Reporting the aftermath of the battle was a headache on its own. Going around and either giving the families missing items of their loved ones or putting them in the memorial was another. It's been a week since the slaughterhouse raid and Walker stood in front of the memorial and looked at the countless names. Pictures of people were set by some and others had flowers or personal belongings placed next to their names.

He often came by here and would just silently pay his respects and would just stand in his spot with his arms crossed. It was a normal thing for him to do, after each mission, he would come here and just do what he was currently doing. People near him mourned for their loved ones and he gave some grieving parents some space as they held a picture of her lost son.

It was the kid on the boat. He was smiling in the picture, his parents next to him while he was in uniform. So young and full of hope. In hindsight, Walker should have had one of the former students man the gun. Maybe that would have gotten their asses into gear... they would have died in that mission either way.

The parents gave one last tearful goodbye to the picture before setting it on a spot then departing shortly after. Several other people were spread out along the wall, paying their respects just as he was. It was different from the majority of the Beacon section, compared to the rest of the location, the wall was almost silent. Nobody wanted to disturb the dead's rest and to do so would be considered rude.

Red walked up next to him and looked up at the wall as well. The list of names had grown and it stretched for a while. A majority of them were innocent people, with hopes and dreams for the future. The rest were of the many who died fighting against the Horde and Grimm.

That was another problem they had to deal with now that the Glowie infection got out into the wild. While it did keep the Grimm at bay since they were too busy fighting their infected counterparts, it did spread faster than what had originally thought. The best way to combat them was to strike them in the throat to keep them from exploding.

"You've been here for a while." She commented.

"It's the last time I'll see this wall for the time being." He responded.

"We'll come back here, you know?" She looked at him.

"I know." He nodded.

"Come on... I don't want to be here anymore than we have to." She tugged his hand. He just let himself be dragged away from the wall and back towards the area where the tents were. The two of them just weaved through the countless people and looked up to see the clouds in the sky.

"These people need better shelters." He commented.

"We'll get them better shelters in the future. We have a bit of time now." She said.

"Yeah" He said before bringing out the C-Droid and selecting a few things. Once the expansion for Mother Base was complete, he'd start working on Beacon then do Menagerie when the time came around. The last one could wait seeing how the surrounding area was on a good spot.

"Nikos up ahead." She called out and he just sighed before looking ahead to see the former celebrity. Jaune was with her and Walker just gave a deadpan expression as they approached him and Red. Was it too much to ask to be left alone for a while? Or at least with the three people he could actually call friends?

"Is it alright if she tags along with us when we leave?" Jaune asked.

"Did you get cleared?" Walker asked her.

"Yes, sir. They gave me two weeks." Pyrrha nodded.

"Go grab your belongings. We're leaving in three hours." He said.

"Understood." She bowed and left to go collect her things. He just watched her leave before turning to Jaune, who just rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry for not-" Jaune started.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?" Walker asked.

"I know you don't really like her all that much." Jaune said.

"I'm not going to say I dislike her, but I don't care about her as much as you." Walker admitted.

"So you feel neutral?" Jaune asked.

"Pretty much." Walker shrugged.

"She's a great person." Jaune said.

"I'm sure she is." Walker nodded. In truth, he didn't trust her in the slightest. While Gears did mingle with the people from the city, none mingled with Beacon nor Atlas when they stopped by.

He had only met one celebrity and the man was an absolute blast to be around in his opinion. Cole had actually taught Walker several things and was eager to keep in touch when he found out that the younger man was somewhat of a Thrashball fan and had a good head on his shoulders. Not to mention, he's fought alongside Cole briefly and knew that he wasn't just all talk.

"So are we speaking with Ozpin or what?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah, Blake's already up there." Walker said.

"You think she's pissed?" Red asked.

"I know she's pissed. Considering the fact that Atlas tried to forcefully occupy Menagerie, I'd be pissed too." He nodded. Atlas didn't seem to realize that trying to occupy the continent, despite being told otherwise, went against several treaties set into place. Tensions started to arise and a brief firefight broke out, resulting in the Gears and BSS eliminating Atlas personnel.

Needless to say, neither Ozpin nor Ironwood were too happy with him. He didn't care in the slightest because he told them numerous times that they weren't allowed there, and even Ghira had told them that they didn't need them at the moment.

The three stepped into the elevator and he pressed the button to the office before stepping back. That annoying jingle bounced off the walls of the cabin and they could faintly hear faint arguing, already knowing the one who was talking was Blake. They really weren't even here to talk to Ozpin... just pick her up and leave. When the elevator doors opened, the three saw her clench her fist and the tablet in her hand.

"Finally, some people with some fucking common sense." She exclaimed.

"Oh shit..." Walker whispered and looked at the other two. It took a lot to get her to cuss like that, and pushing her to that point was a feat on its own.

"You uh... mind filling us in?" Jaune asked.

"The senile dipshit over here is trying to justify forcefully occupying Menagerie and essentially take it over with Atlas." She pointed at Ozpin.

"Ms. Belladonna, while I do understand your anger, we weren't trying to push your father out of power. We just felt that sending some representatives over there to relieve some of the burden would be a wise decision." Ozpin said.

"You all never cared in the past, so why do you care now? We're constantly transferring people over there to give them at least a better chance at survival; people who lost nearly everything and you thought sending a few Schnee representatives was wise?" She seethed.

"She's got a point. Why did you decide it would be a good idea to send several representatives there, even though Chieftain Belladonna explicitly stated that he didn't want you all there?" Walker asked.

"Commander... we need the forces. Since Beacon isn't operational anymore, there's no place to train Huntsmen and Huntresses." Ozpin said.

"Why are you still under the illusion that the era of Huntsmen and Huntresses is still active? It's not. There were flaws in the system and while it worked against Grimm, it's useless against the Locust. It's even more useless against the Glowies." Walker said.

"..." Ozpin just stayed silent and stared at him.

"Huntsmen and Huntresses; the best and brightest warriors of Remnant, ranking higher than Kingdom police and military, in terms of strength, and skill." Walker recited and put his hands behind his back, pacing around the room.

"I know that's what I said." Ozpin said.

"You don't see a problem with this? You all call us glorified mercenaries, but you're no better and at least we get the job done. Not like you clowns. Do you want to know something? Half your students died in that slaughterhouse attack. They couldn't have that mentality beaten out of their skulls and it costed them." Walker said as he paced around.

"You were the one spearheading that operation. You're the reason they're gone." Ozpin stood up.

"At least I decided to lead them and not sit on my ass like you do all the time. No, they're gone because they tried to act like heroes. I told them that if they didn't shape up then their deaths would not be on me, and they're not. They-" Walker said.

"Get out." Ozpin said.

"Fine by me. No skin off my back." Walker shrugged and hook his arm around Blake as she continued to glare at Ozpin. Once they were in the elevator, he pressed the button and the doors started to close. The four of them just stared at Ozpin and shook their heads when he was out of sight. It was quiet as they started to descend and that jingle was the most annoying sound right now.

"Please tell me we have a plan just in case he tries something." Jaune said.

"Reveal the existence of that girl he has hidden down in the dungeon." Walker answered.

"What do we have on her?" Red crossed her arms.

"Apparently she's a special individual. Her name's Amber and she was to be escorted here to Beacon but got intercepted by an unknown party. That drunken crow was her escort." Blake answered as she looked at the file.

"Notify the Gears and BSS about her and increase security. Whatever or whoever was after her is probably still hiding around somewhere." Walker said.

"We're seriously helping them?" Jaune asked.

"We're not doing this for Ozpin, it's more or less for that girl. Chances are she didn't want to be roped into this whole mess." Walker answered.

They understood what he meant; that they were getting involved just enough to prevent something from happening. In case Ozpin tried to do something, they'd blackmail him into complying and knew that he'd do anything to keep his precious secrets. Was it a dirty thing to do? It was, but war was a dirty business and more often than not, their hands were already covered in filth.

They were the unknown piece on the board, throwing the game into disarray.

Pyrrha looked at Walker as he went to the door and slid it open, sitting on the edge and sliding the belt over his lap. She choked on her drink when she saw the size of the base. Dozens of platforms stood high in the water. Each one connected by bridges and she saw some of them have apartments while other ones had different uses.

Three large platforms were connected closely together and formed a commercial district. Countless guns scanned the skies and water and she could see countless Gears patrolling their home. Each one held a Lancer in their hands and saluted their Bullhead as it soared over the ocean waves and platforms. To call this place big was an massive understatement.

This place was essentially a fortress and city in one, and it was a wonder how they were able to keep this place off the map. They started to descend and when the Bullhead landed on the pad, he unbuckled himself and grabbed his bag. Several Gears stood nearby and saluted them all, welcoming them all home and Walker nodded back before dismissing them.

"So this is where you all live..." Pyrrha looked around.

"It is." Walker said as he handed his weapons to four individuals in dark, blue robes. She watched as they carefully took the weapons, along with the other three's weapons as well. The four individuals bowed in respect before departing shortly after. She shuddered when they gazed at her through their glowing goggles and turned away.

"Who were they?" She asked.

"An odd group of people, but they're useful and loyal." He answered. The group was found in the wild, barely surviving with scraps they had made out of former Atlas tech and betrayed by their own. They had an unhealthy obsession with cybernetics, but they were extremely knowledgeable in that field. Gears that had lost limbs but still wished to fight were left in the care of the four individuals, who would create a new cybernetic limb for them then cover it in synthetic flesh.

Brock and Simon commanded the four of them and worked closely with them in the workshop. Not only did production speed increase with creating ammunition, but weapons were always cleaned and maintained for. It allowed the brothers to work on them without any trouble. The four also worked with the R&D department with technology, having an obsession with it.

They adopted Walker's teachings with an almost cult-like passion. To them, he was a living embodiment of an efficient machine. Where others saw creepy, technology obsessed individuals; he saw important parts and didn't judge them by their personalities.

"Aren't they skilled in genetics and biological engineering as well?" Jaune asked.

"Mm-hmm." Walker hummed.

"Isn't wearing those goggles bad for their eyes?" Pyrrha asked.

"Those aren't goggles." Blake answered. Although not many people knew, she had found the four to be somewhat endearing in some ways. She was one of the few that knew how young they actually were and helped nurture them back to health. They were geniuses when it came to sciences and they constantly sought knowledge to assist their home any way they could.

"They're not?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's their eyes." Red said calmly.

"Oh..." Pyrrha said uncomfortably. It was a horrible thought to think about, that someone would be willing to mutilate themselves and replace their missing limbs or other parts with cybernetics.

"Jaune, you're family is here. You might want to go talk to them." Walker said.

"Alright. I'll see you guys later." Jaune waved and started to make his way towards the residential platform. It's been a while since he's last seen them in person, so they didn't really know about his leg. Pyrrha followed after him, leaving the other two flanking his sides.

"Keep an eye on her." He ordered.

"You think she's spying on us?" Blake asked.

"Probably." He crossed his arms.

"And if she is?" Red asked.

"We find out what she knows. If it means getting our hands dirty while doing it, then so be it." He crossed his arms.

"I just find it kind of suspicious that she's suddenly head over heels for him." She said.

"They've met before, back during initiation before we got kicked out. My best guess is that she's always held something for him." Blake said as she brought out her scroll.

"Still... keep an eye on her." He said.

"Already sent the message to several of the staff." She said.

"Good. Last thing we need is for her to do something to stir up trouble." He said as he walked towards the building and entered it. They were greeted by the front desk receptionist, who greeted them briefly as they made their way up. It felt nice to be back here and he'd get some rest.

"I'm hungry." Red said.

"Eat something then." He responded as they exited the elevator and started walking down the hall. The familiar scent of lavender wiggled its way into their noses, and while it wasn't his preferred choice, it was a nice break from the constant scent of blood and whatever else there was out there.

"What do you have?" She asked.

"What the hell? Go eat your own food." He exclaimed and glanced at her.

"Don't know if there's anything in there, but I can check." She said as she went to her door and unlocked it, opening it and the other two heard her briefly check and then walk back out.

"Well?" Blake asked.

"There's nothing in there. It's like someone ate all of it." She shrugged.

"You barely checked." He said.

"I did." She said.

"Barely." He retorted.

"I still checked though." She said and stretched a bit.

"Smartass." He commented.

"Anyways, I'm going to take a shower. I'll see you guys later." Blake said.

"I should take one too." Red said.

"You need to do something, stinky." He retorted. His arm stung a bit when she slapped him and walked back to her own apartment. The hallway was quiet and he sighed in relief before going to his apartment and unlocking it. His keys were thrown inside of the bowl on the counter and he set his bag down in his room.

Several bruises formed on his skin and he winced when he touched them after taking off his shirt and staring in the mirror. Each one varied in several sizes and shapes, and even the severity of them. Some were worse than the others and he winced one he touched one of them.

After taking some pain medication, he turned on the shower and got in after taking his clothes off. The warm water eased the tension in his muscles and made him relax a bit. It's been a while since he's been in his own shower and to finally be here was relaxing. The soap had a fresh air scent to it and was probably his favorite one. He climbed out of the shower after washing himself and put a clean set of clothes on.

There was a knock on the door and he looked through the peephole and saw that it was the girls. He unlocked the door and sat down on the couch, seeing that they brought food with them. He expected Jaune to show up but remembered that he was with Nikos and his family, the latter something Walker was not looking forward to talking to. Was it too much to ask to be left alone for a day or two?

He leaned back into the cushion and the TV was turned on, they only had two dozen channels and the news on base was truthful. No matter how bad it got, the news network always gave the truth. A movie was put on and he sat in the middle while they just put their legs on his lap, either reading or watching the movie as well. It was nice to be honest, just them finally being able to wind down after fighting for so hard.

"Walker." Red shuffled around a bit.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Can you throw my food away?" She asked.

"No." He answered instantly.

"Ugh." She huffed and threw her legs onto the ground before picking up her food off the coffee table and throwing it away. She sat back down and watched the movie again The three of them just relaxed and felt a sense of ease worm its way into their systems. They deserved it.

The sky was sunny as always on the base, not a cloud in the sky and the air was warm. It wasn't too warm to the point of being uncomfortable, but it made people feel good about going outside. Walker was busy at work, looking at reports and files of the various Gears and BSS operatives. He stopped when he got to a document that held the prisoner's information, staring at it blankly.

The door to his office opened and he saw Blake enter in some casual clothing. A simple pair of jeans and a black shirt, her tag was tucked beneath her shirt and she wore her signature flat cap as usual. A small hint of perfume wiggled its way into his nose, but he didn't find it unpleasant in the slightest.

"Are you alright?" She asked, noticing him staring at the document.

"..." He just kept staring at the document and she walked around the desk to look over his shoulder. She noticed him staring at the report of the raid and was reading the information about each of the victims and casualties they had received on their part. The former prisoners were taken to Mother Base and given treatment, helping them recover a bit.

Some committed suicide though and he felt like he should have done something different.

Her hand rubbed his shoulder soothingly and he just gave it a few pats, as if to tell her he was alright. It was something that he should have considered after rescuing the people, that some of their minds were so broken that death was their only escape. He pitied them for going through that pain and suffering, only to be rescued when their mind and soul were already gone.

"I think that's enough for today." She said.

"Alright." He nodded and stored the file away for later. The computer was shut down after he finished some things and got up.

"So what do you want to do?" She asked.

"I'm up for whatever." He shrugged.

"Coffee it is then." She perked up a bit.

"Again?" He asked.

"What? I like that place." She looked at him.

"I can tell." He said and the two of them went to the elevator. They went down and towards the main lobby area, waving at the janitor as he cleaned the floors before going outside. Not a cloud in the sky and the two of them shielded their eyes when the sun glared at them before their vision adjusted to the brightness.

She climbed in the passenger seat while he climbed in the driver's and started the truck, backing up and then driving off towards the commercial platform. Both of them rolled the windows down and enjoyed the breeze while he turned on the music and lowered the volume a bit.

"Red's not coming?" She asked.

"She said she wasn't feeling good." He answered.

"How bad was she?" She asked.

"Not too bad. A little flushed in the face and tired for the most part, but otherwise she's fine." He said.

"That's good." She said.

"Yeah. We'll pick something up on the way out." He said and leaned his head on his left hand while driving. It was silent for a few minutes with the exception of the soft music and the sound of the vehicle.

"Nikos is getting awfully close to Jaune." She looked out the window.

"That was to be expected since he brought her here." He said.

"You still think she's a spy?" She asked.

"I do." He answered instantly.

"You're fully prepared to kill her, aren't you?" She asked.

"I am. Knowing Ozpin and his company, he'll probably use her to get one over on us." He said.

"We could always just keep her locked up here." She said.

"Would draw too much suspicion." He said.

"And you think killing her won't? She's a celebrity, a well-known one at that. If anything happens to her, we're landing ourselves in hot water with both the public, Ozpin's company, and Vale's military." She responded.

"..." He just stayed silent and mulled over her words. In hindsight, he probably should have just left Pyrrha in the mainland and avoided this whole dilemma from the very beginning. The most they could do was damage control at this point.

"It's going to destroy Jaune if she turns out to be an informant for Ozpin." She said.

"I know. We'll be there to pick him up like always though." He whispered. During their lowest moments, they all were there to pick one another up. Jaune needed their help more times than not and not once did they hesitate to be there. The three of them had built their faction from the ground up and would be there if it ever fell.

"On another note, some of our contacts in Atlas found the other site for the second Heaven's Spear missile." She looked at her tablet.

"Where's it at?" He asked.

"One hundred and fifty miles east of Mantle. It's deep underground but surrounded by limestone so the Locust can't dig through it." She answered.

"Something isn't adding up." He said.

"No kidding. I'm wondering why they built it in that location and where their next target is." She said.

"See if you can find out more about it." He ordered.

"Already on it." She tapped a few icons on the screen.

"Good." He nodded and the rest of the ride was silent. They passed the café and she looked at him in confusion. He didn't say anything and simply drove to a small restaurant and parked the truck in its spot, climbing out and closing the door before locking the vehicle. He held the door open for her and stepped in shortly after, greeting the waitress before sitting down in the booth.

"I thought we were going to the coffee shop?" She asked.

"Decided to treat you." He said as he looked at the menu.

"For what?" She asked.

"It's been a while since we've gone out to eat. Plus, I noticed you're working harder than usual." He answered and set the menu down.

"Just taking a page out of your book." She said.

"Hmph, I'm not a very good role model when it comes to work ethic. Don't overwork yourself though." He said.

"You should practice what you preach." She jabbed.

"I'm trying." He said, ordering some drinks before their food shortly after.

"I thought Red would have wanted to come too?" She looked around to see several people enjoying their food. They looked content and didn't waste a scrap of it.

"She decided not to. Plus... she's the one who suggested I take you here after she noticed you ogling this place for a while." He said as he drank his water. She stopped and looked at him for a few seconds before turning to her drink and stirring it slowly.

"Thanks." She smiled a bit.

"No problem. You can help me figure out where to take her." He responded.

"Aside from the range, I heard she's wanted to the bakery for a while. Maybe you can take her there." She suggested.

"Maybe..." He nodded. When their food arrived, the two of them eased their way into a small series of conversations. Despite the losses they suffered, they decided to enjoy the fact that they were still breathing and could have moments like these.

Another day in his office and another day of doing paperwork. There were loads of documents already done by his staff, but he dedicated himself to looking at the different files for the Gears and BSS combatants. If he was going to be fighting next to them, then he'd like to know the necessary amount of information about them. An email popped up on his screen and he read it before deleting it.

The BSS ship was outside in its usual spot and its occupants going back and forth between the ship and the base. Both allies had taken a liking to one another's base of operations. The BSS had felt that Mother Base was its own little self-sufficient place and could even dare call home; while the Gears saw the ship as an armored mobile fortress.

He ended up just hanging out with Red in his apartment for several hours, binging a few movies together after going to the bakery. It was nice to be honest, nobody bothered them and she left after they finished hanging out. They'd do it again one day but for now, he had to work and get some things done. Still, he did wish they had more time to enjoy the little moments like these.

However, he knew that he couldn't relax just yet. He had to find ways to counter the Locust and whatever else decided to threaten the livelihood of the world.

His office door opened up and Red strolled in before plopping down on the couch and lying on it. She put her arm over her eyes and breathed quietly while he just glanced at her before returning to his work.

"What'd I tell you about plopping down on the couch?" He asked.

"Sorry..." She said quietly.

"You alright?" He asked when he noticed her tone. She lacked the somewhat calm tone she always had.

"Just a little tired." She answered.

"Mentally or physically?" He asked.

"Both." She answered.

"What's bothering you?" He asked and set the file down.

"Have you ever felt useless? Or that you could have done more?" She asked.

"All the time." He answered, making her take her arm off her face and look at him. It made her feel a bit better that he set his work down for once and gave her his undivided attention.

"You do?" She asked.

"Yep. Why do you feel useless though?" He asked.

"It's just... I feel like I'm not contributing like I should." She sat up.

"In what way?" He asked.

"Take Blake for example." She gestured to the Intelligence Platform out the window.

"Okay." He nodded.

"Blake is the Director of Intelligence, your go to secretary, and does volunteer work at the school. Jaune is part of a clan of famed Huntsmen and Huntresses and is dating a celebrity, and you're... well... you know. What am I?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just got out of his chair before sitting down next to her. She leaned on his shoulder and he could almost feel the small amount of loneliness radiate off of her.

"What happens when this war is over and things go back to normal?" She asked herself.

"Things aren't going to be normal. It will be a broken world that has blood seeping into its foundation. The most we can do is recover what remains of it and rebuild once we win." He answered. It was what Sera had to do and a part of him felt homesick just thinking about it.

"Where do you think I will be?" She asked.

"Wherever you want. Where do you want to be?" He asked back.

"... I don't know..." She said after several seconds of silence. The tone of her voice gave off the feeling of being lost, and a small sense of fear. She had always wandered around the wild and simply thought about how to live until the next day, always fighting tooth and nail to survive.

Both of them were alike in more ways than they thought. Neither one knew how to settle down and they were always thinking about how to survive whatever life threw at them. They were survivors when it all boiled down to it. They'd continue to fight until their last breath and even then they'd still give it their all.

"You don't have to think about it now. Things like these take time and it's not easy when you have to decide." He said. Giving advice was never his strong suit and although it worked out a majority of the time, there were times it blew up in his face.

"What if I have to decide soon?" She tucked her legs into her chest.

"Then you have to be as ready as you can for whatever comes." He answered.

"I think I get it." She nodded a bit.

"What else has been bothering you?" He asked.

"Just... never mind. I don't want to bother you." She shook her head.

"Come on, I got some time." He said and watched her take a deep breath before opening up. She began to tell him how she never really had a place to call home or people she could really trust. The reason she was always on guard was something was always out to get her, whether it was people or Grimm, she couldn't seem to catch a break. He understood the feeling, more often than not, the Locust were out for his head.

The more she told him, the smaller she curled into herself and seemed to shrink away from the world. She began to tell him that once the war was over, she'd probably fade into obscurity like she did many times in the past and there'd be no one to remember her. Which wasn't true because a lot of people would remember her. The deeds she did and the sacrifices she made wouldn't be forgotten.

He understood that she didn't want a lot of attention, but merely to be remembered and he'd grant that.

"There's always going to be someone to remember you." He said.

"..." She just stayed silent and adjusted herself a bit. Even though she wouldn't admit it, she did feel a bit better after getting something off her chest and he was the first person she ever talked to like this. Keeping people's secrets was one of his specialties and it just added another thing he was able to do.

An almost silent beep was heard on his watch and he looked down at it before shrugging and leaning back against the cushion of the couch. He was supposed to meet with Jaune's family but he didn't want to right now and they weren't his immediate concern. Red's current condition was his main concern and he put his Gears above himself nearly all the time.

"I'm guessing you're sleeping in my apartment again?" He asked.

"Do you really need to ask?" She glanced at him before closing her eyes again.

"Guess not." He chuckled a bit and the two were thrown into silence. Nothing seemed to break the quiet atmosphere for the next several minutes and they simply enjoyed the moment. He took his helmet off and set it next to him and leaned his head back, breathing deeply and inhaling the fresh air of the office.

"Not going to finish your work?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I'll have one of the staff members finish what little is left. No reason to waste this small amount of relaxation." He answered. Although she didn't say anything, he knew she was a bit better judging by how her tail swished a bit more and she shuffled around more lively. It seemed that him simply being there and listening while giving some advice picked her mood up a bit.

"You smell like cinnamon." She commented. For some odd reason, he had a distinct odor to him that some people found pleasant. It was like a mixture of cinnamon and firewood, which was odd to him. Both Blake and Red claimed he smelled like a combination of the two scents and they could always tell when he entered the room. That's if he was clean and wasn't covered in dirt, blood, and the overall smell of war.

"It's better than smelling like shit." He responded.

"True." She nodded.

"..." He slowly closed his eyes and exhaled a bit before looking at his scroll when it buzzed. There was a message and he read it before tossing the device on the cushion and leaning back again.

"What was it?" She asked.

"Next location we're heading to." He answered.

"Where's that?" She adjusted herself.

"Mantle. We're escorting civilians out of there before whatever shitstorm decides to hit." He answered.

"You think that's the Locust's next target?" She asked.

"There's no telling. Mistral is pretty much a Locust controlled territory and so is Vacuo. The last thing we need is Atlas to fall right now and as much as I don't like them, some of the people don't deserve whatever the Locust have in store for them." He answered.

"Alright." She said and simply accepted the fact that they'd go to a place she wasn't to fond of.

"We can't make our presence known though. We're not exactly operating under legal conditions." He informed.

"I doubt it matters at this point." She said.

"You'd be surprised." He shrugged. The council were keen on maintaining somewhat of a normal way of life, even with a war against a genocidal race of humanoids. He wondered if Sera and Remnant were more alike than what he thought, but he brushed it off and started making plans on top of plans. After all, he was one of the biggest players on the board and couldn't afford to slack off anytime soon.