Wicked

By quijibo7609

Roman was now a mere twenty days from his deadline. Time was running out, and Roman was freaking the fuck out. Made even more panicked now that he had a sense of hope. Hope in the form of confirmed locations for seven significant dust caches inside Vale. The thought of smoldering yellow eyes made it extremely difficult for the thief to not rush out and seize every single one of them immediately. To grab at those seven threads like any drowning man might grab a lifeline.

Junior was firm though. Roman needed to wait. To be patient.

Fuck Hei.

Junior didn't have some sociopathic flame wielding thunder-cunt standing over him, holding an hour glass, and cheerfully turning a spit now did he! The kid—consultant-though had been very clear. In Roman's mind, that wasn't a small thing, and gave him pause. Junior's asset was downright spooky at times. Even if he had only just now unlocked his aura. An unlocking of aura that depleted Roman's own reserves so badly he briefly staggered under the rush. Because of course the kid—blonde-was going to wind up instantly dangerous. What else did Roman really expect considering his life at this point? So, because Junior's spook was well, spooky, Roman complied with his demands. Thus Torchwick waited. Roman had waited nearly eight days, too preoccupied by the big score to even try and hustle some smaller ones. What was the point anyways? They weren't the things that were going to save him.

Right?

That was a very bad mistake on Roman's part. Perhaps even an unforgivable one since Roman already knew he was being watched. That was the thing wasn't it? Fear was a distraction that could cost anyone basically anything. Fear made one preoccupied. Sloppy. What happened next really was to be expected.

To be fair about one more detail, Roman's faith in his danger sense had taken something of a hit recently. Junior's "Consultant" definitely let some doubt creep into the back of Roman's mind about his instinct's former ironclad dependability. Seriously, that kid—blonde guy—was still a zero on Roman's threat meter, Roman's threat mete no longer considering gargantuan aura levels dangerous. Seriously that nut job had a lot of aura. Like an absurd amount considering there was no way he could have developed any of it before hand.

Wait…

Could you relock aura? Roman wondered. It really would explain some of the vibes he was getting off that kid-Jaune. Truly considering this absurd possibility, Roman inserted his key and entered one of his warehouses through a small service entrance. Like previously mentioned. Roman was scared. Preoccupied. He had lost faith in his danger sense.

And Roman was all too sloppy. Because the warehouse was empty. Still.

And very wrong.

Second guessing his danger instincts or not, Roman couldn't ignore those instincts screaming at him when he opened the side door. The eerie silence instantly pulled his mind from his thoughts of dangerous teenagers. A dark empty floor and utter stillness were not expected, and thus much more immediate threats.

Sure these kinds of moments made for great scenery in certain kinds of movies. Movies where the bad guy was keeping a low profile, but there was this one renegade copper that had a hunch.

But that was only in movies.

There were several ways to hide a needle in a haystack. A good way, maybe not the best but still a good way, to make sure someone never found the needle in the haystack was by painting that needle the color of hay. So Roman's fronts all kept up appearances. This building received regular deliveries, and shipped products all over Vale with some battered old vans. This warehouse even had an angry and slightly overworked single parent answering the office phones. If you really looked though, the building just had remarkably few crates. It also had an exceptional security system. The fact that quite a few felons were working the floor was usually the last realization an unwanted interloper received. But interlopers almost never happened. Because the warehouse made every attempt to blend in. So it was seldom silent. It tried to look like just another piece of hay.

It was never dark.

Because a dark warehouse would eventually set off warning flags to the wrong people. It would shout too everyone that something was not right here. And something not right was potentially dangerous.

Where the fuck was Neo?!

"Hello Roman." Torchwick swallowed when he heard that voice. Throat suddenly like sandpaper, Roman turned. Cinder Fall gracefully stepped out of the deeper gloom of the building. Beautiful, alluring, and oh so fucking dangerous. "You've fallen behind schedule." Her mouth smiled with the charming invitation of a sadist, but her eyes flashed with something darker and much crueler. "This is not an acceptable circumstance, Roman."

Flames danced in Cinder Fall's eyes, her clothing began to shimmer. Roman's scanned for any hope in the darkness. Something? Someone? Anyone out there? Little Red? It was time to be the hero! The glass of Cinder's shoes cracked and those shards rose to hover dangerously around her. Slowly so that Roman could take in every detail, those shards coalesced into a wicked blade. She used the reflection in the shimmering obsidian to casually inspect a nail. "I hope you don't mind, but I encouraged your staff to be elsewhere for the evening." Her cruel smile widened. "Just in case you were wondering."

Roman swallowed, then proceeded to beg, "Cinder please…"

"You really should have guessed I was watching you Roman."

Roman slowly backed away. Cinder, methodically, paced him. "Please. Just listen to me—"

"Watching you fall further and further behind."

Roman tried again, "I do have a plan."

Roman felt the cool metal of the door behind him. Cinder's smile dared him to risk it. Cinder's smile always dared him to risk it.

When Roman decided not to, that smile faded. What replaced it was much worse.

Roman closed his eyes.

"At first I was patient with you Roman," Cinder started indulgently. "I understood the influx of dust robberies were making things… unexpectedly difficult. I respected your perseverance and dedication though. Even if I did find your imagination lacking." Cinder's voice took on the tone of command, "Look me in the eyes when I am talking to you Roman." Roman did so. Cinder's smile somehow became even more murderous.

"That's better." She paused. She somehow sighed through that murderous expression. "I was patient with you Roman. So very patient. Too patient perhaps. Because last week, abruptly, you stopped trying." The sorrowful tone was a lie, Roman could see the joyful gleam in her eyes as she continued. "You have no idea how angry I am about that." Roman swallowed. If he held any faith in the option, he would have thrown open the door and ran at that moment. But he didn't have faith in that. The attempt would only make her laugh.

Cinder's eyes danced as she relished her hold over him. The fear was something Roman knew he couldn't hide from her, and she loved him knowing that. There was hate as well. The hate Roman held for his own impotence, even as his life hung in the balance. She loved that he couldn't hide that either. Cinder lifted the obsidian blade. The sword now faintly shimmering with heat. With a cruel smile, she laid it gently on his shoulder. Roman's jacket began to smolder and Roman himself tried not to scream. To her brief disappointment, he was successful. The glee left her eyes briefly to be replaced with honest anger. Disappointment is not something Cinder dealt with well, and her smile turned completely black.

"Roman, I think it's time you understood just how absolutely furious I am with you."

She stepped back. Roman sagged a bit as the blade lost contact with his chest. Briefly, he even considered praying. But the brother gods proved themselves unnecessary because that was when Neo decided to show up.

Almost like she pranced out of the very ether itself, Neo jovially pirouetted in between Roman and Cinder. The tiny woman spun gracefully into position. Only Roman briefly saw the flash of Neo's concern before his protégé's expression morphed into its typical Cheshire smile. Neo gently planted her parasol's point at the floor, and oh so slowly opened it at her feet. Hush didn't really look like a weapon, but the way Neo always held it made sure everyone instantly understood it was one. Ever so reluctantly, Cinder's eyes shifted to gauge the diminutive form between her and her not yet on fire subordinate. Roman saw dark threat, curiosity, and a brief flash of doubt war in Cinder's eyes.

It was very hard to tell which won. At least until the shards of glass ceased being a sword coalesced back into shoes again. With sensual grace, Cinder casually stepped back into them. Sensual grace mind you, not casual. Cinder didn't take her eyes off of Neo for even a moment.

"So very, very furious." Cinder whispered softly, her repeating herself being the biggest tell she was now on guard and wary.

"Cinder I know I—"

Cinder Fall silenced Roman Torchwick with a look, but at least it wasn't quite as lethal as her last one. "Fortunately for you Roman, I have come bearing a solution that will get you somewhat back on schedule. In spite of your incompetence." Ever so briefly dark joy and spite danced in her eyes, before the fact Roman was in fact necessary dawned in her head. She continued, "Providing last week's unacceptable holiday has reached its end. It is at an end isn't it Roman?"

Roman waited a moment before nodding. Cinder smiled in response, but honestly what flooded Roman at this moment was relief. Cinder wanted to control the conversation. Letting her do so would probably calm her the fuck down. Calm enough to make this situation resolvable without a fight Roman was pretty sure he would lose. When he thought Cinder composed enough he tried again, "Cinder I—"

She smiled cruelly. "That doesn't sound like a thank you Roman."

Roman oh so briefly closed his eyes. Mostly to hide the utter relief that would have shown in them otherwise. Catty and self-important was basically Cinder's default setting, and he knew how to best appease that setting. So his next words were basically routine. "Thank you Cinder."

Her cruel smile hardened. "For?"

Roman had long ago swallowed his pride when it came to dealing with Cinder Fall. "For helping me get back on schedule."

"And why did I have to do this Roman?"

Roman was already saying the words before she finished her question. "Because I am incompetent."

Cinder's expression was frankly beatific. "And?"

Roman knew way better than to roll his eyes. "Lazy."

"I'm glad we can agree." Cinder's cruel smile flashed one more time. "Next time I need to help you Roman, trust me when I say you will end up begging me for kindness. From your knees. Do you understand me Roman?"

"Yes."

"Good." Cinder woman's golden gaze shifted at the last moment though. Revealing her confidence was, at least a little bit, false. If Roman wasn't absolutely fucking terrified of her, he would of smirked at how bad a liar Cinder actually was. Neo was completely unnerving her. Still Cinder, if she was anything, was arrogant.

"Now explain your little friend."

Roman knew there could be no mistakes here. Neo was damned good, but she had semi revealed her hidden ace with how she intervened. An ace Roman would still risk his life to protect. He would do this because, for some reason, Neo would do the same for him and his. Come what may, Roman was going to give Neo a clean shot at getting out of this shit-storm, whether she wanted that shot or not.

Roman stepped forward with roguish aplomb. He didn't side-eye Neo, even though he wanted to, he just trusted her to play a part. He smiled his best salesman's smile and grandly introduced his accomplice. "Cinder Fall, meet Neo Politan. She's an underground mercenary here in Vale. Quite skilled. Very highly sought after in certain circles." Roman decided to feed Cinder's ego a bit more. "I hired her to help fill in for my well-known inadequacies. Unfortunately negotiations were a little extended since she can prove difficult to get into contact with. Even for me."

Cinder looked dismissively at Neo, Roman glanced away ever so briefly when Neo coquetted her head in response. Roman swallowed. Roman was now worried because he knew Neo's stance. Neo was fucking pissed. So pissed, this might go sideways quick. Cinder, for her part, narrowed her eyes. Still obviously unable to get a read on Neo.

Cinder stared hard at Neo. Like it was a contest of wills or something. It probably was. After a moment Cinder said, "I have doubts." Cinder took her eyes off Neo first and Roman swallowed when she did, still unsure if Neo would just go for it. Cinder saw Roman's nervous expression and misunderstood. Cinder sharpened her gaze, "If she's sought after, explain why haven't I heard of her. "

Roman quickly glanced at Neo. Neo shifted weight saucily to her favored leg. Roman's hands began to sweat and he swallowed again.

And the pause became awkward.

Cinder's eyes flashed over Neo's head. "I asked you a question Roman."

Roman breathed deep and decided to pray to the brother's after all. "Show her Neo." Neo glanced back at him, he saw the naked rage in her eyes. Neo, please, please be careful. Neo nodded angrily once, and Roman briefly felt his knees unhinge as Neo shifted her appearance into a form that instantly ratcheted up the already explosive tension in the room.

Suddenly there were two Cinder Falls in the room. Roman couldn't actually see one's face, but he knew the shorter was smirking in naked challenge at the taller. The pair of yellow eyes Roman could see instantly narrowed with rage.

A solitary finger snap echoed in the silent warehouse.

Roman saw a flash of silver hair. Some kid—young man—fucking-not-quite-adult-yet-person-exploded out of the gloom. Roman had a hunter's instincts and training, but had to give Silver some credit because he was basically on top of them in an instant. Cinder's clone, well she looked almost bored. Silver kicked high catching nothing but air. He then swung his weight around, harnessing his errant momentum into a whistling back fist that still missed the smaller Cinder by a mile. He kept spinning and leveled a gunshot blast from his boots that dissipated on Neo's already perfectly placed parasol. With a yawn, Little Cinder shrugged at Silver, obviously asking him if he was going to start trying anytime soon.

The teenaged boy smirked in response.

Roman swallowed as Neo failed to react as Silver walked forward and straight up punched her in the face. Neo flew backwards, her cloaking illusion of Cinder exploding into shards. With a roll and a snarl, Mr. Stabby slid free of Hush. Roman noticed Neo's eyes weren't tracking the teen quite right. He moved to yell warning only for Cinder to manifest a fist of fire as implicit threat.

Roman almost yelled anyways. The only thing that stopped him was his absolute trust in his protégé.

That trust was about to be thoroughly tested. Silver swarmed Neo. His blows were competent, but not anything Neo couldn't normally dodge while taking a nap. Still, every single fucking one of them landed. With a mocking laugh, Silver grabbed his smaller opponent. There was tangle of limbs, as the grappled Neo's fighting instincts flared, but she was still too confused and defensive to do much more than kick off of him.

Silver spoke for the first time. "I guess you need some more." Neo spun on the voice, obviously not trusting her eyes, but it wasn't close to enough. She ate a heavy kick that was so telegraphed Roman could have dodged it as a toddler. Silver laughed again. Neo rose, she was swaying badly now. Silver walked over and almost calmly kneed Neo in the stomach, forcing her to collapse on all fours. This time when Neo rose, it was only to her knees.

Roman looked at Cinder and silently begged. She smirked in response.

Neo's eyes were glazed. Silver laughed. He stepped back, bounced up and down as if just loosening up, then drove a vicious front kick into her chest. There was resounding sound of a gun blast when the boot connected, and Neo smashed violently into a wall, slowly collapsing to floor. Eyes vacant, she spat a rather large globule of blood, but didn't even bother trying to rise.

Cinder smiled sweetly at Roman. This was the moment where Roman truly knew what hate was. He had thought he understood it before. He thought he hated his father. He thought he hated his old team. No, that wasn't hate. This,this, was fucking hate. Hate strong enough for Roman to overcome his fear. Who knows what would have happened next, other than Roman drifting away as a pile of ashes, but that was when the kid fucked up.

Silver grabbed Neo by her throat, hoisted her high, and then slammed her hard into the wall. He looked at his master like Cinder was the best owner a dog could ever have. Roman nodded at silver, and even smiled. Silver didn't see the smile, too focused on his master but Cinder did, and she tensed immediately.

The dazed hopeless look in Neo's eyes shifted rapidly to glee. Roman barked a loud laugh for both him and his apprentice. Cinder spun at the idiot who was now stupidly looking at Roman after he laughed. Roman couldn't quite resist telling Silver something he about to learn anyways.

"Kid. Whoever you are, however your semblance works, you just royally fucked up." The kid blinked at him, so Roman explained using small words. "Neo now knows where you are." Silver looked at the euphoric face of Neo, a face that wasn't nearly as battered as it was a few moments ago. With a smirk Roman reached into his coat and pulled out a hand-wrapped Cohibas cigar. A flick, a flash, and a solid puff, Roman settled back to watch the show.

Cinder's face, after all, was portraying all kinds of interesting things at this moment.

There was a showy flash of light when Neo began. More an artistic bit of flare than anything truly necessary. Over the dumbass's head, an illusionary pink blindfold suddenly appeared. Of course the blindfold being illusionary didn't make it any less effective. It did, however, make it much harder to remove. As Silver quickly realized when his hands passed through it. With a snarl he lashed out blindly with a heavy punch.

Neo's torso twisted in a way any contortionist would envy as she leveraged her lower body completely out of the way of a desperate body shot. A body shot Silver put all his weight behind. A body shot that hit nothing but unyielding concrete. Roman smirked as he heard a knuckle pop, proving Silver's aura wasn't quite prepared to deal with such an unyielding object. Silver quickly dropped Neo. He rapidly stepped back. He obviously expected once contact with Neo was severed he could redeploy his one and only trick. Neo strode forward, was somewhat confused by something, and suddenly stopped. Silent maniacal laughter somehow filled the empty warehouse. Neo glanced briefly around the gloom, didn't quite see what she was looking for, then with a shrug, she trapped Silver inside her semblance. A shimmering curtain, complete with ice cream cones emblazoned on it, formed a twenty plus foot ring around the combatants. Roman didn't quite understand, but he guessed Neo must have figured something important out. Roman smiled. Silver deserved everything about to come his way, and a pissed off Neo was a fucked up thing for someone to deserve. Roman chuckled around his cigar. Silver was really going to start rethinking his life at any moment.

Roman closed his eyes for a few seconds of well-earned bliss once the beautiful sounds of heavy thuds and masculine shrieks began echoing inside the warehouse. Some nasty cracking sounded. There was shriek. All of it, pure symphony. Roman opened his eyes to something else that was beautiful. Cinder stood rigidly straight. Her hands were still faintly glowing. Roman wanted to laugh, because he knew she didn't even realize they still were. Cinder looked at Roman, not remotely able to hide her shock at how the tide turned.

Roman smiled politely at her, "This might take a bit. Neo likes to take her time with revenge."

Cinder's eyes flashed with anger and defeat, emotions she obviously believed she had hidden well given what she attempted next.

With a yawn that was pure affectation, Cinder's hands stopped glowing. With an indulgent shrug she said, "That's enough Roman."

Torchwick looked at Cinder Fall. Looked at her hard. He basked in his hate of her. Reveled in how much that hate muted his fear. Roman stopped smiling and took a long puff on his cigar.

Five.

Cinder frowned. "Roman I said that's enough."

Four.

Cinder's eyes flashed. Dangerous. Lethal. All a sham. A child's bluff played badly. Roman didn't think Silver meant anything personal to Cinder, but Roman was willing to bet everything that Silver was very useful to Cinder Fall.

Three.

The boy gurgled, then moaned. There was the definite sound of someone being stabbed. Cinder's looked to where the sounds took place, but didn't quite dare risk stepping past the curtain.

Two.

Cinder looked at Roman. Roman allowed none of it to show on his face, but he so enjoyed the bitch's look when she silently asked. Cinder couldn't do it aloud, her pride was too great. Roman wished he could make her ask aloud, but as strong as Roman's hate was, his decisions tempered be his fear. Fear in what Cinder might do to Neo if Torchwick didn't step in. Still, Roman waited one more second so that Cinder understood that in this moment, she ordered nothing. Fucking nothing!

She was only asking.

One.

"Neo. I think he's had enough."

Neo's illusionary curtains shattered. Revealing a semiconscious kid on the floor bleeding rather profusely. Roman was a bit surprised to find Silver missing a leg. Mr. Stabby slid back into Neo's parasol before the entire weapon disappeared in a puff of smoke. Roman wasn't quite sure where Neo kept Hush when it wasn't out, but also believed she had long ago earned the rights to her privacy. With a kind of absent curiosity, Neo bent to pick up Silver's severed leg. After some fiddling with it, a gunshot sounded. The round cracked off the ground not five feet in front of Cinder. Cinder almost snarled. Neo shrugged in an "oops" way as her only response. Then as a final insult, Neo twirled the whole mechanical contraption almost like it was a pistol and she was Vacuan sheriff ridding the desert of outlaws. Then as absently as she picked it up, Neo dropped it on Silver's head as she walked past. She smiled sweetly at Cinder, bowing gracefully. Then stepped firmly, and deliberately, between Cinder and Roman.

Roman knew a cue whenever he saw one. "Like I was saying. Quite skilled. Highly competent. Highly sought after. And unfortunately difficult to find. I admit I probably should have mentioned Neo was a dedicated sadist, but I honestly didn't think it was going to come up. I'll remember to lead with that next time I introduce her though. Just in case something similar happens."

Cinder's eyes narrowed. She looked at the beaten boy on the ground with a noticeable lack of empathy. Cinder Fall then smiled pleasantly, and oh so falsely, at Roman. "I think that would be best. Now then, despite your admittedly keen eye for personnel, let us discuss some animalistic friends of mine and a substantial dust shipment due at the Vale docks this Saturday."

Graciously, Roman led Cinder to the building's offices.

Emerald Sustrai emerged from the shadows to look at Mercury. She wanted to smile. She really wanted to smile. She would have smiled, but Emerald had seen Cinder walking away. Emerald saw Cinder's barely contained fury. Now was definitely not the time to smile. Not when Cinder Fall was just shown up by the likes of Roman Torchwick.

Not the time to smile at all.

Merc wasn't really in a bad way. It was pretty bad, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with stitches and aura boosters. That little monster hadn't decided to be lethal. Just very, very painful. The worst was this Neo character's decision to stab Merc in the ass several times.

Okay, Emerald smiled a bit about that.

Still Emerald slowly, carefully, helped Mercury get to his feet. Or foot. With an absent scowl she picked up his prosthetic with her free hand. This almost caused Mercury to fall back to the floor, and wouldn't that have been a shame?

Emerald tried to hide it, but honestly a lot of her hostility was because she was a little intimidated herself. Somehow, Roman's henchman had figured it out. Emerald needed to be able to see her opponent to influence their mind. The weird curtain thing that popped out of nowhere prevented that. She wondered if it was when she tried to recloak Mercury. After the little hellion blindfolded him. It must have been. Emerald had screwed up in some way that revealed the game and that had been enough. A detail. A wrong impulse. Who knows? All Emerald was sure of was that whatever happened beyond that illusionary curtain proved, with absolute certainty, that Mercury Black was no match for Roman's newest pet.

Merc whispered something.

Emerald scowled, "What? I'm in not in the mood right now."

Merc laughed a dry rusty laugh, then said a bit louder. "She's better than you." He again laughed. "A lot better."

Emerald scowled harder. "We'll see."

Merc again laughed his rusty laugh. "Cinder already has."

Emerald really wanted to drop him, but didn't quite dare.

Jaune sat in his little office and tried to come up with a solution to his dilemma. The plan was complicated. It would require seven different operations in total to succeed. If five of the seven led to scores, that should net them enough to clear Roman's quota. This wasn't going to be an easy feat.

Not easy at all.

If the operations could be performed one at a time, well then this would be fairly simple. Well simpler by comparison anyways. That was the problem though, because these thefts couldn't happen one at a time. They had to happen virtually simultaneously with each other. After all, if the Axe Gang just started picking off caches in order, well then everyone and their brother would be able to smell a rat. Which would quickly escalate thing into open warfare in Vale's underworld. Granted a gang war would probably make things easier for Jaune overall, but that wasn't an option in Jaune's mind. Jaune was not willing to risk any more civilians being hurt by his actions.

Thus Jaune decided scapegoats were necessary. Jaune had even started lining up scapegoat one to help take the heat off of the Red Axes once the dominos started falling. This scapegoat was more commonly known as the Vale Police Department. One of the rougher gangs, The Five Fists, had recently killed an elderly couple by hitting a SDC corporate store. Jaune originally offered them a plan for hitting a similar store operated by one of the SDC's still functional competitors. The Fists didn't like the Axe Gang's asking price of twenty percent, though. Also, since they were run by a faunus boss, they really hated anything Schnee related.

So they hatched their own plan. A dumb move. A very dumb move. Because of the White Fang, the SDC had all kinds of armed guards. Faunus charging at them wearing masks only made it easier for those guards to enact the SDC practice a shooting first and asking questions later. Still, those idiots did somehow get away with two half-loaded delivery vans. A small take compared to what Jaune had offered them, made worse when all idiots involved (SDC and gang-lander) immediately starting shooting. Several people were hurt, and tragically, one elderly couple that was simply having breakfast across the street died in the crossfire before paramedics could arrive.

Jaune's jaw set. A comparatively small stash guarded by dangerous idiots. Jaune was almost smiling when he hit upon the idea of feeding the Five Fists to the Vale police. Especially since the VPD was absolutely starving for a win the moment. The police really needed a moral boost right about now. One could feel the unrest spreading throughout the city, and everyone knew what that meant. Which led to only more unrest as people began staring worriedly at the walls. Jaune shuddered at that thought, and tried hard not to think about just how much fire he was playing with.

Jaune's stomach gnawed at him. Saffron called him this morning. Little Adrian arrived last night. Things were getting substantially more real. Hopefully, once the VPD hit upon the breadcrumb trail Millie was leaving for them to follow, the city would finally get its win and tensions would begin to ease. After all, Jaune knew the VPD were going to hit the Five Fists with everything they had to help ensure the city understood things were still in hand.

A showey show of force should be enough to keep the Grimm away… right?

Unfortunately for Jaune, the Five Fists getting led away in handcuffs was still the easy part of the plan. It was more or less just a time piece to set all other parts of the operational schedule into motion. A schedule that only got trickier. After all, most criminals weren't stupid. Even if everything else Jaune was putting in motion panned out perfectly, well it wouldn't be overly long before individuals that just lost all that product they had been stealing to start searching for answers. That would quickly lead them to the largest underground information broker in the city. One or two dust supplies being attacked would leave room for the Red Axes to spin a relatively plausible story on. But six? Once word got out that six gangs were hit, well there could only be so many organizations that could pull that kind of stunt and hide that amount of dust. And if anyone knew who they were, it was Junior.

If he didn't… well wasn't that just a teensy bit suspicious?

So Jaune needed one more patsy. He needed some person or organization that could conceivably hide this amount of product, and for the life of him he couldn't come up with anything concrete. His head was starting to hurt, so he closed his eyes. Breathing slow and deep to keep calm.

The moment tension started to fade, Mel forced him back to here and now. Well not forced, but she definitely distracted him.

Melanie Malachite strode into Jaune's office and utterly collapsed into what they now both considered her chair. Mel rubbed her eyes and groaned audibly. Obviously Mel was tired, but Jaune knew that look. He smiled. To be honest, Jaune was grateful for any distraction right about now.

"I know that face. Millie driving you bonkers again?"

Melanie Malachite briefly stopped trying to push her palms through the top half of her face. Ever so slightly, Mel raised her head so she could briefly look Jaune in the eyes. Finally, after briefly considering her options, Mel nodding wearily then somehow sank even further into the chair's overly plush cushions.

Her voice could only be described as frustrated. "She just has no gods damned subtlety. She just up and cut off the guy's pinkies. The guy is in the fucking hospital. What the hell is she going to do if he flubs the story and gets Vale Police looking at us again!"

Jaune looked at his schedule and frowned. "The baker? Why would Militia do that to the baker?"

Mel waved her hands nonchalantly in Jaune's general direction, "No not the eight o'clock. He was good to his word and had his payment in hand when she showed up. She did scare him a bit, but that was all. I'm talking about the pusher down the street you wanted evicted."

Jaune folded his arms. "He rats Millie out, his supplier will vanish. That will be the end of things for him given he was already in over his head. Also, it's hard for me to get upset over a guy who sold infused dust to middle schoolers."

Mel shrugged, far less concerned about the ethics involved. "Aren't you the guy who once said, 'Supply fulfills demand. Lack of supply simply drives it.'"

Jaune shrugged himself, although honestly a bit annoyed. That quote had sounded so perfect the first time he used it on Junior. "Yes I did, but I'm very willing to accept that the cost of meeting certain demands leads to a lack of pinkies." Mel looked at Jaune. Jaune sighed, "Okay. I'll talk to Militia and maybe get her working on something other than enforcement. She really is good at it though. The men honestly respect her."

Mel chuckled briefly. "Yeah I know. She's coming into her own." Mel paused to consider, "Don't pull her just yet, okay? Tell her to be more careful. I'll get Hei to do so as well." Jaune opened his mouth but Mel waved him off. "I know she'll know it's me and probably get pissed off about me stepping on her toes. Still, if you end it by insisting on her doing her thing she'll probably start checking herself on her own." There was a pregnant pause, "Gods, I am starting to sound like you these days."

Jaune honestly wasn't sure how to take that. "Thanks… I think?"

Mel chuckled a bit louder. "In other news, the refrigeration contractor for the florist is lined up and scheduled. Should be done by the end of the day. Leave it to you to strong arm Hei into having their walk-in fixed."

Jaune yawned. Junior had grumbled a little, but honestly hadn't put up much of a fuss over the issue. He was coming around to the way Jaune saw such matters these days. Jaune still felt the need to point out what mattered most. "Their insurance was paid up and they were current on their rent. The contract is quite clear."

Mel laughed, "Sometimes, despite all the fucking evidence to the contrary, I don't think you really understand how things like protection are supposed to work."

Jaune looked at her hard, "How much trouble have you had with collections since we started honoring our side of the agreement."

"A guy did lose his pinkies today."

Jaune half smiled, "That wasn't collections. Other than the baker, when was the last time you had to send Militia on a shake down?

Mel laughed harder, "And then you make me feel like it's I who doesn't understand how things like protection are supposed to work." With a sigh, Melanie Malachite slowly began to sit properly in her chair. Slowly being the operative word. It always proved to be a bit of a process with her. "How goes the planning. You still feeling stonewalled?"

Jaune shrugged. Mel knew the score, and often had some insights. "Yeah. You agree we need more than just the VPD. If the Police launch a raid? Well raids happens, and that's the cost of doing business. No one would suspect us either. Everyone knows we're keeping the hell away from the VPD for the foreseeable future."

Mel nodded, "But we need someone else to pin this on. Someone everyone is willing to believe is both capable of stealing and holding onto, a shit ton of dust." Mel sighed, "You sure we don't just pin this on Torchwick? Hard to feel bad for him since he is the center of this shit storm."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure Roman suddenly becoming the absolute focus of every one of Vale's morally flexible citizens will go over well."

"That afraid of Neo are we?"

Jaune thought on it a moment, then shook his head. "Not really no."

Mel raised an eyebrow, "Wow, get your aura unlocked and aren't we suddenly cocky?"

Jaune sighed at the absurd statement. "Yes Melanie. I am now convinced I can defeat Neo, in spite of the fact that your sister spends half our training sessions pointing at me and laughing." Jaune looked Mel in the eyes, "Has Roman told us who is pushing him yet?"

Mel rolled her eyes, "If he did, you would know." Mel frowned, obviously not liking whatever shadow figure was actually driving this chaos forward. "Not much we can do though. You did give him the choice in the matter."

Jaune accepted the critique with a nod. "I got greedy on the other points and thought he would cave without risking any balks on matters going forward. My mistake."

Mel made a very insincere 'oh' face. "Did the mighty Consultant actually flub a negotiation?"

Jaune groaned, "Please don't call me that."

"The Mighty Vomit Boy then!"

Jaune groaned louder, but he did laugh a bit. Mel was never going to let him live that down. Still the room sobered quickly. "Mel we're running out of time, especially since we had to pull the trigger with Militia and start winding the clock on the Five Fists. After we get the dust, we do not want to be in the crosshairs of whomever is bending Roman over." Jaune closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "A bit of inspiration would be nice."

Mel raised an inquiring eyebrow. Her smile became teasing. "Would you settle for a bit of distraction instead?"

Jaune swallowed noticeably, this wasn't what he was really asking about, but it had his undivided attention. Jaune closed his eyes, breathed in deep, and embraced something thrilling but not wholly pleasant. Then Junior's consultant opened his eyes, "So what exactly is your offer.

Mel's smile turned predatory.

Roman waited until Cinder left. As soon as he was sure she was gone. He pushed aura into his hand and slammed it straight through the desk. Neo shook her head, but wasn't remotely startled.

Cinder's plan was stupid. Stupid and complicated. Completely reliant on amateurs. Amateurs who were neither loyal to Roman nor Cinder herself. But Cinder Fall WOULD force Torchwick to follow through with it. Her belief was in her eyes, and Roman knew better than force the issue here and now.

Roman sat down and briefly, very briefly, allowed himself some self-pity. Gods it was a stupid plan. Almost as stupid as using a damned bullhead to pick up a few thugs performing a smash and grab.

…

Well okay that blonde huntress with the wand ended up making Roman rather happy Cinder was there for that one and only moment in Torchwick's life. Cinder hadn't been happy though. Not when all her efforts had been thwarted by some red themed twerp in a combat skirt.

Roman shook that off. He narrowed his eyes and focused on Neo. He walked over to the wall and deliberately dimmed the lights in the office.

She cocked her head in response.

Roman frowned. "Show me."

Neo's smugly beatific smile faded. She looked at him confusedly.

"Neo, I'm in no mood." Roman looked her hard in the eye. "Show me."

Neo sighed, but nodded. Her small frame cracked, then crumpled apart. She was no longer the serene and pristine form that kept Cinder stewing in doubt during their negotiation. She was dirty. She was battered. Dried blood had congealed out of her nose, and ran down her neckline. Left untouched by her because Neo obviously couldn't risk flicking it away. Somehow, someway, Neo brought down her body's aura defenses just so she could hold onto her semblance a little longer.

Gods, her reserves had somehow kept her semblance going for another entire hour. Roman felt hate flow into him as he looked at the only person left on Remnant that truly mattered.

After a moment, Roman quietly turned around and pulled a full medical kit from the office wall. Without look at her he said, "Shirt. Off. Now."

Neo didn't even argue. Pretty soon she was sitting on the small coffee table in nothing but her pink bra and blood stained pants. Neo's torso was almost as bad as her face. One side of her ribcage looked like one entire bruise, but as Roman gently ran his fingers over her ribs, he felt nothing click. One or two might be cracked, probably were cracked, but nothing felt completely broken or floating. He'd need a doctor to make sure though, but Cinder would notice anyone unexpected coming or going tonight and Roman was not going to ever let that bitch know she hurt Neo. It would have to wait until morning, so Roman needed to make sure Neo would be okay overnight. He took a glass from a drawer and placed it between her shoulder blades.

"Breathe deep for me, hold it, then let it out slowly."

Neo did. She winced, and it wasn't quite a full breath, but he didn't hear the tell-tale wheeze of fluid. Definitely cracked ribs though.

She signed to him.

Roman looked at her, then sighed. "No you didn't have me fooled."

She made another gesture.

"I knew right away Neo."

She frowned, and looked at him questioningly.

Roman sat across from her, and took one obviously dislocated finger, and quickly set it. She barely winced. "When you changed from battered to normal. When your cuts went away, there was no shatter from your semblance breaking."

Neo thought about it, and nodded. She asked another question.

"Of course Cinder didn't notice. If she did she would have killed you. Gods Neo I was fucking freaking out. You stepping in? That's fine." Roman made sure to gently touch her shoulder so she would look at him, "But picking that fight was stupid."

Neo looked pointedly at Roman's badly burned jacket. Roman followed her gaze, then nodded before she even asked her next question.

"Yeah, if it was you… if I didn't think you could defend yourself…" Roman shook his head. "Fuck. Okay. I get it. That doesn't mean we can let it happen again, but I get it."

Two people sat in silence for a few minutes and wondered what they were going to next. Neo tapped Roman to get him to look at her, and smiled a very Neo smile. Even if her face was still covered in blood. She signed him another question.

Roman took a moment before nodding, and even chuckling a little. "Yeah you can, but I want video of the fucker's face when you do."

Neo's battered face turned vicious. That smile honestly sent a wave of pure relief through Roman.

Roman touched her shoulder to regain her attention. "I'm going to pull some strings and get Junior's Club going a bit early."

Neo looked at Roman curiously. Then she put the pieces together and her frown became furious. She deliberately shook her head and pointed at Roman.

Roman grabbed her hands before she could start 'yelling' at him. The fact he managed to do this was its own example of just how exhausted and hurt Neo actually was was. He did get a nasty kick to the crotch though. So Neo's head was still in the game.

After pause to readjust his aura, Roman looked his friend carefully in the eye. "Neo, Cinder isn't going to forget what you did. Just like you won't forget what that punk did to you. Understand?"

Neo slowly, reluctantly nodded.

"I'm not waking up to find a pile of ash on my doorstep."

Neo sighed, frustrated, but she nodded again.

"Please lay low. I took care of myself for nearly thirty years before I met you."

Neo crossed her arms. A bloodied and battered girl who wasn't even four foot ten in her bare feet really shouldn't look as intimidating as she did. But Neo still managed a stare that caused Roman's palms to sweat.

Well that was as honest an appraisal as he could hope for from her. The appraisal hurt. It also felt good because it showed her concern. Roman valued it deeply. Roman pulled Neo to him though, and hugged her. She tensed, but eventually, decided to hug him back, and that had more value than all the fucking dust in Vale. Even in these circumstances.

"Neo. We're still in this together."

Roman felt dampness on his neck where Neo's face was as she nodded. Roman wanted to squeeze, but he also remembered her battered ribs. Probably a good thing he did.

Gently Roman pushed her back, "Still, partners or not, a bit of outside advice couldn't hurt right?"

The question she signed next was more or less rhetorical, and Roman laughed.

"I really don't care. How you decide to ask him is completely up to you."

Idiot's note.

I doubt many here care, since this isn't my story and I am simply borrowing the stage from a better writer. Still I am going to take advantage of that stage. This story chapter here is more or less to help me get back into a mindset Volumes 6 and 7 beat out of me. So I will give my old writings a once over and get going again.

As a personal note in these dangerous times, please be well and stay safe.

Thank you for the stage Lefou.