Happy Birthday to me! Well, yesterday, but close enough. Had a nice, relaxing day off at home with MrsTheGoose, which felt needed after getting into a car accident the day before. Minor collision and my car's mostly scratched up on the corner. Word of advice, though. If you ever get into an accident, the first words out of your mouth when you get out of your car shouldn't be "Were you not paying attention or something?" Especially when you just came from a stop sign in front of traffic with the right-of-way. Decided not to take the bait and played nice, but I have a feeling her insurance will still try and fight me a bit, despite how obvious the outcome is. Should be an easy win, especially since I used to work auto claims and know all the weak points in their arguments.
Also got myself a birthday present with a new SSD for my PC. Finally shedding the old 1TB for quadruple the storage so I'm not constantly uninstalling stuff to make space. 1TB sounded like a lot back when big name games were still under 100GB. Crazy to think I used to play games off a single CD. Already cloned the old hard drive to the new one. Now I just need to figure out how to fix my booting issue.
Lastly, just as a fun side note, this chapter marks my fourth Google doc for this story. Apparently each doc can only hold around 1.5 million characters, so I've start Adam Fic Part 4 officially. Didn't even know there were limits and I've already hit it three times so far.
A third of his team was gone. Captured or killed, he couldn't tell which. All he knew was that four of his squad - his family - were missing. Blood had been shed, but that didn't tell him much. That could just be injuries. Besides, they'd want to keep his team alive for questioning. Corpses were less valuable than captives. Mistral would want them alive and healthy to answer questions. Even if they were injured, they'd get some of the finest care available to patch them up, all so Mistral could leverage them against Adam and the rest of the White Fang.
That's what Adam kept telling himself as he stood in the open space, trying to push off the thoughts of more Jakobs.
He wasn't the only one concerned about the lack of answers. "Where are they?" Azul demanded, searching the empty area in vain for her missing teammates. One in particular. "What happened to Azure?"
"They're gone." The answer slipped out before he could stop himself.
"G-gone?" Azul trembled as her eyes were dragged to the darkened spots on the ground. "No. They can't be gone." They could and they were. Azul refused to accept reality. "Azure! Azure, stop playing games and get out here. This isn't funny!"
That much they could agree on. While Azul continued calling out and searching the empty space for their missing team, Adam couldn't tear his eyes away from the row of dark patches on the ground. Blake approached, reaching out for him before her hand hesitated and fell, unsure what she could do. The others were just as lost, frozen by the cold reality of their failure.
Trifa finally came forward and knelt, inspecting the ground with a critical eye. She shook her head a moment later before explaining, "It's in a line." He'd noticed that too. More importantly, he knew what that meant. "Almost like-"
"They were executed," Adam finished for her, his voice grating through clenched teeth. It was too symmetrical to be natural. If they'd gone down fighting, he'd expect a chaotic mix, not some neatly arranged formation. Some would've gone down close to the target, while others might have tried to run or been gunned down at distance. Instead, things were just too neat. Too clean. The type of thing he'd expect from a firing squad rather than a fight.
It proved too much for some of them, especially Azul. "N-no. They…Mistral wouldn't-"
"They would." Adam cut off her denials mercilessly. Mistral wasn't exactly the first place to come to mind when you thought of faunus hatred - that would be Atlas - but they weren't allies either. Mistral worked hand in hand with Atlas, practically bowing the knee to the tyrants across the sea. The SDC had free reign of Anima, establishing countless camps to strip the continent of every speck of dust they could find regardless of the cost in faunus lives. Meanwhile, Mistral turned a blind eye, content to allow such atrocities while pretending they were innocent, as long as the SDC kept the lien flowing..
It was a stark reminder of how the world worked. Those in power did as they pleased, uncaring for those below. They operated with impunity, greasing the wheels of industry with the blood of the lesser classes. Adam knew all about that suffering, having been born into the lowest of the low. The world claimed to accept faunus, yet the Kingdoms still treated them as nothing but animals. Beasts of burden to be worked until they broke, only to be killed off once their usefulness reached its end.
That was the way the world worked. The strong prospered while the weak perished. Maybe Raven was right in a way. Not about the ruthless killing and mindless slaughter, but in her focus on strength. The weak die. The strong live. Raven and her bandits were just the logical conclusion of a world gone mad. The Kingdoms, in spite of their noble laws and lofty ideals, were just as vicious in the end. They just dressed it up better and called it civilized, hiding the blood and bodies they'd been built upon.
"Mistral did this," Adam emphasized, still staring at the evidence of their handiwork, "but they didn't do it alone." The blood was on their hands, but so too did it stain the fake purity of a familiar enemy. "Atlas was here. The Schnee did this."
Schnee. Everywhere he went, that name followed, their hated letters forever etched on his face as a lifelong reminder of the faunus' greatest enemy. They'd taken his eye, but that didn't stop him from seeing their corruption. He'd escaped the cruel grasp of their vaunted company, openly defying them and exposing the truth behind their self-proclaimed righteousness. For that mortal sin, his every step was now hounded by their vicious enforcer, wielding the might of an entire Kingdom to bring the enemies of their family low.
Now they'd gone too far, attacking those closest to him. The SDC had stolen so many lives at Orostachys, but he'd fought them back and earned freedom for the workers. He'd never forgive Atlas for killing Jakob and vowed to take vengeance on them. Now, Mistral had made the same mistake, robbing him of Marcus, Indie, Nag, and Azure.
If they thought he'd take that lying down, they had another thing coming.
Blake still held back a few steps but managed to offer, "Maybe they're still alive."
Maybe, but hope was a luxury they could rarely afford. Still, there was a chance at least some of them were captured. He didn't dare believe that they'd all made it out alive. Fate had never been so kind before, so why start now? There was a good chance some or all of them had already been slaughtered by the Schnee. The others would only be kept alive so long as they were useful, which wouldn't be long at all. None of them would turn on him - on the White Fang. Once Mistral realized that, they'd have no more use for their new captives beyond a public execution - a warning to others of the danger in opposing their regime.
Still, if there was even a chance that any of them survived, then nothing and no one would stop him from getting them back. He'd make them pay for harming those he held dear, no matter the cost. "Everyone back to the airship. We're heading back."
Azul spun around so fast she nearly fell over. "But what about-"
"They're not here," Adam pointed out. Standing around in the open wouldn't help anyone. Seeing the pain on Azul's face, Adam realized a softer touch might be in order. "I'll contact Sienna when we land. The two of us will figure out where they've taken our team."
"And then?"
Adam practically snarled his response. "And then we'll make them pay."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"The raid was a trap," Adam growled the moment his call to Sienna connected."
"I know." What?! What did she mean she knew? Adam was ready to hurl all sorts of accusations before Sienna followed with, "Their pilots realized something was wrong when they missed the rendezvous and called it in. We tried to contact you, but your comms were down at the time."
Laurence had them shut off all their radios for the attack on the listening post. They couldn't risk losing the element of surprise and he figured a facility specifically designed for communications might be able to pick up on any stray signals. Just to be safe, they'd shut everything off and flown in so low they'd probably skirted the tops of some of the taller trees in the area.
"Any idea what happened?"
Adam filled her in as best he could from what little he knew, which didn't amount to much. Mostly the message he'd seen at the listening post about the Schnee helping with the attack and their goal being to capture or kill him.
"It seems our plan worked a little too well," Sienna summarized after his report. "Orion took the bait, but we couldn't have known Mistral would take the opportunity to strike."
Oh gods, he hadn't even thought of that. They only knew about the raid because he'd let the info leak, all so they could track down the spy whose identity they were still no closer to obtaining. He'd lost a third of his team for practically nothing. "Have you heard anything?" News reports. Spies of her own. Anything that might give them even the tiniest shred of good news.
Or confirm his worst fears.
Sienna had neither. "Nothing yet, but I have people watching for anything on your team. If they're out there, we'll find them."
That was more of a relief than she knew. "Good." Sienna had yet to let him down. Her network of informants would find something to point him in the right direction, and then he'd tear his way through whatever stood between him and his team.
If any of them were still alive. There was a very real chance none of them made it out alive. Winter Schnee wasn't a foe to be taken lightly. Even together, his four officers wouldn't have stood a chance against her. If he was lucky, they'd have realized the hopelessness of the situation and surrendered, but judging by the execution sites, that may not have been enough.
And they called him a monster? What sort of person executed captives like that? Even the White Fang did their best to avoid killing, yet the Kingdoms couldn't bother to hold themselves to the same standards? Despicable didn't even begin to describe such behavior. They deserved everything he'd give them for their transgression.
Sienna must've sensed his mood, or maybe she just knew what he'd be thinking. "Adam, this is no time to go charging off on your own."
"I'm not." Not yet. He still needed to know exactly where he was charging.
Sienna wasn't buying it. "You won't do them any good rushing in and getting yourself killed." Which was the only reason he hadn't stolen an airship and kamikazeed the Council chambers already. He needed to make sure his attack actually stood a chance of getting his team out. An exit strategy for himself would be optional at that point. Even if they managed to stop him, he'd make sure they paid dearly. "We need to wait until we know they're alive."
If they were alive. He could hear the doubt in her voice. Even if only one of them made it out, he'd still go after them. He'd never abandon them.
Which brought up all sorts of complicated thoughts. If only one of them made it out, which one would he choose? Obviously, he wanted them all back, but his mind couldn't help but think about who would take priority.
Nag was an obvious choice. Even without her incredible sharpshooting abilities, she had a level head and could think rationally, even in the most dire circumstances. That kind of thing couldn't be taught. From a purely tactical standpoint, Nag would be the biggest loss to the team.
But teams didn't run on tactics and logic alone. Indie was the heart of the team, brightening whatever room she was in and boosting morale even in the darkest times. He could always count on her for a smile, and while her feelings for him still made him a little uneasy at times, he couldn't imagine Alpha Squad without her.
Azure might've been a redundancy with his sister still around, but he dreaded to imagine one without the other. As much as the two fought, Azul looked on the edge of a breakdown with her brother missing. Blake and Trifa were doing their best to calm her down, but they'd nearly had to strap her to her seat in the airship to keep her from jumping out and searching for her sibling. Losing one was as good as losing both.
Marcus wasn't the brightest bulb in the box, but the man knew zero fear. Always the first to volunteer. Always eager for a fight. No matter the odds, he'd be ready to charge in and accomplish the impossible, steadfast in his belief in their cause and his leader. He loved hanging out with the regular soldiers and helping them train, too. Morale among the regulars would tank if he didn't come back in one piece.
Not that he wanted any of them to die, of course, but it was hard to imagine all four of them magically surviving. He just didn't possess that level of optimism. Life had beaten it out of him. Still, he refused to give up hope on at least one of them making it out alive. He'd find them, no matter how long it took, and then there'd be hell to pay for whoever got in his way.
Sienna blatantly tried to change the subject. "Good work on the listening post. That should cut off the supply of information from our spy."
A victory, but at what cost? Finding the spy felt a lot less important than it did a day ago. "Still nothing on their identity."
"True, but it's a step in the right direction." One step forward, about a million steps back. "We'll find them, but for now, it'll prevent us having to worry about them while we search for your team." A fair point, but not one he felt like celebrating right now. Her next point proved far more helpful. "We'll have Laurence monitor transmissions for any clues on your team's whereabouts. With any luck, they might let something slip."
They'd notified the outpost of the raid, after all. Maybe they'd keep their spy up to date on developments with any prisoners, if only to make sure they could listen for any planned attacks on that location. Mistral would be the obvious choice, since the place would be crawling with security now, but Argus would be a tough nut to crack as well. Then again, knowing the Schnee, she'd want to get them back to the cold confines of Atlas where she could torture them for information before using them for target practice. A public execution would be a great way for them to show their strength and resolve. If they were lucky, they might get a mock trial beforehand to make it all look legitimate. Anything to look good in front of the public.
Wait a second.
"Do we have any contacts in the media?" Adam demanded, eager to pursue his new plan.
Sienna thought for a second. "Nothing solid, but if you're looking to issue a demand, I'm sure we can get a message out." No news outlet would be able to ignore an ultimatum like that, but Adam had bigger plans.
"Not that." He had something far more diabolical in mind. "What if we leak the story to the press that Mistral captured a bunch of White Fang officers?"
Sienna connected the dots almost immediately. "And force them to confirm it before the rumors get out of hand. I like it!" Sienna called out for Fennec. Adam couldn't see him on the display, but he had to assume the man had arrived as Sienna hurriedly ordered, "Send word to our Mistral contacts. Leak the story of Mistral capturing our men, but make sure they can't trace it back to us. With any luck, Mistral will show us exactly who they have and where they're keeping them." All to appease their cutthroat reporters who would stop at nothing for a good story.
"I'll see it done," Fennec replied from offscreen.
"In the meantime," Sienna said as she returned to Adam, "I may know someone who can help us. Someone who specializes in finding things that don't want to be found."
"And you haven't contacted them yet?" She should've been pulling out all the stops by now, especially if she had some ace in the hole.
"They won't do it for free," Sienna explained, though Adam didn't see the big deal. He'd pay any price to get his team back. "I already owe her after the intel on Euryale." Is that how she'd gotten such detailed info on Euryale before their attack. He'd practically had the entire layout of the base in advance. If Sienna's contact could dig that deep into Atlas' secrets, then surely they could find his team.
"Call them. I'll pay whatever they ask." They had a decent amount of lien after the Shion job. If that wasn't enough, he'd find more, even if he had to rob a bank. Heck, he'd start a bake sale in Vale if that's what it took.
Sienna seemed hesitant. "I'll reach out, but I can't promise anything." That was fine. As long as they made every effort to find his team, even if it meant paying a king's ransom. "How's Azul taking it?"
"Not well." Nor should she. Her brother was missing, possibly dead.
"Keep an eye on her," Sienna advised.
"I will." On all of them. The twins may have been the only ones related by blood, but his team were a family through and through. "Just let me know when you find something."
"For now, I want you to return to Reyno. Gather your forces. I may have a target for you soon."
The sooner, the better. "As you command." As long as she found him answers. Until then, he'd prepare himself for the fight ahead, intent on getting his team home.
They may have lost a battle, but the war had only begun.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
There were few people in life that Winter genuinely hated. Most weren't worth even noticing and could be ignored, but every now and then, someone came along and rose from the refuse to become a true source of loathing. The older boys who tried to impress her growing up, pushed by their money grubbing parents to pursue her fame and fortune. The spiteful girls who grew jealous of the attention she earned and spread rumors about her. They'd faded into irrelevance in time, returning to the nameless filth from whence they came. Childish hatred and rivalries that mattered little once she had her title of heiress taken from her.
Jacques had quickly taken their place, becoming a persistent thorn in her side. He'd threatened her into compliance until the day she refused to play his games and forge her own path in the military. She knew he'd tried to tear her down from the shadows, calling in favors to hold her back. When that failed, he wielded his influence publicly to support her, making sure everyone saw the nepotism and cast doubt on her qualifications. Eventually, she'd proven them all wrong and earned her way into the Specialists, not by name but by her own merit. Jacques may have given up on her to focus on controlling her siblings, but that didn't mean he hadn't held a grudge and caused trouble for General Ironwood out of spite.
While Jacques had staying power, a new entry to the list had risen quickly in the form of Adam Taurus and his White Fang. An elusive foe who had a knack for escaping justice, he'd gone from a curiosity to a true threat in record time. Her failure to stop him in Atlas would forever shame her. Worse, some actually saw him as her equal. Her rival. To have him elevated to her level felt like the ultimate insult.
There was only one group who earned anywhere near her dislike for Jacques and Taurus. One singular entity of loathsome creatures who she could never seem to escape. Even here in another Kingdom, they continued to prove just as despicable if not worse. At least in Atlas she could find some rest from their relentless pursuit. Mistral only seemed to embolden them while providing her few safe havens for rest. It was the one foe she could not fight.
The media.
"Specialist Schnee! Is it true you captured multiple White Fang officers?"
"Is Adam Taurus among them?"
"Are they being held here or do you plan to transport them to Atlas?"
"Why the secrecy? Are you hiding their mistreatment?"
Idiots. Imbeciles. Plenty of other terms that she bit back on as she marched through the small mob, resisting the urge to smack a microphone away when it came too close and practically bounced off her cheek. These vultures wanted a story, and smacking the offending object away would only start a news cycle of her violently refusing comment. Instead, she drew on every ounce of decorum she could muster and kept walking, pace even and eyes fixed on the double doors ahead that would provide a brief respite from the pathetic scavengers.
Security stepped in behind her as she passed, barring anyone from following. The leeches knew their place and didn't push, instead reaching as far as they could to keep their microphones near in the hopes of picking up even an aggravated sigh. She refused to give them the chance, continuing deeper into the building and taking the stairs up. The main elevator would still be visible from outside and the few seconds she'd be forced to wait there were a few too many.
Blessed silence at last. Stairwells were a close ally in trying times like these. Few bothered with them, given to the comfort of automation. Here, she could be alone with nothing but the rhythmic tapping of her own feet against each step to steady her mind and buy her time to forget the horde outside.
Not that those waiting for her upstairs were much better.
"The Council wants you to brief them on the prisoners."
"Still nothing from the prisoners."
"The Director asked for you to meet him in his office when you arrived."
Annoyance aside, it was nice to see Mistral's Intelligence Agency taking things so seriously all of the sudden. It only took her coming all the way from Atlas and doing their job for them. Maybe now they'd understand the value in working with Atlas rather than focusing on their petty squabbles.
A woman could dream, couldn't she?
Agent Mimi was waiting for her in her office as always. "The Director's waiting," she announced the moment Winter entered.
"I know." It wasn't like him to get into the office so early. Something was up. He clearly wanted to catch her unprepared for something, but she knew better than to play into his little games. He could wait until she had her morning caffeine and looked over the reports from last night, not that they had much to review.
The prisoners continued to refuse to talk, only breaking their silence to insult their captors or spout propaganda about racism. Did they honestly believe anyone would care? They were here for being terrorists, not because of any genetic traits they had. She'd have to see if she could take a crack at them herself. Show these Mistralian rookies how interrogations were done.
Meanwhile, the White Fang had been quiet. To be fair, it had only been three days since the raid. She'd sent orders to Orion to lay low and only reach out if they heard of a credible threat. With the White Fang on high alert, they couldn't risk exposing themselves. The last thing they needed was the White Fang having a prisoner and demanding an exchange, which was why she'd ordered a stop to all supply convoys until things cooled down and sent additional security to Argus, just to be safe. The rest of the continent belonged to Mistral, meaning all she could do was advise caution and hope they finally listened.
Once she'd felt she'd let the Director stew long enough, Winter rose and signaled for Agent Mimi to follow. "Let's get this over with."
The office seemed unusually busy today. Maybe a tiny taste of success had motivated them for once. Not that she expected their sudden work ethic to last very long. Even now, she could spot at least three agents who were very clearly wasting time, pretending to be busy while actually accomplishing nothing. Her favorite had to be the one waving people away as he spoke into a headset, ignorant of the fact he'd forgotten to plug it in. Quite the show, but for who? Her? No, they'd never cared enough before. So what changed? Why the sudden increase in-
Winter sighed as she put the pieces together. So that was his game, was it? She quickened her pace a little, letting herself into the Director's office without knocking. His head snapped in her direction, the hint of a smile dying when she didn't look at all surprised by the other occupants in the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Council. Winter Schnee, Specialist of Atlas."
"We know who you are, Specialist," the Head Councilor acknowledged as he rose from his seat. The other members of the Council followed suit, eager to be seen and more importantly noticed by their celebrity. "I hear we have you to thank for capturing those four White Fang officers."
Did he now? That seemed overly generous from the Director, though maybe this was more the Head Councilor seeing through the games to the truth. It wouldn't do to burn any bridges, sadly. "I assisted with the capture, but it was your own Intelligence Agency that helped us find them." Agency, not Director. Agent Mimi and Orion had done all the real work, not the lazy sack of flesh that called himself their superior.
"That's good to hear," the man before her intoned, looking between her and the Director. "It's important to remember we are all united in our fight against terrorism." He'd slipped into campaign mode, reaching out to shake her hand just as a camera flashed. Ever the statesman, he knew a winning moment when he saw one. Winter kept a straight face as she accepted, all but ensuring the Head Councilor's reelection with a single photo. "Now, on to business."
"The prisoners," Winter guessed, though it was hard to imagine it being anything else. "They have yet to give up any useful intel thus far. I was planning on asking the Director if I could assist with the interrogations. We need to locate Taurus before he attempts anything."
"You think he would try and attack the capital?" One of the councilwomen piped up. "That's suicide."
"He may not see it that way, ma'am." Even if he did, he might decide it was worth the risk. "This is their first loss since he and Sienna Khan took over. They may feel they need to retaliate or risk losing support. At the very least, they have to be concerned that our prisoners might talk and give up the location of their forces."
"I was told we already know the location of one of their bases."
"One of them," Winter confirmed. "They have a larger base somewhere in Anima. If we hope to drive them from your shores, we'll need to remove both at once." Or close enough to each other that the White Fang didn't have time to flee. Whatever happened, they had to corner Taurus before he could slip out of their grasp once more. Otherwise, this would all happen again.
"It's settled then," the Head Councilor announced despite nothing actually being decided. "We will continue questioning of the prisoners with Specialist Schnee's assistance. In the meantime, I will request additional security in the capital. Better to err on the side of caution where our citizens' lives are concerned." And their votes. "All in favor?" It passed unanimously. "Excellent. Now then, I have a press conference later today on our success. I'd prefer if both of you could attend."
"I'll be there," the Director promised, eager to take credit for the victory before the adoring public.
Winter was far less enthused. "I'd recommend against speaking to the press," she insisted, aware they had one of the parasites in the room with them. "In fact, I'd prefer if we could speak off the record."
"Nuar is a trusted confidant," the Head Councilor insisted. "He knows not to share anything said here." Such blind trust, even if she assumed the man had to be under about a thousand NDAs and would be sued into oblivion if he even thought of releasing privileged information. That didn't mean Winter would trust him. Sensing that, the Head Councilor said, "If it will make you feel better, he can wait outside."
"Thank you. It would." Without waiting for instruction, their photographer left the room without a word. The less people in the room, the better. She couldn't exactly ask any of the Council to leave, and this was the Director's office, so he kind of had to stay. Agent Mimi was about the only person in the room Winter felt she could trust. "We shouldn't go public with this. At least nothing specific."
"The public deserves to know," the councilwoman from earlier insisted.
"But the White Fang doesn't." She knew they'd be watching, waiting for even the tiniest bit of information. Unfortunately, word of the prisoners had already slipped out, though not the specifics. So much for operational security. She couldn't trust Mistral to do anything right. "The less they know, the better. In fact, we would be better off misleading them entirely."
"You want me to lie to my constituents?" As if he'd never done that before.
"Consider what happens when the White Fang finds out where the prisoners are being held," Winter tried, hoping to win them over. "Taurus will try and free them, meaning he'll attack your city and endanger everyone here. The last thing you want is another attack on Mistral under your watch." Voters tended to look poorly on those that failed to protect them.
She could see the idea taking root. "You're right. Who knows what that madman would do." She did. Mistral's streets would run red with the blood of innocents. Bombs. Gunfire. Assassinations. Anything to cause chaos and give himself an opening. He might even try and bring the wall down to lure Grimm in and keep security busy. "What should we do?"
"Let Atlas take them," Winter insisted. "We have better protections in place and can shift the White Fang's focus away from Mistral."
The Director slammed his hand on his desk. "See? I told you!" Uh oh. She'd stirred up the idiot. "She wants to take the prisoners for herself! Atlas is up to their old tricks again."
So, he'd guessed her game ahead of time, had he? Maybe he wasn't quite as dumb as she'd thought. "Any information we gather would be shared with Mistral. You have my word."
"Your word? We've seen what Atlas' word amounts to. Or did you think we'd forgotten about Euryale?" He had a point, as loathe as she was to admit it. To be fair, they would've done the same if they thought they could get away with it. "No. Absolutely not. You're not going to take our tactical advantage away from us."
"I said we will-"
"Share? Only what you feel is worth sharing, I'm sure." The Director ignored her as he pleaded his case directly to the Head Councilor. "Mistral is more than capable of defending itself. She wouldn't have even found the White Fang if it wasn't for us."
"He's not wrong," the Head Councilor said, nodding along with the treacherous words. "But Specialist Schnee also raises a good point. We cannot risk our people to a monster like Taurus."
"Then what do we do?"
"Like the Specialist said, our best bet is to mislead the White Fang." Finally, someone was making some sense, though Winter sensed a but approaching. "We shall announce the transfer of the prisoners to Atlas. Meanwhile, they shall be moved to a more secure facility within our Kingdom once we are certain there is nothing we can glean from them. Until then, Specialist Schnee shall assist in questioning of the prisoners and all information will be shared between our two Kingdoms. All in favor?"
Winter had a feeling her vote wouldn't count.
"There we have it. The best of both worlds." Not really, but still better than nothing. "For now, we will increase security in the city in case of an attack. The prisoners will be moved in secret in three days."
"To where?" She'd want to look over their security personally and make sure it was up to snuff.
"I'm afraid that's classified," the Head Councilor informed her. "Rest assured, it is somewhere safe, but the exact location must be kept secret." Even from her. It looked like their trust only went so far. "Now then, unless there's anything else?" He waited a few seconds, but no one spoke up. "Very good. Thank you for your service, Director, and your help, Specialist."
"I live to serve," the Director promised with a slight bow. The Head Councilor left, followed by his fellow council members, until only Winter, Agent Mimi, and the Director remained. "I'll see that you're granted access to the prisoners this afternoon. That is all." Winter wanted to fight but knew a losing battle when she saw one. Instead, she turned and left silently, eager to get away from the slimy man and his games.
Those absolute fools! Did they think this was a game? They wanted to foist the danger upon Atlas while keeping the prize for themselves, believing themselves secure enough to hide such valuable targets right under the White Fang's noses. Not only that, but they wanted to broadcast the fake move in advance? All that did was put a time limit on Taurus. He'd either attack the city before the move or try to take down the transfer before it reached Atlas.
Wait, maybe that could work! Storming a city would be reckless, but a prison transfer made an awfully tempting target. Better that than trying to breach Atlas security after they landed. He'd be a fool not to try something. The rest of his officers would almost certainly join him in an all or nothing gambit. If she could set a trap…
Plans swirled to life faster than she could keep track of. This was perfect! Well, not perfect, but it was salvageable. She'd turn this loss into a greater victory and catch Taurus out in the open this time. He wouldn't risk not showing when the stakes were so high. And when he did, she'd be right there waiting for him.
So lost in thought was she that she didn't notice the councilwoman from earlier lurking outside her office until she'd almost crashed into the woman.
"My apologies," Winter said as she recovered at the last. "I was lost in thought."
"I could tell," the councilwoman answered with a smile. "Sorry for interrupting."
"Nothing to apologize for." Other than slowing Winter down. She had a lot of planning to do and a very small amount of time to do it. "Is there something I can assist you with, Miss…"
"Brooks. Chartreuse Brooks, but please, call me Char." Winter appreciated the assist, though she had no intention of addressing someone so informally.. "And yes, I did want to speak with you, if you have a moment?"
"Of course." Winter let her into the office, with Agent Mimi closing the door behind the three of them. "Please, take a seat."
Councilwoman Brooks wasn't an overly intimidating woman, yet she carried herself with confidence and had an easy smile that threatened to disarm her. A dangerous politician if she'd ever seen one. Her snug, green dress hugged her figure well while her heels helped the already tall woman stand out considerably from those around her. Unlike some of the other members of the Council, she didn't flash her wealth around with expensive jewelry or gaudy accouterments. A simple wedding band paired with an expensive but not overly so engagement ring on one hand. Simple emerald studs in her ears that went well with her bright eyes. On her lapel sat a golden triskelion pin while a thin, golden chain dipped behind her dress, hiding whatever lay on the end.
"Now, what can I help you with, Councilwoman Brooks?"
"I wanted to apologize for the Head Councilor's behavior earlier. He is…easily swayed by a sense of patriotism. Mistral above all others." A sentiment Winter could respect when handled rationally. Risking their entire operation out of fear of their closest ally wasn't rational. "Personally, I think sending the prisoners to Atlas would have been best."
Finally, a politician with a brain. "I'm glad you agree."
"Friendship requires trust, does it not?" Winter couldn't have said it better herself. "I hope you know there's no hard feelings. Whatever the Head Councilor's decision, he and the rest of us are grateful for everything you've done for us."
"I'm not done yet." Not until Taurus faced justice, either as the end of her sword or the end of a rope.
Councilwoman Brooks smiled. "I should hope not. You've proven yourself a capable ally in these…trying times."
"The White Fang is a cancer." They weren't always like that. She could still remember the days of peaceful protests and reasonable requests. Jacques always hated them, but he hated everyone that didn't provide a net profit. She wondered if he missed the old White Fang now. "I intend to cut them out, by any means necessary."
"Well said," the councilwoman hummed. "Though I fear our esteemed Head Councilor does not share your resolve."
"What?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong, he wants them gone, but only because he sees it as a path to reelection. If the White Fang became popular in Mistral, I daresay he'd welcome them with open arms. The man cares more for himself than for our Kingdom."
A classic problem with politicians. All that mattered at the end of the day was that they came out on top. Policies were dictated by polling impacts and donor desires rather than general welfare. The hard decisions never got made, all because it might upset a few voters or rock the boat too much. Democracy worked right up until those in power inevitably decided they wanted to keep it and those without let them.
Kingdoms rose and fell on the backs of good leaders, which Mistral appeared to be lacking. Councilwoman Brooks sounded far more suited for the job, though Winter would never say so officially. However, she did present herself as a possible ally in the days ahead. "I'm sure the people of Mistral will realize that in time." And appoint someone new to take his place. Someone with a better understanding of the world at large and Mistral's place in it.
Someone like Councilwoman Brooks, perhaps.
"I look forward to that," the councilwoman replied. "Unfortunately, dreams of tomorrow do little for the reality of today. I'm worried about this plan of his. If it was up to me, I'd have you in charge of security for the prisoners, not playing the decoy while he ships them off to gods know where."
"He hasn't told you?" Interesting. The Head Councilor was playing things even closer to his chest than she'd realized.
"It's classified," Councilwoman Brooks replied, annoyance bleeding through her mask of politeness for the briefest moment. "Apparently too classified to share with the rest of the Council." Brooks stewed for a second before an idea struck her. "I don't suppose you know where they're going?"
Winter shook her head. "Unfortunately, I'm as in the dark as you are."
"Oh, c'mon. You must have some ideas." She did, but they were mere speculation. Keeping them in Mistral made sense for accessibility, but the risk of attack was high and the capital city had too many weak points to keep Taurus out indefinitely. Argus put it too close to Atlas control. Kesseki or another high security prison maybe, but that would put them with other prisoners and risk exposure if any of the inmates leaked the info upon release. Guards would also be a liability. Really, there were no good options. "No? Well, if I hear anything, I'll be sure to let you know."
"I appreciate that." She could at least keep an eye on the location or have units on standby to reinforce in case of an attack. "But why help me?"
"We women have to stick together," Brooks explained. So, she saw the same opportunity of an alliance as Winter did. Dangerous, but useful. "Anyways, I'm sure you have a busy day ahead of you. I won't waste any more of your time."
"It wasn't a waste," Winter assured the councilwoman. Not when she'd effectively laid the groundwork for an alliance with a member of the Mistralian Council. Their partnership could be quite beneficial to Atlas moving forward, especially if the Head Councilor ever fell out of favor with his voting populace.
"I appreciate that," Brooks said as she rose to leave. "If there's anything you need, feel free to contact my office."
"I will." Winter promised, reaching her hand across the desk. "I look forward to working with you in the future.
Councilwoman Brooks took it with a friendly grin. "As do I, Specialist Schnee. As do I."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Adam needed stronger training dummies. Either that, or more capable sparring partners.
Cooped up in Reyno waiting for information, every hour dragged on forever. With each passing day, he knew the chances of getting his team back grew slimmer and slimmer. He called Sienna every chance he got, pestering her for updates.
Right up until he saw the press conference from Mistral.
"They're alive!" Adam said the moment Sienna answered his call. He didn't know who or how many, but Mistral's Head Councilor had said prisoners. As in more than one! He'd bet everything he had that meant at least half of his missing team were out there waiting to be rescued. "We have to strike before Atlas takes them."
Three days. That's what the announcement had said. After that, they'd be on their way to a cold cell in Atlas. Mistral would be a much easier target than the fortified Floating City, especially since Atlas had to know he'd be coming for them.
"I'm already working to intercept the transport," Sienna promised him, far calmer than he felt at the moment.
Intercept? Trying to take over an airship mid-flight would be all but impossible. She must've been planning to shoot it down, then. If they could damage the craft and force it to land, they'd have the advantage. Even if it crash landed, his team had aura and should survive. If not, then they'd still be better off than if Atlas had them. He'd choose a quick death over Atlas confinement in a heartbeat.
They'd need to set up an ambush somewhere north of Mistral, preferably far away from any major settlement so they'd be forced to land in the open. "When do we leave?"
"You won't be joining them, Adam. I have another mission for you."
Adam stood in shocked silence, trying to convince himself he'd heard wrong. When his brain finally caught up again, Adam demanded, "Of course I'm going! The Schnee will be there. You need me on the ground." And he needed to put the Schnee six feet beneath it.
"Adam, it's-"
"I won't let them capture more of my men." Not again. He'd let them wander into a trap once before and they'd paid dearly for his absence. He wouldn't make that mistake twice. "I'm going, even if I have to do it myself." How he'd bring down an airship alone, not to mention dealing with any escorts. Atlas wouldn't risk sending a single airship. Not when they had to know the White Fang would be looking for them. "You can't just leave me-"
"It's a fake!" Sienna's shout silenced him for a moment, more because of the volume than the words, though those caught up once the initial shock wore off. "I just heard back from my contact. Atlas is faking the transfer to lure us out. It's a trap."
A clever one. He'd have charged in with everything he had, just to find his team still missing and have to fight his way out empty handed. Thank goodness for Sienna's contact. "Do they know where my team is being taken?"
"They do." Adam's heart leapt at the news, though Sienna's tone lessened his optimism a little. "But they wouldn't tell me."
"What?!" Adam roared, fist slamming on the console and nearly breaking it. "Tell me where they are. I'll make them tell us."
"There's no need for that." Like hell there wasn't! They knew where his team was and were holding out. He refused to let a slight like that stand. "They said they wouldn't tell me. They'll only tell you. In person."
Him? They wanted a face to face with the White Fang's biggest weapon? Whoever this person was, they had to know the dangers of playing such a game. Sienna's contact was either the bravest or most foolish person ever. "Fine. Tell them I'll meet them as long as their intel's good."
"I already told them," Sienna answered. Adam didn't like people making decisions for him, but he had a feeling this was more of Sienna knowing how he'd respond. "But they have conditions."
And now it was time for the other shoe to drop. "They want me unarmed or something?" Over his dead body. For all he knew, this was just an elaborate scheme to capture him and sell him out to Atlas. Whoever this person was, if they could find out secrets like they claimed, then they'd obviously know about the bounty on his head.
"No. I'd never agree to something like that." Sienna wasn't an idiot. "In fact, they want you to bring two people with you." That seemed oddly specific, unless- "Blake and Ilia."
"The girls?" The most capable but also the youngest members of Alpha Squad? Why would their contact want to bring in three of the White Fang's top fighters and not even ask them to come unarmed? Did they have a death wish?
"There's more." Of course there was. Geez, how long was the list of demands going to be. "She wants to meet in a nightclub called The Luck of the Mountains." A nightclub? That seemed like a rather public option to have the most wanted man in Remnant walk into. The only way she could make it worse was- "In Mistral."
"So just to be clear, they want me to waltz into Mistral while they're on high alert, sneak into a nightclub, all for some intel that we don't know if they actually have?"
"They'll have it." Sienna trusted them without hesitation. Not actual trust, naturally, simply that she trusted them to do their job. "One more thing." More? Wasn't the meeting already impossible enough? "They want to meet tomorrow night, or the deal's off."
"Before Atlas leaves?! Are they crazy?" If word got out that he was in Mistral, he'd have more than just the entire city after him. The Schnee would be the first to find him. Extraction would have to take place well beyond the walls, meaning he'd have to fight his way through an entire city with the Schnee hot on his heels, all while protecting Blake and Ilia. Insane didn't even begin to describe this plan.
"It's our only lead." Which meant it was either that or risk never finding his team. Neither were good options, but only one was unacceptable. Sienna knew his decision before he could even say it. "I'll let them know you're coming. Make sure you come back in one piece."
"I'll be fine." He had to be. Finding his team was just the first step. He still needed to free them afterwards, which meant the real battle lay ahead. "Send me the location of this nightclub. I'll get our team back."
"Oh, and Adam?" Adam's hand stopped before he could disconnect the call. "Play nice. This isn't someone we want to anger."
Some random information dealer? Sure, they might start leaking details on the White Fang, but if they did, Adam would know exactly who they were and where to find them. Still, if Sienna thought them worth appeasing, then he'd play along. For now. "I'll be on my best behavior."
"Good. The last thing we need is for her to take an interest in us."
"Her?" So Sienna knew who they were dealing with after all. "Who exactly am I meeting?"
"One of the most dangerous people in Mistral."
Way to make things even more ridiculous. "Should I be concerned?"
"Only if you do anything to upset her." Sienna wasn't exactly filling him with confidence here. "Be polite, no matter what she says, but don't feel like you have to agree to anything. I'll leave the rest up to your discretion."
So wing it. That he could do. "Does this dangerous woman have a name?" Adam expected some over-the-top villainous name. Maybe some single word that was meant to inspire fear. The Shadow. Or a ridiculous title like Queen or Empress.
He definitely didn't expect something so plain, even if it somehow felt more intimidating that way.
"Lil' Miss Malachite."
"It's a trap!" Admiral Khan exclaimed. Wait, Khan? Khan? Khaaaaan! And with that the triple crossover is complete.
Been itching to get Lil' Miss involved pretty much since I saw her back in Volume 6. If you haven't read Roman Holiday, then you probably missed a little hint earlier in the chapter, but I decided not to drag it out to next week for a reveal. Wouldn't have been a great fit to do it that way. Now to speed read Roman Holiday again and make sure I do her character justice.
Atlas and Mistral are scheming, but so is the White Fang. Only one can prevail. Meanwhile, their spy issue is on hold but not forgotten. With the listening post captured, they can operate a little more freely, but something like that will still need to be addressed. One crisis at a time for now.
And for a quick aside about names as usual, Nuar is just the Russian version of Noir, which refers to old black-and-white films. Chartreuse Brooks, on the other hand, had a little thought put into it. All I'll say is that both her names refer to a certain literary character that should be easy to connect with her boss. Not the Head Councilor. Her real boss. Cheers to anyone who puts the pieces together!
Next chapter: Adam sneaks into the spider's web.
