The Cross Continental Transmit System Tower was massive. This tower can transmit anywhere in Remnant. Many people come here for calls they want to make. The tower was one of the most influential technology innovations of all time.

"Wow!" Ruby said as she looked at the tower. "I forgot how big the transmit tower looks so close!"

"You should see the one in Atlas," Weiss bragged.

"That was the first one right?" Weiss and Ruby were walking on a sidewalk on the way to the transmit tower.

"Correct, Atlas developed the cross-continental transmit system to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the great war."

Ruby paces her hand on her chest and imitates Weiss. "Ooo look at me, my name is Weiss, I know facts, I'm rich!" Weiss and Ruby stop walking and Weiss turns to her immature friend with a hand on her hip. Ruby puts her hand to her mouth and snickers.

"Don't be a pest!" Weiss said matter-of-factly. "Besides, the only reason we're here is because you like the tower so much. We could've just have easily made a call from the library."

"I know but it's so cool! Oh! I'm going to take a picture!" Ruby takes out her scroll but was so excited she fumbles with it and drops it. The scroll bounces and slides to a person's leg. The person had black shoes and stockings with a little green circle at the bottom on the side. A green line goes up on the side of the leg.

"Oh," the person said. It was a female's voice. She picks it up to reveal a gray blouse with feminine overalls. Her neck has a collar hat was black with some green. And her head had orange hair with a pink bow in the back. She also had green eyes.

"You dropped this," She said as she had her arm sticking out with the scroll in it. Ruby realizes who it is.

"Penny?" She said with a small smile growing on her. Pennyh realizes who it is and panics.

"Uhh…" was all that escaped her lips.

"Where have you been?" Ruby asked her friend. "We haven't seen you since the night at the docks."

"S-Sorry," Penny apologized. "I think you're confused." However she hiccups, which sends the scroll flying into Ruby's hands. "Uhh, I've got to go!" Penny said as she turned around running from Weiss and Ruby.

"What was that about?" Weiss asked.

"I don't know," ruby responded as she shook her head. "But I'm going to find out." Ruby starts to follow Penny. "You go make your call, I'll meet up with you later!"

"Wait!" Weiss tried to stop her leader but she was already gone. "Ugh."

When Ruby caught up they were heading down some stairs. "Penny!" Ruby said as they stopped. "Where have you been? It's been weeks!"

"There seems to be a misunderstanding," Penny said.

"What?!" Penny continues to walk. "Penny!" As Penny walked down the stairs Ruby slid down the railing. "Is everything okay?" Penny continued to ignore her. "Penny please stop!" Ruby said as she grabbed her friends arm. Penny looks at Ruby.

"Look," Ruby started. "I don't know what's wrong. But you have to listen to me. Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big. Something bad! I need you to tell me what happened that night. Please, as a friend." Penny was looking down at the ground. She sighs.

She looks around and leans into Ruby's ear. "It isn't safe to talk here." Penny said.

Meanwhile, with Sun and Blake:

Sun was leaning on a wall into an alley way. If he saw any Atlas soldiers or police he was to give Blake and the informant a signal. Right now they needed the info since the meeting was tonight. Of course that meant the informant needed Lien. And a lot of it.

Sun could hear the two disagreeing about something as Blake was raising her voice, but not to the point where people notice. Sun's scroll goes off and he looks at the screen. It was an unknown caller. He clicks on the call. "Hello?"

"Sun," Washington's voice rang out.

"Washington!" Sun said surprised. "Wait how'd you get my number?"

"We had Epsilon take a look in your scrolls," Washington said.

"Wait, who's Epsilon?" Sun said. Washington is silent for a good minute.

"Fuck," Was all Washington said. "Look, ask Blake. Do you guys have the info? I got the escape vehicle."

"No. Blake's getting it now." Sun looks around and no soldiers or police. Yet. "How'd you get a car anyway?"

"Uhh…"

Five minutes earlier.

Washington was leaning on a wall. He looked down the street to see another truck going by. "Dammit," he mumbled. "Can't anyone drive a normal sedan?" The Trucks rushes past him and he tries to see if another one is coming.

He just needed a sedan that could blend in, but all the ones that came by had some flashy decal or spoiler on them. He looks to his left and sees a grey sedan coming down the road. He uses his binocular function in his helmet to see if it was another flashy car.

It wasn't. It was just a normal average Joe car. Not run down either so he can use its full potential. Washington stops leaning and cracks his neck. He rolls his arms and mumbles to himself. "What is it with me and cars?"

When the sedan was at the right distance, Washington sprinted out into the road. The driver in the car sees this and panics. She presses her brakes hard. Unfortunately she still hit Washington. She gets out of the car to check if he is okay.

"Oh my God I'm sorry!" She said. However Washington pops up and shakes himself.

"Its fine," He says in a hurried voice. He looks to the driver. "Ma'am, I'm Atlas military. Right now I'm chasing down a suspect. I need to commandeer your vehicle."

"What?!" She said outraged. However Washington ignored her and got in the driver seat. "Excuse me, you have no right to take my car."

"I don't have time for this!" He yelled. She backed away. "Complain about it to my higher ups. And send them the bill for this because I highly doubt you'll get it back." With that he takes off, leaving a stunned citizen behind.

Present:

"I found it," Washington lied. "Hotwired it and left. We'll pay for it later."

"All right," Sun said. Blake walks out of the alley and sun removes his scroll from his ear. "We got what we need?"

"Warehouse at a storage facility, look for three lines shaped like claw marks," Blake explained. Sun nods and puts his scroll to his ear.

"Yeah, we got what we need."

"All right," Washington says. "Tell me where you guys are, I'll pick you up." Sun tells Washington and they hang up.

"So… Who's epsilon?" Sun asked.

With Weiss:

She walks into the CCT and notice students there already making calls. She walks to the elevator which opens up when she is in front of it. She walks in and the doors close behind her.

"Hello," A female voice on the intercom said. "Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to go to the communications room please,"

"Absolutely. Could you please place your scroll on the terminal to verify your identity." Weiss does as she is told and the terminal makes a few beeping noises. "Perfect. Thank you Miss Schnee." Weiss had a bit of guilt on her face when it said her last name.

She puts on a smile and shakes her head. She puts on another smile but sighs. The elevator goes up and takes Weiss to the communication floor. The door opens and Weiss walks up to the hologram receptionist.

"Welcome to the Beacon Cross-Continental Transmit Center. How may I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas," Weiss answered.

"Absolutely." The receptionist press a few buttons with a couple of beeps here and there. "If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through."

"Thank you." Weiss smiled. She walks over to her terminal. Along the way she can hear a few conversations.

"Boy you looking skinny!" A female voice said over a terminal. "You eating right?"

"Yes mom!" a dark skin boy responded. "Of course I look skinny. I'm swinging around a weapon two times my size and I'm running around with it!"

Another student was tapping on the screen. "Connections breaking up. Storm on your side?"

Another girl was waving at the terminal she was at. "Hi mom, how things back in Signal?"

Weiss walks over and sits at her terminal. She takes a deep breath and sighs. As the screen turned on, she put on a fake smile.

"Thank you for calling the Atlas―" The operator looked up and saw who it was. "Oh, Miss Schnee. Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think you sister Winter might be here as well."

"No thank you," Weiss said in a cheerful tone. "I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me." Weiss takes out her scroll. "I've compiled a short list." She places the scroll into a jack and the operator looks at the list.

"I see. If you don't mind… What may I ask is this for?"

"School project." Weiss gave a tiny shrug.

"Um, there are some sensitive documents on this list ma'am." The operator looked a little nervous. Good thing Weiss was part of the family, otherwise they may not have gotten it.

"Well then I'll be sure to treat them with car."

"Right…" The operator said still unsure. "Very well. The data is being transferred to your scroll now."

"Wonderful. That will be all then." Weiss removes her scroll and pockets it.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?" When she mentioned Weiss's father, Weiss smile slowly faded bu=t she regained her smile.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Well then, have a nice day." The operator was about to hang up but Weiss had an idea.

"Wait!" She said. The operator looked surprised. "There was one more thing I forgot to ask."

"Yes?" Weiss takes a deep breath. This was a risky move, but she had to make sure her father wasn't the one who sent the Reds and Blues.

"Is there any special projects my father and Winter have been working on? Specifically in Vale?"

The operator shook her head. "None that I know of. Why?"

Weiss gives a nervous chuckle. "No reason. I just saw something the other day that seemed like it was one of Dad's projects."

"Well, what kind?" Weiss gulped.

"Something about the soldiers in the military. I'm sure it's nothing, if it was big I'm sure you would've known."

"Why not ask you father? I can still patch you through." Weiss's hand balled up into a fist underneath the terminal.

"That's fine. Thank you for everything."

"Okay then. Have a nice day Miss Schnee." With that the operator hung up the terminal. When it shut off Weiss stopped her fake smile and had a guilty and sadden face.

With Neptune and Yang:

They were driving on a road with little traffic so Yang was going over the speed limit. Not enough for cops but enough just to make things a little more exciting. "Say, Neptune!" She yelled over the engine and wind.

"What's up!?" Neptune said hanging on for dear life. Riding a motorcycle for the first time was one thing. Riding a motorcycle with Yang is an experience on its own.

"What do you think of the Red's and Blue's?"

"Aside from that they're idiots?"

"Yeah, what do you think about them?" Neptune is silent for a minute.

"They seem cool. And they aren't the worst teacher's and fighters, but they are far from the best." Neptune had a strange look on his face. "Why do you ask?" Yang took a corner very sharp and Neptune nearly fell off. He screamed and hung onto Yang's shoulders for support. After the corner he lets go and lets out a sigh of relief.

"No reason," Yang said. "But Blake and Weiss have a bad feeling about them is all."

"What about you?" Neptune asked. Yang lets out a laugh.

"I love them!" Yang said enthusiastically. "They're easy to mess with, and fun to watch. All you have to do is watch them for five minutes and somebody does something stupid. Caboose reminds me of Ruby when she was younger. Well, his naiveté anyway."

"I can see that. But do you think Weiss and Blake have to worry?" Yang is silent this time. After thirty seconds she speaks again.

"Everyone has secrets. Some worse than others. They could be hiding the biggest secret in the world, and I wouldn't care. As long as they don't hurt Ruby or my friends, I'm okay with them." Yang revs bumblebee's engine. "Now come on, we still got a ways to go."

With Penny:

She was standing alone next to a restaurant patio. The only people around were a young couple who were talking with each other. Penny is frantically looking around. She feels someone tap her on the shoulder and gets startled.

Ruby has this big smile on her face. Penny slowly smiles when she found out it was her friend. The two walk down the street and Ruby explains what she and the rest of her team was doing.

"I wish I could help you Ruby," Penny said. "But I don't know anything about those men."

"Well," Ruby started. "What happened to you that night? We were all together and then you just disappeared. Were you kidnapped?"

"Oh no!" Penny exclaimed. "Nothing like that."

"Well then where did you go?"

"I've never been to another kingdom before," Penny explained as they continued down the street. "My father asked me not to venture out too far., but oh you have to understand my father loves me very much. He just worries a lot."

"Believe me I know the feeling," Ruby said with an eye roll. "But, why not let us know you were okay?"

"I…was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss, or Blake, or Yang. Anybody really."

"Was your dad upset?"

"No, it wasn't my father." Just then around the corner they heard a loud speaker.

"The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years," The loud speaker said. Around the corner was a hologram of Ironwood with six robots standing in front of containers. A crowd was gathering to see what was going on. "And they have done a fine job," Hologram Ironwood said. "Wouldn't you agree, wouldn't you agree?"

The robots do a onehanded bow and the audience claps. "But, the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation," Hologram Ironwood said as he paced around. "And fine? Well that's just not good enough is it?"

The shutters to the containers open to reveal sleeker robots, with a little more black and white color instead of grey. "Presenting, the Atlesian Knight 200!" The newer robots kick down the older model with one foot. A display of dominance. The audience applauded.

Hologram Ironwood begins to list off things. "Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary." The robots start doing poses. "These models will become active later this year but they won't be alone." Ruby started to get excited.

"Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battle field. However, there are still many situations that undoubtedly require… a human touch." As Ruby glared in amazement Penny started to feel uncomfortable.

"Ruby…" Penny said to try and get her friends attention. However, it was to no avail.

"So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company are proud to introduce," Hologram iron wood paused, obviously for dramatic effect. "The Atlesian Paladin!" Ironwood disappears and in his place takes a giant looking robot with arm cannons, bipedal legs, and many other features. The audience applauds.

"Now we couldn't have them here for you today," Hologram Ironwood said. "But these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!"

"Woah…" Was all Ruby could escape from her awestruck lips.

"Ruby," Penny said. "Maybe we should go somewhere else. Two soldiers were talking when one of them pointed at Penny. The other touched his helmet, calling in that they found her. Penyy sees them and then sprints across the street into an alleyway.

"Penny?" Ruby said as she turned around. Penny was already across the street. "Wait where are you going?!" Ruby turned around to see two soldiers chasing after her and realizes what's going on. Ruby sprint across the street and chase Penny.

They turn right at the end of the alleyway, the soldiers hot on their heels. They cross another street into another alleyway. The soldiers follow them but a car nearly runs one of them over. The other one continues to chase them while the one who nearly got ran over took a minute to make sure nothing was broken.

Penny took a left at the end of the alleyway. Ruby notices a bunch of boxes that said "breakable things" stacked on a wooden scaffolding. She upholsters Crescent Rose with one hand and slices a leg of the scaffolding. The boxes tumble down as Ruby turns left.

Penny is still running down the alleyway but Ruby sees another turn. She gets on the wall and begins to do a full sprint. She uses her semblance to catch and hold Penny, with her feet on a wall.

"This way!" She said. She launches off the wall and speeds down the alleayway with her semblance. However Ruby began to feel light headed. She drops Penny and starts rolling out of the alleyway and into the street.

She gets up and rubs her head. Hwoever, she then hears a truck honking. Ruby gets up and turns around to see the shopkeeper she saved a few months back driving the Truck. The truck that's about to hit her.

However, Penny pushed Ruby out of the way and put her hands on the truck. She stops the truck with so much force that the entire truckgoes upward as if it was going to flip. The ground beneath Penny gave away as the concrete was starting to become chunks.

The truck sets down and the old shopkeeper had a look of terror and shock on his face. Ruby just stared at her friend. "Penny…" She said.

"Are you okay?' She asked the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper nods his head. "Uh huh." Penny lets go of the truck. Ruby just stares at Penny, concerned for her friend.

"Umm… Uhh…" Was all that Penny could say. A bunch of people start to gather around.

"Did you see that?"

"How did that happen?"

"Is she okay?"

"What's going on?"

Penny panics and takes off running again, bumping Ruby's shoulder long the way. Ruby chases after her.

"Penny, come back!" She yelled. The two soldiers caught up, but now they were blocked by the mess Penny made.

Penny kept running for five more minutes until she reached a dead end. "Umm… Uhh…" She said as she tried to find a way out of this. Ruby caught up to her.

"Penny!" Penny turns around and faces her friend, scared out of her mind. "Please, what is going on?" Ruby pleaded. "Why are you running? How did you do that?"

"I-I can't. Everything's fine!" Penny responded. However she hiccups. She crosses her arms and looks away from Ruby. "I-I don't want to talk about it." She hiccups again.

"Penny if you just tell me what's wrong I can help you!"

"No," Penny says as she shakes her head and turns away. "No, no, you wouldn't understand."

"Let me try," Ruby said. "You can trust me." Penny walks up to Ruby and faces her. She stares Ruby straight into the eyes.

"You're my friend right? You promise you're my friend?"

"I promise," Ruby said softly.

"Ruby…" Penny looks down at her hands. She then shows them to Ruby. What Ruby expected to see scratch marks and blood was met with something entirely different. "I'm not a real girl." Penny's skin was scrapped off. What were left were robotic metal hands.

Ruby just stares at Penny's hands. And one thing was all Ruby could say. "Oh…"

To be continued.