Finally finished the awful work document I've been trying to knock out for weeks now. Felt like such a relief to see it done, even if it's just the first draft and has several blank sections since I didn't receive some of the information I'd requested. This way, we can review the main document that I've got so far and I can put pressure on the other people to fill in the blanks, so to speak. No longer my fault the document isn't done, since all of my stuff is there and the only things missing belong to other people.
Also officially applying for a management position now that the job opening is posted. Just need one or two documents to finish up. Kind of hoping anyone else qualified for the position aren't around during the holidays so I have less competition. Not that I don't think I've earned it. Almost 10 years working with the same division (bounced around between projects), never applied for a new position (always been approached by management), and both the Lead Engineer for my project and a Group Lead (basically an assistant supervisor role). Still weird to see myself as the experienced person, but between that and the fact that I'm on good terms with pretty much all the managers in my division (including the two who are leaving, thus creating the openings), I think I've got a good shot. Fingers crossed!
Also, for anyone that remembers me mentioning my friend who was raising money to pursue a new career, she completed Level 1 certification recently as her first step once we hit enough money. Goal was to get Level 3 in the end, since most places required it. Instead, her instructor got ahold of a manager friend of hers at a nearby hospital, and long story short, she got the job! Turned in her notice at her current job this week and will soon be a licensed vampire (phlebotomist). Big excitement as her old job was basically killing her. New job should be a massive improvement!
Sneaking into Mistral, it turned out, was a lot easier than he'd expected. True to her word, two of Lil' Miss' men met her outside the walls to escort them in. He'd been expecting to load up in a truck or something, but they simply told them to follow and walked openly toward the gate. Any thought of a secret exit vanished when they joined the main road approaching the open gate, where Adam could see a few people waiting to be let in through a security checkpoint. Every person was checked thoroughly, making him wonder just how they planned to walk a known terrorist and his two accomplices past the heightened security without the entire city descending on them.
One of their escorts went ahead. Words were spoken. Lien changed hands. Next thing he knew, the guard hurriedly waved the five of them through, directing them off to the side where they vanished into the labyrinth of alleyways. Did the guard know who he'd just welcomed through the gate? If he did, he might not have been so willing. Or he'd have charged about a million times more.
Only a few minutes later, Adam, Blake, and Ilia were sat across the table from Lil' Miss once more.
"I do so love a man who can get results," Lil' Miss greeted.
"Paul Parrot is dead."
"So I saw." So she had eyes in their security feeds, just as he'd expected. Was there any limit to her reach? "A little quick for my taste. He deserved to suffer for challenging me."
Torture? "You told me to kill him, not how. I held up my end of the bargain."
"Oh, I'm not complaining. Like you said, Parrot's dead, and you even made sure I could watch. Awfully thoughtful of you." She spooned a glob of cottage cheese into her mouth, savoring the taste. "I must say, when I offered to help your little leader, I didn't think it would prove so profitable."
Euryale. Sienna had come to her for help, and she'd delivered more than they could've imagined. Everything from location to staffing and even detailed schematics of the entire facility. Lil' Miss went way above and beyond to help them take on Atlas the first time, and from what Sienna told him, she'd done even more this time around.
Details on Kesseki. An attack on the fake transport to keep the Schnee busy. She'd even had some of her men target civilian airships near Mistral to send the city into a panic. None were actually shot at, but he could imagine the chaos when a transport airship suddenly had all its alarms blaring of a missile locking on. They'd grounded all aircraft around the city and sent out search parties to track down the attackers, only to find nothing. It didn't sound like much, but she'd bought him valuable time to finish his mission while keeping reinforcements at bay.
Which begged the question, "Then why help us?"
"Because the benefits outweighed the risks." Lil' Miss smiled as she summed up their relationship. "Think of it as an investment. Not only did you take down a thorn in my side, but now every gang from here to Vale knows the lengths I'll go to to settle a score. Reputation is everything in my line of work. Let an enemy escape, and soon everyone thinks they can pull one over on you. Kill someone in a place like Kesseki, though, and well…lets just say there's a lot of people rethinkin' just how safe their safehouses really are."
In other words, they were just a tool to her. A weapon to be pointed at an enemy. Lil' Miss didn't control the White Fang, but that's not how her enemies would see it. All she had to do was find something to entice them into acting and she could claim all the credit.
Propping up a gang's reputation wasn't on Adam's to-do list, but he couldn't deny she'd helped them out. He never would've found his team without her. Even before that, they would've been groping about in the dark, trying to find Atlas' hidden base with little to go on. Atlas would've seen them coming a mile away, and even once they found Euryale, it would've been an unknown fortress already prepped for a fight.
Was it really that simple, though? She'd helped them just to make herself look more powerful? He didn't know a lot about how the underworld of Mistral worked, but he knew Lil' Miss was a big player. Maybe one of the biggest. Few people dared to cross her, mainly because few lived to tell about it if they did.
No, there was more than that. Wielding the White Fang might've made her seem powerful, but she already had that. She wouldn't have wasted her time with them just to give herself a little boost. By her own admission, she couldn't be sure how well it would work out. They could've failed at Kesseki and been captured before he took out her target. Euryale could've proven too tough for them. She'd helped, but if propping them up added to her reputation, then their failure would've hurt it. They weren't an investment. They were a gamble.
Gamble. Risk. Wait, what risk was there to her? "It didn't matter if we failed," Adam thought aloud. The grin Lil' Miss wore only confirmed his suspicion. "You said our benefit outweighed the risk, but there wasn't any risk to you." Beyond her reputation, but then that would've fallen on the White Fang more than her.
"That's the best kind of bet - one you can't lose." Even if everything went wrong, she wasn't risking any of her men or money. Not really. She'd been involved in the fake attacks, but from what Sienna told him, they were long gone before ever being in danger. "Not only did you kill Parrot, but we even got a few men back from Kesseki after your little prison break. Most of them came straight back home."
He couldn't help but ask. "Most?"
"A few strays thinking their debt is paid and trying to make a run for it." Debts? So not all of her Spiders were willing participants. He didn't really know why that surprised him. "One or two whose lips were a little looser than they should've been and know what the punishment is. Why? Hoping to earn a little lien hunting them down for me?"
He wasn't some glorified bounty hunter. "That wasn't part of our arrangement."
"I wasn't actually offering. Traitors are something I prefer to handle personally." He had a feeling he didn't want to know anything more. They'd die, obviously, but it sounded like some of them might take a while to do so, and not by choice. "I'm sure you understand."
Did she know about Sona? Who was he kidding? Of course she knew. She seemed to know everything. Hidden base locations - both for Atlas and the White Fang. Secret plans. He didn't know how far her reach extended, but at the very least, all of Anima was her playground.
So why bother bringing him back?
"That's an awful lot of thinking over there," Lil' Miss commented, watching him with a bemused smile. She seemed to be enjoying herself. Why shouldn't she? Her plan had worked out and she now had the commander of the White Fang coming to meet her in her home. Few people in Remnant wielded that much power and influence. "Something on your mind?"
"Why are we here?" Adam asked bluntly. Dancing around a topic wasn't really his style. "Why bring us all the way to Mistral when you already know what happened?" Why risk infiltrating the city at such a dangerous time when she had nothing to gain from their meeting? Unless this was just a flex to show everyone how much weight she carried - and he didn't mean around her waist.
"I wish more people got to the point as quickly as you did. Sure would waste a lot less of my time." Finally, something they agreed on. "But let's not have all the fun, shall we? Would either of you girls like to guess why you're here?"
Blake and Ilia exchanged glances at being called out so suddenly. They were only there because Lil' Miss requested their presence for some reason. Ilia turned to Adam, hoping to discern an answer, but he wouldn't insult their host by cheating. She clearly wanted one of them to figure it out. Or she just wanted them to not have an answer at all. Either one fit.
"You…want people to see us?" Ilia guessed, echoing some of his thoughts. "To see us coming to you. It makes you look more powerful."
"It does," Lil' Miss hummed, pleased with her logic, "but there's another reason."
"You want something else."
Adam sighed at Blake's answer, knowing she was probably right. Sure enough, Lil' Miss sat back with a pleased look on her face. "Everyone wants something, dear. Or someone, in some cases." Her eyes strayed to Adam and back, making both Adam and Blake flinch. Was nothing safe from her ears? "Power. Influence. Money. Only dead men have no desires."
She left those words hanging in the air, all but daring them to ask, "So what is it you want?"
"Power, influence, and money." She shook with laughter at her own joke.
"Don't you already have those?"
"I do, but not enough." Adam had a feeling there would never be enough for her. "What I want from you, however, is a much simpler matter."
Just as he'd feared. Lil' Miss wanted to turn the White Fang into her own personal weapon. "We don't work for you," Adam growled, already pushing up from his seat. Agreeing to work with her had been a mistake. Serving a human like that would be out of the question. The White Fang had its own goals, and those weren't to be the enforcers for some crime boss in Mistral. "We're done here."
"We're done when I say we're done," Lil' Miss said, the room growing quiet.
Adam could see those around him reaching for weapons, ready for the inevitable fight. Adam hadn't come unarmed, though. Outnumbered as they were, he wouldn't go down easily. Without her hypnotic singer here to save her, Lil' Miss should've known better than to underestimate him. He'd cut her down before he let them take him. The first person who dared impede his path would be the first to die, but not the last.
"Everyone settle down," Lil' Miss ordered. Adam kept his hand on his sword, but all around the room, the Spiders went back to what they were doing, obeying her command. "I think you misunderstand. I won't force anything on you, but you will hear my offer. After that, you're free to go."
"Even if we refuse?"
"Even then," she promised. "I'm not an unreasonable woman. In fact, why don't I tell you what I can offer first." Adam raised an eyebrow, though she probably didn't notice with his mask in the way. His silence seemed to ask the question for him. "You didn't think I'd demand your services for nothing, did you?"
Actually, he sort of did. Or she'd pull another Kesseki where it was really something she wanted but tied to a benefit for the White Fang. Admittedly, taking out an imprisoned rival felt pretty small compared to freeing his team, but that just made him worry the next one would be slanted more in her favor.
"First, training."
"Are you saying we aren't good enough?" Adam took offense to that, given he'd trained Alpha Squad personally. Besides, what could Lil' Miss really offer? Sure, she was better at things like information gathering, but when it came to brute force, few could match the White Fang's tenacity and ferocity. That's why she'd sent them to Euryale and Kesseki instead of doing it herself.
Lil' Miss rolled her eyes. "I'm saying you can always improve." Yes, but in what ways?
As if to answer his question, the air behind Lil' Miss almost seemed to ripple. Suddenly, the woman that escorted them into the Luck of the Mountains nightclub - Cammie, Adam thought - appeared as if by magic. One moment, there'd been no one there. The next, she seemed to step out of the shadows into the open.
"Stealth. A dagger in the back is often more effective than a sword." Not when he wielded it. "You and your team are a blunt instrument. An effective one, I'll give you that, but I can help sharpen you. More scalpel than club." Lil' Miss nodded back to Cammie. Her skin flashed a bright red, then faded to match the color of the wooden walls behind, making her harder to see. Ilia nearly fell out of her chair. "Not to mention more specialized training."
"A chameleon faunus?" He'd only ever met one, and she was sat beside him.
"You're like me?" Ilia could barely contain her excitement.
Cammie smiled sweetly but shook her head. "It's my Semblance."
Ha! A Semblance that let her do what Ilia could do naturally, even before having her aura unlocked. Talk about a waste. Ilia could do everything Cammie could and hadn't even unlocked her Semblance yet. She'd only be more capable in the long run, while Cammie was limited. That a human had to work so hard to even equal a faunus amused him.
Lil' Miss seemed to think it more impressive. "Semblance or not, Cammie still has far more experience using her ability in the field. The mechanics may be a little different, but the skill is the same."
"You'd teach me?" Uh oh. They had Ilia hooked.
"Of course," Cammie assured her.
"And that's not all." Lil' Miss set her gaze on Blake. "I have an…associate of mine that used to run a school for, shall we say, gifted young women. I even sent both of my daughters there to train." He had a feeling she meant more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. "Unfortunately, she had to close the school recently due to some interference, but she's still teaching on a smaller scale."
"Private classes?"
"Something like that."
"So you want her to tutor Blake and Ilia?" Adam guessed, more to draw out the truth than out of any expectation she'd be focusing on their report cards.
"She trains spies," Lil' Miss stated. "Stabbing someone in the back is a skill. Walking right up to someone and doing it with a smile is an art." Considering her own smile, she probably spoke from experience. "She can teach your girls how to win hearts and break them. How to slip in unnoticed or escape when they're made. She can make you far deadlier than you could ever imagine."
More like she could turn them into Spiders. Adam had no doubt there'd be a lot of pressure to work for Lil' Miss afterwards. "What's the catch?"
"Unfortunately, she works in Vale."
That far away? She was talking about sending part of her team to an entirely different Kingdom. He doubted it would be a brief stay, either. She'd probably keep them there for years. Years of leaving Alpha Squad shorthanded. They'd already lost Nag and Jakob. Now, with Indie leaving, they couldn't afford to lose two more. Ilia was their best bet for infiltration, both because of her chameleon ability and that she could blend in as human. Occasional training in Mistral wouldn't be impossible. Just hard. And then there was Blake. He couldn't afford to send her. She was their best trainer, second best fighter, and…and…
No, he couldn't send Blake. Her place was here, with the White Fang. With him.
He…he needed…
Selfish. He cared for Blake. That much was obvious. But could he really claim that and hold her back from an opportunity just because he didn't want her going away? It might not even be that bad. For all he knew, it would be short trips for specific training. Maybe she'd try it out and decide it wasn't for her. Then she'd come back to hi- to the White Fang and life would go on as normal.
But what if she didn't? What if she liked it there more? What if they wanted her to stay for a year or two? The thought of losing her for that long hurt more than he cared to admit. Did things really have to change? Couldn't they just stay like this forever? The two of them against the world, leading the White Fang to glory. She'd promised to always be there for him - to pull him back if he ever got too close to the edge. How could she do that if she was all the way in Vale?
Hold onto her. Indie's words came back to him, but he couldn't help but wonder just how hard he was meant to hold. At some point, it turned to smothering. Holding her back just to avoid a little struggle on his end didn't sound like a healthy relationship. Maybe it would be best if he let her go, at least for a while. She'd come back even stronger and know he trusted her. It would suck, but if that's what she wanted, then he should-
"No."
Blake's single word silenced the warring in his mind. By the looks of things, it caught Lil' Miss off guard as well. "No?"
"No," Blake confirmed, shaking her head. "Thank you, but my place is here." With the White Fang. With Adam. "I'm where I belong."
Adam felt something stir deep inside at the words - words he'd spoken not once, but twice, to the most terrifying woman he'd ever met. Lil' Miss wouldn't last two seconds in a fight against Raven Branwen, but she still held her own type of power. The corner of Adam's mouth twitched upward as he watched Blake refuse her.
Lil' Miss pushed her bowl to the side. "If you say so. The offer's still there should you change your mind."
"I won't." She was so much like him. Normally, that terrified him, but right now, he couldn't be prouder. After spending so much time together, he must've rubbed off on her a bit. She'd always been stubborn and defiant, but the confidence was new. She had the same fire that had sparked in him years ago. More self-control, thankfully, but there was no denying she'd picked up a few things from him. He felt like that Franken-guy looking down on his magnificent creation.
He killed that thought immediately, realizing that would make her his monster. They were similar, but not that much.
Lil' Miss wasn't someone used to being refused. Her brief scowl said she'd had plans for Blake beyond just helping her get stronger. Her genial smile returned a second later. "Well then, how about we sweeten the pot a little?"
A folder slapped down on the table between them. Adam looked to their host before slowly pulling it close and flipping it open. His eyes widened at the image on the first page.
Lil' Miss didn't wait for him to start reading. "An Atlas research base," she summarized, picking up the long, golden cigarette holder that she'd left perched on the side of an ashtray. "One specializing in faunus research."
He doubted they were looking into medical advancements. Flipping through, he noticed a few lines about some of the projects there. Most of them had one thing in common - weaponry. Not anti-faunus guns or anything bizarre like that - a bullet worked just as well on a faunus as it did a human. Instead, he saw things like sensory overload techniques, identification, and even trait suppression. Ways to remove faunus advantages, like night vision or improved hearing. Bring them down to the level of humans. Make them equal.
He nearly tore the folder in half as his grip tightened, especially at the notes on live test subjects. "They're experimenting on faunus?"
"Are you surprised?" Yes, but he shouldn't have been. There was no depth Atlas wouldn't stoop to in their war on his kind. "This isn't the first time Atlas has done something like this, but it seems they've become a lot more active in their research lately. I can't imagine why."
They both knew she was joking. Adam had made himself a problem for Atlas. He'd defied them and survived. Humanity had never stood by when that happened, so why did he think it'd be different here?
This place had to be destroyed. Flipping back to the front, he asked the important question. "Where is it?"
Lil' Miss took a long drab of her cigarette, letting the smoke drift lazily toward the ceiling before she answered, "In Atlas, of course. You think they'd trust something this important to another Kingdom?" Not after Euryale. They'd want to keep this one close, both to guard it better and to avoid any scrutinization by another Kingdom. Mistral wouldn't approve of their methods and with their relationship already strained, Atlas couldn't afford to be caught working in someone else's backyard right now.
Lil' Miss had his undivided attention now, which he knew he'd regret. There was no way he could ignore something like this and she knew it. One of the first lessons Soji taught him about negotiations was to never let the other party know how much you needed something. That gave the other person all the power and always led to higher prices.
Lil' Miss held all the cards. She knew how dangerous this research could prove. Taking down their facility wouldn't stop them, but he couldn't just leave it up and running. He could at least set them back and destroy as much evidence as he could. Or he could recover it himself and let Sienna take a look. All that scientific mumbo jumbo would mean nothing to him, but she had to have connections that could decipher it and maybe even find ways to counter Atlas' new weapons. It would also be a reminder that nowhere was safe from him. They'd take steps to better protect themselves in the future, but that would take time and resources.
Reluctantly, Adam brought up the missing piece of the puzzle. "What will this cost us?"
She could practically name her price. He doubted it'd be as simple as having him bump off another rival. Maybe she'd force the issue of Blake going to Vale. Heck, she might even have plans for him. Use him as some sort of enforcer to boost her own reputation. A crime boss that could make even Adam Taurus kneel before her. No one would dare challenge someone like that. Who knew what vicious schemes she could dream up? All he knew was that he had little choice but to agree.
Which is why her answer surprised him. "Tell Sienna the usual rate is fine."
Adam didn't know what to say. Lien? All she wanted was money, and not even extra? The White Fang had no idea this place even existed, yet she'd handed it over for such a small price. When his brain finally caught up again, he made sure to agree, eager to lock it in before she decided to up the cost any. Why on Remnant would she let them off so easily? No matter how much they might've impressed her with Kesseki, Lil' Miss didn't strike him as the type of woman to be so generous. You didn't get far in the underworld by passing up opportunities like that. She had to have some ulterior motive.
"That's an awful long look you're wearing." Lil' Miss chuckled as she tapped the end of her cigarette against the ashtray. "Care to share with the class?"
Rule number two in negotiations was to never let the other party know you were winning. He'd already ditched rule number one, so why not throw them all out at this point? "It's just…why?"
"Why what? You'll have to be a little more specific."
"Why help us this much?" She had no loyalty to the White Fang, and they owed her none in return. Was that it? Was she hoping to build trust to work on something bigger in the future? "You're planning something, aren't you?"
"Little ol' me? Perish the thought." He knew it. There was something he wasn't seeing. "Let's just say I have a vested interest in this."
"In the White Fang?" Ilia asked, unable to contain her own curiosity.
"In Atlas, dear." That…that actually comforted him a bit. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Her enemy? Had she done something to anger Atlas? If they found out she was behind Euryale, they might want to shut her down, but taking out someone like her would be difficult, even for Atlas. Everyone knew Mistral was basically run by the crime families, which meant trying to take out someone at the top was like going after another Kingdom. Even if they succeeded, Mistral would have no choice but to see it as an act of aggression against their Kingdom, mainly as the other families hurried to protect themselves from the foreign interference. They'd need to hit fast and smart, taking out the head before the body had a chance to react. Given Lil' Miss' knack for intelligence gathering, she'd see it coming a mile away, making the task nearly impossible. Arrogant as they were, even Atlas would recognize the insurmountable challenge and know better than to risk it.
Why the sudden interest in causing Atlas trouble? Poking the Ursa would only set their sights on her in the long run. The risks would outweigh the benefits, so why risk it? What did she have to gain from them going after Atlas on their own turf? All of Atlas would be on high alert from an attack like that. They'd shore up their defenses and…
That was it, wasn't it?
"You want Atlas out of Anima."
"Bingo." Lil' Miss reveled in his answer, delighted to see him work it out on his own. "Atlas is bad for business. Things were a lot easier when we didn't have some Specialist prowling the city day in and day out. I think everyone would prefer if things went back to the way they were." Which meant they needed to give Atlas a reason to focus on their own Kingdom for once.
The embarrassment at Euryale had pushed them back for a while, but not enough. Mistral soon forgot about the incident and welcomed Atlas back, though with a little more oversight this time. Now, with the Schnee producing results - even if said results were largely undone at Kesseki - Mistral seemed happy to give her more control and were reportedly in talks to bring in more support for her operation.
They'd spent too much time focusing on Mistral. No wonder Sienna wanted to expand to other Kingdoms. If everything they did happened in Anima, then of course they'd bring in more forces to focus on the White Fang. And who better to use than the only Kingdom with a standing military? They'd set the battlefield in Anima and Atlas responded. The White Fang excelled at guerilla warfare, but now they'd challenged Atlas to a limited area, surrendering their biggest advantage. That was a losing strategy.
"So we hit Atlas, take out this research lab, and make them focus on their own Kingdom again."
"Not all deals are favors or money," Lil' Miss said. "I prefer long term payoffs." Like getting Atlas to back off so she could go back to business as usual. "I also like avoiding certain…complications where I can."
Adam was tired of unpacking her riddles. "Such as?"
"We both know you're planning something after Kesseki. Looking for a little revenge after what they did to your snake girl." Adam bristled at the casual reference to his dead friend but said nothing. "Mistral locked them up, so I have to assume you'll be looking to cause them trouble in return. Am I right?"
Not exactly hard to figure out. Even from a pragmatic view, he couldn't let something like that stand. "Perhaps."
"Don't play coy with me, boy. We both know you'll be out for blood within the month." Sooner if he could swing it. He'd make them pay for taking someone from him. Eye for an eye. "Mistral knows that too, which is why they're upping security around the city. That's bad for business. But you know what's worse?" Adam shook his head. "My city burning down around me. Hard to do business if a bunch of my clients up and die, not to mention the damage might spread to some of my own assets. Add the crackdown that'll be sure to follow, and suddenly, you've gone and become a real problem for me. You know what I do to people who cause me problems?"
He could guess. "So, what, you just want me to let them go after what they did?" He didn't care what she wanted. He'd have his revenge, even if it meant making new enemies along the way. Lil' Miss included.
"You're angry. I get it." She really didn't if she thought he'd agree not to avenge Nag's death. "But I'm not asking you to ignore what happened. Gods know I wouldn't."
"Then what are you asking?"
"I'm asking you to look at the bigger picture." This again. What was wrong with small pictures? "You want revenge, but you're going about it all wrong. You really think the people of Mistral are responsible for what happened?"
No, but they weren't innocent either. Not when they let the people in charge get away with such atrocities. "She died in Kesseki."
"And you made them pay."
"It's not enough." He'd killed the ones directly responsible, but that wasn't enough. The guards might've been the ones to deliver the killing blow, but others gave them the power to do so.
Lil' Miss sighed as if dealing with a petulant child. "It never is, but you need to ask yourself who's really responsible for what happened. You want to make someone suffer, then why not target the people who put your girl in there in the first place?"
"Atlas." The Schnee. They'd been the ones to ambush his team, execute his men, and lock up the rest in Kesseki. Mistral had never been able to pull something like that off. It was only when Atlas got involved and started hunting him that bad things happened. They'd killed Jakob. They'd sent Nag to that hellhole to die. It always came back to them, didn't it?
"That's better. Attacking Mistral will just have Atlas coming here in greater number. How long do you think it'll take them to catch more of your men?" Not long. If the Schnee and her handful of men could cause this much damage, then what could she do with reinforcements and Mistral's full cooperation? They'd turn Anima upside down to find him and kill anyone who got in their way. He'd be endangering everyone while Atlas got away with murder.
Lil' Miss wanted them to hit Atlas to protect her own holdings, but she wasn't wrong. Atlas had always been the source of his problems, even back in Orostachys. They'd been hounding him ever since then, never content to leave him be. Even now, they were plotting against him, and in response, he wanted to hit Mistral? They shared the blame, but you didn't cure an illness by focusing on the symptoms. You had to go for the source.
Atlas, the cancer of Remnant, deserved to burn.
Adam handed the folder over to Blake, tacitly accepting her reasoning. "I'll see what I can do."
"Much better." Lil' Miss had won again, but that didn't mean he'd lost. She'd just aligned their goals better to ensure she gained from their activities. Benefits outweighing risks. As long as the White Fang could provide that, she seemed happy to work with them when it suited her. "I think we're done here. Make sure to bundle up. I hear Atlas is cold this time of year."
Adam rose, Blake and Ilia following his lead. "It's about to become a lot hotter."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Sienna seemed pleased with his report when they got back…right up until he revealed the intel Lil' Miss had shared. Even if he'd wanted to hit Mistral, this took priority. She hammered that point home, only to be surprised when Adam agreed. Did everyone really think him that narrow minded? He knew what was at stake here.
She promised to handle the payment and begin working on a plan for Atlas. Something big. Her words, not his. He had no idea what she meant by that. They'd obviously be destroying this place. What was bigger than that? She'd also be reaching out to the Atlas branch for help. Both in planning and manpower. It'd be interesting to see how Felicia and her crew were doing since his last visit.
Report delivered, Adam logged off and headed for his room. He'd have plenty of time before he needed to worry about Atlas. Indie's going away party needed planning, but that could wait until morning. He'd get the whole team in on it, of course, both to lighten his load and because he knew they'd want to help. While he didn't look forward to saying goodbye, he'd make sure she got a proper sendoff, even if he had to raid a party store for supplies. For now, though, all he wanted was to go get some much needed rest.
Blake was waiting outside his door.
"Can we talk?" The most terrifying words a man could hear.
The hallway hardly felt like the place for a private conversation, so he opened his door and let her in, following behind. Blake didn't bother sitting down, which only added to his trepidation. She hesitated near his bed, which left him nothing to do but stand by the door and wait.
Finally, she found whatever words she was looking for. "Adam…about what happened. With Lil' Miss and the whole training thing in Vale."
Her refusal of going anywhere. Her insistence on staying with the White Fang. As happy as he was she hadn't left, the decision weighed on her. "If you really want to go…"
"I don't." Thank the gods. He'd only said it to be supportive. The last thing he wanted was her running off to another Kingdom without him. "I don't want to go to Vale. I…I don't want to leave."
"Then don't." Seemed simple enough. Was she afraid he would force her to go? Decide that the training was too valuable to pass up? While he didn't doubt the potential results, the benefit didn't outweigh the cost of her leaving. "You'll always have a place here."
"That's not…" Blake trailed off for a second, gathering herself. "With everything that's happened, I just…I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"I'm scared things will change." Blake reached up to rub her arm nervously. "Nag's dead. Indie's leaving." He'd forgotten that she'd already told the other girls. At least that would make telling the rest of the team easier. "And now we're working with humans?"
"I know," Adam admitted. "I don't like it either, but what can we do? Atlas isn't going to let up. You heard what she said. They're researching ways to hurt faunus. Not just us, Blake. All faunus. Who knows, they might even try to find a way to wipe us out completely." A faunus plague. Something that targeted a specific genetic makeup or something. It sounded crazy, but he wouldn't underestimate Atlas. If such a thing could be made, Atlas would be the ones to find out. Maybe it would just be a failsafe for them - sort of an emergency measure against a second faunus war - but it wouldn't end there. How long before they decided to strike first and poison Menagerie. Taint their water supply or smuggle in poisoned food. The island housed a pretty significant portion of faunus across the world and was the known headquarters of the White Fang. The perfect target should Atlas ever decide to go after all of faunus kind. "We have to stop them."
"I know, but that's not what I'm worried about. Not really."
She wasn't making any sense. Why bring all that up if something else was bothering her? Why not just tell him what the problem was so he could fix it? "Then what are you worried about?"
Blake took a deep breath, preparing herself to say whatever was on her mind. "Adam, I think…" She seemed to trip on her own words, losing what little momentum she had. "That is, I might…no, I do. I really…"
Such a tease. It sounded like she had something important to say, but kept stopping short, which he didn't mind admitting was incredibly frustrating. "What is it? You can tell me."
"I know. It's just…gah!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "This was so much easier in my head."
What could be causing her so much trouble? They never had trouble talking before. Had he done something wrong? Nothing came to mind. And what did this have to do with her point earlier. Things changing? Going to Vale? How did any of that-
Adam's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. Not again. He'd already lost Indie. "You're not saying you want to leave, are you?"
"What? No!" Adam breathed a sigh of relief. Losing Indie was bad enough. He couldn't bear the thought of Blake leaving too. "That's not what I'm trying to say."
One crisis averted, but that didn't solve the issue. "Then what?"
"I love you!"
…
…
Oh.
Adam didn't know how to respond, mostly because he was still trying to wrap his mind around the words. Blake didn't look much better, clapping a hand over her mouth far too late to catch the words she'd just blurted out.
Love? She…loved him? As in…love, love?
This wasn't anything like he'd seen in the movies or even a handful of books. Not that he read romance novels. Blake seemed to like some of those, but they weren't for him. Too many messy feelings. Not enough action. A lot of his favorites had romance mixed in, however. It was an easy motivator for a main character, spurring them to heroic deeds to defend their beloved. It sometimes felt like a cheap gimmick, but most of them handled it well enough. After all, every hero needed something worth fighting for. Sometimes that something just happened to be a someone.
And…he was rambling again.
Blake's face was bright red, but she'd at least lowered her hand and seemed to be waiting for something as she watched him with hopeful nervousness. It took him a few seconds to realize she probably wanted him to say something. The words tumbled out before he could really think about them. "You love me?"
Not the words she'd been looking for.
"Y-yeah. I…I love you, Adam."
"Since when?" Zero for two, in case anyone was keeping score.
"I dunno. I think I've always loved you." She couldn't mean that. They'd only met a few years ago. Even then, he would've put her feelings somewhere closer to hate than love. At least distrust. Why was it so hard to stay focused? "After what happened with Nag, though…" She loved him because he let someone die? "I guess…I guess I thought about how it would feel if I lost you."
Unbidden, the idea of Blake dying crossed his mind. His heart plummeted to his stomach, making him feel sick before he reminded himself that she was very much alive and right in front of him.
"Do you…" Whatever morbid thoughts he'd been fighting fled from the far more terrifying words he knew came next. "Do you love me?"
Never before had he faced such a loaded question, and not just because of the way Blake struggled to look him in the eye.
Did he love her? What did that even mean? Losing her would hurt, but it hurt when Nag died, and he was pretty sure there weren't any romantic feelings there. Same with Indie. Even Jakob, and that definitely wasn't why. He loved each of them, just as he loved Father Bernard and Mazarin long ago.
But Blake didn't mean that kind of love. She meant…romantic. The kind of love that lead to things like marriage and starting a family. He liked her. That much he definitely knew. He enjoyed being around her. They had fun together and shared a lot of the same interests. She'd helped him overcome Alyssa, which was more than anyone had ever done for him. He cared about her more than anyone else, even himself.
Was that love? He really couldn't say. No one ever really gave a clear definition. When you're in love, you'll just know. What kind of garbage was that? How would he know? Did that mean questioning it meant he didn't love her? People fell in love. Grew to love each other. Found love. Well which one bloody was it?! Did he chase it? Let it come to him? What?
Adam gave the only answer he could. "I…I don't know." She looked disappointed, let down by his uncertain response. "What I mean is, I…I don't really know what love is, so how do I know if I love someone? I like you. I like being around you. I like…" he tried not to lick his lips, "I like the things we do together."
"I like that too." Why did that feel so awkward? It was just the two of them talking, and it wasn't like they were…you know. Doing it. They hugged. Held hands. Even kissed from time to time. Nothing crazy, and only when she wanted to. He didn't want to push, even if he'd probably enjoy more.
He'd given up on love so long ago. The very idea of someone loving him - a broken, scarred monster with little hope of a happy ending - made no sense. How could he love someone if he didn't feel he deserved love himself?
"I'm sorry, Blake." He really was, more that he'd upset her than that he couldn't return her feelings, which just added confusion to his list of emotions.
"It's okay," Blake assured him, stepping forward to wrap her arms around him. "That doesn't change how I feel about you. I just didn't want to risk something happening without letting you know how I really feel."
"Because of Atlas?" Was she that worried he wouldn't make it back?
"Because of everything." Somehow, he understood. Things had gotten a lot more dangerous lately. None of them were guaranteed tomorrow. "And it's okay if you can't say it back. I'd rather you be honest than pretend." Honesty was the best policy, then. Hard to build a relationship without it.
Adam gave her a reassuring squeeze before she let go. "I'll be fine, Blake. I promise."
"I know." Such simple faith. Was that because of her feelings for him, or just his track record. To be fair, no one ever died a second time. You pretty much went undefeated until you went out on a loss in that department. "Which is why I'm coming with you."
Wait, what?
Blake didn't give him a chance to say anything. "I'm coming to Atlas. I want to help. I'd never forgive myself if something happened and I wasn't there." Logically, it wouldn't make a difference. Sure, she was good, but if something there was strong enough to take him down, then it would probably kill her too. Two on one would be better, but whoever or whatever this danger was would just target her first, going for the easier kill and forcing Adam to defend. Her presence might very well doom him instead of helping. "So I'm coming on this mission."
"Blake, I-"
"No one else is as strong a fighter as me." Other than Adam, of course." "You're not going alone, so it only makes sense that I come too."
"You're right."
Blake would hear none of it. "I'm a better scout, too. Not to mention practically everyone in Atlas knows what you look like. You'll need someone to make contact with the local branch for you."
"Okay."
"And we don't know how big this facility is. You'll need someone…wait. What did you say?"
Adam grinned, glad she finally stopped to listen. "Of course you're coming with me." As if he'd leave his best asset behind on such a critical mission. "What, did you think I'd put you on babysitting duty while we stormed the castle?"
"You did with Euryale." Ouch. She had a point there.
"Well not this time," he promised. He needed all hands on deck, even if he planned to do most, if not all, of the heavy lifting. "I want you right there with me when we take this place down."
This hug felt a little more aggressive, in that she nearly tackled him with it. Finally, he'd said something right.
"I won't let you down," she promised, still squeezing the life out of him.
"You never have." Even through all the aggravation of training her and her constant demands during those early days, he always respected her drive. She might drive him up the wall, but she'd never let him down. "So, was that all you wanted to talk about?"
Blake chuckled as she shook her head against her chest in disbelief. "Professing my love for you wasn't enough?" He recognized her mocking tone, even if the words both excited and terrified him in equal measure. She looked up at him, eyes shining in the dimly lit room. "Then how about this?" She stretched to reach his lips, practically pulling herself up as much as dragging him down.
He had no idea what time it was. Didn't care, frankly. Someone loved him. No, more than that, Blake loved him. He felt like he could've charged Atlas itself and come out in one piece. He'd need that soon enough, but for now, all that mattered was the woman in his arms. The same woman that would be at his side when he challenged the frigid Kingdom again.
She said she was afraid of things changing, but she shouldn't be. Together, the two of them would change the world. With her help, he'd light the fires of revolution and melt the cruel, icy grasp of Atlas and humanity on faunus everywhere.
Even if he had to burn it all down first.
And they called it puppy love. Wonder how much Blake would hate that term.
The big confession has finally come. Blake moving fast to lock him down. Her stumbling confession is loosely based on when I told my wife I loved her for the first time. Always wanted it to mean something, so told her I would never say it until I was sure. Took her out to dinner, nervous the entire time as we chatted, and then finally worked up the nerve to tell her...only to stumble on the words. I made it such a big deal in my mind that it was hard to finally admit it out loud. Didn't help that she's sitting across the table from me telling me to just laugh it out, not realizing what I was trying to say. She didn't say it back, and I told her that was absolutely fine. We were still dating and I wanted her to mean it too. Obviously, it all worked out, seeing as we've been married over 12 and a half years, but figured I'd mess with Blake and make her confession just as bumpy.
Adam is setting his sights on Atlas again, but this time with some guidance from Lil' Miss. Sienna's working on some big plan. Blake is swooning. All while poor Indie just hopes they don't forget about her party (don't worry girl, I haven't).
Next chapter: Adam heads to Atlas to cause some chaos.