Rat number one leads

Jonathan watched as the puffs of smoke in the distance rose slowly upwards, all the while trying to figure out exactly who did it and what had provoked such a reaction. More importantly, what such an act would mean in the future.

Robyn was out of the picture – you made sure of that. Could Joanna have done this? She had the decisiveness to do it, but she lacked initiative, she wouldn't do something so drastic without orders from Robyn. And Robyn, for obvious reasons, couldn't give the order. Fiona? Absolutely not, she has no character, no control, and no loyalists to her side that could do the act. Adam? Actually, it's very probable – but I've made sure he's as far away from Robyn as possible, so news about her incapacitation shouldn't have arrived to him to warrant such a reaction yet. Robyn's deputies also wouldn't give him that information, at least not now, exactly for fear of Adam's drastic reactions… And for a good reason.

What are we betting on? Is it him or not him? Who else but him would react in such a way?

The General is out of the picture, his subordinates don't know it yet, so it's unlikely for the perpetrator to be a 'proactive' officer in the field… Unless it's simply a small fry who decides to interfere with all the plans.

Ozpin, Kaiser or Aifal?

Kaiser doesn't need it, he's ambitious, but not in pursuit of a bloodbath. He wants to rule, not destroy.

Ozpin?

It's hard to predict with him, I can reasonably measure his personality but still could not predict how it would affect his actions. He has millennia of experience, what may seem to me a random action on his part may be part of some grand plan. It also meant that he's pragmatic or perhaps vicious enough to commit an act of terrorism if it benefits his goal.

So, is it Aifal then?

I know even less about him. Neither his motive nor his plans…

So it's either Ozpin or Aifal?

But it's still possibly done by Adam's hands. You don't leave a good tool lying around.

What awful old politicians we are, calling Adam a 'good tool' – just wait till they offer you the chair of the Primus of the Order of Hermes.

Jonathan lost his train of thought for a moment as that last piece of thought stumbled out of his occupied mind. "It just slipped out! I'm not old enough yet not to go along with my own youthful impulses!"

Slipped out – or let loose?

Jonathan wrestled with that thought for a moment before being forced out of it as he heard a knock on the door. It seems that one of the agents assigned to guard the entrance to his room must have wished to inform him of what was happening at the moment. If not, then it must be because he's needed to negotiate with whoever is handling the crisis now, as he would be the only one left on Mantle's side that could do so.

With Robyn out of the picture, and with Joanna probably busy dealing with that, only Fiona would be left to represent the Mantle Liberation Front. And Fiona? Well, she's not suitable to deal with the upcoming crisis and emergency negotiations.

If Adam decided to go all-in – the situation would get quite complicated… But that opened up new avenues as well.

Jonathan felt some sort of almost mocking smirk appear on the back of his mind.

No man, no problem – it worked with faunus, too.

Adam would have to be taken out anyway sooner or later, one way or another. Simply shooting him where a relatively peaceful resolution exists would have been impossible, too influential, too many followers…

But now? Where he has committed such an egregious act? Who knows how the situation would turn out?

Jonathan made his way to the door, then opened it, looking the agent in the eye.

So it is done.

***

Ozpin shifted his gaze to his own hands, then to the cup of hot chocolate standing on his desk, smoldering slightly in the chilly room. Even with Atlas' efficient heating system running, they have to be for the city in the arctic hanging in the air so that its inhabitant doesn't just freeze to death, the cup was still too hot to touch. Ozpin calmly reached out and took a sip.

Sorry, old friend.

Ironwood is dead, perhaps not yet, or perhaps his dead body is already cooling in his office, Ozpin wasn't sure. Not that Ozpin would order his death, or even move his many influences to make it happen – but Ironwood's life is going to end in a matter of days if not already.

It is inevitable, and Ironwood probably knows it too.

He's probably in his office now, penning the last paragraph of his biography by ending his own life. A last act to spite his enemies, and perhaps to satisfy what last scrap of dignity and honor for Atlas, before it would be forced to court-martial him in a show of a trial. Though Ozpin wouldn't discount interference either – Ironwood is definitely not lacking in enemies right now.

Ozpin would put the Mantle vigilantes in the forefront of that list, maybe even led by Adam himself, if he was not held back by Robyn's ruling circles. It was even possible for the desperate and disappointed Atlas' soldiers mutinying. The latter was unlikely, but 'unlikely' didn't equal 'impossible'.

James was already a dead man walking. If not by his own hand, full of bitterness and resentment, then a revolutionary full of rage who had found the perfect face for all the vices of human nature in Atlas' last bastion. Or even a disillusioned and desperate officer, desperate for an answer that doesn't exist.

The suffering of the people gives rise to the most terrifying of ideologies and the most desperate of ideologues.

And of course, even if not pulling the trigger, the one that holds the gun is still the Mantle Liberation Front.

Ozpin knew, of course, that Jonathan would back Robyn. This was not even the result of his years of experience, but simple deduction. Jonathan's position was at a disadvantage in Atlas, for all his personal strength, Glenn was still a weak Kingdom overall. With Mantle however? With Robyn practically eating out of his hands – Jonathan now has control of the largest dust deposits in the world, the largest industries, and a huge pool of skilled labor. A snap of his finger, and Glenn immediately became an equal to the Four Kingdoms. Up to this point, Glenn and Menagerie had represented a major force in the political arena.

But only with the two of them together.

Glenn as an independent Kingdom's strength depended too much on Menagerie. Menagerie depended on Glenn in turn, of course, but this ended up leading to a situation where both Glenn and Menagerie were not strong on their own. Glenn could not afford to make too drastic moves, too strong an influence on Menagerie, fearing their backlash – the non-alternative dependence on each other meant that no one could become unequivocally 'in charge' of the pair.

Even if Jonathan had enough trump cards in hand to force Ghira to dance to his tune.

But with Mantle, Jonathan will get his hands on the most important thing – room to maneuver. The first fiddle in the triple alliance even when logically, it should be Mantle. Mantle is stronger than Glenn, it will be stronger than Glenn. It would be if it were in its full power.

Glenn was its own state, strong – but at the end it was still only a city-state, with a population size to match. Glenn simply lacked the manpower to project its strength – the last Ozpin had heard was that Glenn was just starting to make plans for satellite cities. To go from being a significant minor player, one that could impact the world stage should it support one Kingdom or another – to a full-fledged state that could stand on its own.

Yes, Glenn could compensate for most of their lack of manpower through their singular, unmatched technologies. But that only meant that, at best, they were 'one of a kind', not powerful. It would take years, perhaps even a few decades, of extensive and expansive development to truly become the new hegemon of Remnant, occupying the niche that Atlas had previously occupied.

Oh, they would, in time, Ozpin had no doubt about it. If you gave them a finger – Glenn would bite off at the elbow, especially with Jonathan at the helm, and even Cinder in the future… But it would take time. Time that no one wanted to give them.

And if you can't win alone – find allies. This truth was already evident to humans at the very dawn of humanity as such. Unite, look for opportunities to cover your weakness, and accentuate your strength. There's a reason why Salem, for all her power with the endless Grimm, still used human pawns to complete her objectives.

If Glenn, Jonathan, seized the opportunity in the moment, they wouldn't just get an ally, but get the head-start they so desperately need to truly become powerful. Dust, production capabilities, people – all things that Mantle could easily provide, and decades of desperate catch-up could be reduced to just a few years.

If Jonathan could act sharply and tough enough, that is – to truly grasp the control necessary to make it all possible. The hardest choices require the strongest wills.

Robyn believed in Jonathan and was definitely only too happy to 'help' Glenn, but she was still primarily a Mantle revolutionary, no matter how much of a Jonathan fan she is. Even if Jonathan was the reason she became a revolutionary in the first place, an idol of sorts. To seize the chance and quickly bridge the distance separating Glenn and the rest of the states, Jonathan would need to either trust other people and the politics, and try to convince Robyn.

Not difficult, but not to discount Robyn's capability, though not a politician, she was not too stupid to ignore Jonathan's running roughshod in her fiefdom. Robyn would be forced to act tough, if only so that to keep peace in her new kingdom. The people necessary to begin and fuel a revolution is not at all similar to one in running a country, a pruning of leadership and people in the Mantle Liberation Front is inevitable. It would be a balancing act for Robyn to prevent her new country to lapse into a civil war, as ironic as a fate that would be.

Something that wouldn't be helped if Jonathan decided to act too overtly in Mantle, creating a possible rift in Glenn and Mantle's relationship.

Ozpin wouldn't even be surprised to learn that Robyn had decided to unexpectedly 'leave' her post after the revolution ended and Mantle became a proper Kingdom. Maybe she 'retired' to devote her time fully to her hobby? Growing petunias in the garden or something similar, Ozpin had heard and orchestrated a more insane 'retirement plan' in the past.

An opening in would be made so that Jonathan could bring in someone far softer, more pliable, but still able to keep the people of Mantle in check. Fiona, perhaps?

More precisely, Ozpin would not be surprised by Jonathan's action.

Jonathan was a kind man. A bright one. Once upon a time.

Long reflection on the nature of goodness only leads to an understanding of the ephemerality of the concept itself.

The reality of this world… Broke him. More precisely, it had corroded his kindness until there was nothing left but the hulk. And so, eventually, Jonathan came to a conclusion – that good was not an overarching constant. It was not universal and pure for all, deciding that good did justify evil – one way or another.

I wonder if all mages are alike in that sense.

Ozpin couldn't smile at the thought, taking another sip from his cup before his gaze noticed the black smoke slowly rising in the distance, causing Ozpin to frown his eyebrows just a little.

That's… Interesting.

Ozpin rose from his seat, making his way to the window quite swiftly, his cane still propped up next to his chair. Although he was using his cane as a weapon or even accessory, he didn't need it for his daily walk, unlike with Jonathan's situation. So he could afford to act without having his cane with him, looking out into the night whose silence was just broken, replaced a moment later by the howl of sirens.

From the looks of it, the ordinance was something small, homemade explosives? The smoke was probably not even from a fire, but from the low-quality of explosives. But in the current situation, any spark could set off this powder keg. Literally and figuratively

Ozpin looked closely at where the fire was before his gaze caught a glimpse of the fast-moving figures in the streets. Numerous police cars, and even some from the military, pacifying the brawls happening in the street, but…

Ozpin felt his control over the muscles of his face betray him for the first time in a very long time, causing Ozpin to frown involuntarily. "What the hell is that?"

***

Aifal was not the world's most avid liquor drinker. Oh no, he was a drinker, not two ways about that, his past was filled with various types of alcohol, copious amounts of them. But in the end, age had made that pastime too hazardous for his health, so now he consumed alcohol extremely rarely, purely symbolically to celebrate a successful accomplishment or to put a small mental mark in his imaginary diary.

Swirling wine in his glass while gazing at the setting sun marking the end of another day, more for the mental satisfaction than for anything else.

In other words, Aifal drank extremely rarely.

And that is why this flowing figure, closely watching the smoke rising over the city, holding a glass half-full of wine in his hand, was so rare.

As has been said somewhat earlier, Aifal usually looked this way when he gave himself over to 'celebrating' some accomplishment. As he did at the moment.

Salem decided to make a pawn move to get to the king.

Leonardo Lionheart.

Mistral was the state with the most anti-faunus sentiment – after Atlas in the very distant first, of course, But Leonardo Lionheart, a faunus, was represented in the Council of Mistral, in the highest ruling circles of Mistral. How was that possible?

In the first place, was Ozpin, more specifically, his influence. Racism or not, a millennial old chess master with his experience, connections, and intelligence aplenty like him could play any game of chess, moving his pawn as he wished to wherever he's needed. Even if it violated the rules of the game.

The second is the internal politics of Mistral itself made Lionheart's appointment much smoother. Something between a PR move of 'how can Mistral be racists against the Faunus, look, a faunus is on the Mistral Council, you must be confusing us with some other Mistral!' and a confluence of unique conditions. Lionheart was the perfect front-man, an unambitious figure for a leader for their Hunter Academy, whose personality, and more importantly easily bought silence, suits all the other Mistral rulers. Especially their thuggish clans and personalities – he was the perfect pillar to maintain the status quo.

And third, last and least but still playing its part, is the very fact that this faunus was a Hunter.

Every living creature, perhaps except bacteria, but the scientific debate was still going on, on that side, possessing some measure of Aura. But not every one of those creatures could evoke its power.

Aura existed in any living being, it could be measured scientifically, verified and confirmed scientifically – but only one in three hundred could manifest their Aura in any significant measure. A small part of the population that could manifest the power of their Souls to fight the tide of Darkness. And on average, of that three hundredth, only one in one hundred could use their Aura for anything more than a vague sense of 'oh, I have Aura'.

Being a Hunter puts you in a very privileged position in society – if for the simple calculus that you could kill a platoon of fully armed soldiers with the flip of your hand.

Jumping off a ten-story building with nothing worse for wear, unimaginable pirouettes of martial acrobatics, and perhaps even spitting fireballs capable of burning Grimm and buildings filled with civilians alike. That and other Hunter tricks that made kids all over the world fight each other, trying to figure out if Qrow Branwen or Ivory Bronze was the best and strongest Hunter in the world.

Only one in one hundred, in three hundredth of the population, had the ability to develop these abilities, to become a Hunter. Add to this very small odds, the failures, the accidents, the wrong choices, and the fact that someone might not have seen the abilities and capabilities of a future Hunter at the right time? And one in fifty thousand seems more than a good number, more than a worthy result.

One out of fifty thousand still means about four hundred Hunters – including active Hunters and students, for example, for Mistral. A whole small army of super-powered, unique power possessing combatants.

Is that a lot in terms of combat power? Yes – but is it a lot on a national scale?

Even assuming that just one Hunter at any one time could occupy an entire square kilometer of area and ensure its safety, that would barely cover the territory of Mistral City itself. If, of course, the city would risk leaving not even a single Hunter for the rest of the settlements.

And that number includes all the Hunters – students, teachers, veterans, and retirees alike.

What Aifal was getting to, was that there aren't many Hunters. Very few, so few that not even the most rabid racist would allow their beliefs to stand in the way of a faunus enrolling in a Hunter Academy.

And if there were people that were to stand in the way of a prospective Hunter? Other, less entrenched in their beliefs, people, would make them see the error of their ways.

Leonardo Lionheart was proof of this fact… but any other Faunus would suffice, so why Lionheart?

In the first place, it was entirely correct to say that Leonardo Lionheart was in the place because the powers that be, wanted him there. Ozpin saw Leonardo as an obedient puppet – and in a sense he was. Of all the things Leonardo lacked, what he lacked most, of course, was willpower, a spine.

That made him handy – for Aifal, for Ozpin… And for Salem.

So my much-maligned Mistress decided to take advantage of Leonardo, and I can't say I don't understand her motivation.

Leonardo Lionheart, who has suddenly, for the inattentive, decided to betray both camps of the two eternal enemies, Ozpin and Salem, to defect under the wing of Jonathan. Hoping to beg him for indulgence with such secret information about his mistress' weaknesses. Thereby provoking new chaos, to turn Jonathan's hand against Salem, to destroy her.

And why not?

Aifal could barely imagine what would follow from Salem's death. All those Grimm, all that living mass of darkness, flesh and claws, left without their Queen, and Ozpin, whose powers would henceforth be free from his eternal foe. And Jonathan, stripped of the blade drawn over his head.

Oh, if only I could live longer and see how the world would change at that moment.

But Aifal was already too old. Even with Salem curing him of his illness, she could not save him from old age. To be more precise, there was only one way she could do it – and Aifal was not Tyrian, nor did he wish to end his life in a so Grimm way. Heh…

Aifal lived as a king and would not die a pawn.

So, bereft of the glimpse of how the world would change in ten, twenty or thirty years, Aifal decided to act now.

A word here, a shot there, and Adam Taurus set off on his mad crusade against Atlas…

Bringing a bit of chaos to a seemingly so orderly picture of the world. Obstructing Jonathan, and at the same time – definitely helping him, all the more to create even more chaos.

Jonathan's plans weren't perfect, against Aifal or against Ozpin it was difficult to create a perfect net capable of hiding even something this big… But they weren't bad.

To see – you had to know where to look.

Ozpin was old, and therein lay one of his few weaknesses. Inertia of thought.

Having once appreciated Jonathan's goodness, Ozpin would be opposed to changing his view of him, and changing his plans to suit, clinging desperately to them even as he realized that those plans no longer corresponded to reality.

The world was changing faster than Ozpin had time to notice these changes. The psyche of the eternal man, spending thousands of years in a game of chess with Salem, pondering every move for decades, could not keep up with Jonathan – with any people, really. No one could simply be on the same level as Ozpin and Salem to make a move and highlight the weaknesses of 'Remnant's last mage'.

Not the last anymore, he supposed.

And Aifal could only applaud Ozpin's past accomplishment, but that didn't mean that he was undefeatable. Ozpin could not be defeated in shadows, in political intrigue, in plans stretching back generations, but that did not mean he could not be defeated at all.

You just had to act sharply, quickly, openly and brazenly.

And Jonathan had just made the right move.

And Aifal appreciated such action.

He even, in a way, also applauded Jonathan's actions. Not everyone could have the will to do something so open and obvious. So, Aifal decided to help Jonathan a little. To add a little of his own spark to the impending chaos.

Aifal smiled a little smugly, as he looked out the window, not at the rising clouds of black smoke, but in the direction of the hotel, now Ozpin's temporary retreat. Too bad he lacks the ability to see Ozpin's expression right now, what he wouldn't give to see it. But really, Ozpin should know that his action would provoke a retaliation from Jonathan.

Ozpin had made a move against Jonathan – made Yang the new maiden, and it would drag the entire STRQ team down with her to Ozpin's side. After all, few people other than Ozpin could train Yang, given her the ability to control her powers, to stop her from being a danger to herself and her surroundings. Even Jonathan, being a mage, did not possess the necessary knowledge and skills.

Aifal took a sip from his glass and set it aside, turning away from the panoramic view.

But if, through Aifal's hands, some fairly experienced, trained with the help of Aifal himself, who had received knowledge from Salem, Maiden, Amber, now part of Cinder Fall's team, and thus of Jonathan's inner circle, to appear? Well, who knows how that pebble would ripple out?

***

Adam Taurus was not the sort of man, or faunus, who would be described by anyone as 'composed'.

For those who were accustomed to using diplomatic language that emphasized the good sides of even the bad traits, while putting the worst sides in the most favorable light, Adam Taurus was an 'inspired', 'righteous' and 'determined' enthusiast.

For those not used to hiding their real opinions so much behind verbal lace, Adam Taurus was a simpler person to describe.

A rabid dog of revolution, off his chain.

No, it would be correct to say that Adam Taurus was never really leashed on the chain of Robyn and her deputies, his leash was held in her hand, but that hardly added to his owner's confidence. Holding a dog's leash in one's hands, the owner could enjoy the feeling of controlling the dog, but only until the dog wanted to lunge or bite for real.

A rabid dog could tear the leash from one's hands, possibly along with their hands.

Adam didn't need a reason to strike, he had every reason to hate Atlas with the most acrimonious and fierce hatred a living thinking being was capable of.

Where was his father? A drunken soldier had shot him in a fight, he thought the 'dirty' Faunus had tried to steal his money. Who knows, maybe he had – there aren't many ways to earn an honest living in the slums of Mantle, and everyone requires money to live – especially when you have a family.

Where is his mother? An unanswered question, perhaps her body was decomposing in a junkyard now, dead, struck by the car of some impunity-stricken rich man. Or maybe she was now enjoying some expensive alcohol on Vacuan beach, even forgetting that she'd once had a son. Adam didn't know, and he didn't really care, to be honest.

Where were his friends? Some were awaiting their release in Atlas' prisons, some long ago had been busy fertilizing the land of Mantle – and some, right now holding guns, were shooting at Atlas's soldiers.

Where is his money? Where is his face? Where are his rights, his freedom, his respect, where is it all!?

Adam has nothing. His family was taken from him, his life was taken from him, everything was taken from him – Atlas had taken everything from him.

And now Atlas is going to take Robyn away from him, too?!

Adam respected Robyn – she wasn't perfect, too soft, too calm, too forgiving of Atlas, but Adam respected Robyn nonetheless. Soft though she was, but there was a passion in her, an eagerness in her, a desire to help Mantle, a fire that burned to make Atlas rue their days, even if not the way Adam wanted.

She lacked the will to punish Atlas – and that had ruined her.

Robyn was still alive, if barely. The last thing Adam had heard was that Robyn had slipped into a coma, though no one could make a prediction as to how her condition would change even in the next few minutes. If Atlas' killers had done their job well, Robyn didn't have much left, maybe a day, maybe even only a dozen seconds more.

You try to reach out to Atlas, and it bites back. Atlas was never to be given a choice! Until the soaring city burned to the ground, Atlas would not realize what it had done to us. Atlas has made us suffer – so let's show them how much our suffering is!

Adam, predictably, didn't ask too many questions.

Why was he in this particular place and at this particular time? Why was his squad free and unsupervised by Robyn's subordinates? Why had he been informed of Robyn's condition?

Adam didn't know, but he didn't want to know, hadn't even considered the possibility that he was being manipulated – the possibility of doubt and reflection removed from his mind, replaced by cataclysmic anger.

What difference would it make if it all came down to Atlas in the end anyway! Was it necessary to build up such complicated intrigues, to conduct analysis, to speculate on the course of events, if the solution to the problem was so simple and obvious anyway?

Atlas must be destroyed!

Adam plunged his blade into the belly of the soldier before him, looking for a moment into the dying man's eyes.

What was he thinking now?

Were the moments of his life flashing before the soldier's eyes? Adam would be saddened if that was so, he wished that the last thing the soldier's dark shrouded eyes saw was Adam's disfigured face.

Adam was a monster. He wasn't stupid or hypocritical enough not to know it – he was a monster through and through.

A monster, Atlas, had spawned. The monster Atlas deserved.

Adam pulled the blade from the soldier's body in a sharp jerk, causing the dying soldier to twitch and flop forward onto his stomach. He was futilely trying to press his hands against the bleeding wound in a desperate attempt to keep his bowels inside his body.

What difference did it make whether Atlas's dog died with his bowels inside or outside? He would die anyway.

Adam stepped over the body of the squirming soldier in their death throes of agony, looking around his surroundings, but his gaze naturally shifted to his target in the distance.

Atlas Academy was the last stronghold of the bastard General – Ironwood. If Atlas is determined to take Mantle's leader away, Adam will do anything to take Atlas's leader along with him!

Did Adam have a chance to get to General Ironwood? Of course, he did, he wasn't that far from Atlas Tower, if he acted quickly and decisively with a small group of his compatriots, they had every chance of getting to Atlas Academy. And finishing off the General once and for all.

They had no chance of surviving after that – but who cares? If Atlas burned in the fire that Adam himself had started, he was perfectly fine with burning along with it.

The sound of cars, wheels on rough pavement, and the group of cars barreling towards him made Adam spit. He seemed to have underestimated Atlas, reinforcement had arrived faster than he'd expected.

Adam turned around a moment later, his group couldn't afford to linger here for long. The reinforcements arriving were too significant, Adam could hold them off, to allow his squad to advance, but they wouldn't be enough to kill Ironwood.

And without that his revenge would not be… Adam blinked. Looking at the moving column of armored vehicles – before frowning. There was something strange about them.

The vehicles didn't belong to Atlas, or the Mantle Liberation Front for that matter, instead, they carried the insignia of… Glenn?

"Atlas residents, remain calm and stay in your homes, clear the street!" A voice echoed through the loudspeakers, desperately trying to drown out the Atlas emergency sirens,

"In accordance with an official appeal from the Mantle Liberation Front and a decision by a general summit of heads of state! A limited peacekeeping contingent of Glenn defense forces has been deployed until the internal situation in the Kingdom of Mantle and Atlas is stabilized! Remain calm and stay in your house, leave the streets!"

Adam blinked before grinning slightly.

It seems that the situation is getting more and more interesting!