In Plain Sight

“I apologize if any of my mannerisms are off putting, or I begin speaking strangely. I can normally control it, but circumstances being what they are,” Willow said trailing off.

“No that’s fine, uh so what can I do for you? I assume that it must be important if I’m here,” Ruby deduced. 

“Correct, well I believe so. As you read my journal had my visions in it. You were in it, as were several others I knew were trustworthy. It is difficult to tell what is correct or if my senses are being altered. 

I see dreams of things that can’t possibly be real, of simple walks in the park, and then figures in robes chanting in a language I’ve never heard but know instinctively and I just know that if they finish horrible things will happen. A desert and tent. Two sleep soundly for the last time wrapped in one another's embrace, and then back to the chanting.

And yet I’m powerless to interfere as they do and a figure answers their call. A woman of terrifying power who sets off to find a man equally powerful and they fight. 

The world runs red with blood, the sun is blocked out and they ruin the very planet as they fight with one another. 

I know not how it ends, only that it is an end. 

There is a smiling one, but why is he smiling? One who has consumed another, a former lover now no more. The flock must unite, but there is the one with three eyes. They mustn’t keep themselves a secret to their friends if the world is to be saved, but not yet? Too late? Not at all?"

Willow was startled as Ruby gently grasped her hand with her own. 

“It’s ok. Take a few deep breaths alright?” Ruby asked as Willow was about to patronize her but did as she instructed instead. She’d learn that there was nothing that could be done to help her so she’d humor her the first time. 

“Ok, in and out. Just try and clear your mind. Repeat after me. ‘I’m Willow Schnee and I’m a badass. I control my own mind’.”

Willow did so and then prepared to inform Ruby that it didn’t work until she realized…her mind was silent. For the first time in years . 

She had rare moments when it had happened but the last one had been so long ago.

“What is this? What are you?” Willow asked in awe as she looked at her hands and around the room as if seeing everything for the first time. 

“It’s a normal relaxation technique, and I’m a doctor!” Ruby said cheerfully. “Did it help?” 

“My mind hasn’t been this clear in ages. I…we have much to accomplish while this lasts. Come with me,” Willow demanded as she grabbed and pulled the doctor along and ignored her eep at being manhandled. 

Watts replayed the footage making sure to analyze every frame he could. 

Raven Branwen, or at least what she went by nowadays. Just a few more frames and there it was. 

He took the picture of the face in her arms and set it to cross reference in his computer while he made a few notations. 

“Ruby Rose,” Watts mumbled as her name and basic information populated his screen and hit the record button on his computer.  

“Young but at least of passing intellect if she’s a doctor already at her age. Runs a blood bank. Interesting but not overly so, but she was already aware or at least is now of the supernatural,” Watts said out loud rubbing his chin as he dug deeper. 

“Parents deceased. Has a half sister she sees every few months at least. No known associates or criminal record. A past relationship mentioned where the other party was murdered. No suspect ever found. Was it the work of a supernatural being?

A guest at Dusk til Dawn fairly often recently, and in the company of a coworker, which is only noteworthy because of her apparent seclusion and desire to keep others at arms length,” Watts muttered to himself.  

“Coworker is Velvet Scarletina. Unremarkable appearance, and mental faculties but a were-rabbit or something of that nature according to Winchester.  Moderately interesting for testing perhaps. Will need to prepare silver restraints and a cage,” Watts murmured as he skipped to the next page. 

“Weiss Schnee. There we are. And how is the little revenant family? Elder sister potentially involved with Fall. That bears more looking into as a possible way to exploit the situation. 

Hmm, if Rose was taken and deposited to…then it would stand to reason that one of several situations have taken place. 

And if what Tyrian said is true…plan c it is,” Watts said, pulling up the already drafted notifications and sending the orders out. 

He pulled a sheet of paper closer and raised his voice slightly. “Plan C is now in effect. Orders have been sent and will be carried out in the coming days as the groundwork has already been laid. 

The Malachites are no longer useful, and have likely made preparations to flee or seek sanctuary. Their survival is largely irrelevant although seeing what plans they might have made should prove highly interesting. The mobile sun reflectors should be of great use to those being entrusted with them if they get the chance to use them.

The other parts are in motion. With any luck Tyrian will not get sidetracked but seeing as its a mission for his dark mother I suspect he will not. 

Things are coming to a head soon I believe. I shall need to recall the entirety of the revenants if possible. The Schnees should already be on the way to retrieve the wayward doctor which I will allow to progress as normal so as to not draw attention to it, but I will start calling the others home.  

While individually they are not overly of strong blood the sheer number of them should shore up my strength significantly. I will have to stagger their approach or things could turn bothersome. 

I will also give Tyrian the go ahead to increase his own blood’s potency. I am sure he’ll relish the chance, but they’ve proven to be less than useful. I’m sure he’ll find a way to make use of them before the deed but that’s up to him. 

It is unfortunate that it’s coming to a head so soon. Another century or so would be preferable but I believe that based on my calculations that I should prove a match or even more powerful than the mysterious patron, and once I have their blood there should be none outside Caine himself who can stop me. 

Should they prove more powerful then I have a few things to tip the scales in my favor, and if I'm correct I'm narrowed down the potential identity to a half dozen individuals, and planned a strategy for each one. 

I must admit I find myself more nervous than I thought despite everything. I do not know why. Even should they prove stronger than planned for I am stronger still. I have gone far beyond what should be needed. 

The pieces are in place and I have taken steps to neutralize nearly all variables or planned for them.

The Malachites are being taken care of, Dusk til Dawn will be razed to the ground, I’ll be dealing with the Schnees and others when they show up, and the other hunters will be here sooner still.

Branwen never stays in one place with her clan…perhaps I should spare a few extras just in case…or perhaps a warning is better,” Watts murmured as he tapped through the information he had on ‘Raven Branwen’. 

“Perhaps a well placed threat, and carrot and the stick would work best. No need to invite a variable so close to the event,” Watts recited to his computer as he pulled up a picture of a blonde and redhead. 

“End recording,” Watts said as the light stopped blinking. 

“Much to do in little time,” Watts said as he went back to work. 

Soon…

“You have something to say?” Raven asked a woman with dark hair and amber eyes. A brown haired girl bristled at her tone before a bald woman stepped up and growled at her. 

“It’s alright, Vernal,” Raven said. “I want to hear what Blake has to say, and you can’t expect her mate to not defend her.”

“I just…don’t understand. That was your…and you just left her there,” Blake said, trying to explain what she meant. 

“How many winters, Blake?” Raven asked as Blake fell silent. After a few more moments she continued. “In our world nothing is as it seems. Should you make it to my age then you’ll see much worse than that. Vernal, gather the rest we’re moving,” Raven ordered her second in command who nodded and left to carry out her orders. 

“Are you alright, Blake?” 

“I’m fine Ilia. I just was hoping after she killed Adam for us that things would be different here,” Blake confided as Ilia wrapped her up in a hug. 

“We’ll give it a little more time, but if things don’t change we’ll go our own way. She already said we could so we don’t have to stay. There’s plenty of places we could go just the two of us,” Ilia offered as Blake smiled. 

“Thank you, Ilia. Maybe we can look for my parents. I’d still like to know what happened to them,” Blake said. 

“We can make a holiday of it!” Ilia said eagerly. 

Blake leaned forward and gave Ilia a small peck on the lips the other girl melted into. “We’d best hurry or Vernal will come chew us out again.”

“Ugh, you’d think she’d have something better to do,” Ilia groused as they walked toward the temporary camp Raven had set up. 

“So far we’ve gotten a few leads on the blood,” Cinder said to the assembled group. 

“One was to the blood bank. While we were there I had them check for any of her blood in storage and checked it against what we found on the bandage. Same taste so a match there, which confirms we’re following the right trail.”

“I assume her apartment was another lead,” Weiss said as she looked at the elder vampire who nodded. 

“A few items had some blood on them,” Cinder said, deliberately not mentioning what it was found on to save all present and the doctor some embarrassment, presumably. 

“We found one trail leading out of town which is what we’re assuming is the one we want to keep following although that one is more difficult to track as you can imagine,” Cinder said presenting her information thus far. 

“Yang, and I tore through her old childhood items. We found a lot of what you’d expect. Her mother is almost a ghost, but we did find a few pictures that had her in them somewhere we don’t recognize,” Pyrrha said, putting a few photos down on the desk. 

Beckett came over then and picked one up and tapped on it. 

“I believe I know where this is.”

“Really? Where is it?” Yang asked eager to possibly have a leader to her sister. 

“This beach is strangely enough in Solitas, or the more southern reaches of it.

When I was out earlier I found a muddy footprint with sand in it, and it held the distinctive essence of myrrh which is usually burnt in monasteries of which one can be found near this beach. Putting two and two together I would assume this is where your little doctor can be found.”

“You got all that from a muddy footprint and a photo you barely looked at?” Weiss asked, sounding impressed. 

“Actually there was a vampire not native to the area who made the footprint. He was delighted to tell me everything he knew provided I stop dangling him head first off the tallest roof in the city.”

Winter actually snorted at that. 

“Still though that’s good to know right? We don’t have any other options do we?” Velvet asked as she looked around the room. 

“Sadly we do not,” Cinder said looking put out at having to admit that.

“We’re going then,” Weiss said immediately. 

Cinder nodded clearly, having expected that. 

“Weiss, are you sure? I know how important she is to you and Miss…Velvet, but we don’t know much of anything about what we’ll find. Should we not try to find out more first?” Winter asked. 

“You’re wasting your breath. If you were taken I’d stop at nothing to get you back so I get where she’s coming from. She’s also not going to go alone either I’d wager,” Cinder said nodding to Velvet who gave her own firm nod in agreement. 

“Will you be going with her?” Winter asked with a raised brow. 

“No. My master tasked me with running and watching this establishment and that’s what I’ll be doing. They’ll be pissed enough at me since I helped or told you anything at all about this, so the last thing I’m going to do is do anything else to upset them.”

“Surely you’re not going to just let them go alone,” Winter said in disbelief. 

Cinder held up her hands and began ticking off her fingers. “Beckett is here as a researcher. I’m sure he’d fight if someone tried to ruin the books here, but he’s out. Emerald just embraced Coco so I won’t separate them, and Coco probably doesn’t have the control needed yet to be around humans. 

Neo and Penny aren’t really mine but aren’t here at any rate. Mercury is a ghoul so he’s not all that useful but sure he can go along if you want. 

Hazel is the only real protection the club has from supernaturals publicly so he has to stay.”

“So there’s no one to send with them?”

“I’m sure Yang and I would be more than delighted to assist, or rather I would,” Pyrrha said, cutting into the conversation. 

“Miss Nikos?” Winter asked. 

“Ruby is a dear friend, and Yang’s sister. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her and I wasn’t there to prevent it.”

“I mean I can go too babe,” Yang said with a smirk. 

“You are strong, but against the creatures we may have to fight? I do not believe it would be wise,” Pyrrha said delicately. 

“Screw wise. That’s my sister. I’m not just waiting in the winds like a damsel. Hell, Weiss has those vials, and a silver gun right? I’ll buy one of those. I refuse to not be there for her, and especially if my damn mother was involved!” Yang argued passionately. 

Pyrrha’s face took on a thoughtful look as she cast a look at Weiss and Velvet who nodded indicating they had no issue with it. 

“We’ll need to move quickly to get some supplies for you to take with us,” Weiss said before turning to Winter. “I assume you’ll stay here to keep an eye on Klein and Cinder?” 

Cinder merely waved her off. “Take your sister. You’ll need all the help you can get, and I should be fine for a few days, just check in every so often so I know you’re alright, and to keep us updated,” Cinder said as she rubbed the back of Winter’s hand.

“I can’t go personally but I can certainly organize transportation for you,” Cinder informed them as she flipped open her phone and looked at her contacts. 

I’ll have Mercury show you to a private airfield. Get your stuff together cause it’s gonna leave as soon as you get there,” Cinder said as she walked back into her office to call the pilot. 

“How soon can you be ready?” Weiss asked the others. 

“I’m always ready,” Pyrrha said simply as she gave her cross and bible a gentle pat. 

“I just need whatever gear you’re gonna give me,” Yang put in her own two cents. 

“I know we should probably go back and gather all the supplies we have at Ruby’s on the off chance we need them,” Velvet said as Weiss nodded. 

“It should take us less than an hour. We’ll meet you there if you want to go with Mercury now, and text us the location. We’ll bring gear for you as well,” Weiss said with a nod to Yang who gave her own nod in return as they all left the club. 

“We’re gonna find her, and hurt whoever tried to take her Yang’s mom or not right?” Velvet asked. 

“Rest assured Velvet I think even Miss Xiao-Long would join you in trying to harm whoever took Ruby from you,” Winter said. 

“Do you need to get anything Winter?” Weiss asked as they walked back as fast as they could to avoid suspicion. 

“I should be fine although if you have extra water vials I might take a few for all the good they might or might not do,” Winter said bitterly. 

“We’ll bring along plenty of ways to, uh set them on fire too,” Velvet whispered as they walked to the apartment. 

“It’ll be good to get back to proper hunting of monsters at least,” Winter said lightly as they approached Ruby’s apartment only to see a squadron of police cards out front.

Sharing a look they quickly ran up the stairs only to find an officer blocking their way. 

“That’s our apartment!” Weiss yelled at the officer. 

“You’re Ruby Rose?” 

“No, that's my girlfriend! What happened? Why can’t I go in?” Weiss demanded far to upset to be even bother being embarrassed.

“Your girlfriend’s apartment looks like it’s been trashed and she’s missing from the scene, but that’s really all I can tell you. If you want to know more you’ll need to talk to the detectives, and since we need to ask you a few questions that should line up nicely,” the man said. “Who are the rest of you?” 

“Older sister,” Winter said shortly. 

“Other girlfriend,” Velvet said and glared at him daring to contradict her. Thankfully he seemed to be almost in some sort of trance as he led them to a nearby empty room that was apparently serving as some sort of central hub at the moment. 

A pair of men stood in the room. One with blue hair, and the other, a blonde who eschewed wearing a shirt entirely. 

“Detectives. The girlfriends you expected arrived,” the man said. 

“Thank you. Please make sure no one interrupts us,” the man with blue hair asked as the officer nodded and closed the door. 

After offering the newcomers a seat they got down to it. 

“I’m Neptune, and this is Sun, detectives for the city police force,” Neptune introduced themselves. 

“Do you realize the absolute shitstorm you’re in the middle of?” Neptune asked getting right to the heart of the matter. 

“I hope you aren’t going to imply we had anything to do with Ruby’s apartment,” Weiss said frostily as Velvet wormed a hand into hers to calm her down while adding her own glare. 

“What? No. The other supernaturals in the city are going crazy. Something big is about to happen soon, and your girl getting kidnapped was the spark to light the dynamite,” Neptune said to a stunned silent audience. 

“Sorry, perhaps we should introduce ourselves more properly. I’m Sun, he’s Neptune, and I’m a Kithain. We work under the table for an...interested party,”

“And things are way worse than you know,” Neptune cut in.