Torchwick and Neo got back to Shade, still feeling like Tyrian would be right behind them.
But at least they had a good tip off.
In that time, the others had been grilling Kip on what his mother had in her basement--Vara convinced him to tell them.
Blake had also been trying to make him understand why disobeying his mother was okay in this instance.
But it was Emerald who really convinced him by taking him by the shoulder and saying very seriously,
"Little, free tip, kid: If you feel like something you're doing is wrong, then it is wrong. Don't believe anyone if they tell you it's not, even if it's your mom. Go with your gut."
Kip seemed to sense she was serious.
The others looked at each other strangely.
Then Blake came up and put hand on Emerald's shoulder, with her ears back.
"Yeah," she said. "That's true. I used to do bad things, because I made the mistake of trusting someone I shouldn't have, and it just made me feel like a horrible person."
Emerald bit her lip. "Yeah...same."
Kip nodded slowly.
Vara leaned on her hand, watching this. "Well," she said, "Kip, I guess it's time to ask yourself if you want to keep doing this dirty work with Vic forever. She's lost it--you know it, don't you? But with your help, maybe we can stop her."
Well, Kip was already wavering after what they said before, but if he needed anything to push him fully to talk about the stuff Vic had told him not to, this seemed to finally do it.
"Okay," he said. "I'll help..."
"Can you show us a picture of anything?" Penny asked. "I have photo scanners."
"I have something like that," Kip said. He popped something like a memory card out of one wrist. "I take pictures of cats."
"You know, I can kind of understand that," Jaune said.
The cats, as it happened, were getting tired of being locked in a basket, and Ren finally let them out--they started running over the floor.
"I do have some pictures of the hideout, though...to remember what I'm not supposed to touch..." Kip admitted. "But without a computer to download them into--"
"Leave that to me!" Penny said. "I'll call my father."
While they were waiting for this, Blake glanced at Emerald.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Huh?" Emerald was confused.
"I think someone said this before, but I used to be not that different from you," Blake said. "I mean, I was part of a terrorist group. That's not the different from Salem--it was even part of why Beacon fell. I could pretend that that had nothing to do with me, but I was still part of them getting there--in fact, I even think I might still have been in it when you first approached Adam. I remember this one day he was acting weird... [This was in the show.] I'm not in any position to judge, but I haven't exactly been vocal about giving you another chance. The group accepted me anyway. I think I could have been...cooler about it."
[A little nod to the fact that they should have had Blake address that in Volume 8. I love how they always forget the character backstory whenever it's not moving the plot forward and would just help deepen the characters. I mean, CRWBY forbid Blake do anything to make us like her again.]
Emerald didn't expect that from Blake--and had completely forgotten that was true--but it was a weird thought.
"Hey, yeah," Sun said. "You kind of are alike."
Blake gave him a look with her ears down.
"He means that you act all moody but you're actually sweet underneath it." Neptune gave Sun a nudge. "Right?"
"That's totally what I meant," Sun said enthusiastically.
"Is that better?" Emerald made a fist. "Buzz off, Blue Boy."
"Talk about shooting the messenger." Neptune backed away.
["Ammunition"]
Torchwick and Neo joined them right then and gave their report.
Emerald was not happy to hear that Tyrian was back--she wasn't the only one.
But as for the rest of the news...
"I always did wonder how Vic made money for all that dust." Vara blew hair out of her face. "But this?"
"I think I should have asked that a long time ago," Theo said. "Figured I didn't want to know."
"It seems to me everyone figures that until it affects them, in this Kingdom," Pyrrha noted, a bit reprovingly.
"In Shine's absence, you really do sound like her," Oscar remarked.
"I was thinking that you did more," Pyrrha said.
"But no one sounds like Wally," Jaune said.
"Would you want to?" Blake asked.
"Hey." Tai walked in suddenly. "Where did you guys all disappear to?"
Yang and Qrow realized right then that they'd never told him when they left the camp.
Everyone looked at him somberly.
"Guys?" Tai said. "What is it? What happened?"
* * *
Weiss and Ruby found themselves in what looked kind of like an old store. It didn't look very secure--a lot of rotting wood, from the look of it, and the smell of dust...and other stuff.
They were tied to chairs with Aura-blocking cuffs--as their captors so nicely told them.
The gang who'd taken them had take the covers off their face, with a warning not to make any fuss if they didn't want to be put out again.
Ruby still couldn't believe she'd gotten captured this easily.
The gang didn't seem very interested in talking to them. They were chatting amongst themselves about weapons and hustles and other stuff they had on the agenda, or about girlfriends or boyfriends.
"Who are you people?" Weiss finally asked, indignantly.
Most of them ignored her.
One, who didn't seem that interested in talking to the others, glanced at her and then said, "They call us The Lost Kids."
"Lost?" Ruby said.
"No parents, no home, no names, lost," the boy said, crankily. "Get it, ditz?"
Ruby frowned.
"Come to think of it, we haven't met a lot of families in Vacuo," Weiss noted.
"People with family want to live in the other kingdoms. It's safer," the boy said, flatly. "Vacuo is only for the tough--and those who don't need anyone to know who they are, usually. Guess a Schnee wouldn't know about that."
"I get real tired of people judging my life just because of my name," Weiss said, frowning. "You know nothing about me. All you see is a title and fame."
"That's all that matters," the boy replied.
Weiss frowned again, then she leaned over to Ruby. "Next to this, Meridian is looking pretty good right now."
"Who's that again?" Ruby hissed.
"Nothing, I'm just saying that if I had to choose one group of ruffians to be stuck with, this is not the one," Weiss replied.
"I'm more worried about how we're going to get out of here," Ruby said in a low tone. "Hey, why did you guys take us anyway?"
"Oh, shut up," said one of the other ones.
The one who'd talked to them pulled out a cigarette--to their horror.
"You know that's bad for you, right?" Weiss said.
He just gave her a look of distaste, and she cleared her throat. "I think you could at least tell us why we're being held here if you're not going to do anything else."
"Well, it's not personal," the boy said, lifting up his mask slightly so he could smoke--he didn't look much older than Ruby, which made Weiss feel even weirder about this situation. "We were hired to do this by The Onceler. At least we think it must have been them. Dealing in human cargo isn't really looked highly on, but when they ask you to do something, you do it. No one says no to him."
"Him?" Weiss said. "Are you sure it's a him?"
"Not really," the boy said, blowing smoke their way, to her further annoyance. "Anyway, they said you were not to be touched other than the capture, so you're lucky. A couple of chicks like you could be in real trouble if you messed with the wrong people."
"We're huntsmen," Ruby said. "I think we could handle ourselves...except you had weapons I've never seen before... I bet it was Victoria."
"Anyone ever tell you sound like a squeaky toy?" the boy said blandly.
"But why?" Weiss was still puzzled. "Why us? We don't have any...thing she would want."
"Oh, as for that, it's just for leverage," the boy said. "He'll probably have us set you free or kill you after he gets what he wants from the older women."
"Women?" Weiss said.
"Do you mean...Winter?" Ruby asked. "Raven?"
"I don't know any Raven, but I'm pretty sure Winter is the name of the Lieutenant," the boy said. "Some bragging rights, taking down a Special Operative. We'll get more respect after this."
Weiss and Ruby exchanged look.
"They neutralized our Aura..." Ruby hissed. "It has to be her."
"But Winter...what will she do to her?" Weiss began to look more panicked.
"Maybe nothing yet." Ruby wasn't sure. "We have to get out of here. Warn the others."
"Quit whispering to each other," the other members said. "Or we'll separate you also."
"We're going to anyway," a difference one came in from outside. "New orders. The red one is getting moved."
"What?" Ruby said, looking nervous.
Little peeped out of her hood at Weiss. The mouse had wisely stayed hidden this whole time, but this development concerned her.
Weiss glanced at Little nervously.
The thugs came up to Ruby and pulled her off the chair. She still couldn't do anything because of her Aura--she did try to kick them.
"Let go of me!" she squeaked. "Stop it! I want to stay with Weiss."
"Ruby!" Weiss knew protesting was vain, but she couldn't help it.
"Oh, stop making a fuss." One of them smacked Ruby.
"Hey, stop it!" said the one who'd been speaking to them. "They said not to hurt her."
"Oh, that won't leave a mark, Slight. Get over it," the person said.
"She might talk, Nib," Slight replied.
What stupid names, Weiss thought in passing.
"Where are you taking Ruby?" she cried.
"Not really your concern, is it?" they said.
Little ran down Ruby's leg.
"What's that?" said one.
"Oh, it's just a mouse, you idiot," said another.
"I don't like them--they bite," said the first.
Little, wisely not speaking, ran out of a hole in the wall.
Weiss hoped she was going to get help...but then, a little mouse making it all the way across Vacuo didn't seem very lucky--but what other option did they have?
Ruby was taken out of the room, and Weiss was left alone, as the others followed to see the excitement.
Weiss felt more like crying than anything else, but she knew she should be trying to escape... Still, with the Aura-blocking cuffs, she couldn't summon anything, and her sword was lying along one wall.
* * *
Ruby was put back in a box, despite all her efforts to kick and squirm free.
She wished Little had stayed, but perhaps she was going to get help.
The gang began to wheel the box away.
Ruby put her feet along the crate and tried to push it till it broke--without Aura, she didn't feel as strong. It really made you also think how much they relied on it.
She kicked at it instead.
"Quiet in there," said one of the boys. "If you don't behave, we'll take it out on your friend."
Ruby stopped.
This was the worst... Was this how Yang felt? No wonder she was so testy afterward.
But where was she going?
* * *
Ruby got the answer about an hour later, when she'd almost fallen asleep because it had been so monotonous.
The box was suddenly deposited in a dark, cooler room. It looked like the basement of a different building.
"Let's get out of here. This place is spooky," the gang shuddered.
They left.
"Hey! Don't leave me here!" Ruby cried.
But they did.
Ruby had hoped she might break free, on second thought, but before she could do so, someone else came out of a trapdoor.
"Ah, right on time." Watts came up to the crate.
Ruby drew back.
"Watts," she said.
"Are you awake in there?" Watts peered through the slats.
Ruby frowned at him. "Salem was behind this."
"Oh, Salem tends to use more base methods of capture." Watts tapped the box. "But I must hand my lady this much, she is quite effective. Comfortable trip?"
"Let me out!" Ruby cried.
"You people all sound the same," Watts said. "Don't worry, we'll let you out, when she wants to."
"Salem?" Ruby said.
"Eventually," Watts said. "She does want you alive."
Ruby braced herself on the floor. "I know why she does," she said. "And I won't allow it! I won't be turned into some monster."
"Monster? Well, that's such an ugly word for it," Watts said. "You don't think the Grimm are fascinating in their own way? Such ingenuity, with pond scum. Though I'm not sure what you're referring to in this case. Cinder's arm? Surely that's not the worst thing that's ever happened to her. Birth was probably that."
"No, the Hound," Ruby said. "What Salem uses Silver-Eyed people for...I won't."
"Whatever are you talking about?" Watts had, of course, been a prisoner for that entire time.
Ruby thought. Shine had been using Watts--that looked like a mistake at this point, but...oh, what would the smart people in the team do right now?
She didn't really know, but it seemed maybe Watts' lack of knowledge here might be important.
"Salem's Hound," she said, hoping this was a smart idea. "The one she sent to find the Maidens. And Oscar. She made it from Silver-Eyed people... She's using people now, to turn into Grimm."
"I fail to see how that's possible," Watts said. "Humans and Grimm are not, for the most part, compatible. Cinder is an exception because of her magic."
Ruby got an odd notion.
"Well, Silver Eyes are basically magic also." She stood up in the crate--she could do this; it was about 5 and a half feet high. "Just a different kind of magic, but maybe they're still compatible, somehow."
"They ought be diametrically opposed forces," Watts said.
"I saw it myself!" Ruby insisted. "You don't know what she's really doing, do you? I bet she doesn't even tell you stuff!"
"Quiet, you little mouse. I know enough," Watts said.
Ruby, unable to think of anything else, decided to try mocking.
"Well, if you really do," she said--and she was not very good at using this tone--"then why did Cinder leave you behind in Atlas?"
"Because she's a witch," Watts said. "But I will have my revenge. In fact, you'll even get to see it perhaps. That ought to be cathartic for you."
"Why do you think it's okay to do this to people?" Ruby fell back on her protagonist speech. "To hurt them, just so you can win."
"Are you any different?" Watts said. "Don't think I didn't pay attention in Atlas. Your teammates are impressively thickheaded."
"Miss Likstar let you live," Ruby replied, "but you're not even grateful."
"Of course I am. I never could have escaped if she didn't do that," Watts said. "And I intend to repay her for the humiliation also."
Ruby frowned, then she said something that was actually clever, because it was so obvious.
"You guys only pay people back for the bad stuff they do--you don't repay the good stuff," she said slowly. "That's what makes you villains."
Watts, who, for all his genius, wasn't really able to argue with that simplistic logic, cleared his throat.
"Well, time to go." He pushed the crate. "Where is that fool to help me?"
"Right here." Mercury came up out of the door. "If you're done chit chatting."
"Mercury." Ruby looked through the slats. "You..."
"Surprise," Mercury said. "I still can't believe you people didn't see it coming."
"But...Emerald trusted you!" Ruby cried.
That hit a nerve.
"Because she's an idiot," Mercury snapped, more emotionally than Ruby had ever heard him speak. "And you're a bigger one if you think that matters at all."
"Oh, don't waste your breath with explaining things to her," Watts said. "She's as one-note as the others. Let's just hurry."
They took Ruby down into the cellar, for this was the old lair of Victoria, now cleared out of most of its devices and furniture but still with the door into the tunnels.
Ruby couldn't see well enough in the dim light to be sure what they took her over, but it sounded like gravel and dirt.
It wasn't too long after that they took Ruby into a different tunnel, and the dirt was replaced with metal and cement.
Then they came out into another room, but it was much more reinforced than the other one. Like a war bunker.
"Oh,Tory," Watts called. "We've brought your cargo."
The woman she recognized from the pictures Neo took as Victoria came around some machines and other boxes.
"That was fast," she said, straightening her work gloves. "Let me see. She's in good condition?"
"She was mouthing off, so I'd say so," Watts said.
"Or she just couldn't resist the temptation when she saw you and your mustache," Victoria said.
"What is it with you and mustaches?" Watts said.
"I never liked facial hair," Victoria said. "I always thought it looked like it would catch on fire."
Mercury snickered.
"As for you--" Victoria looked at him severely. "My son is still not home! You lost him! You better find him."
"I can't just go looking for him--they might catch me. I've already been out too much," Mercury argued.
"Well, no one else can," Victoria said.
"Just send your punks after him," Mercury said.
"They know too much already," she argued.
"But that makes more sense than than having us, the most recognizable people, out there," Watts said. "I wonder what could have possessed that boy to stay out so late."
"If something happened to him, I'll hang you both," Victoria said.
"No one wants to kidnap a robotic kid," Mercury said. "Trust me."
"He's an oddity--of course they would," Victoria said. "Perhaps he's in the mansion... Go check it again."
Mercury rolled his eyes and left.
"Miss Rose, right?" Victoria looked in at her. She opened the box. "Let me see... So, those are Silver Eyes?"
Ruby tried to stay out of her reach, but she pulled her out anyway, making her almost trip.
"She's so tiny," Victoria said. "This is the one who cut Tyrian's tail off?"
"Yes..." Watts straightened his collar.
Victoria pulled Ruby's chin up to look at her eyes more. Ruby struggled to yank free and then tried to bite her.
Victoria let go and smacked her, making her stumble back.
"She is a little brat, isn't she?" Victoria said, distastefully. "Hmm, I thought they'd be lighter."
"Pardon?" Watts said.
"Her eyes, they're the same color as Black's," Victoria said. "I expected silver to be a bit lighter, whiter, like sterling silver. They just look grey to me."
"They are clearly different," Watts said. "Are you questioning their authenticity? Everyone's seen her use them--well, I haven't personally, but Cinder's missing arm and eye attest to their accuracy."
"Yes, but I really expected them to be easier to tell apart. How can you know the difference between those with just regular grey eyes and Silver Eyes, this way?" Victoria mused, like it was a design flaw that bothered her.
[The show has never answered this question either. We're not sure if grey eyes actually exist in Remnant. Mercury is the only character other than Ruby who's ever had them who's not been a Silver-Eyed Warrior.]
"I don't really know actually," Watts said. "Many people have grey undertones in their eyes, but pure grey eyes are rare. I suppose the litmus test is whether or not they can vaporize Grimm with them."
"That is not a satisfactory litmus test," Victoria said. "You could only identify them once they activate their powers, and you tell me this does not happen automatically. Hmm, tell me, girl, how does it work?"
"I'm not going to tell you!" Ruby cried.
"You're not?" Victoria said, not very nicely. She was looking at Ruby like she was a specimen.
"No..." Ruby said, much quieter.
"Hmm." Victoria took her by the shoulder in a vice grip--she was much stronger than you'd think from her size. "Let me show you something."
She took Ruby--dragged her, more like--farther in, and Ruby saw this whole area was one huge cavern. Perhaps it had once been a dust mine, but it was stripped clean, and it had a rim around half of it, with a metal catwalk. And below it was a much bigger floor with lots of tanks and machines on it.
"This all is quite impressive, let me say yet again." Watts was following.
"Don't touch anything and don't drool on my stuff," Victoria said tersely to him. "Look here, girl."
She took Ruby's head and turned it down so she was looking at the center of the lower floor, where some partitions were set up, and inside each one were tanks, like big fish tanks, and they had...people inside them.
Ruby was stunned to see that it was Raven and Winter, and she saw Mr. West a little farther off. He was running in circles in his.
"Is that fool still at it?" Watts looked at him.
"He seems to be," Victoria said. "But I don't care as long as he's quiet. He's so annoying... Anyway, you see, Rose? I have your companions at my mercy. Do you want to see what happens when someone does something I don't like?"
"No..." Ruby said.
But, ignoring her, Victoria pressed a button on her remote.
Energy crackled over the tanks, and Raven and Winter both yelped in surprise and/or pain.
"What was that for?" they heard Raven yell angrily.
"A little demonstration is all. Do forgive me," Victoria called.
Raven looked up under the roof of the tank, then her eyes widened. "Rose?!"
"Ruby?" Winter looked up also, in horror.
Ruby felt kind of sick.
"Good, we all know each other now." Victoria took Ruby's shoulder again. "You're going to answer my questions about the Silver Eyes, understand? And I have a lot. I want to hear everything about them."
Ruby pursed her lips but nodded.
[This makes me uncomfortable.]
"Good," Victoria said again. "Arthur, if you want to have your moment before I finish with them, now is your chance. I'm about done with my tests on Cinder. I think I'll just kill her afterward."
"So soon?" Watts said, not at all as if he cared, just curious.
"Well, she's too dangerous to leave alive," Victoria said. "I'd rather just transfer the powers to someone else. I only need a subject. Are you working on that?"
"Oh, I'm sure one will be along any moment," Watts said. "But if not, we can always just go out and capture another one for you."
"C-Cinder?" Ruby said. "She's here?"
"You want to see her?" Victoria yanked Ruby along the catwalk till they walked around the catwalk a little, and Ruby could see a different section.
Shine was blocked from her view by the angle of the walk, but she could see Cinder, who was sitting pretty docile for her, looking bored.
"My, she's not screaming? I'm shocked," Watts said.
"Her and the other woman have been talking on about nonsense," Victoria said. "But as long as they're quiet, I don't much care if she distracts her. I didn't care for the yelling."
"I've an idea," Watts said. "If you activate the Silver Eyes, you could kill her using those."
Ruby gasped.
"A novel idea, but not one I'm sure we have time for," Victoria said. "And that's despicable, Arthur."
"You're the one who wants to kill her," Watts said. "My vote was letting her go back to Salem in disgrace and having her kill her, once you remove the powers."
"I must have a host," Victoria said. "And unless I separate them from Aura, that would kill her anyway--though I am anxious to try the new regulator I'm working on to see if it can fix the problem, but I need time. We'll see. I hope they don't send a rescue party in. I don't want to waste my best Grimm on it again."
Ruby winced.
"All right, time for you to go into your place," Victoria said, taking her away. "Can't have you frying my guests once we start talking about your eyes. A good thick wall ought to do it."
Ruby felt like crying, but she wouldn't do it in front of Victoria if she could help it.
* * *
"Did you see that?" Cinder spoke, breaking the silence for the first time in ages. "I thought I saw Ruby up there."
"I couldn't see anything." Shine rubbed her stiff shoulders. "Are you sure you weren't just dreaming it?"
"No," Cinder said. "I think that fiend has Ruby here. Of course, Ruby is dead, so perhaps it was a trick."
"Dead? Oh, right, you dropped her down that hole," Shine said.
"Stop it!" Cinder made a fist.
"Ah, there that's more what I expected," a new voice said.
Cinder had a moment of thinking she really was hearing things before looking up.
Watts had come into view.
"You?!" Cinder said. "No, I--you--"
"Died?" Watts said. "I let you think so. Did you think you'd get rid of me that easily? I'm a little disappointed in you, Cinder. All that pretending you were actually going to think for once in your life, and it amounted to nothing. How do you like the retaliation so far?"
"I don't know how you survived that." Cinder glared at him. "But when I get out of here, I'm going to personally finish the job this time."
"Oh, you think you're getting out of here?" Watts smirked. "How quaint. I really--"
Shine cleared her throat.
Watts looked up.
"Arthur." Shine nodded at him.
"Oh, Likstar? Fancy seeing you here. Did you get caught?" Watts said in a tone of pretend innocence.
"Oh, I just thought I'd pop over and see all this for myself," Shine replied dryly, to his disappointment.
"Ah...well, you have to admit, turnabout is fair play." Watts tried to gain the upperhand.
"If you like games," Shine said. "But the trouble with that saying is that no one really wins. Equal shots only make a tie."
"You know her?" Cinder said.
"Oh, we go way back to last week," Shine said. "Or was it two weeks ago?... Huh...time has added up."
"You have to admit, you didn't see this coming," Watts said.
"That's more than I would assume if I were you." Shine glanced at her fingernails carelessly. "But go on posturing if you want. I'm a little bored right now."
"Well...you are as irritating as before," Watts said, put out. "Nothing to say? No speech to make this time?"
"Why should I steal your thunder? This is your moment, right?" Shine said. "Go off... Although, personally, if I were you, I wouldn't be throwing my pearls of repartee away on Cinder Fall. As if she can appreciate it anyway. I think it's a little beneath you, this gloating and pompous strutting like a peacock."
"Beneath me?" Watts said. "You had no problem doing it yourself."
"You still think I did that to brag?" Shine leaned back on the wall. "That is quaint. I always have a point to it. Too bad it clearly went over your head."
"It didn't," Watts said. "I know what you want."
"I highly doubt it," Shine said. "But keeping you guessing has been my goal."
"It doesn't do you much good now," Watts said. "You're here."
"You should have taken my offer seriously," Shine said. "You'll regret siding with them again. Probably sooner rather than later."
"I seem to be on top again," Watts said.
"An illusion that will not last for long," Shine said coolly. "But, as I said, it's your moment... Enjoy it while it lasts."
Cinder frowned. "She's right, Watts, because I'm going to kill you."
"Cinder, shut up," Shine said. "You're completely killing the dramatic tension. No one takes you seriously."
Watts chuckled, to Cinder's annoyance.
"Look at you two," Shine said, leaning forward again now to sit on her knees and gesture at him. "Both so busy scheming and plotting to get revenge on other people, and each other, and yet missing that you're only going to get yourselves killed in the end. You're so much alike, it's almost astounding that you don't see it."
"Don't ever compare us again." Watts was offended.
"I mean, at least Victoria has some class about it." Shine ignored him. "She embraces what she is in the name of her cause, and she might be stark mad, but she has some feelings. I can't say I like her, but I can empathize with her goals to some extent--they were brought on by altruistic motives, at one time--but you two have only ever thought of yourselves, and what do you get for it? Backstabbed and left behind. I offered you both a chance to save yourselves from this fate, and you repaid it with more unkindness, for what? To show the world that, at the end of it all, you did it your way? That you didn't bow the knee to anything so crass as morals or ethics or humanity? That your big claim to being different from everyone else was simply that you had less noble feelings than them, instead of more? I must say, it's pathetic. You two both realized you can't distinguish yourselves from the pack by being higher than everyone else, so you sunk lower. Way to upset the status quo--by lowering the bar. Even someone like Torchwick looks good compared to you."
"How dare you!" Watts said.
"How dare I?" Shine hit the glass--and she didn't seem to hurt herself doing it, as if she knew how to counter it even without Aura. "How dare I try to be better than that? How dare you not be? You two squander your talents and your lives away on dragging everyone else down to your level because you can't ascend to theirs. But you both think that the other scum around you are somehow worse than you. At least Callows is honest about it--he knows what he is, but you two pretend you are not what you are, and that is why no one cares what you think. Do you think I'm locked up right now, Watts? I'm freer than you are. I offered you freedom, and you went back into your cage. I don't feel sorry for myself right now. I'd rather be in here and be free than be what you are. In fact, I'd rather die."
"That could be arranged," Watts snapped at her.
But Shine just laughed, which he didn't like.
"Oh, sure, that's your solution to everything, isn't it? You really do sound just like Cinder. You can't prove me wrong, so you'll kill me so that no one else can hear you be exposed like this...but in the end, if you can't answer me, you've already admitted I'm right, so I still win."
She turned her back on him. "Get out of my sight, Arthur."
Watts stared at her.
Then, to Cinder's shock, he turned and stormed away.
Cinder was baffled.
"I didn't do that for you, by the way," Shine said, not looking at her. "I just couldn't stand the hypocrisy. I knew he'd try to get back at you, but shame on me for hoping he'd be smart enough to realize how foolish it was to do it this way. I think I'd prefer the yelling."