So what you are saying is… Viper's voice resonated throughout the workshop.
Katie robbed a bank, and you decided to bring her here?
The workshop was a cluttered maze of machines, wires, metal scraps and half completed inventions. Tables were laid full of tools and unusual devices that softly hummed around the room. Blueprints decorated the walls and a major workbench on the center of the room sat. In a single direction, monitors with glowing monitors and mechanical parts were strewn about.
Katie sat uncomfortable in the corner on a wooden crate, staring blankly at the floor like she had thoroughly fled from the whole situation.
Well of course, I did!" Nico said proudly. "Why would I take my friend to jail?
He walked over to Katie, placed his hand on top of her head, ruffling her fur like she was a child.
Katie's fist shot upward without a warning.
CRACK.
Her punch struck Nico directly in his face and sent him flying across the room. He landed on a mountain of Viper's spare parts that rumbled out and screamed loudly, pieces crashing in as he fell.
Ow! That wasn't very nice!" Nico groaned as he pushed himself up to the top layer of bricks and patted to his cramping face.
"Somebody should teach your manners! What does it take people to do to tell you something they have to say for themselves?
Katie slowly stood up.
"Just fuck you!" she spat out and raised her middle finger at him before walking toward him.
You wanna go again?!" Nico snapped back as he marched towards her.
The two of them were only a few feet apart when Viper suddenly jumped between them with both hands raised.
Guys, stop!" he shouted. " You are gonna break my workshop for Pete's sake!
Both of them paused.
Nico scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah... you're right buddy..."
Katie crossed her arms and turned away.
Viper sighed in relief.
That's when he noticed something sticking out of Katie's pouch.
And still it pulsed in darkness:A slight red glow and blurred-coloured light from inside this very red.
Viper leaned closer.
And his eyes widened.
"A Phantom Ruby!" he suddenly yelled, reaching forward and pulling the glowing gem from her pouch.
The crystal glinted with strange energy and its red light reflected the workshop walls.
Hey! Katie shouted at it, quickly grabbing it back.
But Nico quickly tied her up and gagged her so she couldn't get a hold of the Ruby.
He then tied her to a chair as well.
Katie struggled violently against the rope.
"MMMPH! MMMPH! MMMPH!"
She squagged her toes as she kicked the floor angrily as the chair scraped on the workshop floor.
Woah, that's crazy!" Nico spoke as he stared at the glowing gem in Viper's hand. " I remember her holding that when she robbed the bank! I didn't even know it was a Phantom Ruby!
Viper slowly turned toward him.
So you're saying you saw her holding it."
Nico nodded.
And you didn't think it was one of the Rubies?
Nico paused.
"...Uh... I guess so?"
Viper punched him in the face.
Thud.
"You bastard!"
Nico stumbled backward again.
Ow!" he groaned, clutching his jaw. "Can everyone stop hitting me?"
Katie made muffled laughing noises through the gag.
MMMMPH!
Viper rubbed his forehead in frustration.
"Ugh... anyways..."
And he turned back to the glowing Phantom Ruby.
This is actually good for us, Nico.
How?" Nico asked.
Viper walked over to his workbench and placed the Ruby next to another one that was already sitting there.
The two crystals appeared to shine brighter as you sat near and next to each other.
"Because now I have two of them."
He adjusted at his head a pair of goggles and began typing rapidly at his computers.
You remember the Ruby tracker I've been working on?
Oh yeah!" Nico said. "The thing that finds the other Rubies!
Exactly.
Viper pointed at the two crystals.
This means, since I have two Rubies, I can make the Ruby tracker at double the speed now! I can do it by using both energies. It'll take a while to explain but basically it means I can get it done faster." Viper retorted.
Oh!
Nico snapped his fingers.
Awesome!
Katie continued squirming in the chair.
"MMMMMMMPH!!!"
The rope creaked as she tried to break free.
Nico relaxed it gently.
"There we go."
Katie glared at him with pure hatred.
He grinned back.
"Alright," Nico said, stretching his arms. "I'll go look for more Rubies then alright?
"Yeah sure!" Viper replied while already tinkering with several tools.
Nico casually began to walk toward the workshop door.
"Alright, see ya never!"
Before anyone could answer, he sprinted out the door and vanished in a blur of speed.
The workshop door shut behind him.
Silence filled the room.
The machines hummed softly into the dark room.
Katie continued to struggle in the chair.
"MMMMMMMMMPH!!!"
Viper looked at the Phantom Rubies on the table for a moment.
They glowed at their own red glow like a heartbeat.
He gently picked them up and placed them in a small containment device.
Then he turned and walked toward the workshop door.
Katie watched him with wide eyes.
He opened the door quietly.
"Better go exercise in the meantime..." he murmured to himself as he stepped outside.
The door shut.
Katie was left alone in the workshop.
Still tied to the chair.
Still gagged.
She glared at the door with burning fury.
"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!!!"
The chair tipped slightly as she thrashed around again.
A wrench fell off a nearby table as a result and clanged hard on the floor.
But no one came back.
I could see, as machines continued by the workshop lights flickered.
And the faint red glow from the Phantom Rubies inside the containment device reflected softly across the walls.