Reed jolted awake to Melanie kicking his bed. She tossed his glasses over, and he fumbled to put them on.
"It's the weekend, and the middle of the night." He commented.
She tossed his scroll over. "Suck it up, your brother's in trouble."
Reed looked at the panic alert on his scroll, then noticed their weapons set out on Melanie's bed. He saw that she was already dressed.
"Nina?" He asked.
She gestured to the bathroom. "Getting dressed. She's a lighter sleeper than you."
He looked out the window. "Go on ahead. If he needs help, he needs it now."
Reed changed to his combat gear as Melanie leaped out the window. Nina soon came out, holstering her pistols. Soon enough, they all arrived at the workshop, seeing the carnage. The area was blocked off by police tape, officers were investigating witnesses, and CSIs were examining the evidence...including Crimson's gear.
"Nina, can you hear them?" Melanie asked.
She nodded. "They're saying he was kidnapped...wait, they just found the panic signal on his scroll."
"We need the footage from his visor." Reed muttered.
"On it." Melanie said, approaching the scene.
"Contact his family. See if you can get in touch with the school too. Find out who this signal is going to." The lead detective ordered.
Melanie cleared her throat, holding up her scroll to show the panic alert still active. "His teammates. Who else would he ask for help?"
The detective approached. "Sorry kid, but you're a bit too late. Your teammate's been kidnapped by unknown assailants."
"Then why don't you let us help find him. We're his team, if he left clues we'd be able to pick up on them." She said.
He raised an eyebrow. "You may be going to a Huntsman Academy, but you're still students and civilians. Just stay out of the way."
She scowled. "Fine. But he better be back in one piece." She turned away, hands stuffed in her pockets, and returned to the group. "Come on, let's go." As soon as they turned the corner, she pulled the scroll from her pocket. "Do your thing."
Reed took it, moving through the files. "So how much of what you said to the detective was BS?"
"As much as I needed to keep him distracted." She replied. "Found what you needed?"
"I think so...I've got the specs on the truck, and the captor." He showed them an image of the man; messy grey hair, brown eyes, and a rough complexion. "Zachariah Alabaster. Apparently part of RedOwl's private security...RedOwl...I think I know why Crimson was kidnapped."
Crimson came to in a darkened room, cuffed to a chair. He looked around, gathering his bearings. The place looked like an interrogation room of sorts, featuring a metal table, and a single locked door. The only thing it lacked was a one-way window. Soon after he woke up, Zachariah came in through the door, followed by someone else Crimson couldn't quite make out. Any time he tried to look directly at the man, he'd lose focus, and his gaze would shift back to Zachariah. This effect dropped when the man sat down across from Crimson, but the shadows obscured him too much for Crimson to see him clearly.
"Finally awake." The man stated, his voice smooth and charismatic.
Crimson scowled. "Who are you?"
The man grinned. "Why tell you that?"
"Because when I get out and kick your ass, I want to know who I'll be calling the cops on." Crimson replied.
"Please, I just wanted to have a peaceful chat." The man insisted. "You're the only one being violent about this."
"You kidnapped me and cuffed me to a chair." Crimson said. "Oh, let's not forget the fact that your people keep stealing prototypes from workshops around the city."
He shrugged. "I go with the most practical solutions available. As an engineer, you can respect that."
"Yeah, well as a Huntsmen, robbing and killing are about as deplorable as it gets." Crimson countered.
The man chuckled. "Ah, that fire! Johnathan never had that, he was always timid and awkward. That came from Carmen...well, before she lost her mind at least.
Crimson felt his heart skip a beat. "You knew them?"
"You could say that." The man stated. "Johnathan and I used to be partners, pals even. Carmen too."
"You're lying." Crimson said.
The man chuckled. "That's a fair reaction. I do lie about a lot of things. But this is not one of them."
Crimson sat back, staring at the shadowed figure before him. "What do you want with me?"
"Your services, of course." The man stated.
Crimson chuckled. "What, as a first year Huntsman trainee?"
The man shook his head. "Oh no, my security's capable enough. No, I need your engineering skills." The man set a scroll down, and showed holograms of Crimson's gear. "I was so disappointed when Zachariah left all your toys behind, because they are technological marvels. I mean, sure they'd be slightly above average in Atlas, but that's just a lack of resources. I can give you the resources to build whatever you want."
"Firstly, some of those pieces were collaborative." Crimson countered. "Second, I can tell you right where to put that offer."
"Well, I was gonna let you do it willingly, get paid, and be able to go about your daily life." The man said. "I suppose instead I can lock you up, force you to do it, and kill your family and friends if you don't."
Crimson grinned. "Trust me, they can take care of themselves."
"So let me get this straight." Melanie stated. "Crimson was kidnapped for some kind of sick business move?"
Reed nodded. "When his father died, he willed 60% of his shares to Crimson's mother. But if she's declared unfit to hold those shares, she's likely arranged for them to transfer to him. But if something happens to him, those shares enter the market. If someone's already prepared to buy up most of them, they gain control of RedOwl."
Nina blinked. "I'm confused...what are shares?" Melanie and Nina both turned to her. "...what?"
Melanie sighed. "Crimson's dad started a company and built it up into a large corporation. When he died, Crimson's mom became the owner, but she's in hospital, and her ownership is considered tentative. If something were to happen to both of them, anyone could buy ownership of the company."
"If something happened..." Her eyes, ears, and tail shot up. "You don't mean someone would kill him just to get control of the company!"
Melanie frowned. "No, they would have killed him at the workshop if that were the case...it could be the shares, but there's more to it than just that."
Reed cupped his chin. "That doesn't help us find where he is."
"I can handle that." Melanie said, beginning to walk off.
Reed stepped in front of her. "We shouldn't split up. We have a better chance of finding him together."
She scowled. "Fine, but this part is being done my way. You may know tech, but I know the streets. You don't have to like what I do, just stay back and keep quiet."
"Lead the way." Reed stated.
Melanie did just that, gesturing for the team to follow as she navigated through backstreets and alleyways. "Lesson one in gathering information. Rats hear everything, you just have to make them squeal."
As they turned the corner, they saw a group of thugs mid-conversation. Melanie walked up to the nearest one and tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned to her with a scowl. "Buzz off, kid."
"Sure, just answer a question for me." She replied.
He pulled out a butterfly knife, opening it with a flashy gesture and holding the blade just below her chin. "I said buzz off."
In a quick motion, Melanie spun, pulling the blade from the man's grip and slamming him against the wall. She then grabbed his hair, pulling his head back and holding the knife to his throat. The other thugs quickly drew shabby, outdated dust pistols.
"Take care of the accessories." Melanie said. "We're gonna have a little private chat."
Reed drew his katana, and stepped between Melanie and the thugs. As he fought them off, Melanie dragged the man back deeper into the alley.
"Cargo truck. Busted window, most likely carrying a person. Where did it go?" Melanie asked.
The man grunted. "What's it to you?"
"Not your business." She stated. "The truck, now."
He groaned for a moment. "Dunno. Saw it heading to the industrial sector, but only for a second. Wasn't really paying attention."
She scowled, but dropped the man. "Thanks." She hurled the knife, embedding it in the ground at the far end of the alley. "This conversation never happened, unless you and your buddies want people knowing you got beat by some girl." With that, she went back to Reed and Nina. "Come on, I narrowed down the search."
She saw Nina's expression. The girl was shocked and scared, even confused a little. Melanie ignored it. Saving Crimson was more important right now.
The man sighed. "Now the stubbornness, that is your dad. Carmen was at least reasonable, but Johnathan...timid as he was, he made up his own mind about things."
"The more you talk about my parents, the more I want to kick your ass." Crimson warned.
"Right, right. Touchy subject, I apologize." The man said. "The point is, I'd rather this be an opportunity for you than a threat."
Crimson narrowed his eyes. "Really? Because you've given me no reason to trust you, and every reason to be skeptical."
"Good point." The man admitted. "A gesture of trust then...how about...the name of the man that killed your father?"
Crimson's eyes widened, and all the fight in him drained out. "You...know who did it?"
The man nodded. "And I will give it to you if you agree to just take a look at one little project and tell me what I'm missing."
"One...project?" Crimson frowned, trying to weigh things in his mind. "What project?"
The man smiled. "Oh, I'm so glad you asked."
He tapped his scroll, changing the holograms. He showed schematics of a tower designed for delivery of airborne substances.
"We've run into two problems." The man stated. "Spreading any given substance over a wide enough area, and keeping it dense enough to have an effect."
Crimson leaned forward. "What is this for?"
The man shrugged. "There's a variety of applications. Border defense, it could spread dust potently enough to dissuade Grimm. It could spread smoke screens to conceal government or military facilities. Imagine what it could do for Atlas, and their floating constructs. A sustained oxygen field high enough in the atmosphere to avoid the Grimm indefinitely."
"Don't BS me." Crimson stated. "You want it made for a reason, or you wouldn't be going to the lengths you are."
The man raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, you got me. There is...a plague...threatening Humanity. For generations we've struggled with it, and over time it's only spread...grown stronger...evolved in the most sickening of ways. If we let it go unchecked, it will eradicate us faster than the Grimm ever could. Imagine this device placed strategically in each kingdom, spreading a cure. For a time it would persist outside the kingdoms, but either through the advancements of humanity, or lack of protection from the Grimm, the infection would die out. Humanity would be safe, and free to focus on establishing peace."
"You're trying to save humanity?" Crimson questioned. "Why resort to fear and intimidation?"
"Because that's how dire our circumstances are." The man said. "I'm doing what I have to."
Crimson eyed the device. "And if I tell you how to fix this...you'll tell me who killed my father?"
"Do we have a deal?" The man asked.
"Why would he be in the main building?" Reed asked.
Melanie gave him a look. "If they were taking him to a warehouse, he would be down by the docks. This is the most guarded facility they have, and thanks to the transport routes, it's the easiest to get in and out of unnoticed. Cargo trucks, especially damaged ones, don't look out of place here."
"Why wouldn't they?" Reed questioned.
"The White Fang." Melanie replied. "They mainly target the Schnee Dust Corporation, but RedOwl has also been frequently targeted by them."
Nina watched the guards patrolling outside, looking very nervous. "I recognize that armor."
Melanie's attention turned to her. "The security?" Nina nodded. "From where?"
Nina shrank back. "Somewhere bad."
Reed put a hand on her shoulder. "Nina...we're going to need to know more than that. Whatever you know could help Crimson."
"The guns use electric dust...they target your nerves to make you seize up. It feels like your body's on fire." She muttered.
Reed nodded. "That's what happened to Crimson in the footage."
"The helmets let them talk to each other...and see what someone else is seeing." She continued.
"Like Atlas helmets." Melanie observed.
Nina looked over at the security again. "But it means they can only see straight ahead, and get distracted easily."
"Their armor." Reed stated. "What is it designed for?"
"It protects against dust." She said. "Physical attacks work better against it."
"Nina, look at me." Melanie said.
Nina looked up, ears flattened. "That's all I know about them."
Melanie looked Nina in the eye. "You know we'll have to talk about this later...but for now, thank you."
She nodded. "Oh, um...they also patrol in groups of five...I think.
"Alright...now where in the building would they be keeping Crimson?" Reed wondered.
Nina cleared her throat. "Uh...if I were to guess...there might be holding cells in the bottom floor...underground, I mean."
"That's...specific." Reed stated. "Nina, if you're not comfortable going in with us-"
"I won't leave him in there." Nina's ears and tail shot up as she said it. "I won't leave a friend to...to..." She gulped, but her expression remained firm.
Melanie sighed. "Well, I guess you're decided then."
Reed eyed the building. "There's no chance of sneaking in the front, and trying to enter above ground level would take too long."
"Then we go in through the loading bay." Melanie stated. "Same place Crimson came in through, we could probably take a cargo lift down to him."
"That could work." Reed said. "But we're still in for a fight."
"Bring it." Nina replied.
Crimson kept processing his options. "I...need a minute to think about this."
"Of course." The man stated. "Zach, take his cuffs off will you?"
The man did so, and the two walked out, leaving Crimson alone in the room. He stood from his chair, and began pacing as he thought things through. Meanwhile, Zachariah spoke to the man as they walked down the hall.
"You're sure about this, Carl?" Zachariah asked.
The man, Carl, chuckled. "That kid has a vendetta, he won't stop until his father's killer is dead. He finishes the tower for me, he becomes my fall guy, and he either kills our biggest threat or dies trying. No matter how this plays out, I win."
"And what if he doesn't take your offer?" Zachariah asked.
"He will." Carl said. "If left alone to ponder it, he'll come to the decision that even if I'm planning something bad, he'll be able to stop it in time. He'll fool himself into thinking it's a win-win scenario, and decide to go with the option where I just let him leave with the scrap of information he wants more than anything in the world."
"And what about his team?" Zachariah asked.
Carl let out a more hearty laughter at that. "His team? Please, you have a vengeful leader, a veritable sociopath, a girl that keeps way too many secrets for her own good, and a worst case scenario PTSD case study. We time things right, and we turn them on each other right as everything falls apart. Speaking of, how far are we on moving our operations to Atlas?"
"We're ready." Zachariah stated. "To the world, it'll look like fortune saved us from catastrophe. We've arranged for select losses to be taken, but nothing critical."
Carl smiled wide. "Good. Riko and Yoko?"
"Riko is on her way here. Yoko is still in Atlas, recording the crazy woman's ramblings." The man stated.
"Keep her there." Carl ordered. "Those ramblings have proven more useful than anybody gives them credit for."
Suddenly, the lights turned red, and the alarm went off. The two looked to each other.
"Keep them busy." Carl stated. "Don't stop them, just slow them. Crimson just needs a little more time to think things through."
The plan had not gone as expected. The loading bay had more security than the entrance did, and now the team was caught in a full on firefight. Their semblances gave them an edge, with Reed able to reflect the electricity back at the guards, Melanie able to catch the current with her water, and Nina able to freeze the opponents before they could take the group down. They fought their way in to the cargo lift, but alarms were already blaring by then. To make matters worse, security was sliding down onto the lift, attempting to overwhelm the team. They were managing to fight the guards off, but not easily. At the bottom of the lift, Zachariah was waiting for them.
"Now what's a group of unlicensed students doing breaking and entering on private property?" He asked.
Melanie immediately rushed to attack, slashing repeatedly with Violet Cross, but Zachariah dodged and sidestepped in perfect rhythm. Nina drew her pistols, firing off at the man, but he simply grabbed Melanie by the arm, spinning to throw her into Nina. As Nina caught Melanie, Reed rushed in with a lightning fast jab, but Zachariah still dodge, pistol whipping Reed in the back of the head. Reed fell over, and Zachariah began firing at Nina, who made an ice wall for cover. Instead of rising to his feet, Reed swept his legs around to trip Zachariah. He rolled with the impact, coming back to his feet just as Reed did. He shot at Reed, but Reed sent the electricity straight back at Zachariah, who was forced to retreat behind the corner. Zachariah kept firing around the corner, as he reached for his earpiece to contact Carl.
"Enough time?" He asked.
"Plenty." Carl replied. "You may take your leave."
The team rounded the corner to find Zachariah gone. They each looked around in dismay.
"He was just here." Reed muttered.
Melanie frowned. "He could have a speed or invisibility semblance."
"Isn't Crimson the priority here?" Nina asked.
Reed nodded. "Nina's right. Come on."
They kept searching through cells, finding them all empty, save for one. Crimson stood, speaking to a man hidden in the shadows.
"And here they are." The man stated. "Right on schedule."
Nina froze. "No...no, no, no..."
The man regarded her. "Ah, we meet again. What is it you go by now, Nina?"
"Stay away from me." She whispered, the air around her growing colder.
Reed put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Nina. You're not alone here."
Melanie scowled. "How do you two know each other."
"That?" The man chuckled. "That's a rather long story. I suppose you could say I'm the closest thing she has to a father."
"No." She shook her head. "No, I don't want to be here."
"Then let's go." Crimson said. "Come on, he said he'd let us walk out."
"BS." Melanie growled.
The man spread his arms out. "Not at all. Despite you barging into my building and attacking my security, Crimson and I have had a chat. Oh, speaking of...my offer stands, Crimson. Anytime."
"I'll keep it in mind." Crimson stated. "Come on, let's go."
The team walked out, not saying a word until they'd left the building. When they did, Crimson looked around, leading them into an alley, before finally addressing them.
"How'd you find me?" He asked.
Melanie shrugged. "Team effort."
He gave a slight smile. "Well, thank you. Look, let's just leave this alone for now. We don't have our licenses yet, and we can't prove anything without incriminating ourselves."
Reed nodded. "If you say so."
"The police have your gear." Melanie informed.
Crimson paused. "I'll...go to them and say I woke up in an alley. Tell them some failed ransom story. You guys get back to the dorms, alright?"
"You don't have to tell me twice." Melanie stated.
"Good." Crimson walked off, his mind returning to the conversation as he did. "If he really knows...maybe it is worth it...maybe..."