The REDS of war

Volume Seven Chapter Nine

Snow continues to fall from the night sky over Mantle, collecting on roads, sidewalks and rooftops. Pietro Polendina and Maria Calavera stand outside Pietro's clinic with the door open, allowing civilians to take shelter inside.

"What's going on? Is the heat off in Atlas too?"

"They wouldn't just turn the heat off..."

Pietro and Maria look at each other.

"...Would they?"

Maria and Pietro look up at the City of Atlas, the underside of which is still lit up cyan and purple.

Inside the dining room of the Schnee Manor, the Atlas councilmen continue to talk to James Ironwood.

"General, since the day you were appointed Headmaster, there have been Atlesians who are skeptical of one man holding two Council seats."

"Yes, which is exactly why we have checks and balances."

"We're supposed to, but lately you've been running roughshod all over them, making unilateral decisions without us."

"Councilman, I never intended--!"

"What people intend and what they do aren't always the same, General."

A butler walks into the room, stops at Jacques Schnee's side, and whispers to him. "Hm? (hushed) What? For how long?" The butler whispers again. Jacques' eyes widen. Jacques continues speaking hushed. "My authorization? Check it again!"

The butler hurries out of the room, and Councilman Sleet looks at Jacques. "Councilman Schnee?"

Jacques tenses. As he speaks, he adjusts his tie and gestures awkwardly. "Um... (clears throat) Yes, I, uh... agree with everything, everything that was, uh, just said. No, uh, no further questions."

He quiets down, collecting himself, and Sleet, Camilla and Robyn Hill stare at him for a moment.

Robyn turns to Ironwood. "I'm not quite done yet. You're afraid of something, General. Aren't you?"

"I think that's pretty obvious, Miss Hill. I'm trying to prevent Atlas from becoming another Beacon, another Haven."

While Robyn speaks, Jacques does not appear to be paying close attention. Instead, he clasps his hands in front of his face, then puts his left hand to his face.

"Yet, you don't trust your own Council to help you? Operating in secret? These are the actions of somebody who's hiding something."

Ironwood tilts his head. "I'm not hiding anything."

"Let's put it to the test then." Robyn stands up, and Jacques lowers his hand from his face and watches as she approaches Ironwood. "You're all aware of my Semblance. Let's settle it here and now, General Ironwood." She stands next to Ironwood and holds her hand out to him. He looks at her hand, then at the councilmen. "Here and now."

He looks at her hand again, but before he can do anything, the double doors on the other end of the room noisily swing open.

"Wait!" Weiss shouts. Everyone looks toward the door, and Robyn gains a slightly annoyed expression. Weiss is standing in the doorway, holding the doors open. "You've got the wrong man on trial." She walks into the room and stops next to Jacques. "I know who's been framing Ironwood, who rigged the election. And my father does, too. He's been working with him."

Jacques looks nervous, and Weiss sets the Scroll that Willow Schnee gave her on the table and taps the screen, causing it to project a hologram screen into the air. The screen depicts a paused video of Jacques and Arthur Watts in Jacques' office.