Thank you so much, you guys! I wasn't expecting this much support! You guys are great! I'd give you all medals if I could. The chocolate ones with the gold foil. Not as expensive but just as delicious. Anyways, took me a bit to write this up because of school-related business but thankfully I now know the sweet, sweet release of vacation time. So it's time to march on with the story!

Chapter 2: This is Not the Right Way

Weiss had lost all semblance of where she was. Her mind was moving at the same breakneck speed she was running. She wasn't going to stop for anything. Not until she made it back to them.

She sped around a corner without breaking stride. The dormitory halls were thankfully empty. She couldn't afford to slow down to avoid bumping into someone. Weiss halted in front of her dorm room just as the door opened, nearly colliding with Ruby as she was stepping out.

"Woah hey, Weiss. What's the rush?" she asked. Weiss opened her mouth to say something, but every word died her throat. She gritted her teeth and sucked in a deep breath.

"My sister…Winter…Torchwick, he…he has her! He might have my family too," she forced out. Ruby's eyes widened. Behind her, Yang and Blake looked just as shocked.

"Torchwick has your sister? How?" Blake asked. Weiss took another deep breath to calm herself down. She crossed her arms; the emotions on her face flickered from anger to worry to confusion. Ruby took a step closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. It was weird to see Weiss so shaken up. The heiress always held an indomitable air about her, refusing to give even a measure of vulnerability.

"I-I don't know. I was talking to her in the CCT and when she went to answer the door, I heard screaming and he walked up to the screen before he had that multi-colored psychopath destroy it," Weiss said. For a moment, Weiss thought she saw a flicker of red flash in Yang's eyes.

"I don't understand any of this. Winter is at my family's vacation home in southern Atlas. It's supposed to have the best security money could buy. H-How could anybody break in?" Weiss asked.

"He just broke out of prison yesterday. If he was able to infiltrate your home, Weiss, he might have been planning this for a while," Blake said. Yang put her fists on her hips, raising a brow in thought.

"What's he getting out of it, though? Is he going to hold them ransom or something?" Yang asked. Blake looked to the ground. The idea certainly seemed plausible. Kidnapping a member of the Schnee family and holding her ransom did sound worth the payoff. But Roman was smarter than that. He wouldn't do anything that put him in direct risk.

"It doesn't matter! I'm going to Atlas. I have to do something before he hurts her or my parents," Weiss interjected. Ruby's grip on her shoulder tightened. Her silver eyes shone with unwavering determination.

"Weiss, you're not going alone. We're coming with you. If Torchwick is holding your family, then we're going to save them," she said. Behind her, Yang slammed a fist against her open palm with an eager grin.

"That's right, princess. Once we catch up to him, I'm knocking his teeth out personally," she said. Blake merely nodded her allegiance, but that alone was enough for Weiss to draw some comfort. She looked back down the Ruby, finally allowing herself to show one small smile.

"Thank you, Ruby. I-I don't have the words to express how grateful I am," she said. Ruby flashed one of her enthusiastic smiles.

"Partners help partners! Don't worry, Weiss. We'll get them back in no time," Ruby replied.

"Good. I already have a Schnee airship on the way here. Let's go, I don't want to waste any time," Weiss said. She turned on her heel and hurried down the hall with the rest of her team following her.

Before long, Team RWBY came to a stop at Beacon's docks. A single, black and white colored airship was parked there, its hull marked by the familiar insignia of Weiss' family. The door next to the symbol slid open and extended a narrow bridge in front of them.

"The airship is automated. Once we get on, it'll take us straight to the Schnee estate," Weiss said as she walked over the bridge. Ruby stared wide-eyed at the airship's eloquent design. The sleek and expensive design made other airships look like cheap knock-offs. The four stepped into the spacious cabin. Just as they expected the interior was just as grand as the outside.

"If we hurry, we'll be in Atlas just before sundown," Weiss said as she headed straight towards the airship's bridge. Yang looked around the exquisite room with a slightly open mouth.

"She's got taste, I'll give her that," Yang said. The whole cabin suddenly rumbled and vibrated. The heavy thrum of the ship's engines flared to life. Yang could feel a subtle sense of vertigo as the airship pulled away from the docks and lifted into the sky.

While she and Blake were busy admiring the décor of the ship, Ruby followed after Weiss into the cockpit. She pushed open the door to see Weiss sitting in a leather chair, her eyes never leaving a holographic map displayed in front of her. Even with her back turned to her, she could tell by her rigid stance and incessantly tapping foot that she was either nervous or impatient, possibly both.

Ruby stepped closer, opening her mouth to speak until she was cut off by Weiss. The heiress lowered her head and spoke in a soft, almost silent whisper.

"He won't do anything to them. He won't. They're going to be fine."

Ruby hesitated. She didn't know much about Weiss' personal life, only that she didn't have the luxury of a carefree childhood. There was always a standard she had to exceed, a test she had to pass with flying colors. Anything less was a slap in the face to the legacy she had to carry. The constant pressure turned Weiss into a no-nonsense perfectionist.

And yet there she was, trembling in fear like anyone would.

"Weiss?" Ruby said. Weiss turned to look at her with a scowl.

"WHAT?" She demanded. Ruby flinched, taking a step back from Weiss' outburst. Her expression softened as she turned back to the holographic map, shaking her head ruefully.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just…" she said. Weiss swallowed a deep breath, planting her hands on the control console. Ruby stepped up next to Weiss, clasping her hands in front of her. Weiss didn't bother looking up at her.

"It's okay. You're worried. I understand. But we're here for you, Weiss. No matter what," Ruby said. Weiss nodded but her grim expression didn't change. Finally she stared straight ahead at the windshield, her hand falling on the hilt of her rapier.

"I just want to get there as fast as possible," she said. Ruby turned to look out over the endless blue sky.

"We'll get there," she said. Weiss simply nodded in response. She looked back down at the navigational computer, her fingers dancing along a keyboard. The last thing she wanted to do was sit still and do nothing. It made her restless. There was always something to be done, some plan to prepare. If she couldn't save them now, the least she could do was get ready to.

"Could you leave me alone for a while, Ruby? I need to think," she said. Ruby obliged her request and silently stepped out, leaving Weiss to her work. It would take hours before they reached Atlas. The more she spent that time focused on something else, they better she'd feel.

Cinder walked along the stone balcony, the tips of her fingers gliding over the stone railing. She watched with a self-satisfied smirk as a Schnee Dust Company airship left Beacon's docks and disappeared into the horizon. Everything was falling into place. RWBY was unwittingly playing right into her hands.

It was perfect, almost absurdly so. If their mangled bodies ever saw the light of day again, their cause of death would be brushed off as more victims of the Faunus' violent retribution. There was no way it could all come back to her even if the plan utterly failed.

A soft vibration called her attention to the coat pocket of her stolen Haven uniform. Cinder slid her scroll out from her pocket and answered the call with a flick of her wrist. She didn't need to see who it was, it was already clear who would be calling her at this moment.

"What did you just drag me into?" Roman asked. Cinder leaned back against the stone railing, crossing her arms over chest and keeping the scroll close to her ear.

"An overdue revolution. Just play your part, Roman. Our guest will do the rest," Cinder said. She couldn't see him, but she could tell he was unconvinced. Roman had a habit of sticking his nose where it didn't belong. A problem she needed to rectify soon.

"Sorry, Cinder. But you'll understand if I'm a little wary being around so many bloodthirsty Faunus. I could swear some were imagining my head on a pike when I was walking through the quarry," Roman said. Cinder unraveled her arms and placed a hand on her hip.

"Placate them then. You're a smooth talker, Roman. You figure it out," Cinder said. Roman sighed on the other end. But he was right. Faunus being abused by their human counterparts wouldn't so easily trust someone like Roman. That was why she arranged for a certain someone to ensure they projected their anger on the right people. A notion of good faith towards the White Fang and an insurance policy for her.

As far as she was concerned, Cinder was washing her hands of the whole ordeal. The plan no longer required her. Besides, it was by her good graces that Torchwick was even out of his cell now. She had no motivation or desire to hold his hand now.

"This whole plan is on your shoulders now, Roman. Don't disappoint me," Cinder shut off her scroll with a final swoop of her hand, denying Roman any chance of the backtalk he was so fond of. Cinder walked back into Beacon's halls where she disappeared amongst the throng of students.

"SDC Security Tower, this is Weiss Schnee. Does anyone respond?" Weiss asked into the radio. Static was all she gained in response. She pressed her finger forcefully against the microphone button and asked again in an impatient tone.

"SDC Security Tower, this is Weiss Schnee. Will someone hurry up and answer?" she said. Again, nothing came back to her. She groaned and fell back into her chair. They were almost at the Schnee Estate and she had hoped she could reach security before they arrived, but every time she tried to hail them, there was no response.

Weiss looked out the windshield. Off in the distance she could see the Frozen Spine, the wide range of mountains where the Schnee Estate was tucked away. From her vantage point, she could see the thick forest at the base of the mountains that hid the knee deep snow beneath. Nobody would dare try to set up a place of business here. But that was why the Schnee Dust Company was dominating the market.

The quarry was no doubt on the other side of the mountains. Hundreds, possibly thousands of miners worked there from sun up to sundown, processing tons of Dust every week. Her father kept the operation moving efficiently and quickly, though it wasn't without its flaws. Weiss loathed to think about the problems that slipped through the cracks on a daily basis. As the heiress to her father's company, she knew a great deal about the SDC's inner workings and it was the quarries that worried her more than anything else.

Weiss heard the door open and leaned over her chair. Her team walked inside with Ruby leading.

"Are we almost there?" Blake asked. Weiss turned back to the radio in front of her and sighed as she pinched her nose.

"Yes, but security isn't answering my calls," Weiss replied. Ruby stood next to Weiss, her eyes widening and her breath taken away as the airship passed the mountains and she caught sight of their destination.

The Schnee estate was easily one of the largest homes she had ever seen. Standing five stories high and sitting on a flat surface jutting from a mountain, the mansion's gothic architecture and twin towers flanking each side made it look more like a castle than a home. The marble stone matched the fresh-fallen snow surrounding it, almost blending in with its surroundings.

"There it is," Weiss said hurriedly. Yang whistled and crossed her arms. The view was impressive to say the least. If Roman hadn't taken it over, they never would have suspected that it was under attack.

"I'm going to try to contact them one more time," Weiss said as she reached for the radio again. Her hand barely grazed the call button before Ruby suddenly interrupted her.

"Wait, what's that?" she said. All four girls looked towards the Schnee estate. A flash of light flared from atop one of the towers. Then Ruby noticed the streak of fire followed by a tail of smoke flying right towards them. Ruby reacted purely on instinct. She reached for the airship's controls and pulled the flight stick to the right. The whole ship lurched the side, throwing everyone off balance.

The ship's entire left side exploded. Shards of metal flew in all directions as the airship spun out of control. Ruby held onto the flight stick with all her might, ignoring the shrapnel tearing into her clothes and the embers clinging to her cloak. She could barely make out the voices of her team over the intense ringing in her ears.

Ruby was jolted by a heavy push, knocking her hand off flight stick and tossing her into the air. Her back cried out in agony as she hit the wall. Her vision muddled and dimmed until her consciousness faded and she sank into darkness.

Her head was pounding. Ever muscle in her body burned. The world around her had stopped moving, but she couldn't summon the strength to so much as open her eyes. Her fingers dug into the cold surface of where she lay, wincing as a spike of pain shot through her palm.

I'm okay…I'm alright.

Ruby heard something in the distance. It was like a whisper in the howling wind. The voice grew gradually until she could make out the smallest words being said.

"Do you think…alive?"

"From a…not a chance. Look at her, practically…"

"Should we…bury her at least?"

"Are you insane? People see that…check her body for any valuables…make it easier for us when we…"

"What? No! I just pulled her out, I'm not robbing her blind...get them to shelter. It's starting to freeze."

"You hear that…get out of here! Damn AK-130's are…"

Ruby regained enough strength to crack one eye open. Two Faunus dressed in raggedy grey uniforms were running away from her into a deep trench. The heavy sound of crunching snow stopped to her right. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a metal foot.

"Code Omega. Violent Faunus detected. Initiating use of lethal force. Order will be restored momentarily."

Ruby tried to utter a word until the darkness swallowed her whole again. She didn't know how much time had passed until she felt a hand grab her shoulder and gently turn her on her back. She opened her eyes to see a familiar mane of golden hair.

Yang was kneeling over her, soothing her with quiet words as she slowly climbed her way back to consciousness. Yang cradled Ruby's head in one hand, using the other to transfer aura into her body. Ruby struggled to sit up, hissing at the spikes of pain running up and down her sides. She didn't realize it until now, but the cold winds blowing over them were blistering. Yang's heat helped keep her from freezing to death, but they needed to find shelter if they were going to survive the cold. Yang grabbed her hand and gingerly pulled her up to her feet, wrapping an arm around her and keeping Ruby's body pressed against hers.

"Where is everyone?" Ruby managed to ask. Yang pointed behind her. Ruby looked over her shoulder to see the flaming wreckage of what used to be their airship. Weiss and Blake were both sitting on the ground nursing their injuries, but thankfully they didn't seem too badly hurt.

"We need to get to cover, sis. We're not going to manage much longer out here," Yang said as she furiously used her semblance to keep them warm. They needed to find shelter if they were going to survive. Ruby looked back at the trenches where the two Faunus fled. It wasn't much, but it was better than standing out exposed to the biting winds.

"Let's head there," she ordered. On her word, they all hurried into the deep trench. Spared from the merciless wind, Ruby leaned against the wooden walls of the ditch they were in and sighed.

"They placed guards with missile launchers on those towers. It's obvious they don't want anyone going near there," Blake said, shivering from the unforgiving cold. The four continued down the trenches, the horrid wailing of the wind above them making it difficult to hear anything.

After what felt like hours, Ruby caught sight of something embedded in the wooden walls. She took a step closer and made out the stark features of hinges and a doorknob. She sighed in relief and pulled herself out of Yang's grip. She twisted the door knob and hurried inside with the others following.

Yang shut the door behind her and sighed, violent shivers racking her body, "J-Jeez...talk about a cold reception."

Yang looked over her shoulder with a wide grin, trying her best to brighten the mood. Blake merely rolled her eyes, choosing to survey the area instead of responding to her partner's joke. The room was decrepit to say the least. The floor was a mess of hastily put together soggy planks. Cracks were wide enough to expose the moist dirt ground beneath it.

A few makeshift beds were lined up against the walls. A long smothered fireplace sat at the very end of the room. Clothing was strewn about the floor and hanging on the cracked walls. Everything gave the impression that people used to live here.

Is this where the miners sleep? How can anyone live like this?

Blake cautiously stepped further into the room. The floorboards groaned under her weight, disrupting the otherwise silent room. The Faunus ears under her bow twitched the second she heard a soft click.

"S-Stay back! I don't want any trouble."

Blake turned to the source of the voice only to be staring down the barrel of a pistol. A lone Faunus was hunched in the corner of the room, his pistol shaking in his hands. Judging from the raggedy grey uniform and bloodstained bear ears, he was an SDC employee. Blake held her hands up, unconsciously trying to make herself smaller as the Faunus thrusted his pistol in her direction.

"Look just get out, okay? I didn't have anything to do with what's going on out there! I'm just a miner!" the man pleaded. The other girls came up to Blake's side, agitating the man even more as he pointed his gun at each of them.

"Hey, it's alright. We're not going to hurt you. What's your name?" Yang asked in a soft tone. Ruby took a step closer, crouching down to the man's level as she came within arm's reach of him.

The Faunus looked between the girls, the fear festering in his eyes. But they softened once they fell on Ruby.

"B-Bistre. I'm Bistre," he said. Relieved to see he was opening up, Ruby came closer, checking his injuries.

"Are you okay? You look hurt," she said. The man pulled the gun closer to his chest. A steady stream of blood was pouring from the wound on his forehead, streaking down the right side of his face. His eyes darted in every direction like an animal trying to find a way out of its cage. Ruby held her hand out hesitantly. She looked Bistre in the eye and asked him sincerely,

"Can I?"

Bistre swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly nodded. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, expecting the worse. Ruby shuffled closer and placed her hand against his forehead. A warm feeling enveloped her chest as her aura transferred to him. Bistre exhaled a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing underneath the flow of energy.

Ruby pulled her hand away, smiling to see his wound fully healed. She wiped the blood from her hand on her ash-stained cloak and stood up, offering her hand to him. Bistre took it and pulled himself up to his feet, leaning against the wall for support.

"W-Wait, I recognize you guys. You're the ones who crashed that airship outside. Thank god, you're alright. When I pulled you out of there, I was expecting the worst," he said. He turned to Ruby, giving her a soft smile, "But you're all still moving. You're a lot tougher than you look."

"Did you see what happened? Where are we exactly?" Blake asked. Bistre scratched his bear ears in thought.

"I'm not too sure. I was just trying to get away from all the fighting until I heard an explosion. I look up and see your airship crashing through mountains and into the ground. I managed to pull you all out and I tried to get you to safety, but those damn AK-130's are making it difficult to walk around," he said. Weiss stiffened her posture at the mention of her father's droids. They had a reputation for being absolutely ruthless in times of crisis. Now with the White Fang running amok and taking Winter hostage, she had no doubt that her father was using excessive measure to contain the situation.

"AK-130's? Where did they come from?" Blake asked. Bistre sat down on the bed next to him, burying his face in his hand.

"The administrative building at the other end of the quarry. That's where they keep them. That's where you can deactivate them too, i-if you have the codes," The Faunus said. Weiss furrowed her brow, crossing her arms as she took one determined step towards him.

"Why would we want to deactivate them? They're the ones trying to keep everything from getting out of hand," she said. Blake narrowed her eyes at the heiress. She knew Weiss well enough to know that what she said was her not-so-subtle way of accusing the man of aiding the White Fang. Bistre didn't seem to notice however.

"Because they're doing more harm than good. I've seen them gun down other miners who were just holding their pickaxes the wrong way. I don't care what the officials say, those things are a menace to everyone. We need to shut them down, they're only making things worse," Bistre replied.

"Can't you just hide? You've been doing a good job of it so far," Yang said. Bistre immediately shook his head, his steely gaze turning to Ruby as he spoke.

"I need to find my daughter. She was working in another part of the quarry when the fighting started. She's out there somewhere. I need to get her out of here, away from this place," he said. Ruby noticed the shaking in his hands. Even his bloodshot eyes was enough to show how worried he was. Blake sat down next to Bistre, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's going to be alright. We're here to stop all this," she said. Bistre's shoulders slumped, his voice falling to a whisper.

"I hope so. She's all I have. They can't take her from me. They can't," he said. Blake put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Seeing her people being subjugated like this tore her up inside. They had nothing but the clothes on their back and a rundown place to call home. But despite all that, they still had each other and Bistre was desperately clinging onto that.

Blake couldn't help but feel an inkling of regret. Maybe if she tried harder, maybe if she had stayed with the White Fang instead of running, she could have fixed this.

And then what? Spend the rest of your life trying to atone for all the innocent lives you'll take in the process? A part of her mind told her. Blake shook her head clear. She couldn't go back. There was a reason she left the White Fang in the first place. The harsh methods they used, the radicals that poisoned what used to be a beacon of hope for Faunus, it all served as a grim reminder about what happens when revenge takes precedence over equality.

"What does your daughter look like?" Ruby suddenly said. Blake knocked herself out of her trance, her and Bistre looking up at the younger girl standing before them.

"Her name is Auburn. She's...well she's got bear ears like mine. Short brown hair and...silver eyes. Like yours," Bistre said. He glanced at Ruby, quickly averting his eyes back down once they made eye contact, "You kind of look like her, actually."

Ruby smiled gave him a firm nod. She watched silently as Bistre ran a hand over his dark hair. She felt sorry for him, being all by himself in the middle of a warzone with his daughter lost amidst the chaos. She had to save her. Ruby vowed to herself a long time ago that she had to save as many people as she could.

"We're Huntresses. It's our duty to protect people and that's what we're going to do. We'll find your daughter," she said, her voice brimming with confidence. Bistre rubbed the back of his neck and stood up, a small smile growing on his lips.

"Thank you. I'll stay here and try to stay out of the way. But, there's something you should probably know," he said. He gestured towards the door with his pistol, his face suddenly turning serious.

"A lot of the SDC security got pushed back once the fighting started. Maybe…if you can find them, they can help you try to get everything under control," he said. Ruby eagerly nodded her thanks. Behind her, Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. Her father only settled for the best and brightest when it came to his security team. Military veterans, high-priced bodyguards, even the odd ex-huntsman filled the SDC's rank and file. If anyone could put up a fight against the White Fang, it was them.

Bistre stood up from the bed and held his pistol against chest, giving the four a small bow, "Please be careful. The White Fang are out for blood. I get the feeling it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

Ruby opened her mouth to respond until a harsh crash filled the room. The door had been kicked open with an AK-130 droid standing in its threshold. The robot's red eyes fell on Bistre then at the pistol hanging limply in his hands.

"Aggressive Faunus detected. Authorizing use of deadly force!"

Everything slowed down. The droid raised its rifle. The Faunus dropped his pistol and held his hands up in surrender, shouting that he wasn't going to fight. Ruby couldn't even get a word out before an ear-splitting crack echoed in the room.

Bistre slid down the wall, his hands over his heart. Rivulets of blood streamed between his fingers. His glassy eyes fell on Ruby's, every breath coming out in broken gasps. Without a word, he slumped forward and gasped one final time.

The sound of metal being punctured broke the sudden silence. The AK droid fell to its knees, feebly clutching at the blade piercing its metal head. Blake stared straight into the droid's optics, her barely contained fury forcing showing itself in her scowl. She pulled her weapon free and let the droid fall forward, its voice cracking with static and garbled noises.

Ruby covered her mouth with her hands in shock. Her heart leapt into her throat. She couldn't bring herself to look away from the man who died right in front of her. Her mind frantically tried to process what happened. Yang pulled her younger sister into an embrace, hoping to shield her from seeing the body crumpled in a lifeless heap.

Blake sheathed her weapons and came to the Bistre's side. She placed two fingers against his cold and clammy neck. Blake pulled away, trying to swallow the lump growing in her throat.

"H-He surrendered. He wasn't putting up a fight," she said. She turned away from him, her eyes falling on Weiss. She could feel Blake's glare burning into her, but neither of them said a thing. Weiss's hands clutched her upper arms, her eyes looking in every direction but the corner the body was in. She bit her lower lip, her chest wrenching into a knot. Just feeling Blake's eyes on her was suffocating.

Weiss opened her mouth to say something to Blake. To tell her she was sorry and that she wanted to change all this, but her teammate was already walking towards the door.

"I'm going to make sure there aren't any more droids around," Blake said in an emotionless tone. She left the room without waiting for a reply. Weiss sat down on one of the ruined beds and cupped her cheeks. She knew she had to talk to Blake about everything at some point, but from the way she was acting, she didn't seem to be in the mood to talk.

After all the time they had spent as a team, Weiss respected Blake as a teammate and a friend. If they were going to remain that way by the end of all this, Blake had to know everything about the Schnee Quarry, even the things that would send the entirety of Faunus community into a vendetta against her father.

Too much was happening. Everything had fallen into chaos without warning. One minute he was going about his shift in the security building, the next he was fighting for his life against White Fang soldiers. Granite peeked over the overturned desk he used as cover, his eyes falling on scores of bullet holes and pockets of fire spread throughout the security room. The computers they used to monitor the Schnee quarry were destroyed or riddled with holes. It was as if the White Fang didn't care about them, only about how much damage they could cause. Judging from their previous attacks, it wasn't a far-fetched idea.

"Psst, hey!"

Granite looked to his side. Another guard dressed in the white winter coat, bullet-proof vest, and Schnee insignia badge was hiding behind a counter, holding his pistol in both hands. As far as he could tell, they were the only two left still alive in the room.

"Do you see her?" he asked. Granite adamantly shook his head. It was impossible to pinpoint where she was. She'd be in one place until they shot her, shattering her to pieces, and then she'd show up somewhere else.

"Okay, listen. Next time she shows up, lay down suppressing fire. Once she disappears, I'll keep an eye for where she teleports and I shoot her," Granite said. The other guard nodded and leaned out of cover.

Then Granite looked away as a bullet pierced the guard's skull.

Just give up! His mind yelled at him. His pistol fell from his hands as he rose to his feet. He looked around the destroyed room, looking everywhere for his attacker. Then he felt a cold barrel being pressed against his throat. He looked down at the shorter girl in front of him. She brushed a strand of pink hair aside and narrowed her eyes with a wicked grin. The hand that held the gun pressed insistently against his throat, forcing him back. Granite backpedaled until he hit another desk. Still, Neo pressed the barrel against his neck.

"Okay, okay, Neo. Give the boy some space. I'm sure you made your point abundantly clear," Torchwick said as he entered the room. Neo pulled the pistol away and stepped back, allowing Roman to walk up to Granite.

"Calm down buddy. I'd rather not get my hands dirty and I'm sure you wouldn't want your guts all over the floor. So, let's make this easy for everyone," Torchwick said. He leaned slightly closer to the guard, his cane tilting the man's chin upwards to look at him.

"Where are the codes for the AK-130's?" Torchwick asked. Granite swallowed, his words coming out as a garbled mess.

"Security g-guards aren't t-t-trusted with the codes! I...I mean, I don't know, well I do b-but-"

Roman forcefully tapped his cane against Granite's cheek, forcing him to a stop.

"Deep breaths, boy. If you don't have the codes, then who does?" Roman asked. Granite looked over Roman's shoulder. Neo was pacing from left to right, her different colored eyes watching him like a predator playing with its prey.

"The s-security chief…uh…the security ch-chief has them!" Granite said. Roman pulled his cane away, tapping it against the tiled floor.

"Is that right? And where do you suppose he'd be?" he asked.

"I-I don't know!" Granite said. Roman scoffed and turned away from Granite. He didn't necessarily need the AK-130's, but Roman liked to cover all his bases. After they had pushed the security force to the edges of the quarry, he wanted to make sure they stayed there until he was done.

Roman pulled away from Granite. The boy didn't have anything else to say, merely slumping his shoulders and trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Roman hummed to himself and left the room without a word, leaving Granite in the room with Neo.

The short girl kicked Granite in the side, knocking him to the ground with a pained gasp. Fire burned in his lungs as Neo kicked him again and again. Neo reared her leg back for another kick until a hand grasped her shoulder. She looked back to see a tall man in a black suit with fiery, slicked back hair, a white and red mask, and a sword hanging on his hip.

"That's enough. I'll take it from here," Adam said. He ushered Neo to the side and crouched down over Granite. The man was wheezing, trying to regain the breath that had been knocked out of his lungs. Adam grabbed a fistful of the man's collar and hoisted his upper body up off the ground.

"You know where the security chief is. You're going to take me right to him," Adam said. Granite shook his head, a scowl growing on his face.

"I'm not leading you to him!" Granite said. Adam pulled him closer. His face inches away from Adam's mask.

"I'm not giving you a choice."