Chapter 22: Exchange

Chapter 22: Exchange

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryugii. This has been pulled from his Spacebattle publishment. Anyway on with the show...errr read.

Exchange

I made it in the nick of time. When I looked out the window at the scene far below me, I saw the battle winding down as more and more Hunters began to go on the offensive as the machine's numbers dwindled. Adam was still there in the thick of it, but a glance at my Party Menu showed that his MP was looking dangerously low and once others began taking over, he started using Wilt and Blush to keep himself upright instead of fight.

Further away, the man Blake had been fighting seemed to be escaping on a Bullhead I hadn't noticed until now. Blake was standing on a rooftop watching him go with weapon in hand, looking tense and ready. I put Weiss down, leaning her against the wall so I'd have my hands free. Fetching my scroll from my Inventory, I opened it and sent her a message.

'Dealt with my problem. Can see you. What happened?' I typed quickly, though she didn't react until the Bullhead had retreated far enough. After finally relaxing, she glanced up at my ship, glanced around, and quickly got out of sight.

'Third party interfered. Things got bad. Adam intervened.' She messaged back a moment later.

I nodded to myself having figured something along those lines. It didn't exactly tell me much about what had sent our whole plan straight to hell, but there'd be time to discuss the details later. For now, we had bigger concerns.

'I can see everything from my position,' I sent. 'Fight's dying down, but Adam's exhausted and surrounded. Good chance the Hunters will turn on him once they realize what he is.'Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

'Can you make a distraction?' Blake asked. 'If you buy us some time, I may be able to rescue him.'

'Too risky,' I said and meant it. There were too many unknowns; so many high level Hunters, each with unknown training, unknown semblances, unknown weapons, and world famous Huntsmen like Ozpin and Ironwood nearby on top of thatit was a horrible idea. There was a reason pretty much my entire plan up to this point had been to go around the enemy instead of through them.

Maybe it could have workedfor all their power, Huntsmen were people, too. They weren't infallible or all-knowing; today had been pretty solid proof of that. Not one but two different attempts on the White Whale had caught them off guard and though I didn't want to count my chickens before they hatched, one of them seemed to be going okay thus far.

More than that, no one was good at everything. That was pretty much the sole reason I'd gotten this far; I hit my opponents where they were weak and I was strong. I fought the Nevermore on the ground and Weiss in the dark, using my skills and abilities to get every advantage I could and exploit their weaknesses. Everyone had things they were good at and bad at and that held true of people as much as it did of monsters. Hunters were an elite but diverse group. Not every member was an espionage or intelligence expert and only a small fraction of even the local Hunter community would be attending an event like this in person. On top of all that, there was plenty of chaos all around us and I was getting pretty good at creating more on demand.

Given all that, I'd acknowledge that it was possible to succeed in such a way. Blake and I could have charged head first into a large group of higher level opponents that were already on guard with absolutely no information and we might have succeeded in saving and escaping with Adam. And after we saved him, we might be able to get back to the ship unnoticed, take off, and make good on our plan without getting caught. It was possible.

But it was also possible that I'd win the lotteryand honestly, that seemed more likely at the moment. Already I could see people keeping an eye on Adam, gesturing and whispering subtly to one another as they finished the cleanup. They had him in their grasps for all intents and purposes, and I could recognize something in their movements as the combat slowly died down. They were wary of the unknown, slowly fencing him further in. If we did something obvious, if Adam tried to just run away nowhe wasn't getting out of there. I don't think he'd die, but he wasn't escaping that way. If it came down to it, I'd rather risk a rescue operation from whatever hole they threw him into than charge into that fray, because it probably had a better chance of working.

We couldn't fight them. Not all of them. Facing down the fullness of their power and overwhelming it had never been an option. The only thing we could dowas the same thing we'd been doing. Finding a battlefield where they couldn't exert that power.

'I have a plan,' I told her. 'Will use it if I have to. Need you to monitor what they're saying. Can you get close enough without getting caught?'

'Yes,' She said simply and I clipped my scroll to my waist, gathering Weiss up again as I got into position. Feeling a little guilty, I nabbed her fallen weapon as well as I walked passed it on my way into the hallway. If she was anything like I was with Crocea Mors, she would hate to lose it, but I also didn't want to risk her waking up at an inopportune time and stab me so I stowed it in my Inventory as moved through the ship towards the exit. Shifting Weiss so I could carry her over a shoulder, I checked my scroll as it beeped again.

'Thanking him, asking who he is. People suspicious of his power. Noting Faunus traits. Some people familiar? White Fang mentioned, accusations of involvement.' Blake said succinctly in a pair of messages, probably jolting down what stood out while listening carefully to the conversation. Other messages followed, with short pauses in between. 'Schnee robots used in the attack, confusion over who did what. Arguing over Adam's involvement. Saying there would have been casualties without him. Raising more questions. Accusing Adam, defending him. Wanting to know his intentions. Focus shifting to White Whale. Having trouble contacting the pilot. Schnee heiress missing, causing suspicions.'

'Is there any chance they'll let Adam go?' I typed back, scanning the messages. There was only so much she could write down while listening to what were probably dozens of confused, arguing people, but I trusted Blake to get everything important and I'd have to do my best to extrapolate the rest. I glanced over my shoulder where Levant followed silently and considered trying to boost the sound. I wasn't sure she could guide that many different voices that far, especially without giving something away, but

I sighed. I knew the truth. Despite everything I'd done to Weiss, I hoped on one level that it was all for nothing. Maybe that was strange, to want to have made a mistake, but I didn't really believe in the whole sunk cost thing. If I could stop now and not need to go any further, if I was wrong, that would benot good, considering what I'd done, but better then what would happen otherwise.

And yet, as much as I wanted it, I

'Demands. The civilians are scared, panicking. Bigots making accusations, people trying to intervene causing more accusations. Adam waiting, saying nothing, getting ready. For us? Things getting bad, people trying to reach a compromise, talk of arrest pending investigation. Whatever you're doing, hurry.'

I already knew what would happen. That was probably the best result we could hope forand yet, it was still a horrible result. Nothing was set in stone, but even assuming that they found nothing in Adam's background, which I rather doubted, Adam would probably take the fall for this, one way or another. Some of it could depend on who he got prosecuting him, on the judge and jury and biases towards Faunus, but just by being a member of the White Fang, he was probably doomed on that front even if the Schnee Dust Company didn't decide to take a hand in the proceedings. With the utter fiasco today, he'd be hung out to dry.

The worst part was, given the situation and the unknowns and everything that was going wrong, he'd probably take the heat for this even without a background if nothing was done. With the damage caused and the other party escaped, with what I'd done and would do

But I'd known all that, tooand I wouldn't let it happen. I could make plenty of logical arguments, of how Adam's arrest under these circumstances could incite the White Fang, of the risk to innocent people when he struggled against what I'm sure he knew would lead towards imprisonment, and many other things. But in the end, something came before all that.

He was my friend.

I wasn't a fool. I knew that despite his reasons, despite his intentions and the logic within his beliefs, Adam had probably done his fair share of bad stuff. But he was my friend and I don't think that he was a bad person, truly.

Besides. I had just learned first had how easy it could be to do the wrong thing for what you felt were the right reasons. Could I have done what Adam did if I'd been in his shoes? I'd wondered and now I felt pretty sure the answer was yes. If it was for innocent people or for my friends

I opened the door and stepped onto the edge, leaning out into the wind. Far below me, Adam was surrounded, a crowd of people like ants from this far away. I took a deep breath, partially to brace myself. I'd known this was coming, even before I'd first struck at Weiss. Again, I was faced with the question of if I could do itand again, I knew the answer was yes.

I threw my head back and roared, then, the sound louder than any I'd ever made. Levant stepped up behind me, grabbing fistfuls of my cloakand the sound got louder and louder still, rising into the roar of a beast that could have shaken the pillars of the Earth. Weiss woke with a start, blood beginning to trickle from her ears, but I'd already heaved her forward, leaning her out of the ship into the open air. She struggled at first and may have screamed, but if so it was a whisper drowned out by my voice and she froze in the face of that sound, in the face of the new nightmare she'd awoken into. She stood, powerless above over a thousand feet of empty space as the sound went on for a moment and finally died.

I felt her gripping my arm as tightly as she could, knuckles white and fingers shaking and wondered when I'd stop antagonizing this poor girl. Not yet, evidently.

As my air ran out, I sucked in another breath and looked down, my vision impossibly sharp through Lenore's eyes. I saw people looking up at the sound, saw expressions of shock and fear and, on a rare few people, simple, focused attention.

I spoke again, Levant's power carrying my voice upon the winds.

"Schnee," I said. "I have your ship. I have your daughter. Let's talk."

All at once, I had the crowd's attention. For better or worse, there was nogoing back now, no way out except to push forward. I didn't like it, I knew it would come back to bite me in the ass someday, and yet despite thatI did it. Because I couldn't see another way, not while staying true to what I'd promised myself.

"Oh?" I asked. "Then who am I?"

He paused for a moment at that, which I used to check him and Ironwood again, monitoring their emotions and making sure Ironwood didn't try any more calls. I needed to handle this right.

"This Faunus is in our records," He said, apparently deciding to ignore my question. "I take he's your subordinate?"

I'd figured there was no real chance of them believing that Adam and I were unrelated, but it was good to have it confirmed. I just smiled at the words, unsure how many of them could see me but not willing to risk giving away the lie.

"Something like that."

"Then I assume you wish to trade?"

I made myself chuckle.

"Hm," I hummed amusedly, removing my hand from the doorframe again to put a finger to my lips and smiled wide. "Sure, why not? That seems interesting. But"

I saw anticipation growing on Schnee's screen, saw him waiting for something. I looked at the crowd around him for a moment and chuckled again.

"Are you waiting for someone to activate the failsafe?" I asked. "I'm afraid you'll be waiting a rather long time. I dealt with your security alreadythis ship is mine."

I saw disbelief, stubbornness, and flexed the fingers of my free hand.

"It was embarrassing, how easy it was," I said. "It seems some things never change. But while I was busy, so much happened. I put work before pleasure, of course, but you"

I directed that last part at Adam, sound of my voice shifting in his direction as I clicked my tongue.

"Something came up," He answered and I gestured dismissively.

"It doesn't really matter, I suppose," I said. "Did you have fun?"

He waggled a hand.

"That's too bad," I said empathically. "Well, it seems things will get a bit interesting now, so be patient, okay? Let's seeI missed all the fun, so I suppose I'll just have to make my own. You mentioned a trade, Schnee; my subordinate for your daughter. Hmwell, that's one option. Good help is so hard to find, after all, wouldn't you agree? And I do dislike the idea of leaving one of my men behind. But"

I hummed to myself again for a moment, looking around. The skies were still clear, but who knows how long they'd stay that way. I had to move quickly but I couldn't rush, which was both tricky and aggravating.

"I already have what I came for," I mused aloud. "And I shouldn't waste toomuch time here. Ah, perhaps I should just leave and take you with me, Ms. Schnee? We could continue this conversation at a later date. Would youlike fly with me?"

If I hadn't been holding her over empty air, I'm pretty sure she would have kicked me in the balls. I'm pretty sure I deserved it.

But I kept up my act and chuckled again at the look on her face.

"No? I suppose it's just as well. I'm afraid my associates don't like your family much; you probably wouldn't make it back in one piece. Thenwhat do you think?" I asked Adam. "I suppose you should help decide, considering. Would you like me to save you?"

"As opposed to leaving me here?" He wondered confusedly after a long pause.

"Well, that's one option," I nodded. "But since I've taken full control of the ship, I could just open fire."

I snapped my fingers and had Crocea Mors flip several switches in the cockpit, activating lights on the underbelly of the White Whale, weapons arming. I saw the shift in Schnee and Ironwood immediately, parts of it even making it to their faces.

"Oh," I drew the word out. "You didn't believe me? Well, I suppose you do now. Yes. This ship is mine. And there you are Mr. Schnee, right in the line of fire. It'd be rather ironic if you were to die to this ship, wouldn't it? I'd be lying if I said there wasn't any appeal to the thought. I can't say it was part of the plan, but now that I see the chancemy. Don't move now, Ironwoodif the pilot is as nervous as I am, he might shoot if you make any sudden movements."

And at once, my casually spoken words brought silence, stillnessexcept from Adam. He looked around quietly, pondering, thinking my words over. For just a moment, I saw him tempted. The President of the Schnee Dust Company, the General of Atlas, several dozen Hunters, and more. I could understand what he was thinking.

But Adam wasn't stupid. He was as cold and sharp as the blade he wielded. He knew I wouldn't be willing to fire, I was sure, but he must have also known what would have followed if I could have. On the ashes anddestruction, the next Faunus War would have started the moment I pulled the trigger. Innocent people would have died and childrenlike Adam had once beenwould have been swept away in the war.

I saw him consider it and then exhale.

"I do not fear death," He said dispassionately, looking relaxed andapathetic as he played along. "The decision is yours."

I laughed and shook my head again.

"Yes," I said. "Good help is reallyso hard to find. Very well, Schnee; your daughter for my subordinate. I will trade with you now."

In another situation, there may have been debate, argument, semanticsbut I was pretty sure I'd played my part well enough. They looked tense, but they were still, two hundred people and no one said a word until Schnee nodded.

"Where and when?" He asked.

"Here and now," I said.

Now's where things get tricky.