VAF Forward Operating Base

Officer's briefing room

14:12 hours

"You gotta be fucking kidding me!" Ironwood barks at Ozpin, Glynda, and Port from across the table, where a map of the local geography lays. Oobleck stands to the side of the table, sipping his thermos.

"James, calm down," Glynda says sternly. "We aren't even sure what happened yet."

"Twelve Hunters, fully equipped AURA, my AURA, not to mention the Vacuo technicals for support, and they don't even bother to complete their objectives before sending in fifty-four of our aircraft into enemy territory! The Feds probably reestablished air superiority in that area an hour ago, and we don't have enough fighters to launch another assault. I'm pretty sure, Glynda, that that's what happened."

"The Hunters are on their way right now," Ozpin says. "I've known each one of those soldiers since before their squads were formed. They are all excellent combat veterans, and perform well with their squadmates. We have no reason to think that they would do something this foolish."

"So you're saying our pilots responded to a Federation frequency? That they were somehow tricked?"

"We'll know when our Hunters get here."

"I swear, Ozpin, if your people make Project AURA look bad to Parliament and they cut funding-"

"General, with all due respect," Port says. "Worry about your suits if you will, but don't throw my troops under the bus with you. RWBY Squad are professionals, and are the youngest of the three squads." Ironwood flares his nostrils, but doesn't say anything.

A few minutes later, there's a knock at the door. A VAF guard opens it and walks through followed by CFVY, then RWBY, then JNPR. They are out of their AURA, now dressed in their old gear, what they wore when their squads were formed.

"Right now, I only want to hear from the squad leaders," Ozpin says. Ruby, Coco, and Jaune all step forward. "Let's start with JNPR. How was the opening assault?"

"Uh…" Jaune says. "We...we uh, we got there with the technicals, and we parked a ways back-us, not the technicals. Our humvee, I mean, and so the technicals did some-"

"Pyrrha, sitrep," Ironwood interrupts. Jaune lowers his head and steps back, while Pyrrha steps forward.

"We arrived in the AO at thirteen hundred hours with four Vacuo technicals," she says. "The technicals conducted recon and harrasment on the Federation forces, who numbered about three infantry platoons, light armor support. About twenty minutes later, RWBY Squad and CFVY Squad arrived with another technical. We assaulted the Federation camp on foot, ten meter spread, letting out AURA take the damage. The technicals covered our flanks."

"And you never radioed anybody?" Ironwood asks. "No reporting to here? No air support?"

"No, Sir," Pyrrha replies. "We didn't make contact with the FOB, or anybody, until after...it, happened."

"Ruby, Coco, do you agree?" Ironwood asks.

"Yes, Sir," the two leaders reply.

"Continue, Pyrrha," Ozpin says.

"We destroyed most of the Faunus defenders, except for the surviving Beowolf and however many infantry were inside. We were about to destroy the anti-air humvees, when we heard on another frequency Foxhound 1-3 trying to contact us."

"The pilot contacted you?" Ironwood asks.

"Trying to authenticate our attack order, I believe. That's when the humvees activated and opened fire on our aircraft, right on top of them. We couldn't destroy them in time, we had only barely laid all the explosives for one of the vehicles."

"We destroyed them afterwards, for what it's worth," Ruby says.

"We lost thirty-seven fighter jets from this incident," Ironwood snarls. "Thirty-seven multi-million dollar aircraft, and thirty-five highly trained pilots. It's not worth much, soldier." Ruby bites her cheek nervously.

"See, General?" Port says. "My people did nothing they weren't supposed to. They effectively did accomplish their mission, albeit it had a horrendous outcome. But they aren't at fault of anything."

"I've confirmed from our communications center that no Hunter frequency was used during the time the fighter jets received the order to attack" Glynda says, looking up from her scroll. "There were also no Federation signals detected, and we have the person in the control tower that gave the order to attack. He said he received the order from the correct signal."

"Did you ever use your radios during the assault?" Ironwood asks the Hunters.

"Only the usual," Coco says. "Told HQ when we arrived at the AO, communicated between each other during the assault, radioed in afterwards. That's it."

"What about the Feds?" Oobleck asks. Everyone turns to him.

"What about them?" Port asks.

"I had a hand in designing those Avenger air defense systems. They are primarily used by a gunner inside the humvee, between the rocket pods."

"But can be controlled remotely, correct?" Ironwood asks.

"Yes, yes, of course...at a maximum range of fifty meters. And we had one Faunus Hunter there, and I know for a fact that no Faunus can conceal their scent at that range, much less in an open field."

Velvet, near the back of the room, turns to Blake next to her with a questionable look. Blake flashes a warning scent and stares her down. Velvet mouths "Oh," and turns back to the front.

"So how did the Feds pull it off?"

"A signal amplifier could boost the range significantly, up to five miles, perhaps."

"Where would they get an amplifier from? Plus, we block Federation signals that far ahead of their main force. How would they even get in?"

"Hm, the amplifier would have to be Coalition equipment, probably buried-no, would block its own signal, make it useless. In one of the vehicles that stayed behind, perhaps?"

"We wrecked everything there," Yang says. "No way anything like an amplifier could've survived."

"Yes, yes, of course, they're fragile equipment, they'd have placed it somewhere safe, where they wouldn't risk damaging it."

"Maybe a parked vehicle behind enemy lines, a civilian one?" Coco suggests.

"Perhaps, but there's still a risk that it would be discovered. Although that would be in range of this base."

"Why does that matter?"

"That's how they got those planes to engage too early. All that control tower needed was a simple 'yes' response for engagement. This was to save time for the short window the fighters had. No fault on the Air Force's part."

"Don't see how that's about the range, or why the amplifier has to be Coalition equipment, for that matter."

"If it's Coalition equipment, then it can transmit Coalition frequencies without suspicion," Oobleck explains. "The Feds take their 'yes' message, turn it into a Coalition message, send it to the amplifier alongside a legitimate Coalition message, the tower receives it, the fighters engage, everything checks out."

"What are you saying, Major?" Ironwood asks.

"You know exactly what he's saying," Coco says.

"Excuse me, Hunter?"

Without responding, Coco turns around and walks towards the guard at the door.

"Coco, where do you think you're going!?"

"Yat, we're made," Coco says. She reaches the guard swipes the M4A1 out of his hands, and swipes it back, planting the stock squarely on his cheek and sending him to the floor.

Yat pulls out his Desert Eagle and shoots Fox in the back of his head, point blank. He then turns to a shocked Velvet, wraps his massive arm around her waist, and pulls her close, gun barrel resting on her temple.

"Everyone on the ground now!" Coco shouts. The Hunters all pull their sidearms and take aim.

"What the fuck, Coco!" Blake shouts back. "We're on the same side!"

"We were for a bit," Coco says. "Yat, fully switched sides when you lit up his throat in Vale, and I switched sides right now." Blake pauses for a moment, trying to figure out what she means.

"That was you in Vale!?" she says to Yat. Yat only growls and tightens his grip on Velvet, who's already shaking uncontrollably. "You were with that human group?"

"Doesn't matter anymore," Coco says. "We're leaving. Now drop your pieces, kick them over here, and lie down. Or else the alpha golf here gets it."

"C-C-Coco…" Velvet whimpers.

"There's eight of us and two of you, bitch," Yang says. "How about we waste you right here?"

Yat brings his pistol up and slams the handle down on Velvet's forehead. She cries out as blood starts to drip down her face.

"How about you drop your shit before I drop you," Coco says, sweeping her rifle barrel around the room.

"You really think the VAF cares about one Faunus more than two sleeper agents?" Weiss asks.

Blake looks behind her, at the officers. Glynda and Ironwood have their M9s drawn, Port pulled his FN FAL seemingly out of nowhere, and Oobleck holds an FMG-9 folding submachine gun. His thermos lays on the floor, the handle missing. Ozpin hasn't changed composure at all, and simply looks at Blake for a moment, then at Coco.

"Hunters, do what she says," he orders.

"Are you insane!?" Port asks. "They just shot one of our own, and are about to shoot another!"

"You're right, Colonel, Velvet is as good as dead as long as we don't do something. Hunters, drop your weapons. James, Glynda, Oobleck, Port, same for you."

"Do what your leader says, everyone," Coco says. Blake is the first to comply, dropping Gambol Shroud and kicking it to Coco's feet. One by one, everyone else does the same.

"You don't have to do this," Pyrrha tells Coco, gently placing her M1911 on the floor. "Surrender now, and you might be able to survive this war behind bars.

"You're a terrible negotiator, Pyrrha," Coco says. "Alright, that's everyone? Yat, let's go."

"Yat," Ozpin says. "Let Velvet go, and I'll guarantee your escape from the base." Yat shoots at the ceiling above Ozpin's head a couple times.

"I think that means no, General," Coco says. "We're leaving with the animal, and don't try and stop us. Yat, on me." Coco opens the door and peaks out, nods to Yat, and runs outside. Yat picks up Velvet, who barely protests, both from shock and lack of oxygen supply, and quickly follow.

"Glynda, alert the base," Ozpin immediately says. "Hunters, pick up your guns and follow."

"Yes, Sir," Ruby says. She picks up her PLR-16 and storms out the door, running like she did at Camp Signal. Pyrrha, who was also a sniper before the Hunter Program, follows close behind, heading in the direction that the two Hunters went. The rest of the Hunters, who aren't nearly as fast, run as fast as they can behind them.

Even with a few second head start, Coco and Yat have already disappeared as sirens and alarms start to blare across the base.

"They went this way, right?" Ruby asks Pyrrha in between two tents. The Hunters are still trying to catch up.

"They had to," Pyrrha says. "But the entrance to the base is in the other direction."

"What about the helipads?" Pyrrha nods in agreement.

"Of course, let's go." Ruby takes off, and Pyrrha follows after shouting "Helipads!" to the rest of the Hunters, to change course and cut through some barracks.

When they reach the landing area for the helicopters, they see Coco and Yat trying to coax a pilot into his idle bird as a crowd forms.

"I told you, Hunter," the pilot says. "No orders, no fly. That's how shit works."

"Special orders, we're going. Now," Coco says.

"Negative. And what's with your friend there? She sick?"

"Sure, now let's go. She needs medical attention."

"Attention," the loudspeaker of the FOB blares. "Hunters of CFVY Squad, designated Coco and Yatsuhashi, are sleeper agents of the Federation. Do not comply with their orders. Repeat, Coco and Yatsuhashi are sleeper agents."

"Oh fuck no!" the pilot says, running from the chopper.

"No, stop! Shit," Coco moans.

"It's over, Coco!" Ruby shouts, approaching the chopper. Coco and Yat try to duck under the tail of the chopper, looking for more potential escape routes.

"My squad takes the right, yours the left?" Pyrrha says to Ruby.

"Roger," Ruby says. Both Hunters turn to their squads and issue hand signals before turning back around and springing across the tarmac to the other side of the chopper, trapping the traitors.

"It's over, traitor," Weiss says.

"Yat, make Velvet not breath for a while," Coco says.

"No, please! Yat, I though-ack!" Velvet is cut off by Yat's arm gripping her neck like a snake on its prey. She stares wide eyed at the other Hunters as her face changed colors, gagging and kicking and pounding on Yat's arm, all to no avail.

"Stop it, please!" Jaune shouts. The Hunters slowly start to close in on CFVY Squad. "Can't you see you're trapped!"

"Then make us feel trapped!" Coco roars. She raises her rifle and fires a few shots into the air, making the Hunters drop to one knee. "You people are all so fucking weak! I've already shot and killed my allies, my real allies, in order to avoid suspicion. I've done my job better than I needed to. What the hell are you fucks doing!?"

"Ruby," Pyrrha whispers into her radio. "Take out Coco."

"What?" Ruby replies.

More bullets go flying.

"You take Coco, I'll take Yat. We're in their blind side."

"What if they death grip on the trigger?"

"We have to risk it."

Velvet is barely moving anymore.

"Come on, brave and mighty Hunters!" Coco taunts. "Make your move!"

"You've lost it, bitch!" Yang shouts.

Coco fires at Yang, clipping her in the knee, then moves her body between Yat and the chopper.

"Ruby, now!" Pyrrha says.

"I don't think I have a shot!" Ruby says, trying to find Coco in her sights.

"Last change, Hunters!" Coco shouts. She aims her rifle barrel at Velvet's skull. The Faunus's mouth is wide open, looking for air that can't reach her lungs. "Either give us a pilot, or you'll get Velvet with-"

BANG!

Blood splatters on the helicopter's side, and Coco's body falls to the ground, her blood spreading across the tarmac.

"Ruby!?" Pyrrha asks.

"Negative!" Ruby responds.

Behind the Hunters, Ozpin holds an SR-25 rifle, barrel smoking.

Yat's eyes grow wide. Velvet is gasping in air, as Yat's grasp was loosened after Coco was shot.

"Yat, please let me go," Vevlet whispers. Yat rubs the back of his head and looks at his hand. Blood. Not his.

"Yat, I know you haven't looked out for me just as part of your cover. Please, I'll do everything I can to make sure they'll go easy on you, I promise."

Yat's face twists into a fit of rage. He throws Velvet to the ground and aims his pistol. He slowly squeezes on the trigger…

…Then hears what sounds like a large cat, like a panther or cougar, straight in front of him. He looks up just in time to see Blake spring from all fours and leaps towards them. Before he can react, Blake's body clashes with his and Velvet, sending all three of them sprawling.

Blake stands up and pulls out Gambol Shroud, but Yat slaps it out of her hand and swings with his other hand. Blake leaps back, and snarls again. Yat puts his fists up, but Blake lunges into his chest, sending him flying to the ground like he weighed nothing.

Yat lands next to Velvet, his skull hitting the pavement. He lays there, stunned, and Blake jumps on top of him. Yellow eyes wild, Blake starts bashing Yat's face with closed fists, over and over and over again. She quickly opens up cuts, making them grow wider with each flying fist, spraying blood with each hit. Yat's arms lay outstretched on either side of him, the only sign of life is his legs twitching as he's hit.

After a while, Blake uncurls her fingers and starts scratching; no, scratching is too tame; clawing, tearing, ripping, lacerating Yat's flesh. Her hands are like razor blades, slashing like a wild animal, mutilating the once powerful soldier's head. Each wave of cuts let Blake's fingers sink just a little bit deeper into Yat's face, and just a little bit more blood splashes out.

Either by instinct, or luck, or for no real reason at all, Blake finally stops her attack. She blinks a few times, and realizes what she's done.

She slowly stands up on shaking legs. Her forehead down to her waist is covered in blood, some so thick that it's dripping. Not much is left of Yat, except for bits of flesh here and there, some on the pavement, some in between Blake's fingernails. Velvet is sitting up on the ground, a few drops of blood on her face as well from being too close to the splash zone. She stares wide eyed at Blake, breathing rapidly, releasing a distress scent like crazy.

Blake looks at the people around her. Everyone; her squad, JNPR, the grunts, the officers, even Ozpin; all stare with their jaws open. She backs away from Yat, the chopper, the helipad, and then turns around and runs out of sight in between buildings.

Ruby is the first to snap out of her trance, and runs over to Velvet.

"Velvet," she says, kneeling besides the Faunus. "You there, Velvet?" she asks, waving her hand in front of Velvet's face. She doesn't blink, doesn't move. "Come on, Velvet, just say something." Velvet slowly turns to face Ruby.

"Blake's a Faunus," she whispers. "Blake's a Faunus. Blake's a Faunus. Blake's a Faunus."

"Yeah," Ruby sighs. She waves a VAF medic over. "Yeah, I think I figured that out already."

14:43 hours

Ozpin stands where he was when he took the shot, watching the bodies of two of his former Hunters being taken away by body bags. The rifle is still in his hands.

"I just got word from our intelligence people," Glynda says. "Oobleck's theory checks out. There was a hidden signal in one of Coco's transmissions that let our fighters to attack."

"I don't think we needed confirmation for that anymore," Ozpin says.

"I just thought you should know." Glynda eyes the rifle. "I think that's the first time I've seen you actually shoot something."

"I was quite the marksman in the First War. It's unfortunate my first kill of the Second War was one of my own Hunters."

"Do you really still think Coco was a Hunter?"

Ozpin sighs.

"Yes. A disloyal one, but a Hunter nonetheless. I'm at peace with it."

Port and Ironwood walk up to them.

"General," Port says. "They searched CFVY's humvee. They found the amplifier stashed beneath one of the seats."

"I could've guessed that. How's Velvet?"

"Physically, fine. Mentally...I'm no shrink, but I didn't like the look in her eyes. I wouldn't want her carrying a loaded gun, much less in a combat zone."

"Understood. Have you found Blake?" Ozpin asks. The Hunters, particularly RWBY Squad, are still standing near the chopper, talking between one another, occasionally looking at the blood splatters on the tarmac.

"Not yet, but we're keeping an eye out for her. All things considered, I don't think she'll leave the base."

"Will you punish her?"

"For what? Going foxtrot on an undercover Fed? Hell no. Don't think she needs to be punished, judging by that look on her face. I've got all the Faunus grunts on the lookout for her scent, but I doubt she'll turn up until she's ready."

"Understood."

"Oz," Ironwood says, more serious than usual. Ozpin turns to him. "I just told Parliament what happened. They're furious. They're...postponing the Hunter Program."

"...Define 'postpone.'"

"All active Hunters are to stand down return to their bases until an investigation is conducted."

"Investigation?" Ozpin nods towards the Hunters. "There's the investigation. Open and shut case."

"Like I said, they're pissed. I also had to tell them about the Faunus suit prototypes, which didn't help much. Between that and this, the Hunters aren't the miracle war machines they thought they were."

"Even after all the success we've had with them?"

"They're politicians, they don't see it that way."

"For once, James, it seems like I'm more frustrated than you on something."

"I think there's been enough frustration for one day."

Ozpin closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"I'll go tell them the news," Port says.

"No," Ozpin says. "I'll do it. I am the head of his program after all." He walks forward. "Hunters, fall in!"