Jaune took a long, heavy drink from his glass, letting the burn of the alcohol settle deep in his chest before slamming the empty glass down on the counter with a force that echoed through the bar. His gaze drifted to his scroll, the screen illuminated with a message from Theodore.
[They're on their way. Five minutes out. You know what to do.]
The words hung in the air, their weight pressing down on him. Jaune tossed a 10-lien bill onto the counter, the currency barely making a sound as it landed, and slid off the stool. The bar's dim lighting barely registered as he stepped outside, the chill of the night air biting at his skin. Just as the door closed behind him, the distinct roar of a Bullhead's engines filled the sky. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"They're early, Theo," he mused to himself.
Jaune's fingers moved swiftly over his scroll, switching contacts to Gillian and Carmine. He typed out a quick message:
[Guests incoming. Huntsmen. Be ready.]
He hesitated for a split second, his thumb hovering over the send button. His friends—or maybe soon-to-be former friends—deserved more than this. But there wasn't time for hesitation. He hit send and pocketed the scroll, his mind shifting back to the mission. He moved with purpose, making his way toward the Bullhead pad in town.
As he approached, Jaune kept to the shadows, his steps careful and quiet. When he finally reached the edge of the pad, he could make out the figures disembarking from the Bullhead. CFVY. And Nora. The sight of her made his chest tighten. She looked worn out, her usual spark dimmed to a flicker.
For a brief moment, guilt pierced through Jaune's resolve. Did I do that to her? The question lingered, gnawing at him. Is it my fault she looks like that?
But he couldn't afford to lose focus now. The mission came first. It had to. Shaking off the doubts, he steeled himself, forcing his thoughts back on track. This was what he signed up for. This was what he had to do.
Jaune walked away from the landing pad, his mind already racing with the next steps. He needed to find Carmine and Gillian. As he made his way back to the bar, the familiar creak of the door welcomed him, and he scanned the dim interior. It didn't take long to spot them; both Carmine and Gillian were already seated at the far end of the bar, their expressions unreadable in the low light. Jaune slipped onto the stool beside them, not bothering to meet their eyes.
Gillian was the first to speak, her voice calm but edged with curiosity. "Did you see who they were?"
Jaune gave a short nod, his voice deliberately laced with a hint of fabricated concern. "Yeah, and I think we might be in some trouble."
Carmine's gaze snapped to him, her eyes narrowing as suspicion crept into her tone. "Why?"
"It's team CFVY... and an old friend of mine, Nora," Jaune said, carefully gauging their reactions.
Carmine's expression darkened, her posture stiffening as fury sparked in her eyes. "CFVY's here?" she repeated, her tone low and dangerous.
Gillian's eyes flickered with recognition, the name instantly conjuring memories of the team that had brought down Carmine and Bertilak in the past. She knew how much Carmine had been itching for revenge, and this was the moment she had been waiting for.
Jaune nodded again, his voice steady. "Yeah."
Carmine clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white.
"Plan?" Jaune asked, his tone deceptively calm, as if they were merely discussing what to have for dinner.
Carmine's response was immediate and fierce. "Let's just go and deal with them. It's not like we can't take them on. Gillian can drain their Aura, and bam! We kick some ass!" Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous enthusiasm.
YOU ARE READING
Rising Dawn
FanfictionJNR head to Vacuo to continue to learn due to Beacon being rebuilt, however, a brand new threat lurks in Vacuo, and it's up to them and their friends to stop it. (Post V3 and After the Fall).
