End of the year is finally upon us. The office is getting emptier and emptier as the more experienced employees burn their extra leave before they lose it (can only hold 240 hours at the end of the year, so any extra is lost if you don't use it). Next week, this place will be a ghost town. I'm off the week of Christmas.
Gearing up for a busy year ahead. Already interviewed three people so far to add to my team. Still weird realizing these kids would be answering directly to me. I sat in their seats a little over 8 years ago, nd now I'm on the other side of the table asking questions (and interpreting for my boss when he gets too technical or rambles). First trip will be a week or so into January, but don't expect it to impact my writing. Only planned week off from posting will be Christmas week (no chapter 29 December).
Also, MrsTheGoose will be setting up a booth tomorrow at our county's Holiday Market selling her polymer clay miniatures. Went really well at the Fall Festival (over $200 in sales with everything priced between $5 and $15). Hoping for similar success this weekend, but we're outside this time. Gonna be pretty cold, but at least the rain should hold off until Sunday. Also sneaking up on 900 followers on Twitch as we hit 3 years as an Affiliate (required to make any money on Twitch). Hoping we can get a late surge and hit the mark before the New Year. If anyone wants to check me out on there, I'm under the same username. You can even put a voice and face to the name if you pop in and see me stumble my way through games and endure some mean redemptions from chat!
Gonna be a little faster moving this chapter, so buckle your seatbelts!
Two weeks. That was how long the White Fang laws mandated Sienna had to wait before the actual vote happened. Two weeks of non-stop campaigning as both sides fought for each and every vote. And not just Sienna and Ghira, either. Both had loyal followers who were actively seeking out each and every undecided member in hopes of swaying them right up until the last minute.
Politics was nasty business. People began choosing sides pretty fast, leading to a few clashes that Adam had to help break up. Usually it was nothing more than a heated argument, but he'd had to pry two men apart when they'd gotten a little too carried 'd never realized just how long two weeks could be until now.
Through it all, Adam did his best not to get any more involved than he had to. Sienna called him up for meetings almost every morning alongside Corsac and Fennec. Those two always tracked him down publicly, making sure everyone saw the connection. Adam hated being used as a political prop, especially when she held a rally and asked him to be up on stage again, but such was life. He'd cast his lot in with Sienna and had to endure the consequences.
Thankfully, she left him alone in the afternoons. She'd probably hoped he would convince more people to join her, but he'd had more than enough politics for his liking. Instead, he trained, enjoying the brief break from all the drama.
At least until some idiot would come along and ruin the moment with incessant questions.
Who was he voting for? Why did he choose Sienna? Did Ghira do something wrong? If Ghira won, would Sienna try to take over anyway? If Sienna won, would Ghira fight the results? Why didn't he run? Which side's offering better pay? Were they going to change the White Fang's name?
No matter how many questions he answered, there were always more. As his frustration grew, his answers shrank. Eventually, he just ignored them entirely, waiting until they got the hint and left as he took his frustration out on whatever was in front of him, be it training dummy or sparring partner.
Poor Blake. He'd promised extra training, but she probably should've waited until after the vote. She took it all as well as she could, but she'd barely stood a chance when he'd been holding back. Frustrated Adam wasn't quite as merciful, but to her credit, she never really complained. Unlike everyone else, Blake never mentioned the upcoming vote. Even Kaito, a staunch Ghira supporter, made the mistake of trying to talk politics with Adam a few times. Blake didn't, earning herself as much training time as she wanted and more.
To be fair, she was probably just as grateful for the distraction. The Belladonna mansion had turned into a campaign headquarters almost overnight. Ghira met with some of his most loyal supporters day and night, planning their next move while comparing recent polls and demographics. People buzzed around the house at all hours, utilizing every square inch for the campaign. Posters were drawn. Recordings were made. They'd even turned the den into a sort of war room, with charts on the walls and paperwork on every surface. It got so bad that the only place Adam and Blake could hang out in the evenings was in his room.
No one was more excited than Blake and Adam when the two weeks finally ended.
The voting process was actually pretty quick. After breakfast, the cafeteria was converted into a polling station. One by one, members of the White Fang arrived and received a simple ballot with two names printed on it. Once filled out, the ballots were placed in a large, locked chest watched by a pair of volunteers from each side. Adam was chosen as one of the observers, meaning he lost an entire day to sit and do nothing. A few people tried getting in line again to vote more than once, but as far as Adam could tell, none of them managed to get a second ballot. With a detailed log of every member being tracked throughout the day and Kaito helping run the main desk, there was little chance anyone could slip through. Even without the physical logs, Kaito's Semblance meant he could remember every single person that checked in.
Counting didn't take long. Adam couldn't see the official count, but he had a pretty good idea which way things were heading. Both candidates were called in after the final tally to be informed of the outcome before everyone else. In the end, the outcome was all but inevitable.
"Congratulations, Sienna," Ghira said, accepting his defeat as well as anyone could. He didn't bother asking for a recount. Not when Sienna had nearly doubled his total. "For the sake of the White Fang, I hope you'll lead us well."
The announcement came within the hour. More speeches were made. Some went home disappointed. Others stuck around to celebrate their win long into the night. Adam was just relieved for the whole thing to be over.
Or not.
The next morning found Adam summoned to Sienna's office - her new one. She'd already taken over Ghira's old space, claiming her rightful spot and getting straight to work. Adam had never seen her so energetic. She zipped around the room as she spoke, unpacking and making the space her own.
"You won," Adam summarized as he sat down.
"We did," she replied, reading over something Corsac handed her before signing it and shooing him away. "I couldn't have done it without you, Adam."
"I think you would've been fine." She hadn't just eked out a victory. The results had been an absolute landslide.
"Don't sell yourself short. I talked to quite a few people last night." He would hope so. They'd delivered her a win. The least she could do is thank them afterwards. "Do you know what the most common reason for them choosing me was?"
He had a hunch. "Me?"
"You," she confirmed. Not that she needed to. Sienna wouldn't have brought it up otherwise. "It's a good thing you weren't running against me, or you'd be the one sitting in this chair."
"You're not even sitting in it," Adam pointed out.
"Sorry." Sienna whispered something to Fennec, who nodded and hurried off. With that, she forced herself to sit down at her new desk, but even then she kept working, tearing through paperwork as she spoke. "There's just so much to do."
"Already regretting the burden of leadership?" He knew he'd hate it. The stack of papers on her desk was enough to assure him he'd never want her spot.
Sienna smiled. "Not at all. We finally have the freedom to fix the White Fang, and I intend to strike while the iron's hot." Sienna rolled her eyes as she looked over some form, setting it aside without signing before finally turning her full attention on Adam. "That's actually why I called you here."
He knew that look. Day one and she already had plans. Plans for him. Well, this is what he'd signed up for. Knowing better than to fight it, Adam waited for her to reveal what she'd been cooking up.
Her conversation instead took a sudden detour. "How are things between you and Ghira?"
Oof. Could they go back to scheming? Maybe some plans for world domination or something? That had to be an easier topic. "He's…not exactly thrilled." At the result or the fact that his houseguest had helped sway the election against him. Adam had tried to speak to Ghira last night, but he'd been turned away. Breakfast had been a chilly affair as well. Ghira pretty much ignored his existence.
"Do you think he'll kick you out?"
Probably. Adam couldn't really blame him, either. Adam had been given special treatment all this time, but he'd sided with Ghira's rival in the end. Adam had known the risk and planned accordingly, even if it was going to suck. "I'm moving out." Better to get it over with. Sticking around would be awkward at best, but nowhere near as bad as Ghira having to tell him to leave. Blake would be ticked off, but better she be angry at him than at Ghira.
"I suspected you might be in need of new living arrangements." Sienna turned a paper around, sliding it across the desk toward him. "I've made a room available here for you. Our accommodations may not be as nice as the Belladonna mansion, but at least the commute is nice."
"A room?" Adam picked up the form, giving it a quick glance before deciding it wasn't worth interpreting the legalese.
"A suite," Sienna corrected. "More of an apartment, really. Bedroom. Bathroom. Even a small kitchen. I can have Corsac show you to it when he gets back."
She'd already set everything up for him? Looked like he wasn't the only one planning for certain eventualities. "How much?"
"Call it a benefit of your new position."
What? "I can pay." He wasn't exactly hurting for lien right now, since he'd never had to pay rent.
It looked like that trend would continue. "Nonsense. You've more than earned it." Had he? All he'd done was go on a few missions. "Besides, it's not being used. Another perk of leadership, but the last occupant had a better option available." Had Ghira used any of his benefits? An unused apartment. An empty office. What was the point in all that if he never intended to use them?
"What about you?"
"I already have my own place," Sienna assured him. Duh. She had to live somewhere before today. "I'll be fine on my own, unless you're asking me to move in with you?" Her amused smile mocked him. "I appreciate the support, but when I said I wanted you working under me, I hope you didn't misunderstand."
"I didn't!" Adam yelled the denial. "I…you…"
Sienna cackled at how flustered he became. "Relax. I'm not interested." Most men would've felt insulted, but Adam could only feel relieved at her words. "If I was, you'd know. I'm not some timid damsel waiting to be swept off her feet. If I want something, I get it."
"N-noted." Hopefully, their relationship would stay professional. He didn't think he could handle someone like her.
Joking finished, Sienna went right back to business. "Any idea when you plan to move in? It should be ready, but we'll need to program the lock to recognize your scroll."
"Today." No reason to wait. He'd expected to have to go apartment hunting and maybe crash with Bane or Jakob for a night or two. It was nice already having a solution. "I plan to talk to Ghira later today, even if he doesn't want to listen." Worst case, he'd let Kali know and move his stuff out before it got dark.
"Good." How was losing his spot in a mansion a good thing? He certainly didn't think it was. "I can have someone help you carry boxes if you need."
"I'll be fine." He didn't exactly have much to move. Some clothes, a small collection of personal items, and a couple pictures. He didn't exactly have a lot of stuff. "I'll be busy this afternoon, but I should be good to go by tomorrow."
"That brings me to my next point." Sienna rose and began pacing again. "We may have won the vote, but there's still plenty of holdouts who aren't happy to see Ghira replaced. We're in danger of losing some of our support."
"So?" If they couldn't work with Sienna as leader, then good riddance. They'd signed up to support the White Fang, not just Ghira.
"It'll hurt our numbers. If people see members jumping ship, some of the less committed might leave as well." Causing a bit of a domino effect. A few departures could spiral into many more over time. "A sudden drop in manpower will handicap our efforts and make us look weak. We need a win. Something to show that replacing Ghira was the right choice. And it has to be big."
A win, eh? "What do you need me to do?"
"A mission." Of course she did. Someone more cynical would think she wanted to remove him for a bit. She needed to solidify her power, and while he'd helped pave the way to victory for her, she had to know a lot of her support was reliant upon him. Having him out of the picture temporarily would help her seize the spotlight. While that might be part of her reasoning, Adam knew he was her best bet for delivering a much needed win.
"Another relief mission?" Those were pretty simple and would be good for PR. It would also help reassure those that might be worried about Ghira's replacement completely abandoning his methods. Easing them into change would be a safer bet.
Or they could just rip the bandage off. "No. We need something a little bigger. Something new."
"Won't that scare off some of the holdouts?"
"Almost certainly, but they'll leave in time either way. If they leave after a major victory, though, the others will see just how petty they are and will stick around. And if all goes well, we'll even have some new recruits to take their place." Another mission where Adam would be bringing people back with him. When had he become their greatest recruitment tool?
"So something visible with faunus to rescue." He could think of a few scenarios like that, but it all depended on exactly how visible Sienna intended to be.
"Not rescue. Liberate." Pretty dang visible then. "We're going after a mining camp in Anima. Camp Shobu." He'd never heard of it, but then again, he didn't exactly keep up to date on the SDC's holdings. "I want you to take a team, breach the defenses, and rescue the workers. Take all the dust and weapons you can carry."
"And bring it back here," Adam finished.
"No." Sienna shook her head. "Some of it will come back with you, but we're not just after the camp. Over the last several months, I've had a team in Anima setting up a forward operating base. Somewhere we can stage missions from that isn't as closely watched." Wait, was Menagerie being monitored? No. If it were, then they'd never get away with anything. All they'd have to do is track any ships leaving Menagerie and have forces waiting the moment they landed. Was Sienna planning for that possibility? Had they angered Atlas enough to have them sending ships to monitor Kuo Kuana?
Or was she planning to anger them that much?
"We're already working on plans for similar bases in Sanus." Probably on the Valean side. Vacuo's deserts would present a major challenge and Vacuo. Solitas would be just as bad, but with the added threat of Atlas on the lookout. "What our base needs now is manpower and supplies. See if you can convince some of the miners to join the cause there, but bring back anyone who'd rather come with you. My men will divide the supplies between the base and yourself, then send you home. Can't have you coming back empty handed."
Not if they wanted a win for Menagerie. Adam needed to have spoils when he returned. "What about the mining camp?"
"Up to you." Ah, there was the promised freedom, at least to a degree. "Try to minimize bloodshed if you can, but the safety of your men and the miners comes first. Just make sure you take out the equipment before you go. Make it expensive and time consuming if they want to reopen the camp."
She definitely had his attention now. Rescuing miners. Causing trouble for the SDC. It would be revenge for Orostachys. Still, SDC camps weren't exactly soft targets. Better than a raid in Mantle, but mining camps were designed for two purposes - collecting dust and keeping things out. Usually Grimm, but that kind of firepower would be just as effective against a bunch of faunus. Part of the reason Orostachys worked was that they'd attacked from within, removing perimeter defenses from the picture entirely.
"How are we getting in?"
"Up to you." Freedom could be a double edged sword. "You'll rendezvous with my men after you land. They'll get you to Shobu and help you any way they can. You'll have a couple days to observe the camp, but you'll need to be quick. We've only got a small window."
"Why the rush?" It's not like the camp was going anywhere, and while he didn't want to leave the miners to suffer any longer than he absolutely had to, a job like this needed to be done carefully. They'd only get one shot, and failure could very well cost them lives.
"Because you're not just going after the miners." Sienna's smile was just a little too smug. "Shobu is due for a large supply delivery. If all goes according to plan, you won't need the ship to get back. You'll be flying home."
Even better. The long ship rides were getting kind of old. Having a faster deployment method would save them a lot of time and frustration while enabling more rapid response times if one of the villages they supported had need of them. "Anything else."
"Just one more thing. Make sure they know it was us. It's time to let the world know that the White Fang is done being pushed around."
That wouldn't be a problem. The SDC would blame them either way. "Got it. When do we leave?"
"As soon as you're ready."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Three days later, Adam was on his way back to Anima. It would've been sooner, but he and Sienna needed to put a team together and coordinate with her contacts in Anima so they knew where to land. The ship would stick around off the coast as a backup if something went wrong, but Adam had no intentions of sailing home. In fact, he hoped to never ride another ship as long as he lived. The thrill of the ocean had worn off a long time ago.
The three days also gave him ample time to take care of matters at home. He'd moved out of the Belladonna house hours after talking to Sienna. Ghira didn't look too upset at his departure. Kali did better, even offering to help him pack up and asking if there was anything he needed for his new place. A stack of towels soon joined his meager possessions, along with a box of food from the kitchen that she practically forced into his hands. He tried reminding her that there was a cafeteria downstairs, but Kali insisted that he'd want some food of his own handy. Needed or not, it was a sweet gesture from a woman who had been nothing but kind since the day he met her.
Her daughter was less friendly when she found out.
Blake tracked him down that evening, demanding to know what happened and immediately jumping to conclusions. Despite what she thought, Ghira hadn't forced him to leave. Not yet. He was sure that time would've come eventually, especially as he started doing missions for Sienna. She'd fumed about him ditching her until he promised to have her over from time to time to continue their art lessons. He'd told her he needed time to settle in first, though, that way he didn't have to explain where he'd be going. Only those going on the mission were told what was happening, which meant he had to keep Blake in the dark. She'd probably make him pay when he got back.
That was a concern for another day. Right now, on his way to Anima with a handpicked team surrounding him, he had bigger fish to fry. Bane had been an obvious choice. They needed the extra muscle and Bane knew how to handle himself. He'd also brought Jakob along, marking his first real mission since joining the White Fang. He'd been doing well enough in combat training to make the cut, even if Adam doubted he'd hold up long against a Grimm. His sim had gotten a lot better, though, so as long as no one got too close, he'd do okay. On top of that, he'd apparently become quite proficient as a communications specialist - something Sienna insisted he bring along on this one.
Sadly, all his training hadn't quieted him a bit.
"The band's back together!" Jakob cheered after a briefing on the second day at sea. He'd stayed behind, as had Bane, while everyone else went about their duties. "The SDC better watch out. The Terrible Trio is back in action!"
"The only thing terrible here is your jokes," Bane said, rolling his eyes at their exuberant companion.
"Aw, you know you love them." Adam doubted anyone did. "I'm just sayin', the three of us could cause some real trouble for those Atlas suits."
"You won't be causing them any trouble at all," Adam instructed. "You won't be going anywhere near the fighting." None of them would, ideally, but he knew better than to assume the best. Jakob wasn't part of the fireteams, though. His job was to stay back and man the radio, coordinating their efforts in the field and relaying their status back to base as needed. Bane, on the other hand, would be leading his primary fireteam. His squad was armed to the teeth and ready for a fight.
Hopefully they'd never get one.
Jakob's exclusion from the action didn't faze him too much. Not that it stopped him from complaining. "But you need me!"
"I really don't."
"Who's gonna deliver the one-liners if I'm stuck in the back?" No one. This wasn't one of Jakob's action movies. He'd be infiltrating a highly defended base against people who wouldn't hesitate to kill him on sight. He didn't have time for dumb jokes. This was deadly serious, even if Jakob never was. "I've even been practicing a few. Can you dig it? This mine is mine. Or how about-"
"I'm sure we'll manage just fine without your quips." Better than with them. The men might mutiny if they had to endure Jakob's sense of humor. "Don't make me regret bringing you."
"I won't," Jakob promised. "Seriously. You'll see. I've been practicing."
"Which is the main reason I wanted you along."
"Not just because you missed me?"
"Missed you?" They saw each other every week for his combat classes. He'd even led an extra class right before they left, just to be certain they were ready. "We see each other all the time."
"Yeah, but we don't really hang out anymore. Not like we used to." Of course they did. Just last week, they'd spent the afternoon…no, wait, that was an extra training session. Okay, but what about…detention for acting up in class. Well surely they'd…okay, maybe he was right. "You're always busy with all your lady friends."
"I don't have any lady friends."
Jakob ignored his denial. "And look, I don't blame you. Sienna's a total babe."
"We aren't like that." No matter how much Jakob insisted they were.
"Not to mention Kali."
Oh gods. Not this again. "She's married to Ghira."
"So? Doesn't mean she isn't looking for some action on the side." She wasn't, and according to Blake, she and Ghira weren't exactly lacking in that department. "Well, you've got the next best thing."
"How's that?" Adam regretted asking even before the words finished leaving his mouth.
"Blake's cute, and if she grows up to look anything like her mom…" Adam really didn't need the eye waggle. Was it too late to turn back and get someone else? "Yowzah!"
"She's twelve." Far too young for someone like him. Not that he was interested. That'd be like crushing on your little sister.
"Really? Would've pegged her for fourteen or fifteen." How did that make it any better? Even if it cut the difference in half, he didn't exactly feel his age. How could he? Here he was, the most wanted man on Remnant, about to lead an assault on a mining camp as the second highest ranking member of the world's biggest terrorist group - at least according to Atlas and Mistral. Not exactly something anyone expected of a teen.
"There's no one I'm interested in." Not like that. Maybe someday, but right now, he was too focused on other things to settle down and worry about a relationship. Maybe in a few years.
"What about Melissa?"
"Your boss?" He'd only met her a couple times. She was pretty and all, but he didn't think there was anything there. He was more surprised Jakob hadn't tried. Scratch that. He probably had and been shut down instantly.
"I saw the two of you chatting it up a few days ago."
"I was asking her for recommendations for this mission. Believe it or not, she actually recommended you." As well as a few others, but Jakob had topped the list. "Though now I'm thinking she just wanted to get rid of you." Bane snickered at the dig. "Help me out here."
"I'm just here for the show," Bane answered cheekily.
"Screw you."
"Which one?"
"Both of you." Jakob for his stupidity and Bane for not helping.
"Sorry. I don't swing that way." Maybe Jakob should be on a fireteam. Or face a firing squad. He doubted anyone would blame him at this point.
"Anyways," Adam growled, desperate to regain a modicum of control, "I didn't just bring you along for comms."
"I knew it. You want me."
"What I want is for you to help me find a way into this camp." Adam unrolled an image of Camp Shobu. Sienna's men had been busy gathering intel for their mission. "You were the best at sneaking around Orostachys, so I was hoping we could find some vulnerabilities to exploit."
Now he was speaking Jakob's language. He dove into the images, comparing outer shots with rough sketches of the layout and even notes on guard rotations, work details, and more. The three of them met every day to discuss ideas and solidify plans. The approach was an obvious one. Like Orostachys, the camp had been built around a single, large opening dug directly into the base of a small mountain, though calling it a mountain proved generous. It looked more like a giant boulder stuck in the ground. On the one hand, it meant an easier climb, but it also meant less ground to watch for the defenders.
As a result, three sides of the camp were enclosed by a large wall, while the remaining side relied on the mountain itself for protection. Unlike Orostachys, though, there were multiple cameras posted around the perimeter, giving them an extra set of eyes, including atop the mountain itself.
"That's a tough nut to crack," Jakob commented.
"Looks like they increased security after Orostachys." Mainly the cameras. According to the notes, they'd been installed within the last year and had night vision capability. Even sneaking in at night would be difficult, but not impossible.
A nighttime incursion presented other obstacles. "Cameras will be monitored closer at night. Even if you get inside the perimeter, we don't have a good enough lay of the land. If they spot a lone, armed faunus roaming the camp, they'll lock the place down and call off the airship."
"You want me to go during the day?" Their biggest advantage was that the guards couldn't see as well during the night, but the cameras somewhat negated that.
"They wouldn't expect it," Jakob offered. Of course they wouldn't. They'd have more guards and better sightlines once the sun came up. "Best chance is when the morning shifts start. They'll be busy watching the workers, which might give you the opening you need."
"Might?" Adam didn't like working on assumptions.
Bane chimed in, pointing to the notes on the table. "Why not go during the guard change?"
"That might be the worst moment," Jakob said, continuing to be their expert in infiltration. He hadn't snuck around Orostachys all those years without picking up some tricks. "It's good if you're doing a quick run from the inside, but getting in is a different ballgame. All it takes is one person looking in the right direction, and you've got twice as many eyes during a shift change. They'll swap when nothing else is happening, too, so there's nothing to distract them. Better to wait until the night shift turns in and the day shift is occupied."
"That doesn't leave much wiggle room." The supply ship would be there early, according to the schedule. He'd barely have time to get situated before it landed.
"Less time to worry about hiding, too. Best bet would be here." Jakob pointed to an approach on the northeastern edge. "If you can take out this camera, you'll have a direct shot to their storehouse. Slip in just before the mines open and hole up there."
"Won't taking out a camera alert them?"
"Cameras fail all the time," Jakob promised. "They'll send out a team to check it, which will split their attention even more. Just make sure you hit it with a rock or something. They'll think something fell from higher up. Unless you give them a reason to suspect you, people will always assume the simplest answer."
Maybe, but that was a big risk. If he raised the alarm before the airship landed, they'd miss their opportunity. He needed to get in and secure the airship before the unloading finished. After that, he had to figure out a way to basically take over the camp. A straight up fight by himself wouldn't go well. They had to have people capable of fighting Grimm, and even if they weren't very good, they had strength in numbers and a slew of faunus to threaten. His best bet would be taking out the leadership early and forcing the rest to stand down, just like they'd done with Ferric. Either that, or he needed to take out their best fighters early before they could leverage their superior numbers against him.
Planning continued throughout the entire voyage, with multiple options being pursued, but they always seem to come back to Jakob's plan. Even after they landed and met up with Sienna's men, the three of them continued debating every little detail. Everything had to be perfect. Sienna needed her win, but more than that, Adam needed everyone to make it out alive.
Getting to Shobu took a few days. Adam had them traveling from early in the morning until late at night. The sooner they reached Shobu, the more time he would have to scout out the camp himself. Pictures and charts were nice, but nothing beat seeing it in person.
The pictures didn't do it justice.
One look at Camp Shobu and any idea of a direct assault went out the window. He might make it, but the fixed guns atop the walls would cut his men down in a flash. He had to watch the camp through binoculars, as the treeline ended far from the walls in every direction, leaving virtually no cover between his men and the camp. They'd be spotted the moment they broke the treeline, giving the defenders ample time to pick them off on the approach.
Adam led his men to flank around the camp, circling around until the trees began to give way to the rocky terrain in the east. They broke camp half an hour from Shobu, where Jakob busied himself setting up a sort of miniature command center. It was a little weird seeing the former miner so proficient with the complex array of electronics, but within a couple hours he had communication established with the Anima base, which relayed information back and forth with Menagerie.
While his men stayed back, Adam spent each night sneaking closer to Shobu and looking for gaps in their defenses. The cameras were exactly where they were meant to be. He might've missed them if he didn't know where to look. He'd hoped to find enough cover to sneak past and avoid them entirely, but nothing looked promising. Not enough for him to risk discovery, at least. Whoever had set up the system had been meticulous in their placement.
"It's as bad as we thought," Adam reported back. "You were right. Our best shot is taking out a camera to create a blind spot." Which security would notice almost immediately. He needed to breach the perimeter before anyone came to investigate, which would probably only be a matter of minutes. Not enough time to make it all the way down the other side, which meant he'd need to circle around and stay low to avoid being spotted by the response team. After that, he'd be operating purely off of the intel from Sienna's men. "Everything good to go on your end?"
"I'm all set here. We can keep in touch through your scroll," Jakob said, holding his hand out. "Here, I'll show you." With a few quick taps, he brought up some app Adam had never seen before. To be fair, he barely ever used the thing. "I've already set it to our frequency here, so it'll act like a radio. Just hit this button to connect and it'll be just like a call. Let us know when you get to the airship, but make sure no one's nearby first."
Obviously. Be kind of stupid of him to get spotted like that.
They ran through the plan one more time, just to be safe and make sure they hadn't missed anything. "I found a good spot downhill from our insert point that'll give me some cover. I'll take position before it gets too dark." Preferably before they activated night vision. He'd have a better chance then. They didn't know exactly how high quality the cameras were, but when it came to Atlas tech, it was better to be cautious. "I'll make my move as soon as I hear the work bell." Or at 0800 if he didn't hear anything. If all went according to plan, the guards would be too busy getting the workers to the mines to notice him sneaking in. "As soon as they start unloading, I'll sneak into the cockpit and disable the controls."
They'd brought along a trio of pilots who had shown him exactly how to sabotage the controls without permanently damaging the airship. Once they had control, they'd repair his damage and fly out, but he needed it to stay grounded until they were ready. Afterwards, Sienna's men would get them safely away.
"Bane, I want your fireteam on standby if anything goes wrong. Breach the south of the hill and rush the airship. If you can seize the cockpit and make the repairs, I want you to take off immediately."
"But what about-"
"Don't worry about me," Adam instructed. "I'll manage, but we can't leave empty handed. You grab what you can and head straight for Menagerie. No waiting around this time. Understood?"
Bane didn't look pleased, staring down Adam in hopes of changing his mind, but Adam refused to budge. He couldn't have them risking everything just to save him. If Shobu could beat Adam, then Bane and his handful of men wouldn't be enough to tip the scales. Adam would figure something out on his end if he had to.
"Fine." Bane didn't like it, but he'd obey.
"Good. You know what to do. With any luck, we'll be in and out before they even know what hit them." They had to be. They were outnumbered and outgunned here. Speed and efficiency would be their strengths here. The longer it took Shobu to realize what was happening, the better their odds of success. "This time tomorrow, we'll be on our way home."
As the men celebrated and reveled in Adam's promise, a small camera hidden high in a nearby tree watched on, silently taking in everything below.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Adam rubbed his arms, trying to force some heat into his chilled limbs as the sun began to rise. Sneaking close last night had seemed like such a good idea, but he'd forgotten how long he had to camp out on the rocks. His back ached a little from the uncomfortable position he'd sat in, but at least it was almost time. His knee bounced anxiously as he checked his scroll, holding it close to his body to block out as much light as possible on the dim screen.
Almost seven. Less than an hour until he'd make his move. If he peeked over the edge, he could see the camera monitoring the area, but doing that now would be a terrible idea. Instead, he turned his scroll's camera on and snuck the edge around the corner just far enough to act as his eyes.
Nothing had changed. The lone camera still sat there, slowly sweeping back and forth to survey the approach. When it started to turn his way, he pulled his scroll back into cover, just to be safe. There was still plenty of time to kill. It didn't seem like it should be so long, but sitting around with nothing to do but wait and watch the clock made every minute drag. He couldn't even get up and move around too much with what little cover he had. Nothing to do but sit there and wait, left alone with nothing but the cold morning air and his own thoughts.
It was the second one that annoyed him more.
I still think you should just take out the repair team, Alyssa's voice complained. Probably just a tech and a couple guards. Easy pickings. Otherwise, you're cutting off your own escape route. True, but he needed to keep things quiet, not raise the alarm. Dead men tell no tales. But bodies did. A broken camera could be shrugged off, but they wouldn't ignore their men mysteriously dying. He'd be racing against the clock at that point. There was no way he'd be able to take the airship, free the miners, and capture the overseer before they realized something was up.
Coward. He preferred to think of it as pragmatic. It wasn't worth risking everything just to eliminate a few guards. Besides, he didn't need an escape route. He needed a win. If push came to shove, he'd do everything in his power to complete the mission, even if that meant taking on the whole camp himself. He'd make this work. Or die trying.
Adam ignored his pessimistic taunter, taking a deep breath before mentally running through the plan again. He knew it inside and out, but he needed the distraction. Take out the camera. Rush the camp and hide in the storehouse. Airship should land about two hours after that and begin offloading. All he had to do was slip inside, disable the controls, and then take over the entire camp. That last part would be a pain, but he'd done it once before. He had to believe he could do it again.
Adam's scroll buzzed with a silent alarm, letting him know the time had finally arrived. He waited another minute, then edged his scroll out once more to watch the camera. It swung his way slowly, paused for a moment, then began sweeping away. Adam had timed the movements beforehand. He counted to three in his head, then popped up and chucked the rock he'd found as hard as he could.
"Nailed it," he quietly cheered as his aim proved true, smashing the camera hard enough to knock it off its perch and leaving the thing dangling by its wires. It bounced against the rock wall noisily, finally coming to rest with the lens pointing away from him.
The moment it stilled, Adam moved. If they hadn't noticed the sudden failure, they would soon. Even now, they'd probably be calling someone to check it out. He had a couple minutes at best before they'd have at least three people heading up the hill - a technician and at least two guards. He wished they could've tested their response time, but two cameras going offline within a couple days would look too suspicious.
Adam stayed as low as he could, keeping low as he crested the hill and quickly surveyed his target. No airship yet, but he'd known that. Movement off to the right had him ducking, but it was just the miners heading for the cave entrance. He hadn't heard the bell, but it looked like work was about to start. Everyone was too busy to bother looking up as a solitary figure ran and slid down the hill, zigzagging between any cover he could find along the way. About halfway down, Adam flattened himself on the ground, watching the response team head up the path nearby to the top. They were a little faster than he'd expected. That wasn't good. If they were this quick to respond to something as simple as a broken camera, then he had zero room for error.
Adam picked up the pace once they disappeared from sight. For all he knew, they'd find the damaged unit and head straight back to get a replacement or something. He couldn't risk being in the open if that happened. He needed to reach the storehouse and fast.
Thankfully, their schematics proved accurate. The storehouse was near the edge of the main camp with only a pair of guards lurking nearby. They never noticed him slipping inside the dark building. Adam made his way deeper into the warehouse-like structure, hiding somewhere near the middle among a large shelving unit filled with boxes. He waited in silence, listening for any sign of movement nearby, but all he could hear was the distant sound of the day starting. It almost felt nostalgic to hear the loud banter of the workers preparing to delve deep into the depths in search of dust. If he had his way, this would be the last time any of them had to brave that hellhole for the profit of those that hated them.
Content the coast was clear, Adam pulled out his scroll and hit the call button. "I'm in," he reported, still taking in his surroundings as he spoke. It looked like the dust was kept elsewhere. Keeping it with all the food was asking for disaster. He had to assume the dust storage would be more heavily guarded.
"Any signs of trouble?"
"Nothing yet." But the day was still young.
"Airwaves are pretty clear." Jakob was monitoring communications in the area with the equipment he'd brought. He wouldn't hear everything, since hardlines would require a physical connection, but the convenience of radios and walkie talkies also meant there'd be little they missed. "Our friends will be here twenty minutes ahead of schedule."
Good. Less time to wait. "Copy. I've got a good view from here." He wasn't far from the landing platform and had a clear view of it out the front. Being so close made sense, since most of the supplies would be moved into the storehouse. "Anything unusual?"
"Nothing," Jakob promised. "Workers are on their way down for the day. Unloading crew should be in place ten minutes before landing. Keep an eye out."
"Will do." Getting past them would be risky, but the only way to the cockpit would be through the cargo bay. Other entrances wouldn't be open. "Going silent. I'll call when I'm aboard."
"Good luck, Adam." Adam disconnected the call, venturing deeper into the storehouse. There was a side exit near the back, but a sign warned of it being alarmed. The only other way out he could find was the large doors in front. He'd have to slip out the way he'd come in, but that also meant he wouldn't have to watch other entrances for any surprises.
Eventually, the hum of an aircraft coming in slow and low signaled the start of the fun. He waited until the shadow of the airship passed over the entrance before ducking out and sliding around the corner of the nearest building, trusting that everyone would be looking up at the airship for a moment. Just like Jakob said, the unloading crew was already standing by, eager to get the supplies moved. Adam waited for them to start making a dent in the work, seizing a brief opportunity when part of the team broke off to start moving crates to the storehouse.
Adam ran under the belly of the airship, keeping the lowered cargo ramp between him and any prying eyes as he approached. A discussion at the bottom of the ramp stalled the workers just long enough for Adam to hoist himself up the side of the ramp and race inside, sliding behind a pallet full of small, neatly stacked boxes held together by several layers of shipping plastic. He worked his way through the gaps in the stacks, keeping out of sight as he sneaked closer and closer to the front.
No one saw him as he hurried down a narrow passageway toward the cockpit. He paused outside the door, listening for any signs of life inside. Just to be safe, he knocked on the door and waited, hand on his sword and ready to draw on anything that appeared.
Nothing. The crew must've gotten off to stretch their legs after the flight. The door slid open silently, revealing a tight space filled with more knobs, dials, and switches than Adam could hope to understand. Thankfully, he didn't need to fly the thing. He just had to make sure no one else did. Not until they'd taken over, that was.
"At the target," Adam announced as the call reconnected. "Looks like I got in clean."
"Good to hear. Team has reported in. They are in position and awaiting orders."
"Tell them to go ahead, but keep it quiet." By now, everything should be ready. The real fun would start soon enough. "Putting you on speaker while I work on the controls." He set his scroll down on the pilot's seat before slipping under the console and popping a cover off. Inside, a mess of wiring the likes of which he'd never seen before waited. He'd never understand all this in a million years.
Good thing he knew someone who already did. "You're looking for bundle Alpha Alpha One Zero Two. Should be about as thick as your thumb."
Adam fished around among the madness, checking labels as he went. PW705. GP003. NV100. The list went on and on with codes that made no sense to him. Presumably, it all meant something, but all it meant to Adam was that it was the wrong one. Finally, he lucked out and found what he was looking for. "Got it."
"Alright. It should lead to a large plug near the front. You might not be able to see it, so just follow it with your hand until you reach the end."
"I think I found it." Hard to say since his entire hand was concealed in a curtain of wiring bundles at this point. "Pull it?"
"You'll need to loosen the connector first. Just rotate the plug until you feel it loosen, then pull." Easy enough. Adam felt around until he found the subtle ridges on the connector. It caught for a second, but once it started loosening, he could spin it easily.
"Done. Now what?"
Jakob continued walking him through the process, calling out bundle codes for him to hunt for. Adam had no idea what each one did, but the pilot that had provided the instructions assured them it would keep the airship grounded without doing any serious damage. Some of them were minor things while others meant the airship wouldn't even turn on. Easy enough to correct, but only if you knew which ones were disconnected and where they went. It would take time to fix without a manual handy, just in case someone tried to take off before Adam finished the rest of his mission.
Adam followed the instructions unerringly, both hands buried in wiring as he and Jakob went back and forth with updates. Finally, Adam put the cover back in place, hiding his sabotage from sight. It wouldn't do much to slow anyone down, but at least they wouldn't instantly know something had happened. Adam picked up his scroll, turning it off speaker as he held it to his ear. "Wrapping up here. Moving on to Phase Two."
"Don't have too much fun." Adam rolled his eyes. He wouldn't exactly call it fun. "Everything's ready on our end."
Adam let out a sigh of relief. He'd half-expected everything to fall apart by now. "So far, so good." He hoped their luck would hold.
"We've got this," Jakob assured him. "What could go wrong?"
He just had to ask, didn't he? As if summoned by Jakob's ill-conceived words, the door to the cockpit opened. Adam was still sitting on the floor and in no position to do anything but silently curse as he stared up at the barrel of a gun.
"Freeze!"
C'mon Jakob. Never ask that question. That's right up there with "at least things couldn't get any worse."
Didn't want to waste too much time in Menagerie. Probably could've done the talk with Ghira and have ended the chapter before the mission, but that felt like a waste. Instead, figured we'd just get right to it. Also didn't want to take a week off in the middle of a mission. Instead, we'll take care of the Shobu encounter next week and pause on a less aggravating spot. Definitely like this pacing more, as things were feeling a little slow lately.
Bit of an ambitious plan, but like Siena said, they needed a big win. Something to cement their status a bit after the sudden change in leadership. But big rewards come from big risks. Let's just hope it's worth it in the end.
Next chapter: Adam is stranded in a hostile camp.