Chapter 1
How It All Went Wrong
Why?
Robert thought to himself. Despite his blank expression, his mind are raging thinking of the situation he's in;
Sitting on a metal chair in a small room, both hands handcuffed to the metal table in front him. Everything that he had with him was taken beside the clothes he's wearing. He's very thankful that they let him keep his black hoodie, otherwise he'd been topless.
Relax Robbie, relax. You know that this would happen sooner or later.
The young man keep telling that to himself, yet he's still in a sense of disbelief regarding of his current predicament. He then decide to look around the room trying eases his train of thought. The first thing he paid attention to is the big mirror on his right, which he already knew what it was. He then focuses on his features on the reflection; amber-colored eyes, dark-brown buzz cut hair, and a slightly tanned yet smooth skin.
Damn, I'm a mess.
Of course, the seventeen years old didn't mean that. He's actually surprised to see that he's almost fine considering what happened to him in the past few hours. Something that he never thought would happen; arrested by the police for trying to save someone's life. Of course that wasn't why they've arrested him. Robert knew that the he'd be arrested sooner or later considering all of the crimes that he committed back in Vacuo. For him to be arrested for his first attempted robbery at Vale was quite a shock. The reason why things didn't go according to his plan is that he didn't consider the possibility of another group of heavily armed thieves targeting the same place as he is. The said group beat Robert and got away while Robert is in Vale Police Force's custody.
Dammit, what's taking them so lo-
Robbie's thought are interrupted when the door in front of him opens, revealing a big, muscular man, dressed in VPF uniform, with a fierce expression. Robbie immediately recognized him, the same man who took him down. Robbie quickly put on his best 'happy' face, not wanted to be intimidated by him.
"Hello there, Officer Win-Ches-Ter. How are you tonight?" Robbie casually greeted the man while squinting on his name-tag.
"DETECTIVE Winchester. And I'm not in a mood tonight, because of you." The man replied. Robbie could have sworn he heard a growl in the man's voice.
Well, this is gonna be a fun.
Robbie sighed out of boredom. He gradually becomes calmer after the shock took over him. This isn't the first time he's been interrogated. This is however the first time he's interrogated by a cop. Robbie mentally chuckled since his current interrogator reminds him of his fifth of 11 interrogators. Robbie were worried when he was locked in this room since he never dealt with any kind of law enforcement in the past. But now his worries have been put to rest. He's confident that he'll be fine as he believe that this man won't be a challenge for him.
And now he's gonna ask me why I'm at the dock.
"Start talking, punk. Why were you at the dock?" The man asked while slamming his fist on the table. Robbie simply rolled his eye from that action.
Called it. Doesn't matter. I'm definitely gonna enjoy this.
Robbie simply grinned of the thought of how he's gonna make a fool out of the poor man. It'll be too easy, but he's gonna drag it as long as possible.
. . .
3 hours ago.
Vale Dock. 11:27 pm.
Robbie analyze the situation of the dock from the top of the searchlight tower. He focuses on the small building at the centre of the dock where all of the people of the dock are. He didn't have to worry about the alarms or sensors since it had been dealt with before he even climbed to the top.
15 guards, 5 dock workers. Way too easy.
The plan is simple; take out the guards, then the workers, access the computer for the list of shipments to find the target, acquire the target, make his way out with a getaway vehicle; a boat, and done. His target; a handful of crates of Dust by the Iron/Schnee Enterprise. While there are other precious Dust shipments by the same company at the dock, the Dust that Robbie looking for by no means are ordinary. The said Dust are capable of generating an energy enough to power up a skyscraper for a month or 2. This Dust are marketed as a personal power generator that can be used at home, industrial sectors, or any kind of establishment. This will be Robbie's biggest pay ever, provided that he can find the customers for it.
Well, I waited long enough. Let's do this.
With a bow in his left hand, Robbie stands behind the searchlight that are facing the small building where the guards and the workers are and put on a Beowolf Grimm mask and pull the hood to cover his head. He then hold up the bow in a firing position. He pressed a trigger and an arrow made out of bright, golden light materializes. Drawing the arrow, he then focus on his first target…
...
Two guards on the top of the small building stands perfectly still facing the sea that are perfectly in their view. The night is so calm that they didn't feel like they have anything to worry about.
"Hey." The guard on left spoke.
"Yeah?" His companion replied.
"You ever wonder why are we here?"
"It's one of life's greatest mystery, isn't it? 'Why are we here?' I mean, are we a product of some cosmic coincidence or is there really a God watching everything, you know with plans for us or stuff? I don't know man. It keeps me up at night."
"What?" The first guard asked after a momentary pause. "I mean, why are we up he-"
His word goes unfinished as he collapses on his front, with something appears to be like a glowing arrow sticking out on the back of his neck. The fallen guard shakes frantically as if he's having a seizure. The arrow disappear into a nothingness as the seizure stops. The second guard raises his rifle to the direction of where the arrow might have come from. Before he realized, the same arrow appears on his chest. He then writhing in pain when his body experienced an agonizing electrical shock and passed out.
...
2 down, 18 to go.
After taking out the guards on the rooftop, Robbie turn his attention on the guards on the ground. Repeating the same process of creating the Lightning Dust arrow, he fires another shot, followed by another shot, and another. This keeps going on until 1 guard remains. The last guard who have observed the situation have figured out the location of the attacker and decided to take aim with his rifle, but it he's unable to fire a shot as the light from the searchlight tower blinded his eye. Before he could regain his vision, an arrow hits him squarely in the chest and knocks him out.
15 down, 5 to go. Too easy.
Robbie made his way to the building. Before he enters, he dragged all 13 of the guards on the ground into one of the empty shipping container nearby the building and seal the container shut. The 2 guards on the rooftop won't be a problem. At least he hope so.
The workers inside might be armed. Need to take them all out in 1 shot.
As Robbie made his way inside the building, he took out the yellow Dust vial out of the top section of the riser of his bow and replace it with a magenta Dust vial. He reached the door of the room where the workers are.
Inside, all 5 of the workers who are armed with a simple handgun waiting for him right behind the door. The lead guard didn't report to them via the communicator like they should have a minute ago. The security cameras and the sensors are not responding to their commands. And all communications have been cut off. At that moment, they knew they're in trouble.
Robbie stops directly in front of the door. He's only one step away to reach the knob and open it. Instead of opening it, he assume a firing position. Creating an Dust arrow glowing with a bright magenta light, he immediately fires it straight through the door. 3 seconds later, a subtle pop sound is heard behind the door. Robbie removes his Grimm mask, takes out and put on a different mask that covers his mouth and nose. After making sure that the new mask is secure, he enters the room.
Despite the thick magenta mist caused by the arrow he fired, he can still make out the content of the room. 5 tables with computer, 2 on each sides with 1 table are on the far back and centre of the room. He look down and see 5 men lying on the floor, passed out. Robbie made his way the table far back and accesses the computer.
Only 5 people to operate a shipping dock. Now that's something. Ah, got it. East Loading Bay.
Pleased with what he sees on the screen, he quickly made his way out of the building and headed east to find his prize, Once he reached inside the loading bay, he went inside a forklift. Tinkering with the control panel, the machine then came to life. It didn't took him that long find where the crates of Dust are in the loading bay as it is stacked next to main entrance of the building, all 5 crates of it stacked vertically.
Perfect. Just perfect. I might be able to get all of this done in half an hour.
After leaving the loading bay, He make his way to the west pier. Halfway across the dock however, something strange happens. The wind suddenly gets rougher, and a louding screeching noise can be heard. Before Robbie could look around to find the source of the noise, it suddenly went bright around him. He immediately stop the forklift and gaze upon the sky on his left to find a Bullhead flying above the dock with its spotlight aiming at him.
Oh, you have got to be kidding me! Wait, cops and armies don't use Bullhead.
Upon realizing this, Robbie jump out to the right of the machine and hide from the direct light of the Bullhead's. Taking a peek at the Bullhead to asses the situation, he then notices 4 humanoid figures drops from the aircraft. Turning his attention to the 4 humanoids, Robbie notice that those 4 appears to be wearing a white metal-like armor, carrying a rifle on their right hand and another on their back. It didn't take long for Robbie to figure out who, or rather what those humanoids are.
AK-200? They've already been replaced 5 years ago! Definitely not the cops or the armies.
Readying his bow with a red Dust vial replacing the previous one, Robbie quickly take aim at one of the first android on the left and fires a red glowing arrow. The android exploded once the arrow are in contact with its head. Robbie takes out the second one behind. Before he could take out the third one, the remaining androids have already open fires at him. Robbie quickly hides from the android's line of fire. However, the moment he heard the gunshot hits the crates that he carries, he knew that the forklift is the last place he needs to be right now.
Oh crap…
Robbie runs from his hiding spot as fast as he can, ignoring the gunshots and the Bullhead. Before he could reached a safe distance, the crate explodes. The explosion isn't powerful enough to blow up a Paladin, but it did create enough force to throw Robbie up in the air in a fair distance. He then lays unconscious after he hits the ground.
...
The Bullhead pilot, who are completely shrouded in darkness, successfully stabilized the aircraft after force from the explosion. He turn to his back to a man on his back. "Get it done." he ordered. The man, like the pilot who are completely obscured by the shadow hold out his scroll and presses different buttons on it, giving commands to the androids below.
...
It didn't take long for Robbie to his gain consciousness. His aura manages to prevent a fatal wound. By the time he's fully awake and standing up, he saw the Bullhead floating much closer to the ground. The androids stand right beneath the aircraft. One of it is carrying a small black box. Robbie look around for his bow. Thankfully, it didn't flew off too far from where he stands. Upon reacquiring his weapon, a few gunshot is heard. He is, however, surprised to see that it wasn't the androids fired the shots but 2 guards, standing on the rooftop of the docks garage. The 2 guards, who Robbie left behind relentlessly fires at the aircraft.
Idiots! Get out!
Robbie knew that a simple Dust rifle won't be able to take down a Bullhead. Even his Dust arrows won't be able to do much as most aircraft nowadays are equipped with protection against Dust based attack. Those guards are either an idiot, or are not aware of that fact. Robbie turn his attention to the Bullhead find the the android have already gone inside the aircraft. The aircraft slowly ascends while turning to the guards. The guards quickly stop firing and run from the aircraft.
They not gonna make it! They not gonna make it!
Without wasting any time, Robbie switches the red Dust vial on his bow with a white vial. Firing a glowing white arrow at the ground a few feets from where he stands, a spiky, dome-like ice structure no bigger than a pickup truck appears after the arrow hits the ground. He then grabs hold of the structure with both of his hand.
Come on, come on, COME ON!
In a few seconds, the ice structure starts to vibrate. The vibration becomes more violent in each seconds. Once the structure shows a sign of cracking, he quickly jumps away.
Now!
Within a flash, the ice disappears and slams against the aircraft with a force powerful enough to push it off course, saving the fleeing guards. The ice shattered while the aircraft floats wobbly in the sky with a smoke faintly visible from the right wing. Once the aircraft appears to be stabilize, it immediately flies to the northwest. By the time the aircraft is gone, the sound of sirens can be heard.
Seriously?! Dammit…
Robbie speeds off to the west piers to the getaway boat he prepared in advance. He throws away his bow, the Dust vials and the breathing mask into the water. By the time he reaches the pier however, it's already swarm with cops. Frustrated, he turns back only to find a big man standing in his way.
"Going somewhere?" The man asked. Before Robbie could say anything, the man punched him in the stomach. He's on his knee, then everything went black….
. . .
Now.
"..and that's what happens." Robbie remains calms and somewhat cheerful after telling his interrogator what he wants to know. Of course, what he told him are partially different to the actual story. The interrogator then stand up from his seat and put on the most intimidating face he could possibly think of.
"You expect me to believe that you, just happened to be nearby a dock where a robbery took place, and you've decided to just trespass a restricted area to stop the robbers but fail?" The man asked him, while maintaining his expression.
"Uh, yeah?" Robbie casually replied. The man then placed a Grimm mask on the table. The same mask belongs to Robbie. "Explain the mask." He asked.
In hindsight, Robbie should have thrown the mask away along with the other stuffs he ditch back at the dock. But he couldn't do it. Not to that mask.
"Just a little accessory. For fun. You know that Grimm mask are all the rage today?"
"Last time I checked, those masks aren't made from a real Grimm."
"I like to keep it authentic. Special than the rest."
The man slowly walk to the left side of the table. "You know what I think?" He said. "I think that you are a liar and you're hiding something about what really happens at the dock. Lucky for me, you're mine for me to do whatever I want. So, what's it going to be, punk?"
Robbie simply rolled his eyes at those words. He felt that this man isn't even trying to interrogate him. Before he could say anything, there's a knock on the door. The detective opens it and a blond man in a beige suit, white shirt and a red tie appears before them. "Hello there, Cardin." The blond man speak.
"Arc. What are you doing here?" The interrogator ask the new visitor.
"This." The blond hold out a piece of paper to the interrogator. "A statement by the head of Iron/Schnee Enterprise."
The man snatches the paper from the blond and read it. Moments later, his expression become sour. "The heck is this?" He growled.
"It is exactly as what's written on the paper." The blond replied with a smile on his face. "If you have problem with that, you can talk to Chief Belladonna. You can start taking off the cuff off the boy now, if you don't mind." He continued.
The detective grumbles as he sets Robbie's hands free. He storms out of the room and slams the door shut behind him. Now it's Robbie and this new guy. The new guy takes the seat, facing Robbie. Robbie is actually surprise with the current development. "So, who are you suppose to be? The good cop?" Robbie asked. The blonde simply chuckled at the question.
"No, no. I'm not with Vale Police Department. My name is Jaune Arc, and I'm a professor at Beacon Academy."
Okaaaay. So not expecting that.
"Okay, professor. What do you want with me?" Robbie asked, maintaining his nonchalant attitude.
"Waiting for a friend. She wanted to meet you." Jaune smiled as he answered him.
Robbie's face quickly shows a sign of being shocks after hearing that. "What? Who?" Right after he ask Jaune, the door suddenly opens and a woman suddenly appears standing on the right side of Jaune. "Sorry I'm late!" The woman cried.
The woman, dressed in black military-styled uniform appears before him. She has a short black hair with a red streak. What caught Robbie's attention the most is the red cape draped around her shoulder. Another thing that caught his attention is some kind of an equipment hanging on the back of her waist.
That uniform, she's with the Guild. Who the heck is she anyway?
The young woman walk towards the boy, standing right next to him. She then look at him with a very serious look. "Hi there. I would like to ask you a question." The woman speaks. Robbie simply stare back her nervously. He has no idea of what exactly is going on here. It doesn't help that the woman keep giving him a bad vibe. "Is your name Robert Lockhood?" She ask. Robbie is officially freaked out. If this woman is here to interrogate him, then she's doing a very good job at it. This is the first time he actually felt intimidated by an adult. "Well, is it?" the woman presses on, snapping the boy out of his train of thought. "Yes." He doubtfully answered her.
Upon hearing the boy's answer, she brought herself close to the boy's face. Robbie slightly lean his body back from her when her face are inches from his. He felt as if the woman gazes straight into his mind. "Your eyes..." She muttered, as she stares at the boy's face intently.
Dammit, will you stop staring at me like that!
Before Robbie could say anything to her, the woman already pulled him into a hug, with her head resting on his right shoulder.
Whatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhat?!
"Miss, miss, MISS?!" Robbie can't help but scream at her, trying to make sense of what's going on here. She then pull herself away from the boy. He looks back at her and notice that tears are slowly flowing from her eyes. "I'm sorry." She spokes, as he wipe away her tears with her left hand. "It's just that I'm so happy to know that you're still alive."
The blond man rises from his seat and move toward the door. "I'll leave you two alone. Let me know if you need anything." he spoke as he leave the room. The woman then move toward the seat opposite the boy and made herself comfortable. "Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot to introduce myself." She giggled as she stated that. "My name is Ruby Rose."
VALE POLICE FORCE
INCIDENT REPORT
REPORT BY: WINCHESTER, CARDIN. (DETECTIVE)
LOCATION OF INCIDENT: VALE DOCK.
TIME OF INCIDENT: 0115 am.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT:
A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD AT VALE DOCK AROUND MIDNIGHT. ALL ATTEMPT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE DOCK'S PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. ALL AVAILABLE POLICE FORCES AT THAT TIME HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED AT THE DOCK. AFTER SECURING THE DOCK, 5 OF THE DOCKS OPERATORS AND 13 OF THE 15 GUARDS WERE FOUND UNCONSCIOUS. THE 2 REMAINING GUARDS HAVE STATED THAT THEY WERE ALL KNOCKED OUT BY THEIR ATTACKER. THE 2 GUARDS STATED THAT THEY HAVE REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS AFTER THEY HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. ACCORDING TO THE GUARDS, AN UNAUTHORIZED AIRCRAFT HAVE MADE ITSELF WITHIN THE DOCK AREA WHILE THEY WERE UNCONSCIOUS. THE AIRCRAFT FLED THE SCENE AFTER THE GUARDS OPEN FIRES AT IT. A 17 YEARS OLD BOY WAS FOUND NEAR THE WEST PIER OF THE DOCK AND HAVE BEEN TAKEN UNDER MY CUSTODY FOR QUESTIONING.