I've a very short chapter today as I'm in at the doctors. Nothing awful this time (I hope) but rather a bunch of tests to check up on the big health problems I was having earlier in the year. It's still going to take a long time and involve a lot of talking and tests, so I'll be there a couple of hours at the very least. Most of it probably spent waiting.

Anyway, I can't write as much because of that.

They also didn't have a weekend slot so it's one of the rare occasions where it's not my Sunday story which gets screwed up because of it but the Monday one, lol. Fun times.

Cover Art: Kirire

Chapter 76

Blake knew there would be a discussion at some point about her not-so-slaved anomaly, and that was something she was in some frightened way looking forward to. It had kept her from raising the alarm before and it wasn't like she wanted to keep hold of it. If anything, she wished she could discuss it the moment they got back, but the half-cleaned office and the two struggling figures on the floor didn't make that a good idea.

A book that granted power in exchange for trades?

Yeah, the woman behind all this would jump at the chance to get a hold of that, and she'd probably make deals left, right and centre.

The moment they entered, they were ambushed by an excited and concerned giant spider, who had somehow grown about half a foot by virtue of losing body mass in its legs. It didn't make sense, but he was noticeably bigger now, lengthways and width, but any thought of him not being the same Timothy was lost when he fussed and checked over Jaune, his long, spindly legs probing Jaune's body to make sure every limb was intact.

"Awww," crooned Blake. "That's cute."

"You're all freaks," whispered Amber. "That thing isn't cute!"

The office was still a mess but there was clear evidence that Ruby and Amber had been doing their best to tidy up. Jaune's desk was pushed aside so it could be more easily broken down and removed for a replacement, and the splintered bits of wood had been collected and dumped in a plastic bucket. Someone had gone around with a vacuum cleaner as well, and it looked like they'd both tried their hands at removing the half-broken blinds over the window before realising neither was taller than five-foot-one and giving up. They were disconnected on the left side but not the right and dangling precariously. It was a valiant effort though, and saved Blake and Jaune a few hours picking crap up.

"Thanks for the help, Ruby," said Blake, placing a hand atop her hair. "And for cleaning up and looking after Timothy. You're a lifesaver."

"Ahem!?"

"This is your job and you're paid," she told Amber, without looking. "So, no thanks for you." To Ruby, she said, "I'll buy you something nice. Just text me whatever you want. Budget of five grand."

A huge amount for someone Ruby's age, and enough to have her eyes lighting up. It wasn't that much to her nowadays, but she wanted to pay Ruby fairly for coming out here on an emergency, and there had been genuine risk since their two intruders had returned.

"Amber," said Jaune, his voice deadly. "How much force did these two enter with?"

"Saw me and drew a gun and fired at my head again." His younger sister crossed her arms and kicked at the green-haired girl tied up and gagged on the floor. "It was shoot to kill this time. I'd say it's good they learned their lesson, but they came back here despite being told not to, so maybe they didn't learn it at all."

The legs of the man were stacked on the sofa Blake had claimed as her nest ever since starting work at the Containments Office. They were odd things, but then weapon-prosthetics were somewhere between rare and uncommon. They obviously did happen among wounded huntsmen, but not as much as people assumed. It took a long time to get used to a prosthetic or to adapt to a new weapon and fighting style, so if a huntsman lost an arm late in their career it was usually better to just get a regular prosthetic and get used to that rather than work some fancy new routine into your fighting style.

Given his age, she assumed this was a weapon he'd had since he started out, to make up for a disability, so he'd learned to fight with them as his starting option. Still, she turned one over in her hand and wondered at how awkward it would be to load dust-powered rockets into the back of the shin, ready to be fired out the knee, and whether he'd ever accidentally launched one into his own face or the underside of a table he was sitting at by accident.

Putting a gun in your limb triggered by reflex motion seemed like a good way to accidentally blow a hole in someone you were talking to, but she assumed it had some safety on and off mechanism. Bored, she let the limbs topple onto the floor and reclaimed her spot, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table.

"What happened to the White Fang?" asked Amber.

"Dead," said Jaune. "Blake killed them all."

"Mphhhhh!" the gagged girl on the floor thrashed helplessly.

She knew Jaune was technically covering for her. Saying she killed them implied a normal fight, as opposed to her having fed them all to an anomaly that might yet have unknown motives. It still wasn't something she liked hearing, and she ducked her head and pretended to be focused on her scroll when Ruby's head swivelled her way.

"At least you made a proper example this time," said Amber. "You should really kill these two as well." The two in question went deathly still. "You need to send a message to that woman who thinks she can come in and make demands of you. Killing them would be a start."

Jaune's response probably didn't calm them any.

"It's not enough of a message."

The legless man whimpered.

"Killing them will inconvenience her but she can always find more idiots to follow her, and I doubt these two are that important to her overall plans. I don't think involving Salem will help either; she obviously didn't tell Cinder to bother us, so this sounds more like she's desperate for power and thinks the anomalies will give her it." He chuffed. "I'm half-tempted to feign surrender and give her the Blank Slate. Let her have and use it and let the problem deal with itself."

"Except that she could cause a lot of chaos before it erases her."

"Except that." Jaune nodded Blake's way. "And even erased, there's a chance she'll continue being a problem in other ways. Honestly, it might be easier to just kill her." Jaune said it casually, but Blake could sense his reluctance. "There's no need to send a message if the recipient is dead."

"I approve of this idea," said Amber.

"On the other hand, Cinder is acting against Ozpin – and having two of our enemies beating one another unconscious isn't a bad thing."

"Hmmm." Amber tapped her chin. "Dad would like it if they both killed one another. If Ozpin were sent to a new host, then that would give us chance to hunt him down and isolate him."

"Is that even possible?" asked Blake.

"Ozpin doesn't immediately take over a new host," explained Jaune, distractedly. "It's a time-consuming process and not every host is thrilled with it. Our usual methods are to try and locate the host and then explain what is happening to them. Then we give them the choice of either working for us or living a life of relative luxury under our custody. A lot choose the latter. Having Ozpin infest you means your mind will be subsumed eventually, so you might as well live a charmed life until them. The alternative is doing as Ozpin says, which typically involves you returning to Beacon and being his puppet until he eats your mind and takes over anyway."

Accept what Ozpin wants or become a prisoner, then. Neither life sounded ideal but then what could be done? He was effectively an immortal anomaly passing from host to host. Sure, he was training huntsmen and ultimately protecting people, but he'd also been responsible for the outbreak of anomalies in the first place, including Salem's collapse into an anomaly. At best he was cleaning up his own mess, and even then he only looked to be cleaning up one specific mess and leaving the rest to run free.

He could argue it was unfair for ARC Corp to confine him all he wanted, but Blake had seen what Blood That Feeds had done to a village, and that would have never happened if not for him starting the first containment breaches.

"Back to business," said Amber. "These two. What are we doing? We can't just leave them here or let them go. I vote kill them."

"I vote not killing them," Ruby chimed in.

"You're not even an employee here!"

"I'll vote with whatever Jaune decides," said Blake. She was too tired to make this kind of decision, and taking a moral stance against murder now, when she'd just fed Adam to an anomaly, would be the height of hypocrisy.

"Killing them in cold blood serves no purpose." Jaune's words had the hostages slumping in relief. "We'll put the ball in Cinder's court instead, and if she refuses to play then we'll make worse examples of them than simply killing them."

Their relief was short-lived.

/-/

Arranging a meeting had been relatively simple. Put a scroll to the mouth of one of their hostages, and then have them relay a message. Emerald, the one with green hair, had been defiant and threatened that Cinder would find and kill them. Her companion had been far more willing to make the call, and to tell Cinder that Adam was dead and explain that they'd been captured and that their heads were on the chopping block.

Their meeting spot was arranged as the old trainyards, a series of disused railroads which were now kept as storage for train carriages that were halfway between being decommissioned and reduced to scrap. It was sort of like a drydocks for trains, with a fenced off area filled with carriages and locomotives and exposed engine parts. Blake stood in a fresh black suit, one hand on the collar of Emerald Sustrai as the girl struggled with her bindings. Amber had Mercury, who was far more obedient, even though he now had his legs attached.

Meanwhile, Jaune stood in the centre with his arms crossed. It would have been nice to have Ruby with her sniper, but it was late and a school night, so she was back on Patch excitedly looking over all the things she could buy with the money promised by Blake.

"She's late," said Amber.

"If she's half as arrogant as she seems then that will be on purpose," said Blake. "To make it seem like we're waiting for her."

Jaune sighed and clicked his tongue. "These dramatics. If she's going to waste my time, then maybe we should just kill these two and leave their bodies for her to find."

The two in question stiffened.

"There's no need for that," said a rich voice. The woman, Cinder Fall, stepped out from behind a train, garbed in a red and golden dress. Her black hair fell over one eye, and she was smiling despite the situation. "You're quite the impatient ones."

"I'm busy running an office and don't have time to deal with idiots like you," said Jaune.

Cinder's eyes narrowed. "Come now. It seems like we got off on the wrong foot. We may have had our disagreements, but you've proven yourselves quite capable. I'm fully prepared to—"

"ARC Corp is not and will never be for sale, nor do we form alliances. Our work is beyond petty squabbles like what exist between Salem and Ozma." The names had Cinder flinching back in surprise. "Salem would be quite upset to learn of what you've tried here."

"I don't think you fully understand who you are referring to…"

"Don't I?" Jaune smirked. "Immortal being controlling the Grimm, locked in a constant war against her nemesis – an immortal consciousness passing host to host? ARC Corp is fully aware of that little domestic dispute. And we don't care." Jaune stressed that. "We could quite comfortably annihilate either side if we had to, but it serves our purposes for you to be butting heads like the children you are. Our job is simple. Locate, identify, destroy. You've gotten in the way of that, and were this any other office but mine, you wouldn't have been afforded the courtesies you have been given."

Cinder slid one foot back, turning sideways to them. With a flicker of dark light, a blade appeared in her hand, a construct of her Semblance. "I do not appreciate your tone," she said. "I advise you amend it before I become upset."

"And I advise you grow up and realise when you're in over your head," Jaune replied.

"You don't have aura. I could kill you right now. What then, hm?"

Jaune threw back his head and laughed.

Amber did, too.

It was only Blake that did not.

"You seem to be under the impression that killing me would be a good thing for you. Removing the Containments Office will call for the arrival of another office, and they will take a far worse view on you than I. You would be hunted down and slaughtered as an example to be sent to Salem on what happens when she crosses the lines we've established. Not that she'd care," he admitted. "You're just the latest of an ever-expanding cast of humans she's sought to make use of over the time she's been alive. You're not the first and you won't be the last, and power-hungry idiots are easy to find. I'm sure the recruitment process would be swift."

"Don't underestimate me!" shouted Cinder. It was the first time she'd raised her voice, and it surprised Blake that it would be over such a small insult. "I am far more capable than you understand. It is you who doesn't understand who he is crossing. I've slain people far stronger and more capable than you."

"None so well-connected."

"I think I'll take my chances," hissed Cinder. "You talk big, but I've heard talk before—"

"Stop!" A large man, frankly huge, came running into the trainyards. His bare arms stretched out the sleeves of his shirt, and his tanned skin and dark hair were covered with sweat. "Stop!" he panted, rushing between them. "Cinder, stand down."

"Rainart? What are you—"

"I bring word from Salem," he said, and Cinder's face paled. "You are being recalled from Vale."

"What!? But my plans! The festival! Beacon—"

"Immediately," snarled the huge man. "Salem's orders are that I am either to bring you back or, should you refuse, I'm to kill you myself and deliver your corpse to the nearest ARC Corp office as an apology."

Cinder's jaw flapped.

Jaune sighed. "Another of her people?"

"Hazel Rainart." The man bowed from the waist. "I have been sent to apologise on behalf of Salem for the actions of her underling and the offence they may have caused. She assures you this was done without her orders, and that Cinder will be harshly punished for her transgressions against your company. We ask that you allow us to take back our errant member and discipline her ourselves."

"Hmm." Jaune crossed his arms. "And if I refuse?"

Hazel didn't argue. "Salem's orders are to stand by and let you do as you wish."

"What!?" shouted Cinder, alarmed. "What is—"

"Silence!" Hazel hissed back. "You don't know a damn thing about what you're doing or who you're crossing. Neither do I, but I'm the one who had to see Salem's immediate alarm once she learned of what you've done. Don't test me, Cinder. You are either coming back alive or I am killing you here and now." He glanced over. "Your underlings too. I am not taking any chances. The decision is yours, sir." He nodded respectfully to Jaune. "I've been ordered to honour it."

Jaune sighed. "This is so dramatic. Our office is in tatters—"

"Then we'll offer Cinder's underlings as recompense. They can serve you and fix their mistakes."

"What!?" cried Emerald. "I'm not leaving Cin—"

"We simply couldn't trust them," Amber interrupted. "They've proven unreliable. Jaune, it's your choice. I say kill these two and let this man kill his friend and present her body, but I'm well aware of how soft you can be."

"I prefer to think of it as being civilised." Jaune heaved another, heavy sigh. "Fine. Take her away, and make sure Salem knows that if this happened in any other city where I wasn't in charge, she'd be getting her minion back in a body bag – and that ARC Corp would be following soon after with containment protocols for her. Just because she's immortal doesn't mean she's unstoppable. Quite the opposite. We're not beyond burying her in a vault below the planet's crust for several thousand years."

"This is insanity!" snarled Cinder. "There are only three of them. We can—"

The crack of Hazel's elbow impacting her nose was sickening. Cinder had her aura up but the sheer force of it still knocked her back, sending her sprawling on her behind from the sheer surprise of it. Hazel turned, presenting his back to them, and grasped her by her throat. His voice was clear even from where they stood.

"Salem specifically instructed me to take no risks with you, Cinder. Her words were that if you showed even the slightest indication if disobeying her orders or continuing your doomed little vendetta, that I was to break your neck immediately and spare her the drama." He hefted the woman up off the ground. "In her own words, there can be no victory against ARC Corp, and she will not allow a conflict. Even if she has to come in person and command the Grimm to rip us limb from limb." He shook her like a ragdoll. "I am not failing here, Cinder."

Blake enjoyed the show. Not only the arrogant bitch getting her comeuppance, but the fact that Salem – literal queen of the Grimm – would back down from a conflict with them. Well, with Jaune's father and his other siblings. The Containments Office itself posed little threat to Salem, but they could still be the spark that set off the more violent offices.

"Release those two," ordered Jaune. "We'll let Salem sort out her own. Hazel Rainart," he called out. "You have your chance here. Tell Salem that ARC Corp appreciates her cooperation on the matter, and that I will make sure my father hears positively of it." The bearded man looked relieved. "But do keep a strong grip on her. I've seen her type before, those who think the pursuit for personal gain should eclipse all else."

"The Containments Office has a policy of containing anomalies," warned Jaune. "But we do not contain humans who cross us. We do not take prisoners. Make sure she remembers that the next time she seeks to cross us, because there will be no third chances."

Hazel bowed his head. "I will inform Salem. Thank you for your understanding."

Blake watched Hazel drag Cinder away, and the other two scurry after her. It was hard to tell if that would be the end of it given how arrogant Cinder was, and how the most arrogant people were often the worst at accepting defeat, but for now at least it seemed to be over.

"I still say we should have killed her," said Amber.

"Far be it for me to disagree with the violent little monster you call a sister, Jaune—"

"Oi!"

"—but I do agree with her in this case. Salem and that Hazel character may have been willing to play ball, but I can't help but think Cinder is the kind of person who would rather die than let an insult like this go punished."

"Then she'll die," he replied, all too calmly. "If not to us then to Salem, and if not to her then to another office. Our job isn't to worry about this. We're meant to locate and contain anomalies. That's our only focus."

He sighed and turned her way.

"And it's time we talked about yours."

Next Chapter: 6th November

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