Torchwhick.
It was a name well known throughout Vale's backstreets for its infamy in regards to dark world dealings and orchestrated theft. A Household name for all the wrong reasons, and Roman was proud of it.
Taking time and effort to foster his reputation, Roman had thought he'd be able to enjoy the comforts of his efforts to lead his best life as a free man who followed his desires.
"That damn Red," Roman gnashed his teeth and sighed with contempt. He felt if he glared enough at the stack of documents next to him, they'd shrivel up and just burn away into oblivion.
Field work was better than this! Well, actually no, considering he'd sent Junior's men to do the grunt work, but still, this was exceedingly frustrating.
It was all that woman's fault. Sure, she wasn't a psychotic bitch, but she was a slave driver. At least she paid well. That was the only reason Roman stuck around and listened to her.
If a problem couldn't be solved with Lien, then you just weren't throwing enough of it at someone's face, and Roman would gladly be that face, but the appeal was beginning to dwindle with the appearance of wrinkles and stress lines.
"A report on suspicious individuals arriving into Vale proper," Roman murmured, skimming the recent information on the foremost document in front of him.
A vein quickly popped over his temple.
-Faunus with arms for wings.
-A man in a clown costume scaring away children.
-A strange woman with a case of pink eye and mood swings.
-A man carrying an overly large suitcase...a smuggling attempt?
"Tch!" Roman tore the paper to shreds, tired eyes twitching. "You see Red, that's why you don't hire stupid."
Roman knew that he was alone, but he couldn't help but complain. Throwing his hands up into the air and shoving the documents away from him, Roman kicked back and lit a cigarette. He was no fool, and experience was his greatest asset.
Pulling out his scroll, Roman reread his contacts with Neo. He ruminated over her warnings about past heroes and villains with a particular focus on a supposed threat Neo insisted could not be dealt with through their means. It was better to run and mount an escape than to fight.
A formidable adversary who sides with Darkness, and the fact that Archer was also somehow involved with Beacon in trying to defeat this foe- Peculiar, wasn't it?
Roman took a long drag of the cigarette before letting out a cloud of acrid smoke.
He closed his eyes and reveled in the cigarette's narcotic effect before refocusing.
The dots were clicking together.
Tightened scrutiny of those entering and exiting Vale, Scarlet and Archer running back and forth, and an enemy even Neo was wary about it in the background.
It may have sounded like Roman had been joking about a potential invasion prior, but all the signs were pointing towards it. The Mercenaries were stockpiling Dust, and various orders of ammunition and weaponry were coming in through Atlas, at this point all that was left was personnel.
Reports about Atlas and its robot army coupled with a growing number of Huntsmen and Huntresses attending this year's Vytal festival because of the Arc boy, painted a certain picture.
Something was definitely brewing and Scarlet was a fool to think that Roman wouldn't notice.
Extinguishing the light on the smoke of his cigar, Roman fell into silent contemplation.
YOU ARE READING
The Huntsman of Red V2
AdventureGuardian, Protector, Hero, and perhaps something more, that was what he had always meant to her, but to others he was simply known as the Huntsman of Red, Remnant's final hope. This story is not mine, it belongs to Parcasious
