Professor Arc

Chapter 22

"Hey kid-"

"We need to talk." The thief on the other end of the line went quiet, though Jaune could make out the tell-tale puff of a cigar. He imagined the man smoking away, scroll held at arm's length from his ear, one brow raised.

"Do we?" Roman danced around the topic with his usual grace. "I wasn't aware we had much to talk about, unless you've gotten a new girlfriend you want to tell me about?"

"Damn it Roman, I'm talking about Cinder!"

"I'd advise against it. She might leave you with a little surprise, if you know what I mean. Burning sensation mean anything to you?" Jaune growled into the device, running one hand through his hair. A quick glance at the changing room door said he still had time.

"Quit playing games, I'm serious here. Why didn't you warn me she was coming here?"

"Warn you?" Roman laughed. "What makes you think I'd have known in the first place? Word to the wise kid, she doesn't tell me everything she's doing. She'd be a fool to." Damn it... so he didn't know either. Or was it that the man was playing games with him? After all, he'd only said he didn't know everything she was doing.

"And if you had known," Jaune sighed, "would you have told me?"

Roman's silence was telling. Enough so that Jaune considered smashing the scroll against the wall in anger.

"So that's how it is? You're just turning on me like this?"

"Turning on you? Kid, that's rich – I put you where you are, I bent over backwards to make sure you kept your position there. What we had was a business transaction. And you still owe me."

"So you're on her side?"

Jaune heard the other man growl. "What is with you idiots? Her side, your side – you act like this is some kind of black and white world – well surprise, it isn't! You want to know who's side I'm on? My side – the only one that matters."

"And where does that leave us?" If he wasn't on Cinder's side, then why was he following her orders – why did he call her his employer? But then, if he was, then why did he keep Jaune's secret? Why wasn't Cinder waiting in his room to incinerate him?

Why did Roman have to be so damn confusing?

"It leaves us the same as we've ever been. Look, you want to talk? Come down and see me next week – day before that dance of yours. I'll be out of town for a little bit afterwards, so that'll be our last chance to talk."

"Out of town?" Jaune felt the need to massage the bridge of his nose. "Is this work you're doing personal, or something for her?"

"You think I'm just going to up and tell you everything, Cinder's not the only one who isn't a fool. Either way, a scroll isn't the best medium for sensitive information – you might want to keep that in mind."

"The walls have ears?" Jaune rolled his eyes.

"You don't get it yet, do you?" Roman laughed through the receiver, sounding honestly amazed. "You're in the big league now – you keep underestimating her, you won't just get burned. You'll be dead."

"Can I trust you?" He had to know... as simply as he could put it. His list of allies was lower than ever and he didn't want it to consist of just four students. Even more so when they didn't deserve to be put in danger like this.

"You can trust me," the criminal's answer was immediate, "but you can't have trust in me."

"What does that even mean? Stop talking in riddles!"