So I kinda got lost time-wise writing this one. Originally had this chapter end at 17000 words, but then I cout out a good chunk of it so that I can trim it a bit and use it for chapter 6.

This is the culmination of the Pre-Atlas arc, and I wanted to cut off right before the first semester starts. I'm having all four huntsmen schools start at the same time, so as to have a pre-established canonical time-frame for events and stuff.

This also means that we won't be seeing any members of Teams RWBY and JNPR for a while, because the first season of RWBY is pretty much confined to Beacon-only characters.

As such, the next arc will be one of my own creation. The storyline will concentrate on two scientists and their rivalry. Yes, that means Penny will have a lot more screen time.

I hope you like the bubbly android as much as I do.

So, here's the chapter, I hope you like it!

I was never the most patient person.

It was a personality trait that my sisters had commented on mercilessly. Sure, the Arc family was known for being impulsive, but having the dream of becoming career huntsmen from childhood, most of my sisters had tried to tone down their impulsive behavior to some extent, if not completely quashed it.

My father is a prime example. Mom would regularly regale us with stories of how he was a brash, hard-headed teen. She didn't like him much back then. A few years into service as huntsmen and huntresses, sharing missions, she'd started to rub off him, and him on her.

By the time that he retired, he was almost saintlike in his behavior, but mom was a lot more impulsive. So it was fair to say I got my shitty impulse control from my mom, who got it from my dad, who lost it because of my mom.

Guess that's how the cookie crumbles.

So waiting for this remote outfit of the white fang to actually do something was harrowing, especially because I was off NZT as much as I could afford. Communication with the base at Atlas was rare, I couldn't just waltz into the center at Atlas in my 'Perse' getup, neither could I just tell the people at the White Fang base that I wanted to take a nice little walk all the way to the city as a wanted criminal.

The base itself was quite calm for the most part, or as calm as a terrorist base got. It was mostly just me, Blake, Argus and Adam. Sometimes some other members would show up, but they never stayed long. Some wouldn't even stay long enough to take off their masks. I still did my best to profile as many of them as I could. Any knowledge I could give the people at Atlas, I kept. They wanted me back as soon as I could be back, but I had this nagging feeling that I was close to something.

Off NZT, there was no way I could deny my impulses, but it was the fact that my impulse doubled while I was on NZT was what prompted me to stick it out in this precarious position. If push came to shove, I could claim my extended mission as a chance to create profiles on White Fang militants on the active roster.

It was a flimsy excuse, but given my exalted position as Ironwood's pet project, it would be enough to buy me some time.

What really put a damper on proceedings was the fact that most of the militants who came to this base came here with the purpose of laying low after doing something. I was not in a 'real' position of power, so I wasn't brought in as Argus debriefed them. As for missions, after the attack on the armory, we'd been laying low.

It afforded me more time to learn about my compatriots, and the more I saw, the more conflicted I got.

Adam was an enigma unto himself. He wouldn't talk to me much, but that was expected after the scathing loss I gave him. What I did notice was how he'd go out of his way to gain Argus's approval. I'd learned from Blake that Adam saw him as something of a mentor, almost like a surrogate father.

Speaking of Blake, she was the biggest enigma of them all. I couldn't understand why she was part of this all. I knew well enough who she was related to, but that just served to drive the knife of doubt deeper into me. Her parents had left the White Fang before it truly became an extremist group. I learned through small conversations with the other White Fang agents that seemed to know them that she and Adam had been pretty serious about each other at some point in time. That relationship wasn't something I could see blossoming, and apparently, neither could Blake.

Which is why she'd approached me, more so caught me red-handed as I returned after cleaning up the mess made by the White Fang driver. It was a simple trade. I got her out, and she'd hand me Adam on a silver platter. How? Well, that was the kicker.

She'd betray him on a mission, and I'd swoop in to capture him. Just like a scene out of some low-budget crime drama.

It still didn't help me get to Argus. Nothing I did actually helped there. Argus was as well-defended as they came. Not only did he have the skill and strength to wipe the floor with me, NZT or no NZT, he was also the most perceptive bastard I had ever had the displeasure of meeting. Whenever he saw me, I could see the smile that crept up on his face, like he knew something I didn't.

It was disconcerting, to say the least, but if he knew who I was, I wouldn't be here. Hell, I likely wouldn't be alive.

It was a testament to how far I had come with my training that I could keep calm around him off NZT. It also helped my confidence along, that I could act normal in a high-pressure situation without the wonder drug.

Still, the only way I could imagine taking Argus in was if he fucked up big time. If I was able to set up an ambush for him. No matter how good he was, with enough huntsmen, he could be captured.

I knew - deep in my heart - that if I stayed on my course, an opportunity like that would provide itself. No one can be perfect, everyone messes up. All I needed was a catalyst. With Blake's escape plan, I could create one.

All I needed to do was to rope him into the plan, and I could end it.

It was a shame Sienna has already left for Vacuo. That woman gave me the creeps, but Information on her was worth its weight in gold. As it stood, I didn't even know how she fought.

"Off in your own world again?"

My ruminations were cut short as Blake came and sat next to me. This had become a pretty common occurrence, and people had started taking notice, especially Adam. Thankfully, his mind was too focussed on the newfound closeness between me and Blake to realize that she might have an ulterior motive.

Jealousy was a sin, and I would exploit it as I saw fit.

"Just thinking about your plan, you know? There are so many things that can go wrong." I spoke up, and Blake sighed.

"It's my only chance. If I was in a larger outpost, in a place where the fang held more power, I wouldn't be able to pull this off, ever." She whispered, a conflicted look on her face.

"You're still conflicted, you still hold loyalty towards the Fang… or towards Adam." I spoke up, and she glared at me, but her intimidation found no purchase, and her expression dulled.

"I… No. I Don't." She breathed out. "The Adam I knew is different from what he's become." She sighed and then gave me a smile. "Plus, I really don't want to stick around and get taken in by the Atlesian military. "

I chuckled. "Think about it, I'd make sure you get a comfy cell."

Blake punched me lightly on the shoulder, a sign that she was warming up to me. "The fact that it'll have a few cushions doesn't change the fact that it'll still be a prison cell."

I nodded. "As long as you're serious about this, I don't think you'll ever have to see the insides of a cell."

"Even though I've done so much while I was with the Fang?" She asked, and I nodded.

"The most we've got on you is like one charge of arson, and the proof we have that links you to it is circumstantial at best." I chuckled. "I don't think that's enough to condemn you to a life of incarceration."

Blake was silent for a second, "You're far too nice for an Atlesian agent, especially after I tried blackmailing."

I chuckled. "Well, you're an accomplice of mine now. You hold my secret and I hold yours. You knew that but tried to bluff me. Had you been seriously trying to blackmail me, you wouldn't be so forthcoming. Knowledge is power and all that jazz."

Blake snorted. "I don't even know your real name, so much for 'knowledge'."

I gave her a grin. "Well, I've got to keep some things secret, don't I."

Blake gave me a deadpan look. "you must be really popular with the ladies."

"Oh, dear Blake, you have no idea."

"So, what've you got for me?"

It was a relief to hear Winter's voice. I let out a sigh that I didn't even know I was holding.

"Well, nothing much. I already sent you personnel files for the agents I've identified." I spoke, trying to find a good way to broach the topic of helping Blake.

"Yet you jeopardize your safety to call me, c'mon Jaune, I might not be on NZT, but I'm no idiot." She spoke back.

"I know that, Winter, and I'm not on NZT right now." I tried to defend myself, wondering whether I should have used a pill before calling her. As it was, I was just appealing to the good in her heart, I could have done that better was I on NZT.

I didn't have many pills left, though. Had to ration what little I could.

"So, tell me, what do you want." She asked, all business.

"So, umm. A mission came down to Adam and Blake through the grapevine." I started, trying to find the best way to explain the situation. "Basically it's another one of the train raids the Fang's been orchestrating."

"Are you part of this raid?" She asked.

"No, but I know who are, and I know when and where it's happening, as well as what train they're targeting." I spoke, and Winter caught on incredibly fast.

"It's one of my family's freight trains, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yes… and I need you to reduce the security on it." I responded without missing a beat, and there was silence.

"Jaune, you have ten seconds to explain what kind of logic led you to that decision." Winter spoke, incensed. This was my window, and I had to make it. Thoughts jumbled in my head as I tried to come up with the most coherent way to convince her.

This shit was so much easier on NZT.

"I have someone on that train that wants to defect, and I want to help them." It was a simple statement, enough to get Winter's attention. That's all I wanted, time to explain myself to her.

"And why exactly do you want to help a member of the White Fang?" Winter asked, her voice ice-cold.

"She's offering us both Adam Taurus and Argus, is that not reason enough?" I asked.

"In that case, why don't I go ahead and increase the security on the train? They'll be apprehended, we'll get three militants for the price of nothing." Winter shot back.

"That's the thing, Winter. She isn't a militant. She doesn't want anything to do with them." I retorted.

"Oh, sure, the terrorist just wants to up and leave her buddies. How nice. What's she gonna do then? Become a huntsman?" She asked.

"I mean, I think that's her plan." I replied, only to hear a hiss of anger from Winter.

"I don't give a shit, Jaune. She can atone for her past in the prison cell she'll get once we've caught her." Winter spoke, and suddenly, I was pissed.

"Oh really? That's how you see the members of the fang? Many of the profiles I've given you don't even have criminal charges. Would you have them rot in jail cells too? Hell, if we're talking about people who've dodged jail cells, what about the Schnee management? I wonder what happened to that case against them. Y'know, the case which states they failed to provide basic rights to Faunus workers under their care?" I spoke with venom in my voice, taking Winter by surprise.

"And before you say anything to defend them, I've met refugees from the mines, they do work with the Fang now, but then again, why wouldn't they? At least they get treated like people here." I continued to dig the nail deeper.

"... is this your way of asking someone for help, Jaune? Cause it isn't really effective." She shot back, and I calmed down a bit. I couldn't explain what came over me, but I wasn't apologizing.

"No, I'm just trying to point out that if your managers deserve to live free lives, so does a girl with nothing on her criminal profile except for a supposed association with individuals that she wants to get away from." I finished, having said my piece.

There was silence for a few good moments, allowing realization of what all I'd just said to come crashing down on me. I'd never say half this stuff on NZT. Hell, I was pretty sure I'd never need to go this far or to appeal to her sense of morals.

"You feel strongly about this, and I did choose to follow you." She spoke with a slight sigh. "You haven't led me astray yet, so I'll do what you ask, just this once."

"Thank you," I spoke, a small smile coming to my face unbidden. "Trust me, you'd agree with me on this if you knew Blake."

"Considering she plans to use a train which contains my family's property as an impromptu stage for her daring escape, I highly doubt that." She spoke. "But I can at least humor you. Send me the details of the train, I'll make sure a group of huntsmen are ready to pick Adam and Argus up."

"Yeah, about that. Thanks to Blake, I know that Argus is on a different mission." I spoke up. "Only Adam and Blake are going to be on the train. Argus is going to have a mission in Atlas itself.

"And what would this mission be?" She asked. I took a deep breath.

"It's an assassination, someone high profile in Atlas." I spoke, and I could feel Winter stiffen, even though she was dozens of miles away.

"Who, where, when?"

I took another breath. "Well, we haven't been informed, but we'll know soon enough."

"Wait, Jaune, what do you mean by 'we'?"

Of course, she'd catch on.

"When I said that Blake would give me Adam and Argus, This is what I meant." I began to explain, "The assassination was originally going to be carried out by Adam and Argus. She pulled Adam out on a mission, so someone had to take his place…"

"Oh Jaune, what have you gotten yourself into?" Winter asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Don't worry, Winter." I responded, a nervous smirk forming on my face. "If I can play my cards right, I can change this situation into something much, much better."

"And with NZT, I'm going to make sure my deck is stacked."

Adam POV

I'd always been taught by my teacher to trust in my instinct.

It'd saved my life before, more times than I could count. Back in Vacuo, it saved me from bandits. Further back, in Menagerie, it had helped me get away from various lynchings. As such, I placed a lot of weight in my instincts.

So the fact that my instincts were screaming bloody murder almost made me call off the mission.

It was the fact that my partner was switched from Perse to Blake helped calm my nerves a little. I'd been in life-or-death situations with her way too many times. It was a relief having a familiar face with me, especially one that I shared such a bond with.

Still didn't remove the trepidation I felt, merely helped reduce it a bit.

"Pay attention, Adam. We have company."

I nodded. We'd 'boarded' the train from Forever Fall forest in Vale. I'd be the first to admit it felt very nice to get out of the frigid winters of Atlas. That place wasn't meant for people to live in. It was a country built on the exploitation of Faunus labor. I hated it, hated it too much to bear it for too long.

I stepped out of the partition between two freight cars, taking the atlas bot by surprise. Before it could open fire, I'd already cut it down and was moving on to the next. Blake shot forward, heading towards the engine car. Her speed allowed her to run right through the third bot, which had opened fire.

That was the basis of our strategy. I ran distraction while she rerouted the train.

I sliced my way through the atlas bots with much ease, but it did nothing to silence my intuition. There was too little opposition.

"Well, look what we have here."

Adam was forced to dodge out of a hail of bullets coming at him. He flipped back and used an atlas bot to dodge a sword coming at him. He kicked off the robot, pushing back his assailant, and he finally got his first look at them.

Three huntsmen, experienced by the look of them. They wore Atlesian regalia.

"Quite a ways from home, aren't you?" I taunted, blocking a strike from one of them. The train was passing over a bridge. If I could hold them back for a few minutes, I could escape into the surrounding forests.

I'd hidden in forests on so many occasions, from much larger units of much better-prepared huntsmen. These were three Atlesian huntsmen, they stood no chance of finding me in a Vale-ian forest.

"Trying to buy time, are we?" One of the huntsmen, a tall, blonde man at least ten years my senior, spoke. "The little terrorist thinks he's going to escape us, does he?"

"I've fought and escaped better opponents, no offense." I shot back, repositioning myself so that the huntswoman in the back couldn't shoot at me without jeopardizing her own teammates.

"Oh don't we know that, Adam Taurus. Let you into a forest and you disappear, like you were never even there." The blonde spoke, crossing blades with Adam.

"So, we got some help to make sure you never reach the forest."

The screeching of my intuition came to a head as the train started to brake. As the screeching of the train wheels and the tracks came to a crescendo, my heart fell. There were Atlesian huntsmen on an unmanned Atlesian freight train. There was a distinct lack of opposition all throughout the mission, not even a spider bot on the train. Finally, they'd come to a stop on a bridge spanning over a gorge. There was no escape.

I'd been betrayed by Blake.

"Finally setting in, isn't it?" The blonde spoke, slowly circling around me. His other melee compatriot was doing the same, while the Huntress with the rifle was unmoving. They were surrounding me, not that they needed to. The gorge already made sure I wouldn't escape.

They just wanted to make sure they suffered no losses.

"What did you offer her? What could you give her that the White Fang couldn't?" I asked, still trying to understand why someone so close to me would just up and betray me.

"Oh, I don't know. She struck a deal with one of Ironwood's own. If it were up to me, I'd be taking her in just as I'll be doing to you." He spoke. "And once we're done with you, Argus will be next."

"You think you could actually take Argus? He'll make you bleed." I answered, anger coursing through my veins. Argus was a Faunus hero, a remnant of the old war. You didn't live as long as him in a profession like ours by being 'passable'.

"Oh, we won't be lifting a finger." The blonde spoke. "As we speak, his mission has been compromised. All he's going to find is a trap, and you really can't dodge a trap that you can't see coming."

"Awfully bold of you to assume that he'll fall for some pathetic trap." I countered, but their confidence was far too high. You couldn't be that confident when dealing with Argus, and people knew that well enough, especially in Vale.

"Oh yes, he will. After all, he's already been compromised." The blonde shot back, and finally, my instincts stopped screaming.

"Perse. He's a mole, isn't he?" I asked, and the blonde grinned.

"Awfully bold of you to assume that the man you took in was actually Perse Mulberry." He smirked. "In essence, though, you'd be right. We've had your number for a while now. Shame Sienna Khan didn't stick around for long, woulda loved to stick her into a jail cell too."

That was a mistake. Finally, a smile returned to my face. My hand slowly inched towards blush, my finger flicking the chamber switch to dust rounds.

"You actually expect Argus to be taken in by a mole pretending to be someone else, do you?" I smiled, and the blonde's smile faltered. "You really know so little about him, yet you believe you've caught him."

"let me assure you, that's not the case."

With that, I shot Blush from its holster around my waist. The dust rounds burrowed into the container below me and exploded.

Explosions didn't mix that well with a container full of dust.

My world went up in bright lights as I was flung from the train by the sheer force of the explosion. I fell, and I fell for a long time. Finally, my body impacted water, and my aura took as much of the blow as it possibly could.

My world turned dark, and I knew no more.

Jaune POV

I woke up with a start, confused as to why I was still alive

My head still hurt, but that was a given. Aura was a beautiful healing tool, but when I was hit, my aura wasn't active. It was part of my strategy to keep Argus calm, to tell him that I was comfortable in his presence.

It was pointless.

He'd known, and even with NZT, he was far too good at hiding his hand for me to catch on to his plan. We'd barely made it to Atlas when he'd asked me to scout ahead. I had relaxed for a single second, and he'd struck me in the head with the pommel of his knife.

I was just surprised he hadn't ended me right there.

Hell, if he'd known all along, why hadn't he told anyone? Blake couldn't have tipped him off, else he'd make sure her she wasn't on a mission. They'd have done me in and abandoned their base.

I then noticed something hard poking at me. I scrambled up to find a scroll right where I was passed out. it wasn't the burner scroll that the White Fang had given me. I picked it up and recognized that it was the scroll I'd seen Argus use on occasion. A very old model that always stood out.

I scrambled to switch it on. There was no lock on it, which struck me as odd. As I finally got the thing switched on, I realized why.

There was only one file on the home screen, a file named 'Read'. So, I did exactly what it asked.

Hello, Infiltrator.

Firstly, good job on getting yourself so well-ingrained into the White Fang. You even managed to fool Sienna, who was quite intimate with Perse at a point of time. Had it not been for my semblance, you might have fooled me too.

But you didn't, and we're here now.

For someone as young as you, you're immensely skilled. I can't kill you in good conscience. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth. So, here's a little reward, your life. I'd ask you to take it and leave, hone your craft. Become a warrior that stands between humanity and the darkness.

We'll probably never meet again. You've allowed me the perfect opportunity to end myself. I'm an old soul, I've been here too long. I have nothing left in this world, but the White Fang would never let me go.

You've given me the perfect chance to end it all. I thank you for that. I know full well that I'm walking into a trap, and you know full well now that they will not take me alive.

A pure death in combat, it's all I want, especially after what I've done. It's not something a coward like me deserves, but if it allows me to join my brothers in hell, I'll take it. Heaven wouldn't have any of us, after all.

My only regret is that I never learned your name. I would have liked to meet and know someone with your guts, maybe even fight you when you're at your peak. That is how I would have liked to go. Guess we never truly get what we want. I know that better than others, yet I cannot help but hope, sometimes.

Argus.

My mind instantly booted into gear. My hand slipped into my pocket unbidden and reached for the last two pills of NZT I had. My mind was in panic, I needed some sense of reason. Ten seconds after having the pill, my mind found it.

Then, I burst into action.

I switched on my transceiver and connected to home base. Mere seconds after I initiated the connection, I heard the panicked voice of Ironwood answer.

That was bad, Ironwood never panicked.

"Jaune, thank god you're alive. Where are you right now?" He asked, trying to calm himself down as he was trying to calm me down too.

"Argus knocked me out. Left me alive though. Please tell me you were able to capture him." I asked. The silence I got answered enough.

"I see… so Argus in no more." I spoke, this time, the silence I was expecting wasn't there. Instead, there was a hint of panic, even fear, in Ironwood's voice.

"No. While Argus originally fought with reckless abandon, something changed mid-fight. He was able to incapacitate most of the huntsmen and escape." He answered. Again, my mind went into overdrive.

"The area was surrounded by airships, by Huntsman teams. How was he able to escape?" I asked, even as my mind found an answer, an answer I was dreading.

"He… he took a hostage." Ironwood answered, and I knew who.

"He took Winter, didn't he?"

The silence was my answer. She hadn't answered my call, Ironwood had, even though she was supposed to be my point of contact. The assassination target was Winter's sister, and she was the one who was leading the ambush team.

But why hadn't Argus taken his death as he had originally planned? The letter was too heartfelt, too raw to be a lie. How did I know this? Well, I was still breathing, Argus had still walked into the trap, even though he knew about it. What had changed?

There was only one way to answer that.

"Ironwood, where is he?" I asked. There would be venom in my voice, but NZT stilled my anger, it stilled my doubt. It filled me with purpose and told me what needed to be done. It told me that there was only one way to get my answers.

"He escaped to Mantle. He's positioned himself in the old military tower in the city's outskirts." He answered, knowing well enough that there was no stopping me, no matter how hard he tried.

The only way I'd get my answers was from the source, even if I had to beat them out of him.

"I'll be going there alone. Me and Argus need to talk."

"You sure you wanna do this, Jaune?"

Ironwood's voice held both concern and confidence. We'd gotten to Mantle in less than an hour on an airship. There were three other airships already circling the tower. I wanted to get to the place as soon as possible, give Argus as little time as I could to lick his wounds.

Aura healed slowly, and he'd taken quite a bit of damage before he'd escaped. I didn't want to give him time to lick his wounds, considering how I wasn't sure I could take him at his best.

"I have to. I need to know why he broke his word." I answered.

"I hope you can do this, soldier." Jacques Schnee spoke up. "Me and my daughter might not be on the best of terms, but I wouldn't see her ended by a savage."

"It would be unwise to call someone skilled enough to end your personal guard with nary a scratch a 'savage', Mr. Schnee." I retorted. He narrowed his eyes as he regarded me, but a pompous man in a white suit was the last of my worries right now.

"As for your daughter, I don't think she's in danger. He'd have killed her otherwise, or else made a demand." I continued. "He hasn't asked for anything, even though we've had three bullheads following him for the last hour."

"What does he want then? Money? Amnesty?" Schnee asked. I just shook my head.

"That's what I'm going down there to find out. No matter what happens, I'll make sure your daughter is safe." I replied.

"If push comes to shove, what do you want us to do?" Ironwood asked. I had to suppress a chuckle. Here he was, outranking me by far, yet asking me what course of action to take.

"If we fight, do not intervene," I answered. "If I die, shoot him down."

Ironwood didn't ask why I didn't tell them to shoot him down in the first place. The wind was too high for a precise sniper shot, and it looked like it was about to rain, a rarity for a frigid city like Mantle. There was a high chance that any shot meant for Argus could hit me or even Winter. Plus, if Argus survived the bullet, there was no telling what he would do to Winter.

"Affirmative. You have permission to deploy."

I nodded once before I jumped out of the airship. We weren't too high above the tower, so I was able to land with much ease. Multiple layers of aura mitigated my fall.

"Welcome, Imposter," Argus spoke up from where he sat. Behind him lay an unconscious Winter, her prone body leaning on a support pillar for a decrepit antenna.

"You've never seen my real face, yet you know who I am. How?" I asked, prompting Argus to give me a wry smile.

"My semblance allows me to detect anyone I meet. When Blake and Adam brought you to the base, I knew that you weren't Perse," he spoke. "And now that you've shown up without a disguise, I can recognize you."

"So, you knew I was an imposter from the moment I stepped into that base. Why didn't you turn me in?" I asked, and he chuckled.

"I wanted to see what you could do, what you wanted to get done." He answered. "I wanted to see what kind of person you were. It isn't every day I come across someone so ballsy and so skilled that he can perfectly emulate someone else, fighting style and all."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I grimaced. "So, let me guess, you had a change of heart about the whole 'dying' situation, did you now?"

Argus' smile dropped. "Oh no, I went in with full certainty that I was about to die." He spoke, shifting his head to the side. "But then I ran into her."

I followed his gaze to Winter, who he looked at with a certain amount of care in his eyes. Now, I was truly confused.

"What about her?" I asked, and Argus sighed. It was a simple action, but it was so full of grief, or pain and guilt.

"You know what I am, right?" He asked, and I nodded. Argus was a Slave Knight. Everyone who knew of the man knew what he was, and what he was capable of.

"So, tell me, Imposter, how much do you know about the Slave Knights?" He asked. I wondered if telling him what little I knew would be worth it, there was something here, something he knew I didn't know.

"Not enough, apparently," I replied, and he nodded.

"Good answer. I don't blame you for not knowing. We were one of the SDC's first cover-ups." He sighed. "After all, we were a source of National pride once."

"And you ruined that, you killed Nicholas Schnee, you killed three of your own teammates. You ran as the rest were consigned to their fate." I calmly spoke. Argus didn't rise to the bait though. Instead, he dropped his head in shame. When he spoke next, his voice was barely audible over the sound of the wind.

"You actually believe that me, the youngest, weakest slave knight could kill three of our strongest?" He asked.

I had no answer.

"We're slave knights. We used to wear that title with pride, because of what it represented to us." He continued, a wistful look on his face. "We were little kids, sold into slavery by our parents for meager sums. Nicholas Schnee picked us up as kids, trained us so that we could protect the miners he employed. He brought us out of doomed lives, he gave us purpose."

"We saw him as a savior, as a father, and then he stabbed us all in the back."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Argus silenced us with a hand. He sighed, then continued. "Do you know what happens to slaves once their master dies? Well, it's pretty simple. We are passed on to their heir, just like any piece of property."

"When we served Nicholas, he promised us freedom once the war was done, once his mines were safe." He continued. "He'd never done wrong by us, never let us down. He cared for us like we were his equals."

"This that little shit Jacques came, and so did Nicholas' illness," he spoke, venom entering his voice. "The miserable pile of shit made Nicholas sign us over to him as part of his inheritance, it was one of his major motives behind marrying into the Schnee family."

"The bastard wanted everything Nicholas had. That included us too. We were his influence, and his company was his capital." Argus stuttered, trying to reign in his hatred. "And Jacques, the miserable little shit, was a charming bastard. He stole her heart, and Nicholas could never say no to her demands."

"By her, I assume you mean Winter's mother." I chimed in, and Argus nodded.

"Glad to see you're still paying attention." he joked, his face crinkled with a half-smile before it went somber again. "I was the runt of the litter amongst the Slave Knights. I wasn't as strong as the vanguards, neither was I as quick as the assassins. So, my job was to protect the little princess." He chuckled. "Imagine a ten-year-old Faunus protecting a seven-year-old Schnee. Sounds outlandish, does it not?"

I nodded. Given the current feud between the Faunus and the Schnee, it sounded like an impossibility.

"Back then? We Faunus made up for the majority of Nicholas' workforce. It was once the norm." He clarified. "But yeah, my job kept me by her all day, every day. So, here's a question, what happens when two kids who are isolated from society spend their entire day together?"

I made to answer, but the question was hypothetical. "They become to closest of friends, and then, as they grow up, that blossoms into love. Even though we knew we could never be together, I still cared for her enough that seeing her being used by Jacques filled me with hate."

"The news that we were to be 'offered' to Nicholas was the last straw. So, me and three of my brothers fought our way through the Schnee estate. My brothers lost their lives to the many guards Jacques made sure to station in the house. Finally, it was just me and Nicholas, in that old office of his." He finished.

"He smiled when I killed him. I think I put him out of his misery." Argus spoke, his tone one of calm finality. "The old man was crafty. He knew that he'd waste away in a little room, with Jacques making sure he stayed alive till he was still useful. So, he instigated us to take him out." he chuckled.

"We should have known. Nicholas told us when he was young that he'd rather die on his feet than on a sickbed." he finished.

"So, let me get this right," I spoke, giving him a cursory glance. "Nicholas Schnee basically set you and your compatriots up to kill him."

Argus laughed. "Oh, that was just the beginning of his plan. He wanted the Faunus to be free. We were the strongest of the Faunus. He thought we'd spread to the wind, start a revolution." His gaze fell again. "He knew I'd take the blame of the murder, that I'd remove myself from the group and exile myself. I'd become a pariah, and my brothers would become messiahs." His smile was radiant for a full second, reflecting the pride he felt in his peers. Then, just as it came, it was gone.

"Sadly, he couldn't have predicted Inhert Crimson."

He locked eyes with me, and I saw a crazed fear within them. It was the look of someone who had seen demons, images that would torture the mind forever. "The Crimson Wake was not a man. He couldn't have been. Full armies were too scared to fight the combined might of the slave knights. We were a fucking deterrent force for fuck's sake." Again, guilt, disbelief, and hatred. "Nicholas knew that, which is why he was so willing to trust us with the seeds of revolution."

"Then, the crimson wake came, and true to his name, all he left in his wake… was crimson." He finished, standing up.

"I should have perished that day with my brothers. Yet, here I am. Back home." He spread his arms, embracing the first droplets of rain, as they began to fall. "This tower was once the forward base of the Slave Knights. I promised to never return here, yet here I am."

"Yet here you are. And you brought Winter with you." I added.

"Her name's Winter, then. Pretty sure the princess got to name her. God knows what demon Jacques would name her after." He spoke. "When I saw her, that white hair, those eyes, I was brought back to a time where I had hope for my future."

"She reminded me of a time where I had something worth living for."

And with that, he was done talking. Now, it was my time.

"You can still come back. I could get Ironwood to look your case over. We could get you a reduced sentence." I spoke, even though I knew it wouldn't work. NZT was telling me that there was nothing I could offer Argus.

Nothing except for a warrior's death.

"You and I both know I have no intention of rotting away in a jail cell," Argus spoke, a bittersweet smile on his face. "I might be the weakest of the Slave Knights, but I was still one of them. As such, I will die as they did."

"You're injured and tired. There's no honor in dying here." I tried to reason, even though I knew that in his mind, this merely put us at an even playing field.

"It's not going to happen. Now, give me your name, and draw your blade, so that I can savor combat one last time." He spoke.

"You actually believe I'll kill you?" I asked, and he chuckled.

"If you don't, then there's still four airships circling this tower. Pretty sure one of them has a gun that and can aim well enough to shoot down a tired, old man." he joked.

There was no other alternative.

"... My name is Jaune Arc." I spoke, drawing Crocea Mors. "It's an honor to fight you."

"An Arc? if I didn't know better, I'd say my luck is turning." Argus spoke as he drew his Dust-powered knife. He twisted the pommel and the dust-blade extended till it was the size of a short-sword.

The rain was pouring at this point. "Even the skies mourn for my lost brothers. Or maybe, they mourn for us," he spoke with a smile. "For your sake, I hope they're just crying for me."

And with that, he was on me. I caught his first slash with my shield but found it impossible to parry his indomitable strength. So instead, I lowered my center of gravity and struck with my sword. He jumped back, letting go of the pressure on my shield.

I capitalized on the space I'd just created and rammed into him with my shield. He mitigated the blow completely by planting his feet and leaning into the blow, but then he winced, and my next slash found purchase. His Aura took the blow, but I'd landed the first hit.

Only because he was an injured man.

My mind told me that had he mitigated my shield charge completely, he would have an open window to counter, and I did not want to get hit with that dust-blade of his.

"You're skilled, if a bit reckless." Argus commented as he attacked again. It was similar to his last attack, almost like he was testing me.

So I obliged.

I slipped the slash and bashed him in the face with my shield. I hoped to stun him so my Blade could find purchase again, but he was better than that. In a show of alacrity, he blocked my arm with his off hand and delivered a blow to my face that sent me reeling. I felt my Aura drop a bit and steadied myself for his next attack, but it never came. Instead, Argus moved back with a confused look on his face.

"You adapt much too fast. It's eerily similar to how the Crimson wake fought." He spoke, then a smile came to his face. "Well, that just means I can't use that same trick against you twice."

Argus suddenly picked up speed, and I replied in kind. When it came to speed, I was no slouch. Yet Argus kept getting faster, edging me out by just a little.

He was testing me.

I decided that this was the best time for me to get some damage in. I sidestepped one of his slashes and quickly kneed him in the sternum. I predicted his rebuttal and parried his weapon, stabbing forward with Crocea Mors. I used as much Aura as I could to strengthen my stab. The resultant attack was so fast I could barely keep the whiplash from disjointing my shoulder.

Argus dodged it with ease.

He moved so fast I almost saw afterimages. Even with my training and a hearty dose of NZT, I couldn't quite fathom how he could escape that.

That's when I noticed an aberration in his aura and the fact that the dust crystal attached to his knife was missing.

"Well, a tricky one, aren't you?" Argus spoke, a mad grin on his face. "Would've skewered poor old me right there."

"So you can use dust-synchro?" I asked, knowing the complexity of the technique. The fact that he'd been able to pull it off so fast that I didn't notice was a testament to his skill.

Considering the size of the dust crystal he's used, he'd get a minute, maybe a minute and a half at best depending on control.

"Nicholas Schnee reinvented the technique, of course, he'd make sure all his strongest warriors would know it. You could say it's my legacy." Argus spoke as he twisted the handle of his knife. The handle extended till what he was holding was a spear.

"Plus, I've always been better with this than with a sword."

The speed at which Argus shot at me was not followable in the least. It was only through prediction that I was able to follow his blow and parry it with my shield. What I didn't expect was for his spear to shear through the metal of my shield like a knife through butter. It was the angle of my parry that saved me, making sure the spear couldn't find purchase in my torso.

I backpedaled, but Argus didn't follow. "Your weapon channels your dust." I commented, and he smirked.

"A byproduct of Dust Synchro." He spoke, raising a hand crackling with electricity. "But I guess you've already figured that out. Not that you're the only one."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You learned something in that exchange, then?"

He nodded. "The way you fight, it's not normal. You have skills, but they're too mismatched to be part of any one style." he then grimaced. "I've seen how you move, I see some Adam in it, even some of my own style. Yet, you haven't been around us long enough to pull off our way of fighting with such ease."

His face then hardened. "You fight like the Crimson Wake, master of any style he saw one."

I grimaced. My secret was out. Still, I'd gotten him talking, and that meant I was wasting his time.

"You say that as if you've ever fought him." I stated.

"Oh, but I did. I sought him out once I learned of what he did to my brothers. I waylaid him on one of his missions and critically wounded his subordinate." He grimaced. "It was a ruse to make him fight at a disadvantage, but instead it ended up being my downfall."

He raised his shirt a bit, showing the beginnings of a horrific scar that started right above his waistline. It was an old scar, but just by looking at it, I could tell that it wasn't a wound meant to kill, but to cause agony.

"It goes up all the way to my chest, but not an inch further." He spoke, letting his shirt fall back into place. "I believe he cared about the woman I injured, because when I turned tail and ran, he decided instead to tend to her rather than follow."

"For someone who wanted to die on the field of battle, you sure have done a lot of running away." I taunted. It didn't have the desired effect, instead, it made Argus chuckle.

"Even in conversation you're like him. You taunt, buy yourself time. You interrogate as you fight." Argus spoke, the message he delivered was that he understood what I was trying to do, yet he was humoring me.

"You're almost out of time." I commented.

"So are you."

It would be an understatement to say I didn't see it coming. It took less than a tenth of a second for Argus to shift his stance and lunge at me. It was a predictable attack for any lancer, but the speed at which he delivered it, enhanced by the lightning dust, was unprecedented. Still, Hyper-reflexes were a gift of NZT, and I managed to intercept with the blade of my sword.

I didn't expect him to push all the remaining lightning power in his aura into the tip of his blade.

My aura, layered as it was over my blade, crumbled for a second. Then came the pain as thousands of volts of electricity tried to overwhelm my aura. I had to remove it, else it would kill me. My mind quickly went over what little I had learned about Dust Synchro, about the lessons pertaining to dust that Winter had given me, and suddenly, my Aura reacted.

Through the pain and the stress, my Aura began to flow. It took the electricity that was eating up on it and began to channel it instead. My mind was concentrated on defense, on nullification, and I felt as all the electricity that was coursing through my body was deposited into the bricks below my feet.

I had turned my aura into a perfect conductor.

The look of surprise on Argus' face told me that I had an opening, and I capitalized on it. My sword was being used defensively, and my shield was in tatters, so I did the only thing that was available to me.

I headbutted the son of a bitch.

It wasn't a normal headbutt either, as I put every ounce of aura I had into strengthening my shoulders and applied multiple layers of it to protect my own cranium.

Argus's own head wasn't quite as safe.

The blow stunned him enough for him to drop his aura, even if only for a second. The blow sent him reeling, and a small trickle of blood reddened the floor below him. The blow was meant to do some serious damage, but Argus was made of sterner stuff. All I'd succeeded in doing was fazing him.

But it bought me some time.

I could have capitalized, but I saw Argus' stiffen up. He was expecting me to attack, and doing so would be my end. He still had his spear, and he still had enough aura to not be knocked out by my blow. I had to come up with another plan.

Thankfully, that was my speciality.

I backed up and took stock of my situation. My blade was cracked and my shield was utterly destroyed. I dropped my shield, opting to reduce as much weight as I could. For my impromptu plan to work, I had to outspeed Argus, even if it was for a second.

"...you truly are like him." Argus breathed out, lowering his center of gravity. "To figure out a skill like dust synchro, a skill that I and my brothers took years to learn, in mere minutes. Truly, I couldn't have asked for a better opponent for my final bout." His smile slowly seeped away, replaced with stony-faced determination. "Originally, I simply wanted to die by your hand. Now, I see more in you. I see him in you, and I want what was my right."

"Revenge."

Argus jumped high, higher than I possibly could. his body sparked anew with lightning, possibly because he used a new crystal. I braced for the incoming impact, making a show of preparing a defense.

At the last second, right as Argus was about to land on me, I reached into my pocket and brought out one of the small fire crystals I used in lieu of any ranged alternatives. Argus' eyes followed as I threw the crystal at him. His eyes widened as he realized that he couldn't dodge midair.

Then, an explosion sent both of us flying.

Due to having been launched from the ground, I could - to some extent - maneuver. I used this time to pull out two more crystals from my pockets. Another fire crystal, and a wind crystal. I threw the fire crystal at Argus as I crushed the wind crystal in my other hand. I prayed this would work as the fire crystal exploded in front of me, creating a ball of flame between me and my predicted location of Argus' landing.

I tried to pull the power of the wind crystal into my aura the same way I'd done for the lightning energy from Argus. Initially, I met resistance, as the wind was much different in nature to lightning, but then my Aura eased, and the wind energy seeped into my body.

It wasn't perfect dust-synchro. I'd have ten seconds at best, but that was all I'd need.

On cue, Argus shot through the ball of fire, his speed carried him through it without any damage. There was a crazed, wild look in his eyes. The very fact that I could see him move proved that I had - beyond a doubt - performed a dust synchro.

Argus' charge would have gored right through me otherwise.

Wind dust made me feel lighter. It wasn't raw speed like lightning dust seemed to provide Argus, Instead, it was a different kind of mobility. I almost felt lighter than air as I effortlessly moved out of Argus' way. In the same motion, I slashed down as Argus' body passed me by, hoping to incapacitate him.

To my horror, Argus turned.

My blade met his aura and snapped, but the sharp shard of metal left behind near the hilt was enough to cut a deep line through his chest.

A line much deeper than the one Inhert Crimson had carved into him so long ago.

I saw - almost in slow motion - as Argus' momentum took him to the ground, the same momentum. I saw the look in his eyes, and in that moment, I know that he'd killed himself. He didn't need to turn, didn't need to take such a grievous blow. Had he kept going straight, I would have taken one of his arms at worst. Argus already knew he'd lost.

So, he made sure he lost for good this time.

As Argus' body crashed into the floor, the wind energy disappeared from my system. I staggered at the sudden feeling of weight crashed over me, returning me to my normal state. Safe, albeit a bit winded, and extremely horrified.

I ran over to Argus. His aura had crashed, and his body was beyond saving. He was barely clinging to life at this point. As I locked eyes with him, he gave me one final smile.

"T-thank you, Jaune Arc, for… giving this… coward… a warrior's death."

With that, he breathed his last.

In the aftermath of the fight, I realized three things.

One, what I'd done against Argus was highly inadvisable. I'd done dust-synchro without considering any form of mitigation. Basically, the adrenalin of the fight had almost shut down the pain I felt while using dust in such an uncontrolled manner. I'd have to practice more in order to develop countermeasures because my body was wracked by pains once the battle high subsided.

Second, I learned how amazing NZT was at keeping mental trauma at bay. I'd been perfectly unfazed as Ironwood's soldiers had cleaned up the mess me and Argus made. I'd walked myself to the landed bullhead as well, carrying Winter. I'd even delivered her personally to Jacques Schnee, even though seeing his face after what I'd learnt brought a bitter taste to my mouth. After that, my body had gone on autopilot till I crashed, and I crashed hard.

When I finally did wake up, I'd woken up on a bed that wasn't my own.

I looked around to see that I was in what appeared to be a hospital. For a second, I wondered why I was in a hospital, but then it came to me, and I realized the third and final thing.

NZT never let me forget.

I remembered everything in vivid details. Every single thing. I remembered the emotions on Argus' face, everything from his battle-loving grin to that final smile of acceptance.

I remembered his eyes, his cold, dead eyes.

I felt like throwing up. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the pain I felt coursing through my body. I ran out of the room, completely forgetting that hospital rooms did have toilets. I ran to the closest visitor's toilet and hurled into the sink. I think I cried for a good ten minutes, looking right into the sink.

I couldn't look up, because every time I looked into the mirror, I saw Argus' dead eyes.

It took me three hours to calm down, they sent a nurse to look for me. She was respectful enough to not pry, instead asking me if I wanted to go in for a private consultation with a psychiatrist. I calmly told her I didn't want to.

I couldn't believe that the weak sound that came from my mouth was my voice.

I reached for my clothes and fished out my box of NZT pills. I fumbled with the lid, trying to get a pill out. I finally managed, but something stopped me from taking it. There it was, one pill to take away this fucking feeling that I couldn't even describe

It was a small voice in the back of my mind that stopped me.

It was just wrong. I was running from my guilt. I'd killed a man.

"You know, I wouldn't have given you that many pills if I didn't want you to use then, Jaune."

I shifted my gaze from the pill in my hand to Ironwood, who stood at the door of my hospital room with a blank expression on your face.

I shook my head. "I can't. It feels like I'm running away from something… something important."

"You should. Sometimes, it's wiser to run than to face something that is bound to end you." Ironwood replied.

"So you mean I should just forget the fact that I killed someone?" I asked.

Ironwood fucking laughed.

Before I could ask him what was so funny, he started to speak. "Jaune, if you can, by any means, forget your first kill. I'd have you become a teacher for the rest of my huntsmen. Hell, I'd have you teach me how."

I gave him a confused look, so he continued to explain.

"You'll never forget your first kill. I've seen two full generations of huntsmen mature with and under me. No one ever forgets, ever."

I gave him a nod. "How do you deal with it then?"

Ironwood shook his head. "You don't. You can't. All you can do it learn to ignore it. The worst thing you can do is justify it."

I raised an eyebrow in interest. "Why not? Justifying it might give me closure."

"No, justifying it merely gives you an excuse. Kill only when you have no other alternative." He sighed as he crossed his arms." That's the small difference between a huntsman and a criminal. They kill for their own twisted version of justice, while we kill out of duty."

"Duty sounds like a pretty convenient excuse to me, you know?" I shot back with a sarcastic smile on my face. Ironwood chuckled.

"Even off NZT, your tongue is as sharp as ever I see," he commented. "Still, there's some truth to that. The intent is a bit different though, and I'm sure you understand that."

"Yeah, I do." I answered, finally eating the NZT pill. Within seconds, the super drug went active, pushing all the trauma back yet again.

"In that case, you'll be fine." He answered. "At least that's what I'd like to believe."

"Speaking of which, you've got a visitor. It's why I'm here, actually. Wanted to make sure you're fine before you meet her." Ironwood spoke, walking back to the door. "I'll just let her in."

He left the room before I could ask who my visitor was. I didn't have to wait long to find out.

She walked in, and the first thing I wondered was why Winter had lost some of her height. I then realized that was an impossibility, and finally came to the conclusion that I was looking at Weiss Schnee. The more popular, music-oriented Schnee sibling.

"When I learned that sister had been saved by her direct superior, I was expecting someone more… well… not my age." She began. Obviously, she did not

I gave her a small smile. She was obviously on edge.

"Ah, you must be Weiss," I spoke, and she nodded. "I'm somewhat of a fan, even though I really haven't been to any of your shows." I praised, even though - truth be told - I didn't have much of an appreciation for her chosen genre. Still, it did seem to give her an upper hand, allow her to posture a bit. That was her zone of comfort, much like it was her sister's. They were so similar that it was adorable.

Not that I'd ever say that to either of them. Contrary to popular opinion, I did care about my physical well being.

"That's nice, and you really haven't missed anything. My critics say that I'm much better in the studio than on the stage. I'm inclined to agree." She spoke, even though she did take the compliment.

"You can't measure an artist's art by the location of their performance," I replied, waving to a seat next to my bed. "Come, take a seat, tell me to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

She did as I bid her do, politely sitting down before making to answer. "Well, sister's been at home, recovering. I had a few conversations with her, things that I've been avoiding talking to her about for a while now…" She went silent for a moment as if trying to phrase what was to be said in her mind. "I've always known my sister as the tough-as-nails huntress in training. We've always been close, but in recent years, she's been busy and I've been… adrift."

"When I spoke to her today, though, I found a change in my sister. She spoke like she'd reached some kind of resolution. Like she knew her place in the world. It was uncanny. She wasn't impatient, or condescending. She was patient, and - dare I say it - understanding." Weiss continued, narrowing her eyes at me. "Also, she talked a lot about you, Jaune Arc, and that got me wondering, exactly what have you done to my dear sister?"

I gave her a grin. "Well, as her leader, I gotta look after my subordinates, don't I?"

There was a silence between her, a good moment where she tried to look under my innocuous comment for some underlying meaning. She found none, so she continued.

"You're an odd person. The idea that someone my age could do half of what you did against Argus is completely bonkers. Still, you did what you had to. You saved my sister, and for that I thank you." Weiss spoke. There was a comparison somewhere in there. "Given all this, I wanted to talk to you about something."

I gave her a nod.

"I'm leaving for Beacon in a week, I plan to become a huntress like my sister." She spoke, hesitant. "My father opposes the idea, quite vehemently in fact. He pushed so much into my music career, tried to make me a household name. To him, this is an act of total rebellion."

"And why do you care about what he wants?" I asked, a blank expression on my face.

"He's my father, even though we don't always see eye to eye." She sighed.

"And you're you. You get to be whatever you want to be, and it seems you want to be a huntress." I shrugged. "Seems pretty cut-and-dry to me."

Weiss shook her head. "You don't get it, Jaune. My father is Jacques Schnee…" Weiss hissed.

"And you're Weiss Schnee. Your decisions are your own, and anyone who tells you otherwise is of no consequence." I stated with finality. "Your life is your own, your reasons for becoming a huntress, whatever they may be, are also your own."

Weiss was silent, then she sighed. Her features relaxed a bit as she gave me a half-smile. "I can kind of see why Winter's changed so much. Anyways, General Ironwood told me that you're a student of Atlas?"

I nodded. "Yeah, starting my first semester in a week. Considering you're in Beacon, we'll probably meet at the Vytal festival, provided I don't have any missions."

Weiss chuckled. "Well, that means I've got someone to catch up to, even though you seem to have had an impressive head start."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Isn't your sister enough of a goal for you?"

She gave me a grin, the kind you gave someone who didn't know something you knew. "Oh, she was, and still is. It's just that her goal and my goal are the one and the same now."

My eyes widened in terror. I'd seen the kind of single-minded determination Winter could bring to bear. To have that determination focussed on catching up with me was… not an ideal or enthralling prospect.

"That's… something." I spoke, and Weiss' grin grew. "Thanks for telling me, I guess."

Weiss shook her head. "Don't mention it. I should get going before father sends someone to retrieve me. Again. Thank you, both for saving my sister and for this little chat. It's given me much to think about."

I nodded as she left the room. She wasn't the only one who had much to mull over. Argus was very mid-tier as far as warriors went. Sure, he had a storied history, but I was to be compared to Inhert Crimson, a man who single-handedly wiped out a legion of warriors, each stronger than Argus in his prime. I needed to know what set the man apart from his contemporaries.

I needed to learn, I needed to grow so that the next time I'd have to kill, I'd have the skill and strength to save instead.

Adam POV

Waking up was hell.

Sure, I was never a morning person, to begin with, but this was a different kind of fresh hell. My body ached all over, muscle groups I didn't know existed were blazing with fiery pain, like someone had put me between two gears in a clockwork contraption and given it a few quick and nasty turns.

Which brought me to the question, how was I still alive?

"Guys! Bossman is up!"

Oh, of course, that made sense.

I turned to face the familiar voice, my body screaming in agony as I did. True to my expectations, one of my underlings sat on the seat next to my bed. The sheer amount of soiled bandages in the bucket next to her gave me the idea that my bandages had been changed many times.

"How long was I out?" I croaked, probably had some damage to the throat too.

"A week, Boss." She answered, sighing. "A lot of things have happened in the time you've been out, and you're not going to like any of it."

I grunted. "Fill me in. Also, why are you calling me Boss?"

She nodded. "The order came in from the leader. You're now in charge of our outfit."

I sighed. "So, they got Argus, didn't they?"

She nodded right back.

My mind was blank. There wasn't anger, there wasn't hate. I knew they'd come, but for now, there was only acceptance. Acceptance that my life would no longer be the same. Acceptance that we'd sorely underestimated the skill and resources Atlas could bring to bear.

Acceptance that I could never trust anyone again.

Blake had been a costly mistake. The infiltrator that was Perse had been equally costly. If people like that could hoodwink Argus, who was known for his longevity, what option did I have?

"Everyone is temporary, their motivations and loyalties are fickle..." I muttered, realizing that this was the creed I'd have to live by now.

"What was that, boss?" My underling spoke. My mind was drawn to the fact that she had been nursing me back to health for the past week. If she was an agent, she could have ended me days ago and blamed it on a medical complication.

Or, she could still be an agent, building me up like the imposter built up Argus and Blake.

"Nothing." I replied, lying down on the bed again. I'd have to learn to play this game again. I'd have to become a survivor like Argus was. No one could be trusted.

Never again.

LB

So, that was it. I had the entire Penny introduction, the Winter scene and the introduction into Atlas written, but this seemed like the most fitting plae to end this chapter.

Hope ya like it.

-CruelRuin