Author's Note: Enjoy.
The Doctor had been a remarkably paranoid man, Pyrrha quickly realized. Not only had he hidden cameras through his clinic and built a hidden compartment beneath the floor to store the central computer, he had stashed a journal detailing everything he had given out to patients in said compartment. Any screens that had once sat on top of his desk had been thrown aside during his interrogation however, making the matter of actually watching the recordings difficult, and the rest of the building had been equally destroyed. That was what led them to their current predicament.
Disconnecting the computer's hard drive had been easy enough and, though it was too large to be easily concealed, Taiyang had no issue carrying it. Pyrrha wasn't sure how she felt about stealing from a dead man, let alone from a murder scene, but she doubted any law enforcement would be chasing after them for it. If what everyone said about the lower levels was true, she doubted they would even bother looking into the man's death. The fact that he operated illegally made that fact all the more likely.
Pyrrha's own moral reluctance aside, she wasn't sure what their next step was. They couldn't just plug their scrolls into the hard drive, nor could they simply go to the CTT and use one of their terminals. The danger of the information on the hard drive would mean that they would be putting innocent people at risk, not only from Salem but the criminal underworld of Mistral as well. Anyone that had visited that clinic would likely wish for that to remain a secret.
If Qrow had gone to the clinic then they needed to know and it was the only lead they had, if they could figure out who the other men after them were then it would be even better; in order to do that they had to get access to a screen. There weren't many options for shopping on the lower levels though, aside from the occasional pawn shop and they had already checked those to see if they could find a screen to use to no avail. Taiyang was reluctant to go up in case they attracted unwanted attention, but it quickly seemed like they would have no option.
Getting the screen wouldn't even be the end to their problems however, they would still need someplace to hook it all up. Some place with power and safe from prying eyes. Pyrrha was quickly learning that those spots were few and far between in Mistral, especially on the lower levels. The fact that they couldn't go to the academy was quickly proving to be an issue, but considering what Qrow had been investigating when he disappeared, they wouldn't dare try it.
They needed someplace safe, someone they could trust not to say anything or ask too many questions. Huntsmen affiliated were the obvious bet, but Taiyang was having trouble reaching any of the people he knew he could trust in Mistral. If they couldn't get in touch with any of Taiyang's contacts then… they would have to use Pyrrha's.
Yatsuhashi and Fox weren't too difficult to get a hold of, though they had been quite surprised to find out that she was also in Mistral. Pyrrha made a mental note to thank Coco and Velvet for their secrecy. Finding their way towards Yatsuhashi's house had taken longer however. Thankfully he didn't live too far up the mountain, meaning they were able to avoid most of the crowds. By the time they arrived at his house it was already midday.
Pyrrha knocked hesitantly on the door, Taiyang standing a few steps behind her. She despised the idea of putting Yatuhashi's family at risk, but so long as they didn't know anything specific they would be fine. She would make sure of it.
Yatsuhashi opened the door with a subtle smile, though it was replaced by a neutral look when he saw the man standing behind her.
"He's a friend of mine, he's helping me on a mission."
"Name's Tai." He offered out his hand for Yatsuhashi to shake.
Yatsuhashi leaned back slightly, looking surprised for a moment but quickly recovering and taking the man's hand. "My name is Yatsuhashi." He shifted his eyes towards Pyrrha. "You didn't mention that you were on a mission."
"It's…" Pyrrha bit her lip, uncertain of what to say. "Complicated."
Yatsuhashi gestured for them to come in, closing the door softly behind them as he led them to the living room. "My family have all gone to the market already, usually I would join them but when I received your message I stayed back."
"Aren't we supposed to be on vacation, why are you working?" Fox sent from the couch. "I mean, I know you like to go above and beyond, but this is a bit much even for you."
"It's complicated." Pyrrha said again, wincing at the unimpressed look on Fox's face. "You said we could use your computer?"
Yatsuhashi looked at her silently for a moment, looking towards Taiyang for and seeing the hard drive in his hands. "Yes, It's right through here."
Thankfully the Doctor hadn't thought to lock or encrypt his hard drive, though whether that was arrogance or ignorance Pyrrha didn't know. Once it was hooked up, they stumbled across their next problem.
"There is about seventy-two hours of footage that hasn't been organized yet." Taiyang sighed.
"I'm guessing that's around the time that Qrow would have come in?" Pyrrha waited for Taiyang to nod before sighing, her shoulders slumping somewhat. "How long will it take to look through it all?"
"If we're lucky only an hour or so, but probably more than that since this is Qrow." Taiyang looked up towards Yatsuhashi. "Do you mind? We might be here a bit longer than initially planned."
"That will be no issue." He looked towards Pyrrha, his eyes softening somewhat. "You look like you could use the rest."
Taiyang nodded at that, also turning to look at her. "Why don't you go relax for a bit, maybe get some sleep."
Pyrrha shook her head. "I'll stay to help you."
"This is a one person job, two people won't make it go any faster." Taiyang explained. "I'll watch for a few hours while you rest and then we'll switch off."
"I'm not-" Pyrrha was interrupted as she was forced to fight back a yawn. She glared at Taiyang for a moment as if he were to blame for it. "You'll wake me up when you find something?"
"Of course."
"You don't need anythin-"
"Pyrrha." She snapped her head around at him, eyes wide as he called her name. Sparring a subtle, panicked glance at Yatsuhashi she was relieved to see that he hadn't picked up on it, or at the very least didn't know what to make of it. Looking back to Taiyang he realized his mistake. "Amber, get some sleep. You're going to need it."
Pyrrha nodded her head softly, turning towards Yatsuhashi. "Is there someplace I can sleep?"
"Fox has already brought down a blanket and pillow for you." Yatsuhashi replied. "You can rest on the couch, or if you would rather you can sleep in the guest room."
"The couch will be fine, thank you Yatsu." Pyrrha smiled back at him.
James waited for the door to shut completely before sitting back in his chair and running a hand through his hair. Sighing he spared a glance towards the bottom drawer of his temporary desk, where he knew a bottle of whiskey was sitting. HIs momentary contemplation was interrupted as the door opened once more, Glynda stepping through before he even had time to try and fix his appearance.
She raised one eyebrow at his poor posture and James could only imagine what thoughts would have been passing through her mind. No doubt countless jabs and barbs that only a select few were deemed worthy to hear. The mere thought of it elicited a smile from him.
"I take it things have not gone as simply as hoped?" Glynda didn't sit at the chair in front of his desk, rather she sat at one of the spare ones set along the wall. Moving out from behind his desk he grabbed two cups from a small coffee table that had been brought in specially for him, along with an unused coffee maker and a tea kettle he had specifically requested for just this use. He handed a cup to Glynda and sat across from her.
"All of my attempts to speak with the faculty have been rebuffed, my attempts at speaking with the council have been ignored, and my soldiers are treated like eyesores." James looked back towards his desk. "It seems the divide between Atlas and Mistral is… greater than I had feared."
"James." Glynda drew his attention away from his desk and the temptation that sat within. "What have you been able to find?"
"Hmph, very little, but even that has me tremendously worried." James shook his head, recounting the sparse details his agents had been able to acquire. "I brought several Specialists with me when I departed Atlas, most of whom have been investigating the kingdom for any sign of Qrow or Winter, and while I haven't found anything on them I have found that the number of active Huntsmen within the kingdom has officially halved within the last decade."
Glynda nearly choked on her tea, her calm and collected demeanor being broken as she struggled to breath. "H-half?!"
"Those are our most optimistic projections." James took a long drink from his cup. "That's nearly ten times what we've lost in Atlas over the same time frame."
"Lionheart told Ozpin they were struggling but… half?" He could understand Glynda's shock. While casualties in their line of work was high, such a staggering amount so quickly was astonishing.
"It's possible that Ozpin has kept that information to himself." James hated to admit it, but it was a frustrating possibility. "So I'm afraid we can't quite throw Lionheart under the boarbatusk for letting that one happen. Still… it is far worse than I had anticipated."
"Is… is that all they've been able to find?"
"I ordered them to be as subtle as possible, considering how dangerous it could be for Pyrrha and Taiyang." While many might call him heavy handed, he wasn't a fool. He knew the best hope for finding Qrow and Winter was to let them investigate, but if having his agents look as well could find just a scrap of evidence he could take it straight to Ozpin and put an end to Lionheart's only remaining protection.
"Have you spoken with the professors?" Glynda asked.
"None of my agents ha-"
"Not your agents, have you spoken with them?" Glynda waited a moment, his silence being answer enough. "It may be worthwhile to speak with them in person, I've found them to be quite the mixed bunch."
"Why doesn't that boost my confidence?" James sat forward.
"The knowledge about Mistral's… troubles explains it somewhat, but he has allowed less than desirable Huntsmen into positions of teaching." Glynda explained. "While I now see he may not have had much of a choice… it is possible a spy slipped into his midst."
"Hmm, perhaps." James was hesitant to believe it but he wouldn't discount the idea. "You think he might not have been the one to allow Cinder to infiltrate his school?"
"I believe it can't be discounted." Glynda sighed. "And I would very much like to believe it's true, but I simply don't know. These people… only some of them can be trusted and that unsettles me."
"On that we can agree." James held his cup up in a mockery of a toast.
Pyrrha felt something shake her leg for a moment, pulling her from the deepest of her dreams but she was able to ignore it. With her eyes still closed she nearly drifted back to sleep before she was shaken again, this time she groaned internally, wishing that she could stay in bed. "Nora please, just five more minutes."
"Whose Nora?" Pyrrha heard a distinctly not Nora voice ask, causing her to pause as her mind tried to piece together where she was. A moment later she shot up from her spot on Yatsuhashi's couch, startling the young girl that had been shaking her leg.
Pyrrha stared at the little girl for a moment, still trying to fully gain her bearings. Looking at the window she could see that it had started getting dark and she cursed internally. She had overslept, she just hoped that Taiyang wasn't too tired himself.
"You're brother's friend from school, right?" The little girl with a curious look on her face.
"Y-yeah, I'm Yatsuhashi's friend." Pyrrha sat up a bit more, removing her blanket and stretching her muscles slightly.
"They've been talking about you a lot." Yatsuhahsi's sister said. Pyrrha wasn't sure what to think about that. Nor did she know how to respond to that. Her interaction with children had been mostly limited to fans and that forced interaction wasn't something she wanted to mimic.
"Hiyoko, dinner is ready!" Pyrrha heard a woman call from somewhere in the house, unintentionally saving her from her greatest weakness; social interaction.
"Coming!" Hiyoko waved at her as she left.
Pyrrha watched her go, leaning forward and setting her face in her hands as she groaned.
"It was decided that you should sleep." Yatsuhashi spoke, causing Pyrrha to jump slightly at his sudden appearance. She hadn't expected him to be able to move so quietly, or perhaps he had been there the whole time and she simply hadn't noticed him.
"Has Tai found anything yet?"
"He hasn't said." Yatsuhashi sat down beside her. "He has been very vague on the details of your mission, as have you." Pyrrha kept her face buried in her hands. "I messaged Coco about it, to see what she knew and she was also vague."
"Its-"
"Complicated, so you've said." Yatsuhashi seemed unimpressed with her response and Pyrrha winced. "You don't have to tell me if you do not wish to, but when I spoke to Velvet and Coco they sounded worried."
Pyrrha groaned audibly this time, feeling the guilt pile up inside her. She hated keeping secrets from her friends, and the idea of Velvet and Coco sitting back at Beacon worried for her safety made her nauseous.
"We're looking for someone, a friend of mine." Pyrrha struggled to speak. "He disappeared."
"Here in Mistral?" Yatsuhashi asked, waiting for her to nod. "You came all the way here for that?"
"He was on a mission of his own, for the Headmaster." Pyrrha explained. "He was looking into something important."
"Hmm," Yatsuhashi looked like he wanted to ask for more, but he accepted her explanations for now. "And this footage you found should help you find him?"
"That's what we're hoping for." Pyrrha stood from the couch. "If you'll excuse me, I need to see if Tai has found anything."
Yatsuhashi nodded. "I'll bring you two some food if you would like."
Pyrrha's stomach growled loudly, causing her to blush and smile softly. "Yes please."
Yatsuhashi chuckled warmly before leaving. Pyrrha found her way back to the room where Taiyang was working. He glanced up at her when she entered the room, smiling smugly in a fashion that reminded her of Yang.
"Sleep well?"
"You were supposed to wake me after a few hours so we could switch." Pyrrha glared at the older huntsmen, eliciting a small bout of laughter from the older man.
"Did I agree to that?" He brought a finger to his chin, pretending to be in deep thought. "I don't remember, oh well, must have slipped my mind. To change the topic, take a look at this." Taiyang gestured towards the screen.
The camera's timestamp appeared to be a couple days ago, though she could have been wrong due to the time difference between the kingdoms and how long they had been in Mistral. The door to the clinic opened and Qrow came stumbling in carrying Specialist Schnee over her shoulder. The Doctor jumped up from his desk and rushed over to help put her on the table, stepping away to look at her for a moment before grabbing something and cutting off some cloth around her thigh.
Once he could see the wound properly he stepped over to one of his cabinets, pulling out some syringes and what Pyrrha hoped was medicine. After carefully putting the liquid in he injected it into her leg and after a moment she seemed to relax somewhat.
"They ended up spending about three hours there." Taiyang moved the video forward, this time Winter was standing once more and heavily leaning on the table for support. Qrow appeared to be arguing with the Doctor, who was standing in between them and the exit.
"What's happening now?" Pyrrha could see Winter moving over towards Qrow's side once more, still leaning on him for support but visibly having more strength to her movements, even if only slightly.
"I'm guessing they either couldn't pay or wanted to leave before she was ready. Judging by the way the doc rushes off to grab something for them, I'm guessing they were leaving early." Taiyang explained, pausing the video just as the doctor handed Qrow a box of something. "If I'm reading his journal right, that should be a box of anti-venom."
"Venom?" Pyrrha couldn't make out what was on the box, but after looking at the timestamp and what was written in the book she came to the same conclusion.
"Specifically Scorpion anti-venom, if I had to guess. Or the closest thing he had in stock at least." Taiyang said.
"What makes you say that?" Pyrrha looked back down at the book. "It doesn't say anything specific here just-"
Taiyang skipped ahead on the video, just as two men walked into the clinic, one of whom had what appeared to be a scorpion tail. The two men spoke with the doctor for a few minutes, or the larger one did, the faunus stalked around the room looking for something. Suddenly, he looked directly up at the camera; leaping forward he grabbed it and the feed cut out for a moment, before being replaced by one from a different angle. Tai paused it just as the larger man grabbed the doctor.
"They leave pretty soon after, but there isn't anything to say where they're going." Taiyang sounded defeated.
Pyrrha shook her head, looking down at the book and trying to see if the doctor had left notes or anything about where Qrow might have gone. "There has to be something, this is our only lead!"
"There's nothing, I've already looked." Taiyang stepped over towards her, grabbing her by the shoulders and forcing her to look up from the book. "We don't know where Qrow and Winter went, but we have something to work with. I don't know who the big guy was but… I do know the other one."
"Who-"
"Tyrian Callows." Taiyan released her and turned back towards the computer, unplugging the hard drive. "One of Atlas' most wanted."
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed it and as always let me know what you think. Good or bad it does help me to improve.
Sincerely, SE