Despite Adam's claims, Blake did actively explore future options for the White Fang. That was the only reason she stood in line at Sapphire Bank, tapping her foot while waiting for a teller to become available. The sound masking still threw her off even after being here for several minutes. Something about the diminished sense of hearing left her disoriented and irritable, and her skin tingled from the many, many cameras and security guards.
This was probably a waste of time, but there was no harm in taking a closer look. Besides, now she knew that Sapphire Bank had the Vanguard 9000 somewhere within its walls. Where was it, and what obstacles stood between her and the venerable safe?
Yang was right - the sheer level of security posed an enticing challenge. Without the legitimate worry of extensive jail time, Blake would make an attempt just to see if she could do it.
One of the customers headed toward the exit, their transaction completed, and the corresponding teller motioned her over.
"Welcome to Sapphire Bank," he greeted her with a well-rehearsed smile, his voice muffled by the thick glass separating them. "What can I help with?"
"I'd like to open a checking account."
"I can help you with that. You'll just need to fill out an application and make a deposit of at least a thousand dollars."
"Sure." She touched the glasses resting on her nose before forcing her hands into her bag. After rummaging around, she found her wallet and pulled out ten hundred dollar bills, which she set in the small tray between them while the teller gestured to the tablet attached to the counter.
"You can enter your info there."
While he collected the bills and counted them twice, she carefully tapped in her information. Name, address, date of birth - nothing out of the ordinary as far as bank accounts were concerned. Once she'd filled in every field and electronically signed, she clicked 'submit' and waited for further instructions.
"Perfect." The teller's gaze remained on his own monitor, where her information must have already popped up. While he clicked through the required procedures, she glanced around the work area separated from her by the thick glass.
Sapphire Bank leaned heavily into its blue theme by painting every possible accent with the same bright shade. They also must harp on information security since no stray files or papers were left out. The cabinets didn't have standard locks either - those were so easily pickable that they might as well not be locked at all. Fingerprint scanners were an odd choice for files but fit the excessive electronic security throughout the building. Plus, they looked good.
"Here we go." Despite all of the latest technology, the teller still printed the account paperwork and slid it to her with a brand new debit card - also bright blue. "That's got your account number and all of your account information on it, and you can start using the card today. Can I help with anything else?"
"Uh, no." Blake folded up the paperwork before pausing. "Actually, can I use your restroom?"
"Sure! It's right over there."
He held out an arm to his right, toward the corner of the building opposite the employee-only section.
"Thank you."
After gathering her bag, she headed that way, subtly looking high and low, careful not to leave gaps in vision. She noticed the restroom door but kept walking. The hallway ended in a locked door, but did it lead outside? And did the employees have access to it?
Her question was answered when a door opened, sunlight streamed in, and a young man with a nametag walked through. He paused when he saw her, but she waved to the nearby door and said, "Just looking for the restroom."
She had already opened the door far enough to peek inside - a break room with a vending machine - when he reached out to stop her.
"Restroom's over there, actually."
"Oh." After glancing into the break room, she gave an embarrassed smile and, "Thank you," before ducking to the proper room. Once inside, she made sure it was empty before setting her bag on the counter and scouring every inch of the room.
Being thorough was never pointless. She couldn't count the number of times when she nearly disregarded a 'useless' piece of information only to discover its true potential later on. Would this bathroom be useful? It didn't appear so, but she wouldn't know until she made a plan. And she wasn't creating a plan because this wasn't her project, but she could still dream.
A soft buzz interrupted her search and drew her back to her bag. After squeezing the side of her glasses to pause the recording, she dug out her phone and tried not to smile at the name on the screen.
'Arm-wrestling competition' Yang had sent along with a picture of two police officers locked arm in arm, gritting their teeth. It was dumb and silly and maybe a little pointless, but it was also a reminder that Yang was thinking about her.
'You get winner?' Blake responded before grabbing her bag, squeezing the side of her glasses, and leaving. She kept her phone in hand though, waiting for Yang's inevitable response.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd stayed in such consistent contact with someone, but the subtle company wasn't unwelcome. Yang's job unnerved her - scared her, even - but it was alarmingly easy to forget about when talking about books, movies, or why eggplants were purple.
Yang's next message arrived as she reached the sidewalk outside of Sapphire Bank. After slipping her glasses into her bag, she opened it and laughed when she read, 'I'm not allowed to anymore,' followed by several sad faces.
It was sweet. Blake didn't mind adding a little more sweetness to her life.
While thinking of a response, she glanced around and remembered that the police department was only a few blocks away - that was one of the main reasons why Sapphire Bank had only made it into the White Fang's dreams thus far.
A pleasant tingle dusted across her arms just thinking about Yang being nearby. She'd been so caught up in her goals for so long that she'd forgotten what it was like to pursue a legitimate attraction. Yet Yang checked every box: morally sound, funny, considerate, smart, incredibly attractive, great kisser…if she didn't work for the police, she would literally be perfect.
They had plans to see each other tomorrow, at which point Blake fully intended on tasting those gorgeous lips again. Her body warmed at the thought as she glanced in the department's direction. She was right here…and Yang was right there. If Yang was free, they could see each other now. Besides, Adam would pester her for an update soon.
'I'm actually not far from your work,' she typed. 'Mind if I stop by?'
This time, she hardly waited three seconds before receiving a 'Come on over!' that made her question her decision. But her feet were already moving under their own accord, and the blocks passed in the blink of an eye. Before long, she approached Vale's main police department. The building had, ironically, featured heavily in her thoughts even before she met Yang. She circled it on the map when planning any heist and used the other side of the street if ever passing by.
Today, she walked right up to the large, sliding glass doors, took a deep breath, and entered. Her heart seized on the other side, suddenly surrounded by officers and detectives. She clutched her bag closer, half expecting to be arrested at any moment as every crime she'd ever committed flew to the forefront of her thoughts. If they could read her mind, they would immediately cart her off to prison.
But they carried on as if she was just another person walking off the street. Well, most of them did. The woman at the reception desk looked right at her and said, "Can I help you?"
"Um, yes." Clearly, she needed a mental evaluation for voluntarily coming here, but she couldn't admit that out loud. "I'm here to see Detective Xiao Long."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Oh. Uh, no, but she's expecting me."
Was it suspicious for a detective to expect someone's company? Blake hadn't thought so, but the woman's furrowed brow suggested otherwise. However, before Blake gave up and called Yang, a familiar face caught her attention. The pretty blonde froze at the same moment, brow furrowed and lips pursed before recognition dawned.
"Blair, right?" she asked while walking over to Blake, non-confrontational yet not warm or inviting either.
"Blake."
"Right." The girl glanced at the receptionist before looking Blake up and down. "You here to see Yang?"
"Yes. She's expecting me."
"I'll take you." The blonde motioned Blake after her and headed through the glass security door leading into the 'employee-only' part of the station. Blake glanced at the receptionist, who had returned to work already, before following into what she could only describe as the belly of the beast.
"Are you and Yang dating or something?" the girl asked on the way, distracting Blake from the swarm of officers going about their day.
"We've gone out a few times."
"On dates?"
Blake didn't know why everyone insisted on using that word. Well, she did…but she knew that they weren't dates. On the other hand, she knew better than to trust a stranger who probably had a crush on Yang and would use anything she said against her. And she was still annoyed that the girl had blatantly checked Yang out right in front of her.
"Yeah," she found herself saying. "I guess you could say that."
A quiet hum but nothing else. The response satisfied some hidden urge deep in Blake's soul, yet her annoyance returned when the officer tapped on a door before opening it and saying, in an aggravatingly sing-song voice, "Look who I brought you."
Blake gave the girl an unamused glance while brushing past, but the office soon took all of her attention. Or, more specifically, Yang did. And the genuine delight in Yang's eyes when they landed on Blake.
The second thing that Blake noticed, besides the officer slinking out now that her chance at glory had passed, was that they weren't alone. Two other young women stood in the room. One wore a thick, black police vest over a white t-shirt, had short brunette hair, stunning silver eyes, and an energy suggesting she was seconds away from jogging in place. The other looked vaguely familiar, but Blake couldn't place her long, white hair and striking blue eyes. Her coordinated outfit and gleaming handbag screamed immense wealth, and she had a firm 'stay the hell away from me' vibe.
"Thanks for coming over," Yang said as if Blake hadn't invited herself, kissing Blake's cheek as soon as she reached Blake's side. "We were just shooting the breeze. This is my sister, Ruby." The brunette smiled and waved when Yang pointed to her. "And her fiancee, Weiss."
"Nice to meet you!" Ruby added while Weiss regarded Blake with pursed lips and a slight scowl. "Yang's told us a lot about you."
Offput by Weiss' frosty demeanor, Blake sought solace in Yang's sunny expression. "Has she?" she asked while Yang slid closer to her side, the proximity lighting a small fire in her chest.
"Maybe a little…"
"A lot."
Ruby giggled and squirmed out of the way when Yang swatted at her shoulder. A funny feeling blossomed in Blake's stomach. Something like butterflies…pleasant and warm.
"Hopefully good things," she said, an effortless smile sneaking onto her lips when Ruby enthusiastically nodded.
"Great things," she got out before Yang's hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her giggles.
"Anyway," Yang said, only to pause and grin at her sister. "Are you biting my hand?" When Ruby nodded - indeed gnawing on Yang's metal fingers - Yang let go and wiped her palm on her pants. "Gremlin," she teased before smiling at Blake. "So Weiss was just asking for preferential treatment -"
"I wasn't asking for it," Weiss interrupted while Ruby hopped up onto the desk and wrapped both arms around her waist. "I'm demanding it."
"You don't get to use the police as your personal security," Yang pointed out.
"Who pays your salary?"
"Not this again…" Yang muttered, shaking her head while Weiss nodded.
"That's right - taxpayers. And I pay enough taxes to afford a hundred of you. I think it's very reasonable that I'm only requesting five of you for three hours."
Yang rolled her eyes before catching Blake's gaze and jerking a thumb in Weiss' direction.
"Schnees, huh?"
"'Schnees?'" Blake repeated before the name clicked. "Oh."
"'Oh,'" Ruby repeated, giggling as she nuzzled Weiss' hair. "That's an 'Oh, I've heard that name before.'"
Weiss smiled thinly, still studying Blake with an intensity that made Blake shuffle her feet and attempt to recover.
"I have…it's kind of hard not to though."
"Your reputation precedes you," Yang teased.
"My father's reputation," Weiss quipped, her eyes never leaving Blake. "Yang said you went to Vale Academy. Do you know Henry Marigold?"
"Uh…no, sorry. Doesn't ring a bell."
"Really?" Weiss' brow rose, and she might have stepped closer if she wasn't still looped in Ruby's embrace. "That's interesting…I thought everyone knew Henry."
"I wasn't really a social butterfly," Blake admitted.
"Sure, but he was arrested for running a drug ring on campus. You didn't hear about that?"
Blake had no idea why Weiss expected her to know a drug dealer, but she shook her head and said, "Not that I remember."
"It made national news," Weiss pressed. "It's literally his only significant accomplishment, and it completely missed your radar? I thought Yang said you follow the news."
"Excuse her," Yang interrupted, glaring at the girl. "She never learned how to play nice with others."
"I can play with others fine. I'm just allergic to bullshit."
"Seriously, Weiss," Yang snapped while Blake frowned and Weiss cooly stared her down.
"It's fine," Blake assured Yang before standing a little taller and meeting Weiss' gaze. "If you must know, I took the last two years remote because my parents died. So I wasn't exactly on campus meeting drug dealers or following the news or anything, really."
Silence enveloped the room, as it so often did when that news came out.
"Wow, Weiss…" Yang eventually said. "Bet you feel like an ass now."
"I don't." Weiss looked unperturbed, though her tone had lost its edge. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents," she added while reaching for Ruby's hand. "That can't have been easy."
"It wasn't."
Weiss tilted her chin, sensing that Blake wouldn't give her anything more than that, and gently tugged Ruby off of the desk. "We'll get out of your hair now," she acquiesced while leading Ruby to the door.
"Nice to meet you!" Ruby added before the two of them exited to the hall. Weiss shot Blake a narrow-eyed glance before Yang shut the door behind them.
"I'm so sorry," Yang immediately said. "She's like that with everyone. Well, everyone but Ruby."
"I see…"
Blake wanted to bristle, but a voice in the back of her head reminded her that Weiss was right not to trust her. She wasn't who she pretended to be, but Yang was so oblivious that Blake hadn't expected to walk into an inquisition. This was a horrible idea, especially if Weiss grew suspicious and voiced those concerns to Yang…
"And I'm sorry about your parents," Yang added, her fingers grazing Blake's elbow. "If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."
This was a horrible idea…but then Yang offered support and sympathy with no expectation, just sincerity. A small smile flitted across Blake's lips as she said, "Thank you."
When Yang nodded, Blake finally took a deep breath and exhaled that interaction. Once it no longer grated against her skin, she could focus on learning more about Yang's life and work.
"Your sister's marrying into the Schnee family?" she asked first. Yang chuckled as if she'd expected the question.
"Crazy, right?"
"And you're okay with that?"
"Ruby loves her." Yang lifted her hands as if there was nothing more she could do about it. "Besides, I've put Weiss through a full investigation five times now. She's clean."
"She can't be."
"She is!" Seeing Blake's disbelief, Yang laughed and nodded. "I swear. Nothing but speeding tickets and parking violations. She loves leaving her ridiculous car wherever she wants."
"That seems…impossible."
"Keep thinking that for a couple years and you'll be where I'm at now." Yang smiled and shrugged. "They're good together, so I can only support them. Besides, Weiss will burn the whole city down if they ever broke up, so…this is better for everyone."
"Wow." Blake mulled over the information before shaking her head. "So your sister, who works for the police, is marrying the daughter of the man leading Vale's largest criminal organization."
"See, you do follow the news." After chuckling at Blake's improbable summation, Yang motioned to the hall. "Want a tour?"
"Only if you're my guide."
"Of course! But first -" Yang stopped Blake by the door and drew her into a kiss. Excitement flooded through Blake's veins at the soft touch and she pressed closer without encouragement. Their lips parted, the kiss deepened, and Yang's hands - an alluring contrast of soft and firm - clutched her hips.
If Blake imagined heaven, it would be like this. And she thought that before Yang gently pushed her against the wall. Suddenly, she was enveloped in Yang's touch, Yang's warmth, Yang's smell, Yang's taste - every sensation fueling unbridled bliss.
Again, Yang showed restraint by pulling away first, leaving Blake's eyes to flutter open and find that sincere lilac gaze drawing her back in.
"I'm happy to see you," Yang admitted, the corner of her mouth tugging up as if she couldn't believe she just said that.
"I can tell," Blake teased, her heart thundering like a wild pony racing across the plains. Yang broadcast happiness as if she wore a neon sign above her head. Unashamed. Unreserved. Wanting Blake to see it and know that she was the cause of it.
"Ready for that tour now?"
The way Yang's hand lingered on Blake's waist suggested there might be another option if Blake played her cards right. She bit her lip considering it - imagining it - but, ultimately, had a job to do. And that job didn't include making out on Yang's desk. So she nodded, swallowed some regret, and followed Yang out of the office.
Yang's hand wrapped around hers as soon as they reached the hall, so she decided that this wasn't so bad either. If the tingles running down her spine were any indication, she quite liked it.
"Is your sister a detective, too?" she asked, hoping that conversation would distract her from the sweet, intimate moment.
"Nope. She's SWAT."
"Seriously?"
"Yup. She's deadly with any weapon. Put a rifle in her hands though…" Yang shook her head and blew a breath through her lips. "She can hit a quarter dropped by a crow a mile away in a snowstorm."
"That's…"
"An exaggeration," Yang admitted, chuckling lightly. "But she's really good. They'll probably put her in charge of her own squad soon. Weiss will hate that."
While Yang chuckled, Blake quickly digested that knowledge and focused instead on what was happening around her. The station buzzed with activity as uniformed officers, detectives, and support staff flew around. Phones ran, alarms beeped, and a steady hum of conversation filled the air. Yang navigated the chaos with ease, her grip of Blake's hand reassuring and firm.
Blake's eyes swept back and forth, trying to maintain a curious yet not overly curious aura. Internally, her nerves burned and fizzled with each step, and her muscles tightened whenever one of the other officers so much as glanced her way.
"You can relax," Yang suddenly said, squeezing Blake's hand and offering a comforting smile. "They're just curious about a new face, that's all."
"Right." Blake slowly exhaled and tried to ignore the underlying urge to flee. She focused on Yang's hand instead, and on how Yang kept going out of the way to make her comfortable. "Just taking it all in," she added. "This is…pretty hectic."
"You have no idea." Yang chuckled before tugging Blake toward one of the doors in a new hallway. "Wait till you see the war room."
"'War room?'" Blake repeated, curious until Yang led her into a moderately sized conference room occupied by several detectives poring over manilla files. The rest of the room was filled with a couple of tables, chairs, and more whiteboards than she had ever seen in one place. As soon as she saw what was on the whiteboards, however, her mouth dried out.
"This is the war room." Yang led Blake further inside and motioned to the detectives. "And this is the team! Detective Blaze, Detective Morgan, Detective Proud - guys, this is Blake. I'm showing her around."
Detective Blaze and Proud nodded while Detective Morgan offered a friendly handshake.
"And you just had to show off, didn't you?" he teased Yang.
"You know it." As soon as Blake shook the detective's hand, Yang motioned to the papers covering the desks and walls. "This is where the magic happens. Everything we know about the White Fang - past jobs, possible future jobs, suspects, not-suspects, you name it."
Blake's heart pounded as she eyed the whiteboards and stacks upon stacks of files. What if they already knew that Vale Credit Union was the next target? What if they had her description in there somewhere? Maybe not a name, but a physical description? A background? What if this was a web that she was already caught in yet had no idea?
"It's…a lot," she said when she realized that Yang was waiting for a response. She wished that she was still wearing her glasses so that she could comb through every detail later, but a bigger part of her never wanted to see this room again.
"It is. And a little disorganized right now, but we're working on that. Right, team?"
Yang gave the detectives an expectant look, so they responded with light grumbles while getting back to work. With their attention elsewhere, Yang guided Blake further away and motioned to one of the most paper-strewn desks in the room.
"I spend a lot of my time here. Staring at pictures and charts, hoping something clicks."
The fist tightening in Blake's stomach suggested that this was a truly awful experience. But she had to move past it. Focus. She needed information and Yang just presented an unlikely opening.
"That reminds me." Blake never thought this opportunity would come up, but she pulled out her phone. "I'm sure you've seen this…but I found it online and was just wondering - is it the type of thing that helps?"
This crossed the line from 'bad' to 'stupid,' but she held up her phone and played the grainy video captured by a camera across the street from Vale Savings. In it, a very blurry version of Adam, Cinder, and herself hurried out of the bank, loaded duffel bags into an unmarked van that had long since been disposed of, and sped off.
"Just trying to learn more about what you do," she added while Yang watched.
Yang watched the full clip before blinking and nodding. "Yeah, we were stoked when we found this, but it's too blurry. We've got forensics trying to clear up the quality, but when they're all wearing masks, I'm not sure even a clear picture's going to help much."
Internally, Blake sighed in relief. When the video popped up online, she nearly packed her bags and abandoned Vale in the dead of night. Adam convinced her that the police had nothing to go on and now, with Yang's confirmation, she could actually smile about it.
"So you just need a clear video of them without their masks."
"Ideally. Although this video might've made it easier to find Wilt." As soon as Blake's brow rose, Yang nodded and leaned closer. "Watch," she instructed before restarting the video. The short clip played again, then she gave Blake an expectant look. "See that?"
"No…"
Yang restarted it, this time leaning so close that her hair brushed against Blake's cheek. "There." Yang pointed at Adam's leg as they crossed the sidewalk. "Wilt's got a gimp."
"How did I never notice that..." Blake stared at the video another time before glancing at Yang. "I've watched this like ten times," she quickly added.
"I am a detective by trade," Yang joked. "And it might be nothing," she said when Blake watched it again. "But it could be something. All I know right now is if I see some tall dude limping down the sidewalk, I'm giving him a second glance."
"I suggested we call him 'Gilty,'" Detective Proud piped in, earning his coworkers' groans. "What?" he asked. "It's 'Wilt' and 'gimpy' combined, and sounds like 'guilty' - which, you know, he is."
"You're the only one who thinks that's funny," one of the other detectives teased.
"Yang thinks it's funny!"
When all eyes landed on Yang, including Blake's, Yang chuckled and gestured over her shoulder.
"I've gotta show Blake the rest of the station," she said, taking Blake's hand and pulling her out of the room.
"Coward!" Detective Proud shouted after her, leaving Blake chuckling as they left the room.
"I don't know what he's talking about." Yang laughed when Blake arched a brow. "Anyway, that's where I spend most of my time when not in my office or out searching for evidence."
Blake brushed past the niggling realization that Yang wanted her to see the spaces she lived and worked in. "That reminds me. I did a little reading on the White Fang and…" Noticing the way Yang was looking at her, Blake paused. "What?"
"Nothing." Yang shook her head, but then a smile sprang onto her lips. "It's just…you're actually interested in my job."
"Of course I am. It's interesting. Besides, you pay attention when I talk about work, and I have the most boring job in the world."
"But I could listen to you talk about income and deductions for hours! Although, you might be a big reason behind my interest…"
Another heartwarming admission that Blake refused to dwell on as much as her heart wanted. This one was accompanied by a prick of guilt that her interest in Yang's work came with ulterior motives.
"Anyway…" she continued before lingering on that remorse. "The White Fang has two leaders, right? Wilt and Shroud."
"Right."
"And you want to arrest them both."
"Very much so," Yang replied before motioning with a hand. "Personally, I'd like to get Wilt more than Shroud, but yes. Both."
"What's wrong with Wilt?"
"I don't know. He just strikes me as a huge asshole."
Startled laughter slipped through Blake's lips but Yang, rather than question the reaction, lit up as if she just learned how to work miracles.
Blake couldn't wait to tell Adam though. Not that he would care, but this only confirmed that he was an asshole.
"Ok, so two leaders…" she continued as they resumed their slow stroll through the halls. "Who else is there though? How many people?"
"Could be a handful of others, could be dozens." Brow furrowed, Yang stared straight ahead before eventually shaking her head. "The only thing I know is that they're growing, and that's bad news for everyone."
"Why?"
"Because the bigger they get, the more likely bad things will happen. Wilt and Shroud might think they have everything under control, but things get unwieldy fast. Before you know it, you've got ambulances and sirens - that's why we need to stop them now. Before things get out of hand."
"But they say they're going to make the world better."
Yang suddenly stopped, so Blake did, too.
"Let me ask you something…" Yang began. "I'm going to change the world, but you need to give me your money first. Would you do that?"
"Well…how are you going to change the world?"
"Exactly. How are they going to change the world?" Blake's eyes widened, but Yang turned forward and threw her hands in the air. "What're they doing with the money? They never say, and we don't get to choose whether or not we participate. They're making the decision for us but won't even tell us who they are."
Blake frowned while Yang shook her head and glanced over.
"I don't know about you, but the people I look up to - the ones who've done some of the bravest things you can imagine - I can tell you their names. I can tell you what they've done, what they look like. The White Fang aren't like that. They're hiding behind masks, codenames, and empty promises."
Yang made a good point, and it soured Blake's stomach like nothing else could.
"What if they told us their plan?" she blurted out. "Or a framework for how they want to make things better and what they're doing with the money?"
"I'd read it," Yang replied with a shrug. "Things can always get better around here. I just don't think they're doing it the right way."
Not yet, they weren't. But changes could be made, and Blake could be the one to make them. For the insight, she felt incredibly grateful to Yang, whose perspective was much more open-minded than just 'detective chasing criminals.' She nearly pointed out as much - an overdue compliment - but then a giant vault door loomed into view.
"Oh. That's…wow."
"Isn't it?"
Yang grinned at Blake and, without prompting, led her over so they could inspect the shiny metal door.
"What's in here?" Blake asked while ghosting her fingers across the door and handle, careful not to touch anything.
"Whatever's confiscated during busts or arrests. We keep it here until the court decides what to do with it."
"How much is it?"
"Depends on the day. Probably a few million right now, and I saw the narco team bring in a duffel of gold bars the other day."
"Real gold?"
"Real gold." Noticing Blake's wide-eyed wonder, Yang grinned and nudged her elbow. "Thinking about early retirement?"
That wasn't quite what Blake was thinking as she scanned every inch of the vault door for chinks in its armor. "How do you keep track of the money? To make sure none goes missing."
"You mean if dirty cops are skimming?" When Blake nodded, Yang did, too. "Well, there are cameras everywhere." Yang pointed out several that Blake had already noticed. "You'd need the key and the code. Everything's cataloged and the Chief runs inventory at the end of the week. Plus, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in the middle of a police station."
Yang gestured to a pair of officers walking by. The high-traffic area was a strategic benefit. Getting in would be difficult, getting out would be near impossible. It would have to be an inside job, and the Chief of Police would probably need to be involved.
"I've never seen one in real life," Blake lied while Yang retook her hand and gently led her away.
"So we checked that off your bucket list?"
"Sure." Blake lightly scoffed, but Yang's laughter had her smiling in no time.
If she had a bucket list, getting a tour of a police station from a detective might have made the cut. Beyond fascinating, she learned an incredible amount about how the different divisions worked together and separately to accomplish their goals. Yang showed her the crime lab, records department, interrogation rooms, holding cells, armory, and emergency operations center. By the time they returned to the front of the building, she felt like she just took a crash course in policing.
"What do you think?" Yang asked while holding open the security door. "Should I get you an application?"
Another impromptu laugh escaped before Blake clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. "I think I'll leave the crime fighting to the experts."
"Ah, well…can't blame me for trying." Yang grinned and nudged Blake's shoulder, so Blake playfully rolled her eyes and followed Yang to the gleaming granite wall on the other side of the entrance.
Blake had been so nervous on the way in that she hardly noticed the memorial, but now Yang led her over to stand in front of it. She only needed a glimpse of the silver stars beside etched names to realize the weight and significance of this place.
"These are the heroes I was talking about," Yang explained, her voice soft and somber. She then stepped forward and let her finger hover over one in particular. "And that's my mom."
Suddenly, Blake understood more about Yang than she had ever intended to. And, somehow, it felt like the air had been crushed from her lungs while Yang took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"She was shot during a robbery. Went right through the heart, she didn't even make it to the hospital." Yang stared at the star on the wall while Blake stared at her. "It's never easy, going through something like that. They leave a hole nothing will ever fill."
While Blake struggled for words, Yang turned and offered a small smile. Silently, she expressed the depths of a loss that they both understood too well, establishing a connection that Blake felt now more than ever.
"Everyone thinks I got promoted because of her," Yang admitted, her posture slumping. "That's why the White Fang case is so important. If I can bring them down, I'll prove everyone wrong."
"I'm sure you can…" Blake whispered and, strangely, partially meant it. She wanted to see Yang succeed, though not at the cost of going to prison. If those were separate things - if she could root for Yang without ruining her own life - she would be Yang's biggest fan.
Yang could do it, too. She wasn't just a pretty face. She was smart, intuitive, and capable. Her biggest weakness was…trusting people.
Blake glanced at Yang out of the corner of her eye, wondering what would happen when she eventually dropped out of Yang's life. Would Yang ever give up on finding the White Fang? Would she make her name on another case? Would she wonder what went wrong between the two of them? Why they were destined for failure?
"It was a car accident," she blurted out, glancing over when Yang looked at her. "My parents," she explained. "I can't imagine though…" She half-gestured to Yang's mom's name, stopped, and sighed. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here, too."
She meant every word, for now. Yang smiled.
"Maybe I'll take you up on that someday." Yang held Blake's gaze before eventually looking around and sighing. Just like that, Blake knew that the moment had passed. "I really want to take you out for lunch, but I kind of have work to do…"
"It's fine. I dropped in unannounced."
"Which I love," Yang replied, squeezing Blake's hand for emphasis. "We're still on for tomorrow though, right?"
"Of course. I'm looking forward to it."
"Me, too."
As usual, Yang's smile drew Blake in. She had already taken a step forward before realizing what she was doing and Yang's arm wrapped around her waist before she backed up. Then Yang's lips landed on hers, light as a feather and soft as silk, and the rest of the world faded away.
In that kiss was an apology that their time together ended here, which Blake forgave in return, and a promise that they could continue tomorrow, which Blake demanded an extended preview of now.
Unfortunately, the rest of the world returned with a loud, playful whistle that broke them apart. Yang grinned and swiped at an officer's arm as they passed while Blake finally felt the decency to blush at the public display. Yang wasn't embarrassed though. If anything, her smile was more radiant than ever, and she shared it freely with Blake.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, stealing one last kiss before releasing Blake and backing toward the door leading into the department. She waved before heading through, where two officers immediately swept to her side, teasing her about what just happened.
Noticing the receptionist's curious gaze, Blake straightened her shoulders and hurried outside. The sidewalk felt like a cloud and her smile lingered all the way to the train station. Yang seemed to have this effect on her. As if the skies had never truly been blue and the sun had never truly shone before they met. Birds never fully sang. Flowers never fully blossomed.
Her smile fell when she reminded herself that she wasn't actually dating Yang. She might be physically accompanying Yang on dates and enjoying all of the pleasures that came with it - and those kisses were very pleasurable - but this was work. This was business. This was for the cause she'd devoted herself to years ago.
If she wanted to help people and avoid prison, she owed it to herself and the rest of the White Fang to see this through. Because Adam was right: if Yang could be used as a source of information, they might never be caught. Blake's heart clenched at the thought of jeopardizing Yang's career in the process, but she shook her head and hurried onto the next train.
Yang was an adult who could make her own decisions. No one forced her into this. She just…shouldn't trust people so easily.
She shouldn't trust Blake at all.