Remember the Heroes
Chapter 2
The Torchwick Connection
The police station was crowded as usual. Duffy's office was a desk, a board and a window that gazed out into the rest of the building. Duffy as usual was sitting on his desk staring at the board. Ruby and Duffy had grown accustomed to sitting around brainstorming, with a couple weeks of no success, it proved to be what they do best together.
"So either this is a copycat or our perp is changing his M.O." Duffy said. "Great. I always like it when they do that. Keeps things fresh." The sarcasm was dripping. Ruby shook her head.
"It doesn't matter, we need to find out how to connect these two together. We've confirmed a cause of death right?" Ruby asked.
"Gunshots to the stomachs, sepsis occured. Their deaths were long and painful. I don't know about you but I'd be screaming my head off if I were these guys." Duffy said. He shrugged. "So how did he get them passed Vale's finest?"
"Did the medical examiner confirm they were alive when they were hung up?" Ruby asked.
"Yep, died minutes before being discovered." Duffy said. "Or so the M.E. Estimates."
"You don't trust the medical examiner's report?" Ruby asked.
"Something isn't right about any of this." Duffy said. "Call it a hunch but I think I'm starting to agree with internal affairs."
"What?" Ruby blurted out. She spoke more quietly. "You think some of these cops are on a payroll?"
"How else do you move so many bodies into a crowded police station." Duffy said. "Someone turned a blind eye."
"We could be dealing with multiple killers." Ruby said.
"Maybe multiple dirty cops." Duffy replied. "God, now I feel like a conspiracy theorist."
"Feelings mutual Duff." Ruby said.
"Ever feel like being a cop?" Duffy asked.
"When I was younger, but after last night. It's safe to say I'm going to go back to hunting monsters." Ruby said. Duffy raised an eyebrow. "After this case is done of course."
"Real monsters that exciting?" Duffy asked.
"Half the time I wonder if Grimm are the real monsters." Ruby said.
She glanced out the window to a monitor across the hall, several cops were gathered around. Lisa Lavender again talking about the Battle of Beacon. This time it was Adam Taurus as the topic of choice. Ruby shook her head and turned away.
"You okay?" Duffy asked.
"I don't know." Ruby said. "Forget it."
"I'm all ears partner." Duffy said. "C'mon, tell me a story Miss Rose."
"I told you to call me Ruby, Miss Rose makes me sound like an old crone." Ruby said.
"Never." Duffy said. "It's an old tradition among us lowly cops to always refer to huntresses by their surnames. So we can appease their overinflated egos."
"Is that so?" Ruby asked, grinning. "Really, overinflated ego huh?"
"Only the biggest around Miss Oversized Gardening Tool." Duffy said with a big smile across his face.
"Hey, leave Crescent Rose out of this." Ruby said.
"You named it?" Duffy asked.
"All huntresses name their weapons." Ruby said.
"How very pathological of you." Duffy said. Ruby started giggling. He joined her.
"Thank you Duff." Ruby said. She didn't know how he did that. She somehow felt a lot better.
"Not a problem Miss Rose." Duffy replied.
She turned back to their board. A picture of Roman Torchwick was on the wall. Connected to the seven dead men. However, the thirteen other murders, all faunus, were in the corner. Not connected to anything but each other. The Torchwick connection was important, but she wanted to know what connected the faunus to this case.
"What connects the faunus..." Ruby muttered.
"Broderick upstairs suggested a possible White Fang connection." Duffy suggested. "Broderick isn't the most open minded of cops though."
"Broderick might be right." Ruby said. "These faunus have nothing in common other than they all were murdered the same way."
"Execution style, back of the head. Single gunshot." Duffy stated.
"Exactly. What if they were connected via the White Fang." Ruby asked.
"The ten year anniversary of the Battle of Beacon is coming up." Duffy said. "Tensions are high between us and faunus right now."
"And if someone were to find out who were once members of the White Fang?" Ruby asked.
"Someone might want to pay them a visit, not the friendly kind either." Duffy said. "Miss Rose I do believe you are on to something."
"We might not be dealing with just a serial killer here." Ruby said.
"We might be dealing with a vigilante." Duffy replied.
Ruby had never been so bored in her life. She and Duffy decided to stake out Torchwick's club, the Candle Club. Torchwick was a thorn in the side of the police department. He was a criminal, everyone knew it. He ran half the crime in this city. He played his cards close to his chest and he did a good job at erasing evidence. Every time the cops closed in to catch him, he found a way to weasel himself out.
Ruby busted him once before, stealing from dust shops. He had hired a group of rent-a-thugs to assist him in robbing a dust shop and then fled the scene when she stopped them. She was fifteen at the time, cornered him on a roof with nowhere left to run. Turns out prison only improved his criminal connections. Now he's the kingpin of crime. Life is funny that way.
"So you think our killer will show up?" Duffy asked.
"He started killing Torchwick's men, he just might." Ruby said. "Plus we might get a look into Torchwick's operation."
"Broderick is running that case, he might not like us nosing around his operation." Duffy said.
"Broderick can learn something from us." Ruby said. "I consider us the winning team of the VPD."
"There is that ego again." Duffy said.
"Shut up." Ruby said playfully. "Eyes up front. We've got movement."
A young woman with chocolate and strawberry hair stepped out of the building. Neopolitan, Ruby recognised her as part of Torchwick's operation. His right hand woman. Police have a few records of her, she's his top enforcer. All the muscle and skill he doesn't have. Last time the police busted her she spent twenty four hours in interrogation without saying a single word.
Several vans pulled up, two dozen thugs came storming out and into the building passed Neopolitan. Ruby and Duffy glanced at each other. Some of the men were carrying crates. The vans moved and more vans came. Whatever was going on, plenty of men and cargo was being loaded into the club.
"Think he's expecting company?" Duffy asked.
"You think?" Ruby asked.
"I wish we had eyes inside." Duffy said.
"Good idea, I'll check it out." Ruby said.
"Miss Rose, I can't follow you in there without a warrant." Duffy said.
"Relax, I'm just going to ask them for the time." Ruby said. "No problem at all."
She stepped out of the car, she heard Duffy mumble something but she couldn't make it out. She approached the building, the thugs nearly jumped out of their skin when she approached. They were spooked alright. The question was, who could spook this many men?
"Hello there." Ruby said. Neopolitan stepped right up to her, she was shorter than Ruby by a few inches. "How about this weather." She pointed to the clouds.
Neo frowned and kept her hand on her umbrella. Ruby had no doubt it concealed some form of gun or blade. Ruby simply smiled.
"I'm here to see your boss." Ruby said. "I can see something has him spooked and I'd like to know what."
Neo shook her head.
"Oh come on, you look like you're preparing for war here." Ruby said. "We're old friends, let me have a chat with him."
Neo paused for a moment. She shook her head.
"What's the hold up?" A voice called out. Roman Torchwick stepped out of his club. Bright orange hair carefully styled over one of his green eyes. He was clean shaven and wearing white suit with a black bowler hat. He looked barely any different from the last time she saw him. Neo sighed and facepalmed. Roman saw Ruby and recoiled. "Red! What a pleasant surprise!"
"Torchwick, still remember me?" Ruby asked.
"You threw me in the hole, of course I remember you." Torchwick said. "Guys, kill her please?"
The thugs reached for their weapons. Ruby threw her arms up. "Hey, let's all be cool here." Ruby said. "I'm just here to talk."
"Fine." Torchwick said. "But I have a busy schedule you know, places to be. Make it quick."
"Someone killed seven of your friends last night." Ruby said. "Why?"
"I'd like to know that myself." Torchwick said. "Also friend is a loose term."
"Alright aquaintances." Ruby said.
"More like annoying gnats." Torchwick replied. He turned to his goons, all of whom were giving him a funny look. "Not you guys, you guys are great. Back to work, chop chop."
"So you're telling me you don't have any idea who'd be out to get you?" Ruby asked.
"Get me? No, people love me. I'm a people person." Torchwick said. "Follow me."
They headed inside. Ruby glanced over her shoulder. Duffy was giving her an annoyed look from his car. Inside the club had red carpets, checkered dance floors and grand stairwells leading to luxurious vip lounges. He lead her to his personal office.
"Alright Red." Torchwick said. "Here's the deal. I've been looking into these murders myself."
"What's your interest in them?" Ruby asked.
"Let's just say I like my neighbourhood corpse free." Torchwick said. "Listen I did some digging into the faunus who were murdered. Ten years back they rolled with the White Fang. Imagine my shock, a respected member of the community finding out my neighbourhood housed White Fang terrorists in hiding."
"So you took matters in your own hands? Is that it?" Ruby asked.
"Gods no!" Torchwick said. He did a dozen mock religious hand movements. "I'm saying I dug too deep. Somebody doesn't want the truth getting out that those innocent animals were actually terrorists."
"Do you have proof to anything you are telling me?" Ruby asked. "Or do I just have to trust a thief."
"A thief, I'm hurt Red. I'm a respectable businessman." Torchwick said. He reached into his desk and tossed her an envelope. Inside were photographs of white fang rallies. Pictures of dozens of faunus, maybe more, all wearing grimm masks.
"This tells me nothing." Ruby said. Going through the pictures. "They are wearing masks."
He tossed a bag at her feet. She opened it. Thirteen grimm masks. "Where did you get these?"
"The victim's apartments." Torchwick said.
"That's evidence you stole." Ruby said. "You are a thief."
"I'm giving it back, call me a humanitarian." Torchwick said. "Get your lab people to psychoanalyze or whatever it is they do for dna and whatever."
"Right." Ruby said. "I'd say it's a pleasure, but..."
She turned towards the door, bag in one hand, envelope in the other. There was a loud bang. She froze. She glanced over her shoulder. Roman was reaching for his cane. Neo was running his way. She tackled him over the desk, gunfire erupted into the room, shattering the glass and shredding through Roman's possessions like a grimm in a teahouse. Ruby dove to the ground, bullets whizzed past her head. She dropped her evidence and pulled out crescent rose. She aimed it in the direction of her attacker and fired a shot. It blew hole in the wall roughly the size of her head. She aimed down her sight. She saw footsteps leading around a corner. She hopped to her feet and ran. She activated her semblance, zooming across the club in a blur of red and rose petals. She reached the corner and waited. Bodies and shattered glass were everywhere.
She heard footsteps upstairs, she looked for a stairwell and found one. She hurried up the stairs. She was stepping over corpses. She ran upstairs and hurried down the hallways as quietly as she could, she struggled to listen for any more clues as to where her attacker went. She heard what sounded like fighting coming a floor above. She was on the top floor. She looked for a way up and eventually found an attic entry, still open. She heard a loud explosion. She hopped up firing crescent rose to boost her up. She turned around and swung her weapon. Metal collided with metal.
Standing before her was a tall man in a white robe, with silver armour worn over top of it. He was strongly built but his entire body was covered by armour or robe, his face was covered in a silver mask of a human face with tears running down from it's eyes. His weapon was a great silver mace.
"You, you're the Martyr?" Ruby asked. She's heard stories of the Martyr, a hunstman who turned up seven or eight years back dressed just like this stranger, carrying a great mace. He was a hunstman with few equals, taking the most dangerous of assignments. Ruby may have been a bit of a fan. "Oh wow, I never thought I'd ever meet you!" She may have been a big fan.
"Ruby Rose." The Martyr said. His voice was distorted. She squealed.
"You know me?" Ruby asked. She then paused. "Wait, how do you know me?"
He hesitated for a little too long. "I've heard of you." He said. He didn't sound very confident.
"Do we know each other?" Ruby asked.
"No we do not." The Martyr said. "But we are clearly working the same job."
"What's a bad ass like you doing working a homicide job?" Ruby asked. She did notice his deflection. She decided they had more pressing issues.
"Given what day is coming, it seemed only fitting to get this unpleasantness resolved." The Martyr said. "Now we need to talk about your attacker."
"I heard fighting, did you encounter him?" Ruby asked.
"He wore a skimask, goggles, dark clothes. He had a lot of firepower. I counted at least four different weapons on him, mostly firearms. He blew a hole in the wall, he must have had a grenade launcher too." The Martyr said. "I barely got a glimpse of what any of these weapons looked like."
"Was it a man? You're sure?" Ruby asked.
"Not with certainty." The Martyr said. Ruby sighed. It would have been nice to have something to describe the attacker.
"So we're looking for either a man or a woman with access to dark clothes and a ski mask." Ruby said. "We're looking for all of vale."
"Do not lose hope Ruby Rose." The Martyr said. "We will find this killer."
"Thanks." Ruby said. She heard a voice calling her name. She turned around. Duffy was climbing up the latter. He had his gun out.
"What happened?" Duffy asked. "I heard gunfire?"
"Don't worry about a thing Duffy, situation under control." Ruby said.
"Who were you talking to?" Duffy asked.
Ruby spun around. The Martyr was nowhere in sight. She glanced around the attic. There was a hole in the wall. Blown open, probably with a grenade launcher. She sighed.
"Nevermind. Torchwick had some evidence for us." Ruby said.
"Try not to steal anything while you are down there!" Torchwick called out from his office. "I see you eyeing the liquor officer."
"What a prick." Duffy said.
Forensics of the crime scene indicated that the attacker was using dust rounds as there was little evidence left at the scene other than the bullet holes that riddled just about everything in the club. To make things worse, several of the forensic scientists are claiming that the shooter had a lot of rage, based on the performance. The shooter would have had to reload several times, which Ruby did not notice indicating they knew their way around a weapon and were adept at rapid reloads. Ruby was tired and half of this sounded like gibberish to her. She didn't see a pattern in any of it. Fortunately the grimm masks survived the encounter. Forensics were running dna tests to see if they were worn by any of the victims. If so, it proves that they wore them, which in turn could prove they were once members of the white fang. Or they had crummy fashion sense.
Duffy dropped her off at the station and she got into her Cherry sports car. Duffy admired the car for a moment. "Did you name your car too?"
"Of course not, don't be silly." Ruby said. "It's just a car."
"And yet you name your gunscythe?" Duffy asked.
"Hey, don't knock crescent rose." Ruby said.
"Goodnight Miss Rose." Duffy said.
"Goodnight Duff." Ruby replied.
She enjoyed the banter. It reminded her of her team. Weiss, Blake, Yang. She missed them. She thought about them on the way home. Their old misadventures, before the Battle of Beacon ruined everything. It broke Yang and Blake left. It was just Weiss and her. They hunted together for a while, partners. Until she had to leave too. Ruby liked hunting, but hunting alone wasn't the same.
She parked outside her apartment. She reached room 516. The door was open. She reached for her weapon and stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and stood at the ready. She cocked it to be safe.
"Alright, step out where I can see you!" Ruby shouted.
"Jeez, is that any way to treat a guest?" A familiar voice called out. A beautiful blonde, hair tied into a long ponytail, stepped out of her kitchen. Her eyes were a brilliant violet. She was chugging Ruby's milk straight out of the carton, she was also missing her right arm.
"Yang?" Ruby asked. She charged her sister and forced her into a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"I was in the neighbourhood, thought I'd stop by." Yang said. Ruby didn't let go. "C'mon sis, I need to breath sometimes."
"Sorry." Ruby said without actually letting go. "I just, really missed you."
"Me too." Yang said. She placed the milk carton down on a counter and patted Ruby on the back.
