The Wilted Rose

Chapter 70: Better Tomorrow

Vale

10:02 PM

20 Hours to the Fall

Red Hood Pov

I pulled up in front of the hospital doors and got off. I had saw Neo as I was pulling in. I ran over to her and Miltia, taking her from Neo. She had to have been tired having to carry her as far as she had. We went in and the second the nurses saw us, they were all over her.

Nurse: What happened!?

Red Hood: Gunshot wound to the midsection. 

Nurse: Do you know what caliber? 

Red Hood: No. 

The other nurses had a gurney out and ready. I set Miltia down on it and watched as they wheeled her back. Some of the other nurses stayed behind looking at the blood covering me. All I had to say was that it wasn't mine and they all went back to work. Neo looked exhausted. We needed to get out of the open before some less friendly cops or Atlas finds us. 

Red Hood: Neo, come on.

Neo: 'What about Miltia?'

Red Hood: We aren't doctors. This is the safest place for her. Not so much for us. Besides, I know where Roman is. 

Neo perked up real quick when I said that. Neo took one last look at the doors that Miltia disappeared behind before walking past me and out the door. We got on the bike and started searching for a safe house. I was going to one of my bigger ones since that one has a full armory. If Neo and I are about to go toe-to-toe with Atlas, we needed to be prepared and have a plan in mind....

Weiss Pov

10:10 PM

We were all gathered around Yang. She was near inconsolable, swearing up and down that Mercury had attacked her. When it happened, I thought that Yang did it out of vengeance for what he and Emerald did to Y/n. Now I wasn't so sure. After What Yang did, she was under armed guard, curtesy of Ironwood. After all the Mechs that were destroyed while Y/n was on his way out, I'm shocked that they even had two to spare for Yang. 

Then there's the news that's already dragging Yang and Y/n through the mud. Ruby luckily has been spared but that probably won't last. A reporters job is to be nosy after all. Leave it to them to find out everything about a given situation. Despite the mainstream coverage of the two, Y/n was being defended by most of the independent and smaller news crews. 

The use of live ammunition was something everyone noticed. They couldn't even figure out what was worse. Fully armed security bots at the Vytal festival, the most peaceful event of the year, or what Yang did to Mercury. 

We didn't keep the news on after that but we saw that something happened at a night club about a hour ago now. I couldn't help but wonder if Y/n was involved in that too.... After Goodwitch saw that, she excused herself, leaving us alone with Yang and the knights outside. 

Yang: I swear that he came at me! I defended myself!

Blake: ....Yang....

Ruby: Of course we do!

Weiss: Your hotheaded but not ruthless. 

Blake was noticeably quiet. It was nothing unordinary under normal circumstances but given what happened and how close we all were, her silence was loud. Ruby and I looked at each other concerned and hoping that Yang wouldn't notice but she of course did.