Chp. 16: Rocket Break
Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA
Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40
August 21, 2020
The next day in Cape Canaveral, the launching complex was surrounded by M1127 Stryker Reconnaissance Vehicles and watch towers with armed sniper men up top. On the coastline were several Island-class, Sentinel-class, and Legend-class U.S. Coast Guard ships floating in the waters. On the launchpad was a large rocket all set for take off. Two men in hazmat suits walked over to a soldier and greeted with a salute, which the soldier saluted back in return.
"The special package is on board and ready to go, sir," one of the men in the hazmat suits said.
"Good. We can start the launch immediately," the soldier replied.
The soldier reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone. He dials a number before placing the phone onto his ear.
"Sir, we're ready," he spoke into the phone.
Port Canaveral
Meanwhile far out from the launch complex, a large crowd of people were sitting on folding chairs just off the shore looking out at the launch sight. Within the crowd, a man stood with his iPhone placed in his ear. The man has green eyes and black hair. He wore a black leather jacket and a black t-shirt and matching pants.
"Go ahead and commence the launching procedure," the man said as he then hangs up.
'As the man puts his phone in his pocket, he stared at the rocket that send Salem into the sun
"Elon Musk?" a voice called.
The man known as Elon Musk turned to see Cade approaching up to him.
"Glad you could join us for this event, Cade," Musk said.
"I'm only here to help make sure Salem gets sent out without any errors," Cade said.
"So is the National Guard and the Coast Guard," Musk said. "Theis rocket I'd like to call the Mobile Morgue is meant to send that woman straight into the sun."
"And everyone can sleep easier tonight," Cade said.
"All the time to calculate the coordinates by SpaceX and the combined help from the United States Space Force will make this all worth it and Salem will face all the consequences of her actions," Musk said.
Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40
At the shore of the launch sight, everything was seemingly calm. Then raising out of the water and stepping onto the sandy shore was a large Grimm; The Hound. The intelligent Grimm sniffed the air for a moment and turned its head towards the rocket. The Hound then spoke.
"My... Queen..."
The Hound runs across the beach and hopped the fence and continued its way to the launch sight. On top of a watch tower, a sniper spotted The Hound and pulled out his radio.
"This is Tower 5 to Overlord. I've sighted a Grimm heading toward the Mobile Morgue. Permission to engage target?" the sniper asked.
"Copy that, Tower 5. All towers are clear to engage target," Overload responded.
The soldier aimed his sniper rifle at The Hound and then fired. The shot barely missed The Hound's hind leg as it continued to run towards the rocket. The other snipers in the towers began to open fire at the intelligent Grimm as it tanked most of the shots, while sprinting to the rocket. The rocket's thrusters were warming up as it was about to launch.
Port Canaveral
Back at the port, Cade, Musk and everyone else continued to watch as the rocket was about to take off. Musk's iPhone suddenly vibrated, getting his attention. He pulls out his phone and answers it.
"Hello...? What...?!" Musk covers his phone and turns his head to the android. "A Grimm has just been spotted, and it's heading towards the rocket."
"I'll go over there to help deal with it," Cade said.
The android runs out from the crowd and heads towards the docks.
Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40
Back at the launch complex, The Hound stops in its tracks as it continues to take shots from the snipers in the watchtowers. The Hound gets up on its hind legs, then pulls a chunk of the tarry substance from its side of its body and throws it at the rocket. The Grimm liquid splats onto the side of the rocket and from it crawled out a small Centinel. The Grimm then burrows itself inside the rocket. The Hound gets on all fours and begins to run away just as the rocket's thrusters emitted flames. The rocket then began to shoot up into the air and up into the sky.
The Hound continued to run to the beach as the guns on the Coast Guard's ships pointed in its direction. Coming up to shore was Cade on a speedboat. He jumps off the boat and points Random Access at the oncoming Grimm. Before he and the guns on the ships were about to open fire, the rocket up in the sky suddenly explodes.
Everyone looked up at the dark, smoky cloud that had formed from the exploding rocket. To their shock and horror, they realized that Salem was now on the loose. Cade looked back at the Hound as it had just hopped the fence and was now on the Coast Guard ships began to open fire at The Hound as it tried to avoid gunfire. Cade fires a couple of laser blasts at the intelligent Grimm, but it manages to move to the sides away from the blasts as it continues to run toward the shore.
As The Hound got closer and closer, Cade popped his blade out of Random Access and swung it at the Grimm. The Hound caught Cade's arm mid-swing and tossed him aside. It runs into the water and dives down below. All the Coast Guard ships then stopped firing. Cade gets up from the sand and looks back at the water for a moment before looking back up at the smoke cloud of where the rocket used to be. A moment later a black cloud of smoke sweeps out from the smoke from the explosion.
The Coast Guard ships and the M1127 Strykers aimed their guns at the black smoke and began to open fire. Ineffective by all the gunfire, the black smoke sweeps down and then dives into the ocean. The Strykers and the Coast Guard ships stopped shooting. Down under the water, the black smoke trailed away through the water as The Hound swam behind, following it.
Port Canaveral
Back at the port, the crowd watch and screamed in terror as Musk looked on in shock.
"The rest of the world is not gonna like this," he said.
Beacon Academy, Vale
Headmaster's Office
Meanwhile at Beacon, Professor Ozpin was sitting behind his desk, looking over some paperwork. He took a sip from his mug as he worked. Suddenly, a chirping beep sounds repeatedly as a hollow message which read 'Incoming Call: Keaton Gordon' appeared above his desk.
"Saved by a phone call," Ozpin said. "Answer."
The screen then showed a live feed of Keaton.
"Keaton. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ozpin greeted.
"Ozpin we've got a problem," Keaton said.
"And what might I ask would this problem be?" Ozpin asked.
"It's Salem. She's escaped," Keaton replied.
Ozpin grew a stunned expression on his face upon hearing the news. After a moment of silence, he then asked Keaton one question.
"What happened?"
"We we're about to launch her out of the atmosphere, but her Hound showed up and destroyed her rocket, freeing her. They dived into the Atlantic and disappeared," Keaton explained. "The U.H.L. is on high alert and is currently notifying the world leaders as we speak. As if the O.S.T. freeing Callows, Watts, and Taurus wasn't bad enough, now there's this."
"I'll notify the staff and hold an assembly. I'll see if I can find some worthy students for the U.H.L. if they chose to join," Ozpin said.
"And let my brother, Ruby, and the others know about this," Keaton said.
"I will," Ozpin said. "Just when I had hopes that this would all be over."