Team CYAN: Raging Storm

Chapter 4: Riddlers vs Spiders?

(Note: I do not own RWBY, all rights to RWBY go to Rooster Teeth in honor of its creator, Monty Oum)

Dads calling again.

Aidan: "Hey, so I looked into reports of... 'Riddlers'. They've been pretty busy tonight, hitting up a lot of abandoned places. Or at least that's how they appear. We've notice that for each of them, Spiders had been seen fleeing from these place or found dead on the premises after the Riddlers raids."

Celena: "I've heard the Spiders have a habit of making hideouts out of abandoned places because no one would bother giving them a second glance. But one has to wonder why their going after the Spiders."

Aidan: "Perhaps a brewing gang war?"

Celena: "If that's the case then let's try to get ahead of it. Is there anything abandoned that haven't been hit tonight?"

Aidan: "I think you're nearby one. An old shipyard."

Celena: "I'll see if the Spiders are using it." Hang up. As I'm on my way there I get a call from Tyler.

Tyler: "Celena. I hear your looking into the Spiders. Seeing if they're using that old shipyard?"

Celena: "Yeah. I'm trying to get ahead of a gang war between them and these masked guys."

Tyler: "If you're looking into the Spiders, then let me send an officer to meet you there. Names Nicholas Fuko. He's been put in charge of the Spiders case here in Vacuo. I hear he's a great cop. He dug right into any material of the case he could get his hands on, really took it seriously." Once he hangs up I reach the place and my hunch was right: the place is teeming with Spiders. I also intercept a call between the guy in charge here, and what sounds like Junior.

Junior: "-and if they set one foot inside the vault, I'll have your head!"

Spider Captain: "Got it, boss. Tripling security. Riddlers won't touch a thing." He hangs up on Junior. "Listen up! Riddlers're making moves on all our caches. Lost two tonight already. The Lil' Miss may be in lockup, but that don't mean her hardware's up for grabs."

Spider Thug: "Comm check, Widow 2. You up?"

Spider Sniper: "Widow 2 reporting in. Eyes on."

Celena: "What 'caches' are the Riddlers after? Better take out these Spiders before Fuko shows up so it'll be easier for us to figure out what they're guarding. Whatever it is, I don't want it in Malachites OR the Riddlers hands..." For the next few minutes I stealth these guys and then wait until a police cruiser shows up. A man with short black hair in the standard police uniform steps out.

Nick: "Just so you know, I respect you Hunters as our equals despite you doing most of the fighting."

Celena: "If your trying to flirt with me, it won't work."

Nick: "You wish, but I'm a married man. Names Nicholas Fuko. But everyone calls me Nick. Name shortenings are kind of my family's thing."

Celena: "Celena Verde. Fresh off the bar Huntress."

Nick: "Yeah, I've heard of you. My son's a big fan. Don't tell him I told you this, but he says he's got a little crush on you."

Celena: "How sweet, but I'm not looking for a relationship. Not for a long time."

Nick: "Anyway, let's get started. I managed to snag a warrant to search, but in case your wondering, no it doesn't cover breaking anything... Not without a lot of extra paperwork..."

Celena: "Let me see if there's another way in, and I'll open the door for ya." I zip around the building to find a vent in the back facing the water. Once inside I head straight for the front door and see if Nick can hear me. "Nick, you there? This doors sealed pretty tight!"

Nick: "Not quite! You see a junction box powering the door?" I use my visor to scan and I see the wires leading from the door to said box.

Celena: "I see it!"

Nick: "If we can overload it, that should force the door open!"

Celena: "Hmm... I don't think my electric bullets pack enough current! And I'd rather not waste ammo!"

Nick: "Try this!" He slides his stun gun under the door.

Celena: "Stun gun! Genius!" And... ZAP! "Bam! Door open!"

Nick: "Pretty smart to know how much voltage you needed. You remind me of my son. Started 3D printing the weapons of his favourite Hunters when he was five. Now he's in combat school unlocking his friends Scrolls." I hand him his stun gun back.

Celena: "Sounds like he's got a bright future ahead of him."

Nick: "He's good at fighting but he lacks the confidence to win. I'm thinking of signing him up for a personal apprenticeship with a licensed Hunter."

Celena: "Hmm... I never thought about stuff like that, but I might consider clearing my schedule if it helps."

Nick: "I appreciate the offer. I might take you up on it. Hm... Nothing illegal in plain sight."

Celena: *sigh*"Of course it's not gonna be easy. Cause why the hell would it be?"

Nick: "Like I said: not in plain sight. Let's look closer."

Celena: "Looking for something specific?"

Nick: "This yards been here a long time. Before the Spiders moved in, bootleggers used it back in the day. And bootleggers love their hidden rooms." He taps a near by shipping crate a few times. "Sound hollow to you? I think there's a hidden panel here."

Celena: "I got this." I use my daggers to pry it open. "It's just like the panel for the door but the conduits lead out the back. Mind lending me your stun gun again?"

Nick: "Sure, why?"

Celena: "You stay here with the panel and tell me if it has power yet. My visor should help me find the junction box it's connected to."

Nick: "On it." And I was right as I follow the hidden wires and... ZAP!

Celena: "Did that do it?"

Nick: "Almost. Must be a second box." My visor helps me see a second box upstairs so I zip up there and... ZAP! "There we go!" I zip back down to see him forcing the door open... only to find it full of empty shelves and an empty safe.

Celena: "Hm. We got a big fat nothing."

Nick: "Where there's one secret room, there could be more. Notice the floor?"

Celena: "Aha! They can hide the doors, but not the scrapes they leave." We split up and I find another scrape but no door on the other side of the second floor. So I help Nick up here... With some warning first. And then I pry open the panel again.

Nick: "Another circuit. You know the drill."

Celena: "On it." Scan and I see two junction boxes. One on the wall right next to me. ZAP! And the then follow the wires to find it up on... the ceiling!? How'd they get it up there? I'm impressed. But it still won't stop me. A zip and use my dagger to stick up there and then... ZAP!

Nick: "There! Its open!" I come back to see it once again full of empty shelves and cases as well as a blackboard with hooks.

Celena: "Nothing. I'm starting to think this is Malachites way of messing with us."

Nick: "But look. These are all used particularly for storing guns. They wouldn't have moved them through the front door. Gotta be a passageway we're missing. Look, there's another junction box in here. If it's hidden in here then it must be important."

Celena: "The Spiders here were talking about a vault... maybe we're close?"

Nick: "Bet on it." I use my visor to scan the wires. I look around to see them hooked up to an area in the floor. But I also see a second wire leading from behind the broken elevator. I zap the junction box here and then zip to the elevator and use my dagger to cut open a hole, revealing the junction box, and then zap it as well. Next thing we know a panel in the floor pops up. It takes both of us to lift it open.

Celena: "Well, that's not creepy at all..."

Nick: "Most likely an old bootleggers tunnel." Then things start shaking.

Celena: "What was that!?" Another shake.

Nick: "Sounds like explosives!"

Celena: "And that sounds like Riddlers! We gotta move!" So we run down the tunnel until we find the vault. I use my dagger to cut the lock open and... it's empty. Well not entirely. Looks they just took the lethal stuff. "Damn! Its already empty... How'd they beat us here?"

Nick: "Must be a back door. But man, this place is one hell of an armory... Or was." He's right, they may be empty but they show signs of storing tons of weapons. Empty gun crates, and it looks like they took the ones they didn't clean out. The shelves with glass covering were smashed and grabbed. They were in a rush. Then I find our back door. They blew the locks open. I peek through to find them loading up two trucks.

Celena: "Shh! Riddlers. You stay here-"

Nick: "Hell no. I said I see us as equals so I'm not gonna let you fight alone." He draws his gun and grabs a few flashbang grenades from the shelf. "They're moving!" We rush out and follow them. I zip to the gate and block their path. The driver's seat of one of the trucks is in a flashier coat than the others and calls on a comm link.

Riddler Captain: "Sorera o korosu!"(Kill them!) His truck rams through the gate while the other stops and the troops inside come out and try to fight. Nick sends out a flashbang to disorient them while I zip by and take them out. More of them show up in stolen cars, armed with guns and and some with electric rods. Their a bit more persistent but still nothing a couple of flashbangs won't help with. Afterwards, one of the guys a knockedout earlier get up and drive off in the other truck. Nick is distracted with another guy trying to get up.

Nick: "Go! I'll catch up!"

Celena: "Got it!" I zip after them and they try to shake me off their trail with as many sharps turns as possible. "If I lose two trucks full of gunmen in one day, it's time to hang up the guns. Looks like Tyler may have given Nick my number as he calls my comm.

Nick: "Celena! A few Riddler stragglers at the yard, I'm held up! How're you looking?"

Celena: "Not much better! These guys are all over the road! They'll kill someone if I can't stop them!"

Nick: "I'm doing my best to catch up! But you might be on your own!"

Celena: "Stay safe, Nick! Don't do anything crazy!" I get in close and try to stop the driver but all that did was distract him and crash into a gas truck. The gas tank explodes after tipping over and the guy gets away. "If that fire spreads people will get hurt! I've gotta stop..." I see a fire hydrant and try to unscrew it. As I struggle with it, the guy I was chasing seems to have come back and is coming straight at me with the intent of running me over. But before he can, Nick crashes into his truck, tipping it over and and flipping his cruiser. As I'm still struggling with the hydrant, I didn't notice that the Riddler got out of his truck, starts limping my way and takes aim, but he didn't notice Nick coming after him until after Nick turned him around and punched him in the face, finally knocking him out, and then Nick himself kneels from exhaustion and his car crash injuries. I finally get the hydrant open and spray the fire before it spreads. I make my way to Nick and help him up. Making sure he's careful. A few minutes later with the fire out, the police and an ambulance shows up and takes Nick away. The Doc said he's only sustained minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Meanwhile the police take away the Riddler and confiscate the weapons in the truck. But the truck with the flashy Riddler is still out there. But I'm also more than likely to collapse from exhaustion if I don't get some sleep tonight. I've haven't gotten any sleep since bagging Malachite. Better get home and get some shut eye... but as soon as I get there... I encounter another problem. Turns out I missed a message from the landlord saying that the building was getting fumigated today. Most of this building is full of science geeks, and one of them was experimenting with Rapier Wasps. The wasps got loose and started an investation so everyone was to evacuate so they could tent up the place. Luckily none of my gadgets up there have anything that the gas will ruin but now I need to find somewhere else to sleep. I can't go to the twins because I know Alice will be out late and Nya doesn't like to be disturbed while working late. And I really can't go to my parents either because A: Dad is naturally working late. And B: Mom is most likely asleep by now, doctor's orders from her own exhaustion. The only other place I can think of is the shelter. And speak of the Devil, Grandma calls. "Hey Grandma, you're calling late. What's up?"

Marie: "Your mother wanted me to call you. I knew your father couldn't make time to come but you missed the big dinner. Nearly the whole family showed up!"

Celena: "Oh... right! I'm sorry, I forgot. Its been a long and hard day. I've been investigating a crazy case all day. But what was hard was that... we lost funding at the lab."

Marie: "Oh, Celena... I'm sorry!"

Celena: "I also kinda can't go to my apartment right now..."

Marie: "What!?"

Celena: "Rapier Wasps got loose in the building and they had to fumigate the whole place."

Marie: "Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Celena: "Actually... no. Not really. Certain circumstances say I can't go to my parents place or crash with the twins. I hate to ask, but is there any room at the shelter?"

Marie: "Of course. Feel free to use the couch in my office."

Celena: "Thanks, Grandma." Hang up. Then immediately I get a call from Nya.

Nya: "Hey, so this gang war between the Riddlers and the Spiders is really heating up."

Celena: "I know... even Crimson Blades a part of it. The Riddlers planted a bomb in him and forced him into doing jobs for them."

Nya: "Right. Crimson Blade is particularly unique. If he dies then rebuilding him the same as before will be close to impossible. These guys are serious. Do they just want to replace the Spiders?"

Celena: "That'd be bad enough... hope it's not something worse." Hang up. That's when I reach the shelter. "Hope Grandma's couch is comfortable." The next morning I wake up to find Grandma behind her desk.

Marie: "Morning sleepy head."

Celena: "Morning Grandma..."

Marie: "I heard about yesterday. Crimson Blade AND the Riddlers? You really don't learn your lesson. Don't think I don't know that your father has told you time and time to take it easy and stop overworking yourself."

Celena: "I know its just-"

Marie: "'Someone has to help and if I don't who will?' Your father was the same way when he was young. And his father before him. Humans and Faunus alike both have their limits. You just have to swallow up your pride and accept that." Then we hear a throat clear. "Mondai!" He's standing in the doorway.

Mondai: "Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to let you know I'm headed out of town. You're in charge while I'm gone."

Marie: "Well you can count on me. Hong long will you be away?" He thinks for a second.

Mondai: "I really don't know..."

Celena: "Is everything okay?"

Mondai: "It's some personal business I've been planning for a while. But... please take care of this place. It represents the best part of me." He walks away.

Marie: "Well, I guess I better get busy."

Celena: "And I better get going. I've still got some matters to look into." Then I get a Scroll call from Alice. "Hello?"

Alice: "Did you hear? Dad just announced he's going to give Officer Fuko an award this afternoon."

Celena: "Wow. Wait, isn't Jack's campaign rally this after-Oh! I see what he's doing."

Alice: "Yeah, we all do. But still, a pretty cool moment for Officer Fuko and his family. I'll be there to make nothing sketchy happens. Want to join me?"

Celena: "Yeah, of course. The Riddlers are still at large so we can't take any chances. See you then." Hang up and leave the shelter. That's when I see another message Mia left.

Mia: "Celena. I don't want to jinx us but... the lead I'm following might not only get the project back on its feet, but also expand it in ways we never could've imagined. Everything happens for a reason, even Jack pulling our plug." End message.

Celena: "Really hope this works out. Mia's work is too important to go unfinished."