A bullhead lands at the scene and eight Beacon students step off. The police have set up a perimeter around the school extending back about a quarter mile from the building itself. The area has been closed off, police keeping onlookers a safe distance away, doing their best to block the news crews from seeing anything. Recognizing the two teams as huntsmen and huntresses, the officers allow Teams RWBY and JNPR to pass, giving them access to the scene. Entering the perimeter, they're surprised to find so many bodies crowding the area.

"Man, it looks like the entire VPD is here." Jaune says.

"The Vale Police Department isn't nearly this big." Pyrrha says, looking at the assembled personnel.

Just then, two figures in grey uniforms walk by, their black vests bearing the symbol of the Purifiers.

"What are they doing here?" Blake asks darkly.

"I don't know." Ruby says. "But we need to find whoever's in charge."

Asking around, one of the officers directs them to a large tent that has been erected some fifty meters away. Pushing through the flaps of the entrance, the eight step inside to see a group of people standing around a large table, in the middle of what seems to be a heated argument. The chief of police is at the head, to his right a SWAT officer. Standing on his left is a very tall, very muscular individual in a grey uniform. A long vertical scar runs along his left eye which is milky white. His hair buzzed and his jaw is square. This man is Klar Reinman, the leader of the Purifiers. Scattered around the table are other high-ranking officers and, RWBY and JNPR are surprised to find, (F/N).

"We can't storm the place Johnson," the chief shouts at the SWAT commander, "there are at least a hundred White Fang in that school, and we don't have the manpower to handle a threat that big."

"So let us go in." Reinman says. "We have enough men and more than enough firepower to deal with these animals."

"You can't go in there." (F/N) shouts. "Things are already bad enough, if the Purifiers go in there it'll be a blood bath."

"Remind be who this kid is again." Reinman growls.

"He's a student from Beacon." The chief says dismissively.

"Well, why don't you go back to class and let the adults handle this." Reinman laughs.

"I'm warning you chief, if you let them in, you'll be giving the White Fang exactly what they want."

"Sir, I think the kid's got a point." One of the other officers says. "I mean, we can't risk a firefight in there. We have to get the kids out."

"My scouts have already informed me all the students are gathered here, in the gymnasium." Reinman says, pointing one beefy finger at the map on the table. "If we enter here," he points at another part on the map, "we can draw their fire, lure them away from the kids. Once we've got most of them distracted, a small but efficient strike team will come in from the North and get the students and staff out. Then we'll surround them on all sides and annihilate them."

The police chief's eyes narrow as he rubs his jaw thoughtfully.

"Sir," (F/N) says, "you can't seriously be considering this."

"You got a better idea?"

"Let me go in and talk to them." (F/N) says. "We can try to negotiate, work something out."

"Animals don't negotiate kid." Reinman says. "You go in there, you'll be dead within the first minute, I guarantee it."

"Then so be it." (F/N) says. "But we should at least try to resolve this peacefully before sending in the cavalry. If they shoot me, fine, but at least try to do this without bloodshed."

"You got a death wish or something?"

"It's better than starting a shootout inside of a school!"

"My way gets those kids out safe!"

"And my way gets everyone out safe!"   

"ENOUGH!" The chief shouts. "Reinman, gather your men. I'm sending you in."

"Chief," (F/N) starts.

"Quiet kid!" The chief yells. "Johnson, you and your men will be providing support for the Purifiers."

"Sir." The SWAT commander says.

"Alright, get the led out men. We got a job to do."

The members around the table disperse, Johnson and Reinman exiting the tent to go prepare their men. Meanwhile, (F/N) storms off in the opposite direction, going to stand next to a collection of monitors which are displaying footage from numerous surveillance drones the VPD deployed to canvas the area.

"(F/N)." Jaune calls out.

Looking up, (F/N) sees the others and approaches them. Yang scowls at him, her eyes narrowing. Pyrrha on the other hand looks off to the side, rubbing her arm uncomfortably.

"What's going on?" Ruby asks.

"White Fang stormed the place about an hour ago. Since then we haven't heard anything from the inside."

"And the students?" Nora asks, her usual comical attitude replaced with an air of seriousness.

"Don't know. Reinman says they're all being held in the gym. It makes sense, but we don't have any proof."

"Who was that guy anyways?" Jaune asks, staring in the direction Reinman was last seen.

"Klar Reinman." (F/N) spits. "Ex-military, leader of the Purifiers."

"What are the Purifiers doing here?"

"Pretty obvious, isn't it? They've been waiting for this ever since the rally."

Turning from the group, (F/N) begins walking away.

"Where are you going?" Weiss asks.

"To talk to that mustached idiot." (F/N) calls over his shoulder. "Try to convince him to send me in before someone gets killed."

They watch him go, ducking through a flap in the tent and stepping outside. Rocking back and forth on her heels, Pyrrha follows, catching up with him outside.

"(F/N)!" She calls over the loud chatter as she runs after him. "Wait up!"

Pyrrha is cut off from her pursuit by a large group of Purifiers crossing her path. By the time they've dispersed (F/N) is already having an animated conversation with the police chief, and by the looks of things, it's getting pretty heated. Sidestepping a distracted SWAT trooper, as she approaches, their conversation becomes louder and louder.

"I've already made up my mind, kid." The chief says exasperatedly.

"And I'm imploring that you change it." (F/N) says. "Sir, if you send the Purifiers in there, people will die."

"Look kid. Let me tell you a little bit about hostage situations. When something like this happens, it's because the hostage takers want something, and the hostages are bargaining chips to get that something. The only issue is that the White Fang don't want anything. They haven't made any demands, so my only option is to send people in there."

"Then send me." (F/N) begs. "Let me talk to them, I can..."

"Look, I don't have time for this. The Purifiers are our best bet."

"You're really choosing to put your trust in those lunatics?" (F/N) asks.

"Of course not." The chief says. "That's why I'm sending in a SWAT team with them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an assault strike to coordinate."

The senior officer walks away, and the field clears as the Purifiers and SWAT team begin their trek towards the school. (F/N) kicks the dirt and screams in anger and frustration. Walking up behind him, Pyrrha places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"They don't know what they're doing!" (F/N) shouts in annoyance. "They're about to turn a school into a warzone!"

"Just try to relax (F/N)." Pyrrha says soothingly. "Maybe everything will turn out fine."

"And if it doesn't?" (F/N) asks, turning to face her. "What then?"

"(F/N), I understand how you feel."

"No, you don't!" (F/N) yells, grabbing her hand on removing it from his shoulder. "You've never seen anything like this. No matter what happens here today, you get to go home knowing there's nothing you could have done. But me? I go home knowing that I could have gotten everyone out of there alive, meaning that if anyone dies today, their deaths are on my conscience."

(F/N) brushes past her, storming back to the command tent. Pyrrha stays rooted to the spot, guilt eating away at her insides. For the past week she had tried distancing herself from (F/N). She had been horrified to discover the truth about him, and to be completely honest, he had scared her. His actions had scared her. But now, seeing this side of him, it made her realize just how much his actions weighed on him, and how much she had hurt him by pushing him away. Contemplating what this new side of (F/N) might mean for them, she too made her way back to the tent. Once inside, she joined the rest of her friends huddled around the many monitors. The screens were displaying camera feeds from head mounts on the SWAT members. As the entrance was breached everyone held their breaths. It was completely silent. All they could do now was wait.