A few hours late this week. Been insanely busy with work, getting a temporary crown put in, and preparing for my trip to Florida next week.
On that note, there will be no chapter next Friday, as I will be at my sister-in-law's graduation and won't have time to write. MrsTheGoose plans to spend as much time at the beach as she can, and I plan to spend all my time with her, so expect horror stories of nasty burns when I get back.
It felt like forever since Adam had seen the unending snowfields of Atlas.
Forever wasn't long enough.
"W-what the actual h-h-hell?" Marcus - or at least the bundle of jackets that tried to hide Yuma from the cold - managed to stutter as the thick layers of fabric wrapped around themselves in a toasty cocoon. "Is it always this freakin' c-c-cold here?"
Yes. Yes it was.
How could anyone look at the barren emptiness of Solitas and think it was a good idea to settle here? What sane person honestly wanted to live in this frozen hellhole? None. Clearly, everyone in Atlas was clinically insane. Then again, it probably wasn't too bad up on their heated, floating island. Only Atlas would think of such an extravagance as ripping their city out of the ground and making it fly. He didn't even want to imagine how much dust it took to keep something that big airborne indefinitely. And if it ever failed?
Bye bye, Mantle.
Not that the pompous jerks up in Atlas would care. The first ones to go would be the faunus living in the crater - if you could call that living. Huddling around the remains of where Atlas had sat, on the edge of the vast network of tunnels that had been mined dry a lifetime ago, the poorest of the vaunted Kingdom's citizens eked out a miserable existence, surrounded by the reminder of the only thing Atlas considered them good for.
The White Fang would change that. Sienna and Felicia were working on ways to sneak faunus out of Mantle and ferry them to Menagerie, but the logistics weren't easy to overcome when you wanted to quietly move people halfway around the world. Even moving them around Mantle would be difficult with all of Atlas' new security protocols watching their every step. Felicia and her men had taken to dismantling some of the fixed cameras. At first, Atlas replaced them and hunted for the culprits, but it seemed they were less and less interested in constantly having to deal with the ones in the faunus slums, granting them a little bit of privacy as the two sides came to an uneasy truce.
There were no cameras out here, thankfully. "Spread out," Adam ordered. "Groups of two or three at most. No need to draw attention."
Essen was a long way from Atlas, but it was no less Atlesian for it. Eight faunus hanging around town might be enough to raise suspicions, which is the last thing they needed right now. Thankfully, their thick clothing hid a lot, including their faunus traits. Indie kept shifting awkwardly, unable to adjust the tail bunched up inside her layers. For once, Adam appreciated the easily hidden horns on his head.
Adam found a quiet spot away from the others, envying the ones who got to stay behind. Yuma and Trifa had been quick to remind him that they needed to stay behind and focus on building up Nonemu. Yuma must've owed Bane a favor, as he was quick to add that they could use their resident muscle to help.
Nag, on the other hand, had been ordered to stay, returning to Reyno to assist Cerco as best she could. Being cold-blooded was great for avoiding Atlas' thermal imagers, but it didn't fare so well in the brutal cold of Solitas. They didn't need to risk her going comatose as the temperature plummeted.
Instead, the remaining members of Alpha did their best to not stick out too much, even if almost every local could probably spot the outsiders easily enough. Some of them had their hoods down in this weather! Bunch of masochists. He hoped they got sick. They deserved nothing less.
The sky finally began to darken as the sun decided to give up on breaking through the thick clouds and try again tomorrow. Lanterns flickered to life in windows all throughout Essen, casting brief beams of light across the snow covered roads. A few foolish souls braved the night air, heads ducked as they rushed for cover and slammed doors behind them until all was quiet across the village. One by one, the lights of Essen began to go out, save for a few night owls and the hearty glow of the fire from the inn.
Only then did Adam give the signal to move.
"About time," Indie grumbled, pulling her scarf tighter. When even Indie's mood turned sour, you knew it was bad.
"We needed to wait for things to quiet down," Adam reminded them, even if he would've preferred to move before the next ice age claimed the land. If the day had been cold, then the night held the bitter bite of death. A light snow had already begun to fall as the wind wicked up. He could already feel his aura flexing against the icy grip of night. He couldn't help but imagine a few hours outside would kill a man, aura or not.
They wouldn't be testing that theory tonight. Azul nodded as Adam approached. "Trucks are behind the inn. Three in total."
"We're only taking one." He couldn't see their faces very well, but he had to imagine they weren't pleased. "One truck is an inconvenience, but if all of them go missing?" Essen would sound the alarm in a heartbeat. "With any luck, they'll think we're just petty thieves." And not terrorists. "Something the locals can handle without reporting it to Atlas."
Because if Atlas got involved, they'd have Mantas hunting for them. The wasteland of Solitas was vast, but a single truck in a field of white would stand out too easily. Finding them on foot would be all but impossible. Instead, they'd just put the word out to the closest villages to be on the lookout. They'd turn up in Dormir. Or maybe Crossed. Either way, a bunch of thieves would almost certainly stop at one of the nearby villages to resupply or catch their breath. The only other option would be to risk the open snowfields and head toward Atlas, but that wasn't a trip for the faint of heart.
None of those were their destination, of course, but the townsfolk wouldn't know that. In fact, why not play into their assumptions a bit?
The trucks were easy enough to find. Big, fully enclosed vehicles with two sets of duallies in the back, each almost reaching to Adam's shoulder. They were built to survive the snow and keep everyone inside alive, so it would suit his purpose just fine. With how small Essen was, he wasn't even surprised to find the front door unlocked. Sadly, no keys. That would've been just a little too convenient.
"Ilia, hop up front and steer," Adam instructed as he reached inside and popped the parking brake. "The rest of you, push."
"Push? Aren't we gonna drive it?"
"Not yet. Locals might hear us start the engine." Or try to. If it took a few attempts to turn over, they'd be sitting ducks. He could handle whatever Essen boasted as security, but slaughtering an entire village wasn't on the agenda. "Take it three buildings west, then stop."
As it turned out, pushing something that weighed at least a few tons wasn't that easy. It took a few tries to get the tires unstuck and start rolling, though things got easier as they slowly built momentum. Ilia carefully turned to point them to their destination, easing them to a stop behind a small store.
"Why…here?" Azure panted, slumping against the back of the truck.
Rather than waste his time explaining everything, Adam waved for them to follow. The lights of the shop were off, the owner having gone home hours ago. Even if the truck had been unlocked, no one was dumb enough to leave an entire store unsecured. Their deadbolt and chain would've normally been enough to deter a common criminal, but then a common criminal didn't usually carry around a dust-infused blade that could carve through a Beowolf with ease.
"Smash and grab," Adam ordered, pushing in and purposefully tipping over a display as he snatched a box of jerky near the register.
"All right!"
His team took to their task with just a little too much enthusiasm. Like kids in a candy store, they dashed back and forth, grabbing anything that caught their eye and leaving a mess behind them. The essentials, like hand warmers and bottled water, soon made way for everything from sunglasses to candy. A waste of time, but that was the point. They weren't meant to be tactical terrorists grabbing only survival gear. He let them indulge and wreck the place, all to sell their cover of being a bunch of sloppy thieves out for a quick score.
Lastly came the register. Laurence worked the drawer open, stuffing his pockets with lien before running back to the truck. Adam flipped it off the counter, letting it clatter to the floor as they retreated. By the time they were done, the place looked like a blind Ursa had stumbled in, gotten drunk, and decided to redecorate.
Perfect.
Someone might've heard, but if they did, no one seemed in any hurry to brave the cold to investigate. Or maybe they were just busy bundling up first. Whatever the case, Laurence slid in under the dashboard and had the engine roaring in no time.
"Shotgun!"
"Shot- dang it!"
"Ilia's up front." Adam cut off the bickering siblings, pointing them both to the back. Ilia knew better than to question the comfy seat and hurried to her spot as the rest of them shuffled into the rear and slammed the door shut. Adam had them rolling away into the night, lights shining through the night as he aimed for Dormir.
They rode in silence for a good ten minutes before Adam veered north.
"That should keep them busy." If anyone saw them leave, they'd find tire tracks leading toward Dormir. Their fresh tracks north would be filled in and swept away by the time anyone ventured out looking for them, if they even bothered with it at all. Why waste time looking for a bunch of thieves when you could just watch the few available destinations and wait?
Ilia silently watched the non-existent road ahead, though he could tell something was on her mind. It ate away at her as she fidgeted and played with the zipper on her coat. Adam kept waiting for her to say something, but the battle of patience quickly went against him with nothing to distract him but the sound of her zipper.
"Something on your mind?"
Ilia froze at his words, stiffening suddenly with her eyes frozen somewhere outside. If he thought he'd get an easy answer, he'd be sorely disappointed. Ilia had never been the most talkative of people, even before she started spending all her time with Bane.
Sitting in silence the whole way wasn't an option, and he'd put her up front for a reason. "It's been a while…since you've been to Atlas."
"Mmhm." Better than a grunt, but worse than a one word. This was going to be a long drive.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Not really."
He should've known that wouldn't work. Gods, this was gonna get awkward. Still, nothing was ever gained by avoiding a problem. "Well, if you don't wanna talk, then I will." She didn't look thrilled to have him push ahead, but he'd given her the chance to take the lead. Not his fault she'd turned it down. "I still remember when we first met. You should've seen that guy's face when he realized who I was."
That, at least, brought a smile.
It died a moment later. "You once told me I didn't know anything, but I knew exactly what you were going through." Losing everything and everyone that mattered, only to be condemned the moment he fought back. "Did I ever tell you what happened to me? Back in Katai?"
A nod. She knew. Thank the gods. He really didn't want to relive all of that.
Aw, but why not? We had so much fun together. Not how he would describe it. Really? Looks like a certain part of you disagrees.
Adam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "They…she put me through hell. Broke me. Took everything from me. I swore I'd do everything I could to make sure no one else ever had to endure that. That's why I joined the White Fang." Well, eventually. To be fair, he hadn't even known about the White Fang back then. Besides, if he'd joined then, he'd never have met the Yamas. That brief, happy time in his life was something he'd never let anyone take from him.
"What happened?" Ilia finally asked. Before Adam could ask what she meant, Ilia added, "Did you ever go back?"
Back to Katai? Why would he ever go back to that accursed place, except to burn it to the ground and purge its vile stain on the world? You don't want to visit? We could reminisce about old times. Bet I could still show you a good time. The two of them had very different definitions of good. A tour, then. I could show you all the improvements we've made. Or maybe the closet where we found Nila.
Yep. Burn it with fire.
"Do you remember what you asked me, back when we first met?" When he'd rescued her from that horrible place. He'd seen too much of himself in her to even think of leaving her there. It still hurt to realize there were faunus like Ilia out there suffering, and there was nothing he could do about it. The world was just too big and too full of suffering for him to stop it all, but that didn't mean he shouldn't try. "You asked me if I could make a difference."
"I remember." Of course she did. Life changing moments like that tended to stick with you.
"Well, this is your chance to make a difference." He didn't miss how her eyes widened. "This isn't just about hurting Atlas." Though that was definitely a nice bonus. "It's about stopping them from putting anyone else through what we went through. This mine they're reopening…it's already claimed families. We're going to make sure it doesn't claim any more."
Because odds were, if the SDC had let it collapse once, then it was only a matter of time until it happened again. One thing you could always count on was the SDC not learning from their mistakes. If at first you don't succeed, throw more faunus and lien at the problem.
Ilia sat a little taller as their truck pushed further into the night. The silence returned, but this time without the awkwardness. Surrounded by darkness and snow, it was easy to forget the rest of the world existed. The horrors of the Grimm. The cruelty of the SDC. All of it seemed so distant out here in the quiet dark. He could hear the muffled voices of their squad through the back wall of the truck's cabin over the whistling of the wind rushing past their vehicle. Snowflakes shot past their windows in a dizzying display of static, concealing them from the outside world.
Eventually, the snowfall broke, letting them see for miles across the flat emptiness all around. He could see the floating city far in the distance. The miles blurred together, each one identical to the last, even if he knew they were making progress. Tiny gaps in the clouds appeared, casting the rare beam of moonlight to the untouched snow below. Hidden away in their warm truck, Adam could almost see the hidden beauty of this gods forsaken land.
Almost.
The moment passed as several dark shapes moved far ahead. They didn't seem to be doing anything in particular, just meandering around slowly. This far from any village, nothing really drew them in as they prowled yet another stretch of land that humanity had yet to challenge the Grimm for. It was a little galling how much of Remnant the Grimm claimed so easily, but not everyone could face a Grimm and live.
The moment finally came where one of the strange, cat-like monstrosities perked up, sensing their approach even that far out. It sniffed the air, knowing something was near but not quite sure what it was. The rest of its small pack followed suit, searching for the source until one spotted the lone truck that dared encroach on their territory.
Sabyrs. He'd never seen one in person, but he'd studied enough Grimm texts to recognize the massive pair of teeth the felines were famous for. Pack hunters that excelled in speed and agility. Basically, a faster version of Beowolves that traded durability for movement. Out here, in the deep snows of Solitas, their lighter weight compared to larger Grimm only added to their maneuverability.
Adam slid open the small divider between him and the rest of the squad in the back. "We've got Grimm." Killer monsters probably deserved better than his apathetic, almost bored announcement. To be fair, most people didn't have a squad of armed, aura enhanced fighters itching for something to do. Adam slowed them to a stop, waiting for their enemies to close the distance rather than waste time meeting them halfway.
As happy as he was for a distraction, opening the door quickly stole all his enthusiasm. The night had been cold when they left Essen, but now it threatened to freeze him to the bone. Suddenly, the arrival of Grimm felt more annoying than ever.
Adam cut through the Grimm with a vengeance, eager to keep moving and stay a step ahead of the icy grip of Solitas. He pitied those that fought with guns, stood still in the snow while he dashed back and forth. He heard someone complain about stealing kills, but all the activity was the only thing keeping him from freezing, so they'd have to get over it.
The moment the last Sabyr started to fade, Adam turned for the truck, only to hear the door slam as everyone else beat him to the heat. They hadn't even waited for the fight to finish, leaving him to handle the last of them. Lazy bums. Then again, he couldn't really blame them when given the choice between freezing and a comfy, warm truck.
Thankfully, no other Grimm bothered them along the way. Considering they drove all the way through the night and well into the morning, he sort of expected more than a tiny pack. In hindsight, the SDC had cleared the area around the mine, so the closer they got to their target, the less likely they were to spot any Grimm.
Adam made sure to keep his distance from the mine, skirting around the outer edge until they reached the nearby mountains and slowly worked their way up, following a trail of markers Felicia's scout team had left behind until they reached a cave high up above the bustling camp.
And it was certainly bustling. Only days away from the big reopening, a veritable army of workers rushed around, getting ready for the big event. A stage was being erected in front of the main mine entrance. Off to the side, a man who almost had to be the new Overseer barked orders and glanced down to a series of notecards he was carrying, reciting something as several men rushed to carry out his orders. Row upon row of seats awaited the honored guests. Everything pointed at a huge ceremony celebrating the SDC's victory over the Grimm and the elements. A glorious reclaiming of property from the claws of a cruel world. Mankind's triumph over nature.
Needless sacrifice for profit.
The humans would have their big party, applauding themselves for the work of others, then turn around and march faunus into a mine that had already claimed the lives of their predecessors. Every day, faunus workers would risk their very lives, all to make the SDC richer so they could oppress and enslave more faunus. The vicious cycle would go on and on, with the victims fueling their abuser for little or no pay.
Not here. Adam might not be able to take down the SDC entirely, but he could make them bleed. Just because a fight was unwinnable didn't mean it wasn't worth fighting. He'd make them pay for all the lives they ruined. Maybe someday, they'd see the demise of the SDC, but for now, they'd have to settle for whatever small victories they could claim. He'd make them remember the name of the White Fang. Let them curse his name, a creature of their own creation. The ghosts of Orostachys would haunt them as long as Adam drew breath.
On the second day of their little camping trip, the call came in from Felicia. Everything was a go.
"Azul. Azure. Watch the camp. The rest of you, with me." His words breathed life back into the squad as they huddled in their cave, crowded around a heater they'd scavenged from Essen. "We're on the move."
"What's the plan, boss?" Azure asked, unsure why he and his sister had been singled out.
"Our guests are on the way," Adam answered, though the next part excited the siblings a lot more. "And they're bringing a gift for you."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"I'm sure some of our viewers are wondering why a dust mine needs a shipment of dust. Can you tell us about that, Margaret?"
Margaret's smile didn't falter for a second, even if she was screaming inside. What kind of idiots would honestly not understand how dust worked? It wasn't like they could just plug into the mine and magically have power. Still, it wasn't her job to call out the morons they called viewers. No, she just had to pander to them.
"Well, Tom, as you know," and our viewers should, "the new mine will take some time to get up and running. Workers will need to be brought in and settled, food prepared, and safety equipment set up in the shafts before they can begin extracting the raw dust. Once they're at full capacity, this mine will be fully self-sustaining, but that isn't expected for at least a month or so. Once it is up and running, though, the SDC's estimates that this may be the highest concentration of fire dust in Solitas, quite possibly on par with the original mines that Atlas was founded on."
Which was, admittedly, pretty impressive. Atlas, back before it started floating, had been built up around a massive dust mine that had fueled the Kingdom's rise to prominence. She had a feeling the SDC was inflating their estimates a bit, but that didn't make this a small mine by any stretch. They wouldn't promise something like that to investors unless they thought they could deliver.
Considering all the recent news, from souring relations with Mistral to the SDC stock dropping as they spent more beefing up security against the White Fang - and don't even get her started on the complete failure of Euryale - it would be nice to have something for Atlas' citizens to get excited about.
She just wished they'd sent someone else to cover the story.
Be a field reporter, they said. See the world. Get a front row seat to history. Yeah, except they'd never mentioned just how dull it was most of the time. Interviewing kids at some stupid field day. Listening to some overpaid executive try to brag on his company while stealing glances down her shirt. Freeze her butt off riding along to some pointless ceremony in the middle of nowhere. She'd be demanding a raise after this one.
But that would have to wait. For now, her job was to smile and pretend she hadn't crammed a pair of hand warmers down her pants ten minutes ago just to regain feeling in her cheeks. "Tomorrow, we'll hear from Overseer Onding live at the opening ceremony where he'll have more to share on the expected output and when the first shipment of dust will be delivered. With any luck, this new mine will provide a much needed boost to Atlas' economy and bring down prices for all of Remnant. Back to you, Tom."
"And…cut." The camera dipped a second later as Margaret yanked her earpiece out and finally let the façade drop. She could've killed for a cigarette right now, but smoking in such a confined space wouldn't earn her any friends. She'd have to wait another…half an hour until they reached the mine, where she intended to see just how powerful the heaters in the camp's guest quarters were.
Until then, all she could do was endure the amused looks of their fellow passengers and wish for warmer weather. Even if they were only sharing with four guards - SDC personnel who would almost certainly abandon them to save the dust if anything happened - the small space had her far too close for comfort. Bad enough she had to squeeze her equipment in alongside four fully armed men, but the boxes of extra supplies for the camp taking up the front half of the truck hardly helped.
The six of them were in the rear truck, following two truckloads of dust bound for the mining camp. Like theirs, those trucks also had their own guards. Protection from the Grimm, though the SDC assured her station that an attack was all but impossible with their efforts to clear the area.
Margaret had scoffed at the publicist who'd told her boss that. As if the SDC could control the Grimm that effectively. If they could, the original mine never would've fallen in the first place. Still, when her boss said jump, she asked how much hazard pay and took the leap.
She'd be a lot happier when this was all over. She planned to take a long, hot soak in the tub when she got back to her apartment. Or maybe treat herself to a nice steak dinner. Better yet, she'd call up Hari and make him do it. He'd been pestering her for another date. She'd probably have to put out afterwards, but at this point, she could use a good-
"Why are we stopping?" Margaret asked as the truck slammed on its brakes.
One of the guards pressed a hand to his ear, hefted his rifle, and nodded to the other three. All four of them hopped out the back without a word, guns raised as they disappeared around the corner. Her cameraman, showing an unusual amount of self-preservation for someone in their line of work, closed the doors behind them.
A Grimm attack? So much for having the situation under control. Oh, she'd make sure her bosses heard about this when they got back to Atlas. Extra pay and an in-person apology from that blasted publicist. She'd accept nothing less as compensation. At least the threat should be minimal, assuming the SDC had actually done their job and cleared the area out beforehand. Nothing a dozen armed men couldn't handle.
Shouting. Gunfire. Screams. Wait, screams? Grimm didn't scream.
Something slammed into the side of the truck, making it shudder, but the reinforced metal held firm. The SDC might cut corners, but the military transports they'd borrowed certainly didn't. These things could take a beating. Bulletproof. Clawproof. Practically everything-proof according to the designers. As long as they stayed inside, they'd be safe.
Those outside, less so.
As the gunfire suddenly stopped - as ominous a sign as any - Margaret only had one question. What kind of idiots were running this operation? Seriously. There shouldn't be any Grimm strong enough to take out all those guards so quickly if they'd done their freakin' jobs!
Actually, make that two questions. Where were the freakin' windows on this thing? Call her an idiot, but the reporter in her demanded to know what was happening out there. She had a feeling it wouldn't be a pleasant sight. At least they were still safe in here. When they didn't show up, someone would come looking for them. Thankfully, the truck was still running, meaning they wouldn't freeze to death anytime soon. They just had to wait for rescue when someone-
Wait, were those voices? Margaret pressed her ear to the wall of the truck. She couldn't be certain, but she swore she'd heard something. Not the loud growls of Grimm fresh from the kill or looking for a way in. Now, she heard nothing. Also, her ear was cold. Pulling her hood back up, Margaret weighed her options. If the men survived, they'd probably come check on her in a bit, but it sounded like they'd taken some losses, so the civilians riding along were low on the priority list. She wasn't exactly what one would call a patient woman. On the other hand, if the Grimm won, then calling out would…
Not change a thing. Grimm hunted negativity, so they probably already knew she was there and would attack the truck regardless. That they hadn't helped calm her down. Not enough to risk opening the door, of course. She wasn't that dumb.
"Is it clear?" Margaret yelled, banging her hand on the wall to get the guards' attention. "We really shouldn't stick around if there's Grimm about." Wounded could be loaded and treated later. The dead…well, they weren't getting any deader. Better to leave them than join them, as cruel as it sounded. They lived in a cruel world. Pretending otherwise helped no one. "Can you hear me?"
The handle on the rear door clicked as her hosts finally returned.
"Thank goodness. I was beginning to think-"
Those…weren't the guards. Not unless the guards had changed clothes and donned masks. Worse, Margaret recognized the one who'd opened the door. How could she not? His first appearance in Atlas had practically made her career. Since then, she'd seen him a million times on the news. His face was known to every man, woman, and child across the Kingdom.
Adam Taurus. Terrorist. Murderer. Second-in-command of the White Fang. The man who defied Atlas twice and lived.
And he was only a few feet away.
Regrets? Margaret had a few. Not starting a family, for one. Okay, not a family. Just a stable relationship and all the benefits that came with it. She regretted not hooking up with Hari. She regretted turning down that Atlas sergeant on her last job. Come to think of it, most of her regrets seemed to revolve around men. The lack of them, that was. She really needed to get laid.
But more than that, she regretted not having the camera on when Adam freaking Taurus showed up for an unplanned interview. Her cameraman, bless him, started to lift the lens, only for a blade to flash out and gently push it back down.
"Now, now," Adam Taurus tutted, his voice a lot softer than she'd expected. "There'll be time for that later."
"Wh-what do you want with me?" A hostage? Captured and tied up by the dangerous man, only for him to- no, bad Margaret! It was official. She'd spent too long flying solo.
Adam Taurus, quite possibly the most dangerous man alive, smiled as he answered, "An interview."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"Any update?"
"Nothing yet, sir."
Overseer Onding growled at the news, though he made sure no one was looking before he leaned in closer. "What do you mean there's nothing? That dust was meant to be here yesterday!"
"I know, sir." Fat load of good that did anyone. The stupid assistant they'd sent him was practically worthless, too busy trying to appease him at every turn. That would've been nice, if he wasn't missing two truckloads of dust and about to take center stage in front of those ravenous mongrels with press badges. One whiff of this, and they'd crucify him in their reports. He'd be lucky if the SDC didn't fire him for such a ridiculous blunder.
"Have the search teams found anything yet?" He knew the answer, even before the denial came. Of course they hadn't. Otherwise, his worthless assistant would've said something. "What am I supposed to tell the press?"
Proving his worth for once in his miserable life, his assistant answered, "Technically, they don't know about the missing trucks…"
"Silver, you genius!"
"It's actually Silas, sir."
"Whatever." His name didn't matter. All that mattered was the press didn't know anything was wrong. As far as they knew, everything was on track. They had more than enough dust to get through this opening. Afterwards, they'd report it stolen and request a new shipment. Simple as that. "The show must go on."
Strutting up the stairs of the platform, Overseer Onding basked in the attention as every camera traced his movements, his image plastered on a pair of giant screens overhead to make sure everyone could see. Every news station in Atlas would be broadcasting this event. His face would be plastered on every screen across the Kingdom. A missing shipment and a handful of guards wouldn't ruin his big moment.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!" His voice boomed over the speakers. It felt good. Powerful. He could get used to this. "I am Overseer Onding, and today, we're gathered to celebrate the opening of Atlas' largest dust mine in our lifetime. This mine alone could power both Atlas and Mantle for years to come, and that's just with what we've been able to measure so far. Some of the veins run deeper than our equipment can read."
As expected, that bit of news sent a ripple of excitement through the small crowd. He'd struck gold getting assigned this position. A well-deserved reward for such a loyal, dedicated employee of the SDC. He'd have to ask Andri if he could arrange a meeting with his uncle. Jacques deserved to hear his thanks in person.
"This facility is top of the line, featuring multi-level housing units, the latest in robotic defense units, and even a fully automated kitchen!" Meaning no relying on those filthy faunus to make his food. Not that he'd let those animals anywhere near his meals. "When this facility is fully operational, we'll be able to provide Atlas with over- ah!"
Onding clutched his ears as a piercing screech sounded over the speakers. Someone's head would roll for this. They'd spent way too long working out the audio levels yesterday for such a careless screw up. "Apologies. It seems we are having some technical issues." Quite a few, since his microphone no longer worked. He looked up to see static on the screens. Great. Now all anyone would remember would be the colossal tech problems.
Or maybe they'd remember the terrifying face that took over the screens a moment later.
"You know who I am." Of course he did. Every Atlas employee had annual training on anti-terrorism, and that man's face featured in no less than a dozen slides. Somehow, he had a feeling calling security wouldn't do much in this situation. "For too long, Atlas and the SDC have oppressed faunus, treating us as expendable while they profit from our labor. Countless faunus have died under the negligence of the SDC. Even here, where dozens of our brothers lay buried in a tomb that the SDC seeks to reopen."
So what? Cave-ins happened. It was part of the risk. Excuse them for trying to keep the entire world from shutting down.
"The White Fang refuses to let this stand. Abandon this mine. Let our dead rest in peace. Do this, or suffer the consequences." Consequences? How about the consequences of angering the most powerful Kingdom in the world? Maybe he should be more worried about himself.
Wait, he could use this. The feed might've been hacked, but he could still see the cameras rolling. Little red dots of salvation. As pointless as it seemed, now was his chance to shine. Reminding himself that the floating head was nothing more than a screen and couldn't strike him down with eye lasers or whatever stupid rumors he'd heard, Overseer Onding stood taller and shouted, "You cannot scare us, Adam Taurus! The SDC will not bow to your threats!"
There. With any luck, word of his heroic defiance would reach Jacques Schnee's ears and save him from the powerful man's ire. Even if it didn't, he'd be famous for daring to oppose the vile Adam Taurus. Such bravery would make him a folk hero. The SDC would have no choice but to honor him for his steadfast resolution in the face of such evil.
Of course, no threat would be taken lightly. He'd be calling in extra security the moment the cameras left. Normally, threatening to take on the SDC would sound like empty boasting, but he'd seen the footage of the attack on Fort Euryale. If Taurus could topple a military base, then a new mining camp would be child's play.
"Very well." Wait, could he see them? For the first time, Onding noticed the background. The snowy background. There was no snow in Menagerie or Mistral, as far as he knew. Not even Vale. Which meant…
"He's in Atlas!" Onding hissed to his assistant, who was already on his scroll reporting the incident. Proving his point, the camera panned to show Taurus standing on a cliff. Far below, he could see an assortment of buildings. While he couldn't make out details from that distance, Onding gulped as he pieced the clues together.
Adam Taurus wasn't just in Atlas. He was here!
Onding wasn't the only one to figure it out. Every eye shot to the mountains looming outside the camp, seeking to spot the wanted fugitive. Before anyone could locate the likely speck on the massive expanse, Adam's voice rang out once more. "If Atlas refuses to reseal the tomb, then we shall do it for them. Know that you have brought this on yourself."
That sounded just a tad ominous. The hairs on the back of his head rose, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the screen as Taurus nodded to someone off camera.
Explosions were never quite what you expected. He should know. They'd had to blow away some of the rubble from the entrance to the mine. That was nothing compared to the four blasts that boomed in the distance, amplified by the speakers as a quartet of fireballs rose from high on the mountains.
The echoes died off slowly, replaced by a low, deep rumbling that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Thunder in the mountains. Something like a thump punctuated the roll, then another. The roar began to grow, much like the boosters of a battleship firing up until it reached a deafening volume that shook the ground around them.
"Avalanche!"
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Adam watched the wall of snow crash down, gaining speed as it hurtled toward the camp. The white wave broke upon the wall, burying it and everything beyond as nature wiped the slate clean once more. He had no idea how deep the avalanche had buried the horrid place, but he felt confident the SDC wouldn't be getting any dust from there anytime soon.
"They can't hurt anyone now," Adam said as he took the detonator from Ilia. Letting her do the honors had just felt right after what Atlas had done to her. She stared at the lifeless expanse below, frozen in place. That was fine. He could sort her out later.
A Manta rose over the mountain, coming in to hover at the edge of the cliff. The White Fang soldier that opened the side panel finally broke the silence as he called for them to get on.
"Everyone on board!" Adam barked, shocking his squad into action. "We're heading home."
"What about us?"
Foolish humans. They should just be grateful he'd spared them. They'd been useful, providing the means for Adam to deliver his message to all of Atlas after a little tinkering from Laurence. For that, he'd spare them. They could return to Atlas and tell the story of how Adam Taurus had taken out an entire mining camp without every stepping foot inside.
Laurence finished setting up a small, triangular device with a blinking light at the tip, stabbing it into the snow before hurrying past. "Emergency beacon. If you're lucky, someone will answer before you freeze to death." He knew they would. Every airship in Atlas would be heading their way by now.
"You're just going to leave us?" This woman really didn't know when to quit, did she? If she wanted to play, then he'd make her pay.
Adam walked over to the Manta, stealing a pistol off the soldier's hip and ejecting the magazine. He tossed it in the snow at her feet with a grin, enjoying the theatrics of it all. "A mercy, should you need it." But only one. He'd let them agonize over which one got to kill the other. Then again, they could always be brave and take a shot at him. It wouldn't do anything but earn his respect.
Pathetic humans. They didn't even try, too busy eyeing the thing like it might jump up and start spraying bullets at them.
"Get us out of here," Adam said as he climbed aboard. The Manta began to lift almost immediately, knowing it had an entire Kingdom coming. Laurence's little gadgets would help keep them hidden from radar, but there wasn't much they could do for visuals if someone got too close.
He could just imagine the chaos back in Atlas. There'd be no denying what happened this time. No spinning it to make Atlas look anything but weak. Every news station had broadcast their moment of triumph. There wouldn't be a person in Atlas or Mantle who didn't know that Adam Taurus had waltzed right into their Kingdom and done as he pleased. If he could do something like that right under their noses, then there was no limit to what he might accomplish.
As they sped southeast, hastening toward open water, Adam spared a final glance for the distant, floating city.
"Do I have your attention now?
Won't spend long on the notes, as I'm already horribly behind schedule this week. Sort of a quick mission, but an effective one. An entire camp wiped out in an instant. Looked up some clips of the sounds of avalanches for reference. Talk about terrifying.
Adam's second trip to Atlas proves much less dangerous than his first one. In the meantime, Ilia gets her revenge on Atlas, burying them at a mine just like how her parents were buried in one years before. Adam even let her push the button. What a good father figure. Also, poor Margaret.
Next chapter (in two weeks): The world reacts to the White Fang hitting both Vale and Atlas.