Chapter 14
Friday. Literally the same week after that whole Creep fiasco. The follow up investigations into Merlot lead included the cleanup at the docks and the fish market, and the slaughter in the water system underground. Though he may have turned himself in, these kinds of actions aren’t let go so easily. Unless they acknowledge the fact that he wasn’t in control for any of that, the chances of him at least gaining parole are very slim. Unfortunately, it’s out of our hands now, hence why I’m more focused on my current predicament... My first date with Weiss! Just two days ago I ended up confessing to her and now I have to worry about, well, actually going out with her. Yang and Blake are the only ones we’ve told about our new found relationship. Yang and I get a moment alone after lunch.
Yang: “See? What did I tell you? Things between you two are still as great as always.”
Ruby: “Yeah, but now I’m stressing out all over again! We just kind of jumped straight to the confession part and hadn’t really thought about the first date. I’ve got nothing! I can’t think of what to do or where to take her.” With all my prior concerns about dating her in the first place, it makes sense that I never actually thought about this stuff until now. “Ugh! We’ve barely even started and I’m already a terrible girlfriend!”
Yang: “Hey! Don’t talk like that, okay? I’m sure you’ll be fine. So let’s just calm down and take a breath.” Leave it to Yang to lighten the mood. “Okay. All you need is to carefully think it through, before actually settling on the real thing.”
Ruby: “Okay. I want to at least wait a week to let us all recover from the Creep stuff before actually going on some dates. That gives me plenty of time to think and set up the details for our first date.”
Yang: “You got this. And remember, if you need any help, you know you can count on me.”
Ruby: “Thanks, Sis.” As they head to their next class. All the while, Blake and Weiss were nearby and Blake heard most of that, and Weiss noticed her focused state.
Weiss: “Something wrong, Blake?”
Blake: “No, not really. I probably shouldn’t say though.”
Weiss: “What? You don’t think I can keep a secret?”
Blake: “No. It’s just that it kind of concerns you.”
Weiss: “Then doesn’t that mean I should know?”
Blake: “Ah! Uh...*sigh*Fine, but don’t tell Ruby and Yang I told you. Ruby’s freaking out about planning your first date, and is going to spend the next week trying to figure it out.”
Weiss: “Seriously? She doesn’t go all out with it. It can just be simple and I wouldn’t judge her for it.”
Blake: “It’s not the standards she’s worried about. It's the fact she hadn’t planned anything at all. At least Yang was able to calm her down. Makes me wonder what she’ll have planned by the end of the week.” At this point, Weiss now gives a slight blush.
Weiss: “So do I...” Meanwhile, we check back at the SDC with Jacques, Glass and a board representative seated before Watts.
Jacques: “Alright Watts. Merlot may be out of the picture, but I asked to still go through with your presentation both as a formality and to make sure that we’re not making a mistake.”
Watts: “Trust me. I can assure that this will be no mistake.” He then put his custom-made scroll on the table, which then projected a large screen for his presentation. “I would first like to remind you of this large revolutionary Dust Core currently powering this building. A power source that has kept aided in keeping us afloat in times of city power crisis. However, because of a... certain someone refusing to share this power with the rest of the world...” As he subtly eyed Jacques. “The basis of my project became quite simple. A power core to match and maybe surpass the Dust Core and use it to improve the cities power grid. And I believe I may have come up with a viable solution. A special fusion reactor of my own design. One powered by concentrated Energy Dust combined with nuclear energy. And for safety measures, the reactor is built with a containment field. With this, we can keep our city powered for many years to come! Possibly even forever with the right people keeping it in check and properly feeding it. And with me as head scientist, there’s no doubt that it’ll all go with smooth sailing.” As he shuts off his scroll. “Any questions?” Glass just sits there pondering, while Jacques and the representative whisper for a second for facing Watts again with a response.
Jacques: *ahem*”ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND!?”
Watts: “Wha-Excuse me!?”
Jacques: “A nuclear reactor!? We’re trying to save our reputation, not make it worse! The world thinks we’re trying to make it better, so we have to keep that image, and making a nuclear reactor after making a source of clean energy AND the recent psycho outbreaks is a gateway to a PR disaster!”
Watts: “Pfft! As if you actually care about what they think of your clean energy when you refuse to share it!”
Jacques: “It’s not just that difference that makes this idea. What truly makes it a bad idea is the fact you plan to combine nuclear energy with Energy Dust. That is a VERY delicate combination. One wrong move in combining them, and you instead risk creating a nuclear BOMB! This is far too dangerous an idea to keep even remotely close to the city. It’ll be like create an explosion caused by splitting an atom.”
Watts: “Which is precisely why I will be the one creating the actual core of the reactor, as I know the proper way to combine them and NOT blow them up. All I would need then is a team of specialist to oversee the core and keep it stable.”
Jacques: “And that’s another thing. The idea of a containment field sounds promising, but regardless of the proper combination, Energy Dust with nuclear energy tend to cause all sorts of problems with nearby technology. You’d just end up putting all of those workers in immediate danger.”
Watts: “Not if you have all the proper variables in place.”
Jacques: “Enough! All we have right now is your word on whether or not this works, and with the SDC’s reputation on the line, I am not about the start a project with far too many risks involved! It'll just be a waste time, money and resources that are better spent on other projects with less risk!”
Watts: “But it WILL work! I have studied and mastered all forms of energy and know for certain that I can make it work!”
Jacques: “Thats it! You're clearly not grasping the point and are more focused on your own arrogant ego! So get out! Your fired!”
Watts: “What!?”
Jacques: “You heard me! Your fired! I want you out of here, NOW!”
Watts: “Tch. Fine! I don’t need you! I don’t need this company! I can make this happen myself!” As he storms off out of the room.
Jacques: “Hmph! Can’t believe we let an arrogant bastard like him into our ranks!”
Representative: “Well now we no candidates for the head scientist! We need someone to run the lab, or we’ll be getting nowhere!”
Jacques: “We’ll just appoint one of the lesser-known veterans. They’re not as ambitious as Merlot or Watts, so they won’t cause the kind of trouble they did.” But as they’re talking, Glass is still seated and pondering before showing a rather sinister smirk. A bit later when Watts is on his way out the door after cleaning out his station, his scroll received an anonymous message.
Watts: “Hm? ‘Hello Dr. Arthur Watts. I understand the frustrations of your genius being denied and am willing to offer a solution. Come to the SDC warehouse Dr. Fall destroyed just outside the city for negotiations tonight at 11. Signed, the Tinkerer.’ The Tinkerer? Sounds like one of those obscure usernames. Still, it’s not like I have anything else to lose. Might as well see what this guy has to say.” As he puts his scroll and heads home. After school, I went about my usual patrol around the city. As I’m swinging around, the news of Merlot’s sentence was spreading.
Lisa: “After the recent monstrous rampages, the investigation found it was Dr. Grey Merlot from the Schnee Dust Company, who had ended turning himself into the monster, now officially being labeled as the Creep, after the mythological creature, as a result of a mistake with his genetic experiments involving lizard DNA, and was reverted back by an antidote created by the Scarlet Spider. Afterwards, the good doctor turned himself in, as he realized the ramifications of these actions. However, with his cooperation in the follow up investigation, and the acknowledged fact that he never planned for this to happen to begin with, his sentence is to carried out in Vale’s standard prison, over the maximum-security prison known as the vault, with a potential chance for parole depending on his behavior.”
Blake: “Sounds like Merlot might actually be okay.”
Weiss: “Right. But now I’m worried about the company. With Merlot gone, Watts is sure to become head scientist, and he’s not exactly the best person to work with from what I’ve gathered.”
Yang: “Let's just hope he just a jerk and not totally loco.”
Ruby: “Hey, come on Yang! Don’t jinx us! That's like saying the cliched ‘at least it can’t get any worse’ bombshell. You say stuff like that and it actually happens!”
Weiss: “Seriously Ruby? This isn’t some cartoon, stuff like that doesn’t actually happen.” And then the news continues.
Lisa: “In other news, informants have confirmed that earlier today, SDC scientist Arthur Watts was fired from the company. After Merlot was arrested, Dr. Watts was set to become the next head scientist this morning, but after his primary project was revealed to feature potential unstable nuclear components and resisted termination, Mr. Schnee immediately fired him for insubordination. The future of the company’s head scientist position is now still up in the air.”
Yang: “Huh. Well what do you know.”
Weiss: “That was fast.”
Blake: “Let's not hold our breath though. Judging by his arrogance, he seems like the type of guy to hold a grudge. He might try something now that’s not under Schnee’s supervision.”
Ruby: “We’ll just have to keep an ear out for him.” And then I hear a crime alert. ‘Whoops! Gotta go!” As I head off to deal with some gangsters. Later that night, I had ended my patrol a while ago, and we cut to Watts, wearing a grey suit with yellow dress shirt, at the aforementioned warehouse. He’s obviously cautious as he heads inside.
Watts: “Hello? Is the Tinkerer here?” several lights in the warehouse come on, except for a few leaving darkness in one corner. From there, a distorted voice can be heard. Likely a voice changer.
Tinkerer: “So you have come.”
Watts: “Let’s just get straight to point. You said you could offer a solution to my problem?”
Tinkerer: “A question first. Just what are you willing to do to accomplish your goal.”
Watts: “Literally anything. I don’t care if I have to steal everything I need to make it happen. I WILL make it happen!”
Tinkerer: “Excellent. However, whatever methods you choose, you will no doubt face the Scarlet Spider in your efforts. Which is why I called you hear. For I have a gift for you that could help you stand a fighting chance. Not only that, but it should also be of great in creating your reactor by yourself, without having to drag in outside help from potential backstabbers.”
Watts: “And how do I know you won’t do so?”
Tinkerer: “I’ll be completely honest with you. I couldn’t care less about what you plan to do with my gift. Like you, I am a genius scientist. I have always been fascinated by machines, and have built great things over the years. However, my greatest creations have always been ones of destruction. Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways for me to test my creations without arousing suspicion to myself. Which is why I plan to seek the aid of troubled souls who have been wronged like you have, and offer them a chance to make things right for themselves as they test my latest creations. How you choose to go about it is up to you. I merely wish to see how they stand against the Spider at some point or another. And now that you know this, are you still willing to trust me and accept my gift?”
Watts: “And what exactly is your gift?”
Tinkerer: “To put it simply, it is a special ‘modification’ that I invented using a special neural interface to aid you in controlling it. If you look in the corner opposite of me, you will see a metal chamber with for black cables. You wish to accept my gift, just step inside then chamber, and it shall be yours. Though I’d advise you to take off your shirt first. So what will it be, Dr. Watts?” Watts seemed hesitant for a moment, but then steeled himself as he removed his jacket and shirt before stepping inside the chamber. Inside, some metal wrapped around his mid-section, the back of which had four holes and a metal spine with several needles that stuck into his back. Then, the four cables come in from small openings and attach to the holes in the back. He winced in pained several times before he felt something... different. The chamber walls all came apart, and the cables weren’t cables at all. They were long mechanical arms with white claws at the other end grabbed onto walls, and let go once Watts felt the control he now had over them. He stood there mesmerized as they moved around him, trying to get use to controlling them.
Watts: “Wh-What is this?”
Tinkerer: “I call them my Centinel arms. Referencing the centipede like creatures in Remnants mythology due to the arms tentacle like movement similar to the Centinels. And the claws bear a resemblance to their centipede-like legs, with the neural interface implanted in the spine, you will be able to maintain control over the arms, which have a neuro-transmission speed of under one nanosecond.”
Watts: “But that's impossible. Thats faster than signals travel inside the brain.”
Tinkerer: “And yet, you see such a miracle of science happening right before you. Not only that, but they are also incredibly strong. Able to lift even the heaviest of cargo without the aid of a crane or a forklift. With these arms, you’ll be able to complete your reactor... and more.” Watts continued to look on bewildered by the arms before grinning. And you said they were called the Centinel arms?”
Tinkerer: “Why yes.” Watts uses the bottom two arms to push himself off the ground, using them to substitute his legs.
Watts: “Then from now on, you may call me... Dr. Centinel!”