The moment Blake opened her eyes and recognized Yang's bedroom ceiling, she looked over and breathed a sigh of relief. Yang was still there, lying beside her, eyes closed, chest rising and falling in peaceful slumber. The covers had bundled up over her chest but left her bare shoulders begging to be touched. Her right arm, freed of the prosthetic, rested lightly on top of the blanket.
Quietly rolling onto her side, Blake basked in the soft morning glow and their shared warmth. She didn't know what last night meant for Yang, but she knew what she wanted it to mean. Their connection remained strong and if Yang could ever forgive her…
There was still a long way to go, but last night felt like a step in the right direction.
When Yang shifted under the covers, then threw an arm over her eyes to block the sun and sighed, a thread of concern crept through Blake's hopes. Gently touching her neck, which burned far more than it should, Blake suddenly worried that she misread the situation. What she wanted to be a renewal of their feelings could have only been Yang seeking comfort after an incredibly stressful day. If that was the case, when Yang woke up…as her little sighs and movements suggested would happen soon…she would probably jump up and leave, then reiterate that it couldn't happen again.
Blake braced herself for that future when Yang rubbed her eyes and then blinked in the early morning light. Sensing her audience, Yang glanced over, then smiled and rolled onto her side so that they faced each other.
"Good morning," she whispered.
"Good morning."
Yang's eyes briefly widened at Blake's raspy voice, which Blake quickly tried to clear away, but then her gaze floated down to Blake's neck.
"God. I need to get you more ice or something."
As soon as Yang started getting up, Blake grabbed her hand and said, "I'm fine." Yang paused to frown at her.
"Blake, it looks like you're wearing a black and blue scarf."
"Then I'm in season."
Yang huffed but sank back into the covers when Blake didn't let go.
"At least let me get you some medicine."
"Later," Blake replied, wrapping her hand around Yang's on top of the covers.
Yang shook her head but, more importantly, stayed. She even lifted Blake's hand to her lips for a kiss, then reached out and gently brushed her fingers through Blake's hair. Her caring expression and her tender touch made Blake's eyes sting, and tears fully welled up when Yang sighed and said, "I've missed you…"
Blake blinked away the pressing urge to cry, but a soft gasp still left her lips.
"I've missed you, too," she whispered. "I can't even tell you how much..."
Rather than pull away, Yang drew her into a kiss. Yang's certainty had persisted and, now, it assured Blake through every warm, loving touch that last night wasn't a mistake. Yang wasn't withdrawing behind sturdy walls to protect herself - she was lowering the walls to let Blake in. Even if it was only a peek to the other side, Blake accepted everything Yang was willing to give.
Before those kisses gained a feverish tinge, Yang pulled away. Her eyes scanned Blake's face for answers to unspoken questions, then she settled onto her shoulder and scooted close enough that their legs intertwined beneath the covers. Blake traced Yang's collarbone up to her shoulder then moved down to the scar resting just above Yang's heart.
"I volunteered for the joint exercises in Vacuo." When Blake looked up, Yang nodded. "Just like I volunteered for Mantel…and Atlas…and Patch before that. I told Ruby that I needed to get away, but I just wanted to be closer to you, somehow." Yang paused then chuckled and shook her head. "Never thought I'd actually run into you."
"I knew a couple of cops at my gym. They mentioned it."
"Please tell me it wasn't Neptune…"
A startled laugh slipped through Blake's lips.
"He was one of them, yeah."
"God, that guy…" Yang shook her head but then smiled at Blake. "First day we're there, he tried hitting on Mel by challenging her to a fight. She kicked his ass so bad that his buddies had to peel him off the mat. So of course he spent the rest of the week following her around like a puppy."
"Sounds like him…" Blake mused before chuckling at her memories of the hapless boy. Yang joined in with a soft laugh before casting Blake a curious look.
"What're you doing making friends with cops, anyway?"
"It just kind of happened." Blake shrugged but, when Yang's fingers threaded through hers, added, "My gym was popular with the department, and it…it made me feel connected to you, in a way."
"You love cops and you know it."
Blake made a face when Yang playfully poked her shoulder.
"I don't know about all cops, but a few aren't that bad."
"'Aren't that bad.' I hope those aren't my results from last night."
"Last night was incredible," Blake assured Yang, who hummed and kept playing with Blake's fingers.
"I wonder what they would've said if they knew who you really were…"
"They would've kicked me out."
"I doubt that." Blake scrunched up her nose, but Yang squeezed her hand. "You have quite a reputation, you know. They'd probably hound you for stories of how you pulled off your heists."
"Right…" Blake huffed at the thought that cops could do anything but despise her, but Yang squeezed her hand again.
"I'm serious. Even I don't know how you did some of it." Yang paused, then trailed her foot up Blake's shin as a smile slipped onto her lips. "Like Merchants Credit Union - we couldn't figure out how you got in without triggering the alarm."
"I figured out their software update schedule," Blake answered simply. A different kind of heat crept up her neck as Yang's foot kept gently stroking her leg, but she cleared her throat and added, "Their normal tech got 'reassigned' for the day and I sent Emerald in his place. We scheduled an update for the job time so everything went offline then booted back up once we were gone."
"Damn. That's clever." Yang grinned when Blake lightly shuddered, wishing for that wandering foot to do a little more wandering. "What about National Repository? That place was like a fortress."
Blake blew a breath through her lips when Yang's foot paused in anticipation of an answer.
"I had Cinder infiltrate the building maintenance team. She literally just walked in and told them she was their new boss, and they went along with it. She left a remote-activated EMP in the supply closet next to the security room. EMP went off, security went down, we got in and out as fast as possible - took the EMP with us, too."
"The building maintenance," Yang reiterated. "So you didn't even need to get into the bank to set it all up." When Blake shrugged, Yang puffed out a breath. "That's smart. Hot, too."
Cheeks flaring, Blake nonchalantly rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.
"Wait, are you blushing?" Yang gasped.
"Of course not."
Laughing now, Yang slid on top of Blake, pinning her to the bed with an arm on the side of her head. The covers dropped down Yang's back, unveiling a remarkable view that made Blake's cheeks turn an even deeper red. She turned her head to the side in foolish hopes that Yang wouldn't notice, but Yang squinted at her before grinning.
"You are!"
Blake puffed out her cheeks before looking up at Yang, whose eyes sparkled in delight.
"I just…appreciate…that you appreciate what I can do. Or could do. Once upon a time."
Yang's expression softened.
"I appreciate you for a lot more than that."
The quiet admission hung in the air, heavy with meaning, while Blake's chest swelled with feelings that had nothing to do with embarrassment. She had expected to bury her past like some shameful secret, yet Yang had brought it out into the open without shutting down or closing off. Yang knew as well as Blake did that the actions were wrong…yet still found a way to appreciate the strategy behind it. Blake used to be proud of the way she could strategize. Maybe she should still be a little proud.
"Thanks, Yang," she whispered, then snapped her gaze back to Yang's eyes when she realized that her attention was slipping lower. Yang noticed, too, so carefully lowered herself down to lie by Blake's side. From there, she wrapped one leg over Blake's and trailed her fingers across Blake's stomach under the covers.
"I don't know what happens next, but -" A jarringly loud ringtone cut off Yang's sentence. "But work will keep interrupting," she grumbled, rolling over to grab her phone from the nightstand. "Xiao Long," she answered and, seconds into the response, sat straight up in bed. "Where?" She was already throwing the covers off and getting up, pausing only to say, "Be right there."
"What happened?" Blake asked as soon as Yang ended the call.
"Vale Community just got robbed."
Questions flooded Blake's mind, but she asked none of them. She scrambled after Yang, searching for her clothing and nearly putting her shirt on backward in her haste to follow Yang out the door. They left the apartment in record time, flying downstairs to the unfamiliar, heavily tinted car that Yang drove them home in last night.
"I thought it was a decoy," Blake said once Yang was driving.
"I did, too."
Yang's grip tightened on the steering wheel, leaving Blake to stare at her before staring out the window, thoughts scrambling. The bank's alarms triggered last night…was that actually a false alarm or just a setup for this morning?
Blake glanced at the clock and abruptly realized the time. "The bank's already open," she commented more to herself than Yang, but Yang set her mouth in a grim line and said, "Yup."
The serious response alone should have clued Blake in on what they would discover once they reached Vale Community Bank. Still, shock trembled through her when she saw the police presence surrounding the building. Patrol cars were parked everywhere. Two giant SWAT trucks blocked off the street and another restricted entrance to the mall. An ambulance had parked on the sidewalk and officers swarmed everywhere. A crowd had gathered just beyond the police barrier, where they craned their necks and held up their phones trying to catch a good story.
As soon as Yang and Blake left the car, the noise struck Blake like a hammer. Police radios crackling with orders. The crowd murmuring amongst themselves. A news helicopter circling up above. She had always been on the quiet side of things. Silent, lifeless buildings. Operating in near darkness. Slipping away after hardly making a sound.
She wanted to shrink away from the commotion, but Yang grabbed her hand and led her past the barricades. Every officer that they passed stopped and stared - some outright glared - but Blake didn't understand why until she and Yang entered the bank. Yang froze so fast that Blake bumped into her, but an apology never appeared when Blake saw what caused Yang's sudden stop.
'SHROUD'S BACK'
The message had been spray-painted across the wall in large, red letters. Beneath it was a crudely painted diamond, and a White Fang mask - her White Fang mask - had been hung by a knife. Further into the lobby, paramedics helped several people with various cuts and bruises while officers took statements from the employees, many of whom were still in tears.
Blake couldn't move. She remained rooted to the floor, still as a statue whose gaze couldn't wretch away from the message in front of her, left for her. The red paint looked like blood dripping down the wall. Her mask…she hadn't worn it since Sapphire Bank. When Adam shot her. Tore off her mask. Left her there, possibly to die.
He kept it. He kept it this entire time.
A strangled gasp slipped through her lips as the back of her neck prickled with heat. She wanted to curl in on herself and disappear, or be anywhere but here. Yang squeezed her hand - a subtle show of support that she desperately needed - but let go when Ruby strode over to them. Ruby hooked one hand in the collar of her tactical vest and let the other fall to her side, her grim expression revealing the gravity of the situation.
"Vault's untouched."
Blake's heart dropped while Yang frowned and said, "What do you mean?"
"I mean it wasn't touched," Ruby repeated. "And everyone's saying the same thing - they came in guns blazing, roughed some people up, left this message, then took off. No attempt to steal anything."
"What? But…why?"
Ruby shrugged, but Blake could hardly breathe.
"I'm not back," she got out. Tears welled in her eyes while Ruby frowned at her. "I'm not," she insisted, turning to Yang. "You know that, right? I've been with you this whole time -"
"Hey, I know. It's fine." Despite Ruby's obvious suspicion, Yang pulled Blake into a hug, offering shelter from the stares and blame being cast her way. "Now do you believe me?" Yang directed to Ruby.
Blake rubbed her eyes against Yang's shoulder as Ruby squinted at the message then peered at her as if trying to read her mind. She knew what Ruby was thinking - that this was all part of some master plan that Blake cooked up in Vacuo - but Ruby eventually sighed.
"We need to regroup." Ruby's gaze flitted to Blake, still buried in Yang's arms. "I'll meet you back at the station?"
Yang nodded, so Ruby pulled out her phone and turned away to make a call. The consequences of Blake's mistakes continued to swirl around them, but Yang grabbed Blake's hand and pulled her out of the bank just as quickly as they had entered. The other officers noted the rapid departure with furrowed brows, opening a gaping hole in Blake's chest as Yang bundled her securely into the passenger seat and got them out of there.
Yang didn't have to say anything - her frequent glances said enough. She was worried, and Blake would have offered reassurance if it wouldn't have been a lie. She stared out the window and bit her lip to keep it from quivering instead.
Adam left that message for her, and in doing so undermined any credibility that she had earned with the department. He cracked the foundation of trust that she was trying to rebuild with Yang and, by extension, Ruby. And, most horrifically, he bullied and hurt innocent people to do so.
He was getting impatient.
Yang cleared her throat, gently announcing her intention to speak, before saying, "Kidnapping you didn't work, so now they're…?"
"It's a threat," Blake whispered towards her lap. "Either I help them or more people get hurt. And they'll pin it all on me."
Feeling Yang's gaze, she closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. Maybe if she kept her eyes closed, nothing else would happen. She could pretend that it was just her and Yang, and the car accelerating and decelerating with the flow of traffic, and nothing else. Her past wouldn't be haunting her. She wouldn't be facing a choice of returning to the White Fang, likely a death sentence, or standing by while others fell in harm's way.
Unfortunately, the car eventually stopped and the engine turned off. Yang didn't move as an even deeper silence fell over them - she waited for Blake to look over before offering a small smile and encouraging nod to the police department looming in front of them.
"Come on, let's get inside."
When Yang left the car, Blake had no choice but to follow. Yang's hand quickly found hers though, providing steady support as they wove their way through busy halls. News traveled fast - the officers snuck Blake an extra look, none friendly - but Yang hustled her into the sanctuary of their investigation room.
"Come here," Yang softly said, shutting the door and then drawing Blake into another hug.
Her thin grasp of composure instantly cracked. The tears finally started falling, and she held onto Yang as if the world was trying to pull her away. For as upsetting and distressing as that message was, her thoughts kept grounding themselves in one irrefutable truth: Yang was still here.
If anyone had good reason to suspect Blake of bad intentions, it was Yang. Instead, Yang was supporting her. Comforting her. Believing in her. That realization eased the sting of Adam forcing his way back into her life. She listened to Yang's heartbeat, steady and strong, and her heart slowed down to match. Sensing that the tears had ebbed, Yang pulled away and kissed Blake long and slow, proving that Adam hadn't driven a stake through the one thing that mattered.
"Feel better?" Yang asked, gently holding Blake's face in both hands.
"Somewhat." Blake sighed and folded back into Yang's embrace. "You probably could've started with the kiss though…"
"Noted." Yang quietly chuckled and rubbed Blake's back before eventually leading her over to a chair and urging her to sit down. Yang then pulled over a second chair and sat with their knees touching. "So that's not what I expected this morning." Yang clasped Blake's hand while studying her. "They need you bad."
"Or they're trying to drag my pristine name through the mud…"
A surprised laugh slipped through Yang's lips, but then she cleared her throat and shook her head.
"Don't worry about that, ok? The only thing you need to worry about is yourself. Your safety." Yang's eyes briefly clouded and flitted to the door. "I need to talk to some people real quick. Will you be alright here?"
"I think so…"
"I'll be fast, promise."
Yang kissed Blake's temple before hurrying out of the room, leaving Blake to dwell in silence. Her mind raced through scheme after scheme in search of Adam's angle but kept flying back to the words on the wall, dripping like blood. If she didn't do what he wanted, then blood would be spilled. But was he angry or just desperate?
The answer eluded her, but Yang's return erased the question from her mind.
"What's wrong?" she asked, standing as soon as she noticed Yang's grim expression.
Yang reached for Blake's hands first, staring at them as their fingers intertwined. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then shook her head and met Blake's gaze straight on.
"We're putting you back in witness protection."
"What?" Blake shook her head and pulled away. "No. I don't want to -"
"You don't have a choice." The firm response ended any protest, but as Blake stood there, mouth ajar, Yang moved closer, again held Blake's hands, and softened her voice. "The Chief just made the call. With the White Fang gunning for you, we need to get you out of here. Get you somewhere safe."
"But…what about you? Will you know where I am?"
Yang looked away.
"No one will know where you are except Witness Security."
"I don't want that," Blake instantly said, shaking her head.
"I know, Blake, but…" Yang closed her eyes, sighed, then squeezed Blake's hands and met her gaze. "If I have to choose between keeping you here or keeping you safe, I'm going to choose keeping you safe every single time."
"But I -"
Tears welled in Blake's eyes when Yang subtly shook her head, silently pleading for her not to argue. Feeling like a hole had just been punched through her chest, she crouched down and set a hand on the floor to steady herself. Everything she had been working towards crumbled around her, dissolving into ruin just like the first time she had been cast out of Vale. She couldn't imagine returning to Vacuo, or anywhere else, where all she did was yearn for Yang and a life they couldn't seem to have.
Yang's warm hand landed on her shoulder, emphasizing everything she stood to lose, all because she hadn't been smart enough to figure out Adam's plan.
"Can we at least…wait a while?" she whispered.
"I already asked. They agreed to push it back to tomorrow morning - no later."
Blake squeezed her eyes shut at the time frame, but Yang drew her back up and into another hug.
"I know it sucks…but we can't keep you here. It's too dangerous."
"I don't care." Blake pulled out of Yang's embrace, caring more about the resolve in her veins than the tears in her eyes. "I don't care," she repeated as Yang's brow pinched. "I want him out of our lives, Yang. I want to move on. I want to prove I'm not that person anymore and make up for what I've done. How can I do that if I'm stuck on the other side of the world?"
Blake gestured to the wall of the department, but Yang caught her hand and held it lovingly in hers.
"You don't have to make up for it, Blake. You've already done enough."
"It doesn't feel like enough…" Blake muttered. Yang sighed and set a hand on Blake's cheek, lending gentle warmth through the palm of her hand.
"It's only temporary. Once we catch them, we'll bring you right back."
Left unspoken was that Yang had no idea how long that might take. A month? Two months? Two years? An indefinite separation at this point loomed like an eternity. And that was before two knocks on the doorframe prematurely drew them apart.
Ruby entered the room first, still dressed in her SWAT attire, but Weiss' entrance added to Blake's general misery. "Wait here, ok?" Ruby quietly said, pulling out one of the empty seats so that Weiss could sit, which she did with a huff and a piercing blue gaze shot Blake's way. "Yang," Ruby added, gesturing her head for Yang to follow. Blake tightened her grasp of Yang's hand when Yang started pulling away, so Yang clasped Blake's in both of hers.
"We need to figure out what the hell we're doing before someone gets seriously hurt," she explained. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Her eyes willed Blake to believe her, but Blake still reluctantly released her hand. Yang then raced after Ruby, leaving Blake to glance at Weiss before sitting and staring at the boxes filled with evidence and files on the White Fang. She could feel Weiss' annoyance seeping across the room, quietly announcing that it wouldn't be long before Weiss said something.
"I'm not in the mood to talk," Blake said, hoping to cut off any conversation attempt.
"And I'm not in the mood to spend another afternoon stuck in this shitty room with you, yet here we are. One of us just can't help themselves."
Weiss leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze daring Blake to respond, but Blake shook her head and avoided the bait. An argument would only be a distraction - maybe a welcome one, but she needed to focus on Adam. His motives. What he needed her for and why he was willing to do something so extreme to get her.
The money must be worth it. Or, if what Emerald said was true, a scary buyer was waiting to collect. The only thing Blake knew was that Adam needed her and was going to great lengths to get her. She understood that the police wanted to keep that from happening, but what would happen if she disappeared from Vale? Would the White Fang go underground for another year? Would they go to equally great lengths to track her down?
Restless, she stood up and paced the length of the room. She felt desperate for a solution, like a prisoner being led to death. If she didn't figure out Adam's plan, the police would ship her out of Vale. She would lose Yang, not for anything she'd done wrong, but for failing to do one thing right.
"Any faster and you'll wear a hole in these god-awful floors."
Blake glanced at Weiss and, for whatever reason, her attention stayed.
As usual, Weiss looked perfect. Diamond earrings. Diamond necklace. Manicure. Designer purse. Designer heels.
Money, money, money.
"What're you staring at?" Weiss snapped, so Blake turned away and paced some more.
Blake's mind wrapped around that tiny seed of an idea while Weiss glared at her until getting bored and pulling out her phone.
Weiss' family was so wealthy that the term hardly fit. They were so rich that Weiss could throw the diamonds into the trash and think nothing of it. They represented everything that was wrong with Vale and everything that Blake had once hoped to fix.
Adam didn't care about fixing Vale - Blake understood that now. He wanted to ascend the ranks of the rich and powerful by any means necessary. That was why she underestimated him last time, and possibly why she continued underestimating him now. She wanted him to be rational. Reasonable. Predictable.
Footsteps drew Blake's gaze to the door, hoping that they belonged to Yang, only to be disappointed when Chief Fowler poked her head into the room.
"Oh, Miss Schnee!" Chief Fowler hardly glanced at Blake while gravitating towards Weiss. "I didn't realize you were here."
"It's Weiss," Weiss quipped before flashing a polite smile. "And I'm just waiting for Ruby. We were supposed to get brunch, but apparently there was a bit of a commotion this morning."
Weiss' gaze slid meaningfully to Blake, so Chief Fowler finally acknowledged Blake's presence - though only briefly.
"Oh, yes, that. Don't worry, we're dealing with it as expeditiously as possible."
"I wasn't concerned. There's a reason my family endorses you as Chief of Police after all - you get things done." Chief Fowler preened at the praise while Weiss tapped her fingers on the table and added, "I guess we'll have to reschedule brunch, but Ruby said she has to work doubles this weekend…"
"I'll find someone to take her shifts," Chief Fowler instantly offered. Blake rolled her eyes at the obvious ploy, but Weiss' smile was sweet as sugar.
"That would be lovely, thank you."
Tickled by the opportunity to fulfill Weiss' request, Chief Fowler hurried from the room as if it had just become the most pressing item on her agenda. Weiss' sweet smile grew smug as soon as the woman left, revealing masterful manipulation veiled in polite, unspoken coercion.
Money, money, power.
Weiss wielded that power as effectively as a surgeon wielded a scalpel. She could insinuate, suggest, or demand, and expected to get her way. Always. The Chief of Police, who should be neutral and unbiased for the sake of Vale, had practically tripped over herself to grant a weekend brunch with Ruby. Adam would kill for even a fraction of that power.
Or he would try to steal it.
Blake froze, staring at the door as her mind latched onto the idea.
He would try to steal it. What faster way to catapult the White Fang into the upper echelons of criminals? What faster way to gain money, clout, and power? He would go after the biggest, scariest target in Vale. Someone else, probably another crime boss clawing up the hierarchy, must have hired the White Fang to do it, figuring that they would fail but willing to pay if they succeeded. That explained Emerald's worry and Adam's increasing urgency.
It was a moonshot. Success meant unfathomable glory. Failure meant prison or worse.
Part of Blake's mind recoiled from such a reckless plan, but the rest of her instantly set about unraveling it. If she was right, how could she foil Adam's plot? Not her - Shroud. How would Shroud dismantle his plan for her benefit?
She glanced at Weiss again, then pulled out the seat beside her and sat down.
"How good of an actress are you?" she asked while Weiss leaned away from her.
"You're kidding, right?" Weiss scowled and leaned forward, forcing Blake back. "I've been acting my entire life."
"And how much do you hate your dad?"
Weiss scoffed but, when she realized that Blake was waiting for an answer, frowned.
"I'd love nothing more than to shoot a harpoon through his eye. Does that answer your question?"
Blake wrinkled her nose at the graphic image but then shook her head and moved on.
"I have an idea. Can you just…hear me out? It's going to sound stupid and insane and extremely dangerous. If something goes wrong, you could get hurt. Possibly killed."
"Why would I ever even listen to one of your plans?"
That was a good question considering everyone except Yang thought that Blake was the mastermind behind this entire nightmare. Faced with Weiss' mistrust, however, Blake sighed.
"Weiss…have you ever had the person you love more than anything look at you like you're the biggest mistake they've ever made?"
Weiss opened her mouth but, shockingly, paused. Then she looked down at the table. "Yes," she admitted so softly that Blake almost didn't hear her.
"Then…you know how it feels trying to make up for it and prove you love them. I'll do anything for Yang, and right now that means I need your help. If I could do it on my own, believe me, I would. But doing it on my own is how I made this whole mess. I need your help. Please."
Blake pressed her hands together in front of her, hoping beyond hope that Weiss would give her another chance like Yang had. Weiss pursed her lips, looking annoyed by everything happening right now, but then sighed.
"God dammit. Now I'm curious."
When Weiss gestured for Blake to talk, Blake wasted no time.
"Ok, how much do you trust the police?" Weiss instantly made a face, so Blake corrected. "I mean, how much do you trust Ruby?"
The corner of Weiss' mouth twitched up as she leveled Blake with a serious gaze.
"I'd let her put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger."
"You know, sometimes just saying 'a lot' works," Blake pointed out, but Weiss rolled her eyes and motioned for Blake to get on with it.
So Blake laid out her plan in fits and starts, some details only falling into place when she reached them. The further she dove into it, the more she believed that she was on the right path. It felt certifiably insane but, if she was right and if everything went perfectly, Adam should never expect it. Those were big, unguaranteed 'if's but, by the end of Blake's disjointed explanation, Weiss slowly nodded.
"I'll tell Ruby," she even said before leveling Blake with a serious gaze. "But you shouldn't tell Yang. She'll give it away."
"Right." Blake bit her lip and glanced at the door. She hated the thought of keeping anything from Yang again but in this case…
"She'll understand," Weiss added confidently before peering at Blake. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"More sure than I've ever been in my life."
"Then I guess I can't call you a coward anymore."
"Does that mean you'll help?" Blake pressed, ignoring the offhand dig. Weiss crossed her arms in front of her and pursed her lips, looking like she was deciding on what to have for lunch rather than if she would put her life at risk.
"Sure." Blake had hardly breathed a sigh of relief before Weiss' gaze flitted to the door. Quick footsteps preceded Ruby half-jogging back into the room with Yang trailing several steps behind.
"Sorry." Ruby kissed Weiss' cheek and then clutched both of Weiss' hands. "Things are crazy. I'm stuck here for a while."
"That's fine." Weiss' gaze flitted to Blake before returning to Ruby. "I need to talk to you about something."
"I'm all ears! Or I'm two ears."
When Ruby wiggled her ears, or attempted to, Weiss shook her head but smiled as Ruby led her out of the room. Blake watched the pair go, her heart accelerating as she imagined how Weiss would relay the information.
Before Blake's mind dove back into the weeds, however, Yang picked up her hands. The tenderness reminded Blake of everything she stood to lose if she failed, putting immense pressure on a plan that, under ordinary circumstances, she would spend weeks or months fine-tuning and still find it too reckless to pursue. As Yang pressed a sweet, loving kiss to her lips, she had only half a day - if that - to prepare for what came next.
"Now," Yang said, her hands settling on Blake's sides. "I'm taking you back to my apartment, cooking you dinner, and savoring every last second with you."
"That sounds nice…" Blake mustered a smile for appearance's sake. "Dinner's optional though."
Yang laughed while leading Blake out of the room but, mere steps from the door, Blake's feet froze to the floor.
Telling Yang would put the plan in jeopardy, but by not telling her…Blake would have to lie. Even worse, she would have to manipulate Yang into doing what Blake needed her to do.
All of this after Yang gave her a second chance. Yang believed in her even when she hadn't believed in herself. If this failed…she didn't want to face Yang with another lie. She never wanted to see Yang hurt or betrayed again.
"I need to tell you something," she blurted out. Yang paused and walked back to her.
"Ok…?"
"I promised I'd always tell you the truth, and I meant that, so…"
Blake shook her head, but then Yang's warm, gentle hand landed on her side.
"It's ok, Blake. What's going on?"
Blake took a deep breath and met Yang's clear, patient gaze. She was ready and willing to hear Blake out, no matter what it might be. She had always been willing to hear Blake out, but Blake had been too scared - too selfish - to offer the same openness in return. She wouldn't make that mistake again.
Yang was competent. She was the youngest detective in the history of the department. She poured her heart and soul into every case. She possessed intuition beyond anyone Blake had ever met.
"I think I know what Adam's after." Yang's brow rose as Blake nodded. "I think I know, and I have a plan. I already kind of…put it in motion."
Blake held her breath and waited for Yang's response. Yang grinned.
"I knew you'd figure it out." Blake hardly blinked before Yang kissed her and then beamed at her as if she was the smartest person in the world. "Tell me what you need me to do."
An enormous weight lifted from Blake's chest. And when she smiled, with Yang grinning right back at her, she realized how foolish she'd been in the past. But no longer - this was her chance to finally make things right, and Yang would be part of her redemption.
"Did they figure out that tracker yet?"
Yang's brow furrowed, already trying to figure out why, but then she took Blake's hand and led her to the evidence room. Blake's thoughts swirled through the plan still taking shape, adding and subtracting as Yang's role became clear.
This wasn't hopeless; it could work. They could succeed. Blake only had to rely on a skill that had eluded her for months now: making the most use of the resources at her disposal. Cracking into a safe might be her specialty, but creating the plan had been her passion. Utilizing Emerald's sleight of hand. Ilia's innocence. Even Cinder played certain parts perfectly.
Adam didn't know Blake's new team the way she did. Between Ruby, Weiss, and Yang, she had everything she needed. Brains, brawn, credibility. And, a luxury she'd never had before - the full might of the police department behind them.
Now, she needed to hope that Adam took the bait. That Ruby could get her team together in time. That Weiss could play a role. That Yang could be convincing.
…and that Adam didn't shoot her first.