darkly. " This monster murders their children right in front of them and they bend over and let him take them all the same. I couldn't believe that when I heard it, but it's right there, right on camera. And it makes sense, when you think about it. A lioness doesn't live forever either, she's got to take whatever chance she can get. Not like the old kids are coming back… why not hitch your wagon to the strongest guy around?"

"That's sick ." Summer spat.

Mason shrugged. "That's life. If you couldn't handle it you didn't stick around for long. We're here because, when the chips are down, we'll do whatever it takes to survive… and multiply ."

"What on earth does this have to do with Jaune?" Summer asked.

Mason smiled. "Well, the only thing a lion can do when another roving male comes by is kill him. He has to protect his cubs, after all. Their lives are on the line. But some of his children are males too. When they grow up, they're going to want a pride of their own, and there's only one way to get that." The elder Arc shook his head. "What's the alpha supposed to do? Kill his own son?"

Tai and Summer exchanged a glance, skin very pale. They were beginning to understand.

"As parents, you're both revolted by the idea. I don't blame you- we put so much effort into making and nurturing our offspring that getting rid of them is a monstrous waste. What kind of fool, what twisted, broken soul could even consider the idea? It's short sighted- lions still grow old and die, sooner or later, and if they all cull their male cubs very soon there won't be any more lions. Passing down the crown father to son sounds like a better idea, but a young, hormonal male might not be willing to wait- gotta make hay while the sun shines, after all. Not to mention the unacceptable levels of inbreeding, leaving a male with his sisters and mother and aunts.

So, nature devised its own solution. The pride cares for and cherishes its male cubs; the lion feeds and loves it just like all his daughters, but once the child is large and dangerous enough to take care of itself, it's forced out. It's a rite of passage- if the young lion is strong enough it will carve out its own Kingdom, win its own mates and territory, and the cycle starts all over again. The pridelands may not be big enough for the two of them, but there's a whole wide world to conquer, and the younger lion is better for it. Stronger, smarter, more vicious, and more likely to survive. That's all a parent can do for their kids."

Summer thought about Ruby and Yang, the two most important things in her world, the best things she had ever done in her life. Raising them, watching them grow until wonderful young women, was the happiest and saddest thing in the world- as proud as she was, Summer knew she was raising them to leave, to face the world on their own. She couldn't keep them close forever. But she would always love them. She would always be there for them, even if they didn't need her anymore, even if she was nothing more than an annoying phone call. They would always be her precious little girls and she would do anything for them. The thought of them, cast out and alone, abandoned by their caretakers for their own good , made her blood boil.

"Is that what you tell yourself?" She asked hotly. "For God's sake, we're human beings!"

Mason smiled condescendingly. "We're all cut from the same cloth. Still, in most cases, I see your point. But my son is not one of those domesticated herbivores our society tries to pass off as men. He's an Arc." The man paused thoughtfully. "Speaking of which… has he nailed your daughters yet?"

Tai shot to his feet, eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry." He said harshly. "I don't think I heard you right."

"Oh, well then allow me to rephrase." Mason said casually. "Has my son done the horizontal tango with Ruby or Yang? They're at that age now… gods they grow up fast."

Summer and Tai both looked at the man, jaws dropped. They couldn't even muster the energy to be angry, they were still trying to process that this conversation was real .

"It's very rare for people to take to each other like that, at any age, let alone for a friendship to last so long." He said. "I swear, for years it seemed I couldn't go a single night without hearing 'Yang and Ruby' at least once. I remember the first time I laid eyes on them, must have been over a decade ago. They looked so small and out of place... until Jaune came into the room; it was like flipping a switch, the three of them were glued to each other the entire night. I remember seeing them, smiling and laughing, never taking their eyes off each other for even a second and I thought 'This is the sweetest thing in the world… Jaune's gonna fuck that someday-'"

Tai shouted and leapt forward, sending an uppercut at Mason's chin. The larger man dodged it effortlessly, then caught Tai's right hand by the wrist and squeezing, hard.

That didn't take Tai out of the fight though. He took his left elbow and struck Mason right in the ribs.

Mason stepped back and jerked Tai forward, slamming his body onto the desk, dislocating his arm with a sickening pop.

"You ballsy son of a bitch!" He laughed. "You actually hit me!"

"TAI!" Summer shouted, rushing forward.

"Not another step." he growled. In less than a second he pulled the other man over his desk and got him in a chokehold from behind. Tai was still struggling and thrashing, but his dominant arm hung limp and he had no leverage. Mason, on the other hand, had all the leverage he needed to snap his neck.

Tai kept thrashing and kicking, trying to land another blow, but his strikes bounced harmlessly off his rival's body. Summer stood helplessly, knowing that the slightest move on her part could mean instant death for the love of her life. Using his free hand, Mason reached into his pocket and pulled out a hypodermic needle. He jabbed it into Tai's arm.

"What did you do!" Summer shouted furiously, though Mason's eyes were still on her, and she could do nothing to stop him.

"Just gave him something to take the edge off."

Tai's struggling got fiercer and fiercer, but the more excited he got, the harder his heart pumped, the quicker the drug made its way throughout his bloodstream. After less than a minute he slowed, then stilled, going slack in his captor's grip.

"Let him go, please!" Summer begged.

Mason shrugged, and let go.

Tai fell to the ground, knocking against the hard wood of the desk as he did.

"Tai!" Summer shouted again, rushing forward.

"You attacked a champion fighter head on right in his own den?" He laughed. "You're a brave man, Tai. But you're also a fool."

"What was that?" She said, clutching Tai's arm.

"A rare neurotoxin." Mason said. "Not fatal-" He added, seeing the look on Summer's face. "-but your boyfriend isn't going to throw any more punches for a while. Tai!" He barked. "Get up."

The man rose to his feet shakily.

"It's a fascinating drug." Mason said. "It only targets voluntary movements, leaving the body's automatic functions alone. It also inhibits long term memory and leaves the victim highly vulnerable to suggestions." He turned to a bruised and battered Tai. "Go back to the couch and watch. You can talk, if you'd like."

Tai's eyes refocused, looking at him in horror. "How did you get-"

"Some mad scientist created the perfect date rape drug before the cops busted him." Mason said. "They kept the formula for their own purposes… there are some despicable people in power."

"Like you're any better!" Summer spat. "Why do you have some, you sick fuck?!"

Mason chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to use it on you ." He said. " I prefer my partners to be much more active participants."

Summer didn't miss the way his eyes trailed over her form, or the growing bulge in his pants. Her heartbeat quickened. "You're… you're out of your mind." She said, trembling.

Mason shrugged. "The battle is half the fun." He said casually. "Seizing something by force is so amatuer, so base, so pathetic ." He walked up to her, his very presence sending tingles up her spine. " But that little dance we do to get the other person to give in, to surrender, that is right up my alley."

"Y-your wife is in the other room." She sputtered.

"Your husband is 10 feet away. That hasn't stopped me." Mason said nonchalantly. "Well… I suppose he isn't actually your husband… how does it feel, always being the other woman?"

"Fuck you!" Summer shouted, skin flushed. "You've lost your mind if you think I'm ever letting you touch me!" She thought angrily about Estelle, who centered her life on pleasing this bastard. " That doting, darling wife of yours, I'm going to tell her exactly what kind of man she married! Then I'm going to go to the police, and the media, and they'll have a field day with you! Assaulting and drugging a man, propositioning his woman!"

Mason smirked. "That's not what the camera's are going to show."

Summer followed his eyes to a tiny dot in the corner of the room. She wanted to kick herself for not spotting it earlier.

"I expected better from VSS." the Arc said coldly. "Even if you are retired."

Summer felt a pit of lead forming in her stomach. "I-I don't know what you-"

"Don't lie to me." Mason barked. "Looks like my network is better than yours. Even if I didn't speak to you, do you honestly think I wouldn't check to see what kind of people I was trusting my children with? Imagine my shock when I found 'Stark White' and 'Yellow Dragon' as rookie teachers at some of Vale's best private schools."

If Summer's face was red before it was ashen now.

"The two of you had a very short, very impressive career." He said. "Two college students, recruited by the VSS alongside their best friends to investigate the mysterious Branwen Tribe, that shadowy family with its fingers in every black market in two Kingdoms. You were able to expose Dolf Branwen and a half dozen of his lieutenants before your cover began to crack." He said. "Of course, you were only so successful because 'Wine Red' and 'Blood Red' were Branwens themselves. The Tribe sent them to infiltrate the VSS but they turned around and became double agents for you … well, Raven seemed to anyway, but when the dust cleared all her rivals had been cleared away and the Branwen Crime Syndicate was hers. Getting knocked up was a minor setback, but she got past that quickly and left the rest of you holding the bag. She went on to bigger, better things, and you weren't much use as spies once the mob boss knew exactly who you were. So VSS cut you loose, set up a cover in one of the wealthiest districts of the Kingdom, nice and far from where any of your old enemies might be. They set you up with cushy jobs and a comfy little home with a white picket fence; you fell in love and got to raise a family after winning your fight for truth and justice." He smiled. "That's a story the media will lap right up."

For a moment the office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"...Who told you?" Tai growled.

"You'd be surprised how loose lips can get once you've put a good dick through them." Mason joked. "I've got friends in all kinds of places."

Tai wanted to move, wanted to scream, wanted to clench his fists until his palms bled… but Mason wouldn't let him. "...What happens now?" he asked dully.

The alpha smiled. "Well, I'm going to get my pound of flesh, no matter what." He said matter of factly. "I have footage of you coming into my home, insulting me, then attacking me, and showing that all my actions were defensive. If I show that to my friends in the police, it's an open and shut case of attempted assault and self defense."

"And the syringe?" Summer said coldly.

Mason smirked. "The toxin is highly classified- so on the books it isn't even illegal. If I were to drug and fuck you, that would be illegal, but as a non-lethal weapon to subdue an attacker… I have every right to use it."

Summer bit her lip. He wasn't bluffing, and Tai had struck first. He had them dead to rights. "But what about the fallout in the media?" Summer asked, feigning confidence. "Once we tell our side of the story, you'll take a massive hit to your image, not to mention your finances. You think Estelle is just going to take you cheating on her lying down? Have fun in court."

Mason chuckled at his own private joke. "You think those sycophants will print anything I tell them not to?" Mason said. "Every stooge in the media is bought and paid for- maybe you can get a few fringe crackpots, who no one takes seriously, but good luck with even that when none of the evidence goes public and it's just your word against mine." He gave her a meaningful look. "Of course, if some busybody does decide to give you a look, there are all kinds of things they might find out. Things a couple of Branwens would be very interested to know."

'We're dead.' Summer thought involuntarily. Even if Rae was in charge now… Rae didn't watch everyone 24/7, and there were plenty of grunts 'Stark White' and 'Yellow Dragon' had made hell for. Grunts who would return the favor 100 fold if they had any idea who they were.

"Even if they don't, and even if you somehow manage to squeak by in court," Mason continued. "assaulting one of your student's parents is an excellent way to lose your job."

He was right. Tai and Summer got by okay, but that was because both of them were working. Losing more than half their income would throw them deep into the red… and would Summer even be able to keep her job, if Mason decided to spread the word? Gods, they still had to put Ruby and Yang through college! If the Branwens came for them it could cost them their lives. If they didn't it could still cost them their future.

Summer composed herself. She kept her eyes on the ground, unable to look either man in the eye.

"...What's our other option?" She asked heavily.

Mason arched an eyebrow. "What makes you think there's another option?"

Summer's body shook in fury. "I'm not stupid." She said. "You wouldn't be blackmailing us like this if we didn't have something you wanted. What is it? What do we have to do to buy your silence?"

The Arc smirked.

"You can start by sucking my cock."