[SiE] Chapter 10

> Day 15 in Equestria.

> Around 0200 hours according to your watch.

> Overlooking a town called Manehatten near the water front.

“Looks like a standard warehouse.”

> “I know, but I think there is much more going on here than meets the eye.”

> You lower the M-14 and look over at your ‘partner’ who was a royal guard turned informant.

“You think something is going on?”

> “Well…” He pauses a moment as he lowers his looking glass. “I mean I KNOW something shady is going on here, but I can’t search the place.”

“You’re a royal guard, what the hell is stopping you? Plus, you’re an intelligence officer. Why can’t you?”

> “Orders. I keep requesting a search warrant from the commander but he keeps denying me even when I give him solid evidence that there is illegal activity going on in there.”

“So you want me to do what you’re not allowed to?”

> The unicorn nods.

> The more things change the more they stay the same.

> No one wanted to do their own dirty work anymore.

> God forbid someone get their own hands dirty.

> However, based on the evidence Luna had shown you said this could very well be Discord moving here.

> Shipments of military supplies when no one was fighting?

> Dead bodies turning up on shores of the bay with strange wounds…

> Unexplained ships going to and from the warehouse.

> Being available for service when every other field agent was gone for the holidays immediately set you on a train to Manehatten.

> Fucking holidays.

 

> “So what are you going to do?”

“Go take a look I suppose.”

> The unicorn shifts uncomfortably nervously looking over his shoulder.

> “Is the deal still on?”

> You nod.

“Everything is your find and you get all the credit. I don’t want recognition.”

> “Maybe that will get me promoted to a better post finally.”

> In return, you get a mole in the Royal guard and first dibs on the intel.

> Not a very fair trade, but it was all you had to work with for the moment.

> But to say you wouldn’t just opt out when it was over and done with was naïve.

> Obviously this ‘Intelligence’ officer never heard of inter-department espionage.

> His loss anyway.

> “One more thing, I would prefer if you didn’t kill anyone...” He frowns as he looks at the rifle in your hands. “I may want a promotion, but it’s not worth getting charged with murder.”

“Don’t tell me how to do my job, if you want something specific done you can go down there and do it yourself.”

> “I will have you know that I can still arrest you.”

> You smile.

> You turn to him and pull your facemask on.

“Celestia already tried that.”

> Without another word, you sling the M-14 over your shoulder and bring your night vision goggles down over your eyes.

> You begin climbing down the hill the both of you had met on.

 

> The warehouse in question was unique in the fact that it was walled off from the rest of the harbor, having its own docks and facilities.

> Plus, its own private security force.

> Privately owned shipping company supposedly, you never caught the name.

> Owned by some high class figure in Canterlot, one of Celestia’s elite no doubt.

> That’s what made this all the more important to figure out what exactly was going on in this place.

> If someone close to Celestia was working for Discord, then how many more could be doing the same?

> Assassins often turned out to be your best friends…

> Luna had told you before you departed from Canterlot that she would be doing some work around the castle to root out any possible spies and that she would wait until you were back to take action.

> Rightfully so, if she pulled the trigger on the wrong pony then it could alert Discord’s man to the fact you were getting close, and cost Luna a good pony or her reputation.

> The entire operation had been left to your direction, as Luna saw it fit to let the more experienced take charge.

> You asked for the bare minimum, all you needed was a boat and six of her best.

> She asked if you were sure and offered to commit more agents but you refused.

> Eight people knew about the operation already, the more you included the higher the risk Discord’s spy would hear about it and have the place scrubbed.

 

> Upon reaching the wall, you notice there is no real way to climb over it.

> You sigh and grab the rope from your back.

> It was dark enough; maybe none of the guards would see the rope?

> You throw the rope and attach it to a sturdy looking tree limb leading to the wall.

> Satisfied with the anchor, you immediately begin to climb up towards the limb.

> People in high school always bitched about the rope climb, including you.

> Funny how it became a mastered tool in your collection of infiltration tactics.

> Reaching up, you grab the limb and pull yourself up.

> Damn. These tree limbs were thick as hell…

> Then again, Equestria was a bit more ecofriendly then you ever remember Earth being.

> This tree was probably here when the harbor was built.

> You carefully begin to inch your way towards the wall, maintaining your balance with the utmost care.

> Coming to the edge of the limb you look towards the wall.

> A few feet between the limb and the wall.

> You take a deep breath in.

> With a jump forward, you grab the side of the wall and pull yourself up.

> You exhale the breath as you land on the wall.

> The layout was fairly simple for a harbor, a large multi-level building near the docks which would serve as a warehouse, a smaller shack near the warehouse to store tools to repair ships and whatnot, an office building near the main gate to keep track of deliveries and transfers as well as take and make payment for goods.

 

> You wouldn’t have time to search all the buildings thoroughly before the sun came up.

> The office would take the least amount of time to search.

> The warehouse would take forever, plus it was filled with cargo that could take ages to pick through.

> If you were to control this harbor, you would have all the paperwork in the office more than likely.

> But if it was evidence of illegal work, you would entrust it to the highest manager here.

> Office it was then.

> The wall was conveniently flat at the top, and you immediately moved as close to the office complex as possible.

> Approaching the office was the easy part, but you overlooked a minor detail.

> There happened to be about twenty feet between you and the ground.

> The office building was too far away to land on, not that it would matter since the fall would still snap your legs.

> A cold shiver runs up your spine when you remember the first day.

> You would have to be sure to take any and all steps to avoid a repeat of that.

> With that in mind, you look towards the warehouse.

> You could easily make that jump safely and land on the roof.

> After relocating to the closest point to the warehouse, you prepare yourself for the jump.

> Again, you take in one deep breath.

> With a short running start and a strong jump, you leave the wall.

> Your hands meet the ledge of the roof and you grasp onto it.

> You would have to make your way to the ground from here.

> With the presence of guards, you were reluctant to go inside.

 

> Sticking to the exterior, you make your way down by using the building’s piping and natural handholds.

> Letting yourself down on a lower roof, you find yourself in front of a large window.

> You turn to drop down to the ground and make your way to the office.

> “Help us…” A soft voice calls out from behind you.

> You freeze in place.

> Did you really just hear that?

> “Help me.” It says again, louder this time.

> You turn.

> The green light illuminates a pony behind the barred window.

> Help?

> It opens its mouth again but you hold a finger to yours.

> It takes the hint and nods.

> Carefully, you move towards the window as quietly as possible.

> Kneeling down next to the window, you peer into the room.

> You see ponies wherever you look in the room.

> Memory goes back to the diamond dog camp.

> You come back to look at the pony’s face, and then come to the realization that it’s a mare.

“I’m here to help.”

> You didn’t need the goggles to tell she was close to tears.

“Where do they keep the keys for this place?”

> “Thank you so much…” She said as she took a deep breath to compose herself. “The key is in the guard barracks in the basement, with the captain…”

> Exactly what you didn’t want to hear.

“Who is the Captain here?”

> “She’s a Unicorn, Fireblast is what he has taken to call herself…” She hesitates a moment. “She kills anyone who tries to escape or resist her…”

“She works for the company here?”

> She nods. “From what I can gather, she makes sure we all stay in line.”

 

“Why are you all here?”

> “It depends on which one of us you ask. Some of us were sent here by our families, others were taken from the remote parts of Equestria, some are just ponies down on their luck and they had the misfortune of being tricked to come here.” She sighed. “I left home to come find adventure in the big cities...”

> Living cargo, you feel the anger simmering inside you already.

“But instead you’re a commodity now?”

> She looks up at you a moment. “How did you know?”

“It’s not the first time I have seen this.”

> “They told me where I would be going yesterday. Some underground brothel in Canterlot.” She puts her hooves on the bars. “I wanted to find fame as a musician, not a whore in some secret society…”

> It was no longer an option.

> You had to help them.

> You wrap a hand around a metal bar.

“You won’t be. I promise I won’t allow that to happen.”

> “What do you need me to do?”

“Wait here. Stay quiet, and avoid attracting attention.”

> She nods. “Don’t forget us. Please don’t forget us.”

“I won’t, you will all be free from this by sunrise.”

> You let go of the bar and stand.

> “Wait.”

> You stop and look down at her.

> “What is your name?”

“Anonymous.”

> “A hero named Anonymous.” She smiles weakly. “I’m Sugar Heart.”

> Hero?

> She thought you were a hero?

 

> The phrase felt foreign to you, almost alien.

> Sure people had called you it before, but they were always your friends and colleagues.

> Never someone behind bars asking for you to rescue them.

“I won’t forget.”

> You turn and walk away.

> Dropping to the ground, you immediately make a sprint towards the office.

> You stop and take shelter behind a stack of crates twenty meters away from the office door.

> You peek around the corner of the stack of crates.

> A single guard stood not far away from the door.

> Picking up a rock, you back up and stand and quickly throw the rock.

> With a satisfying crack on the cobblestone, it bounces twice more.

> The guard turns and you take your chance.

> You sprint directly towards him.

> When his head turns towards the sound of your footsteps, he is met with you slamming into him and then hitting the side of the office.

> You grab the guard and take him to the alley between the office and the wall.

> Setting him down gently, you cautiously reach out a hand and feel around his neck.

> Then you feel it.

> A heartbeat.

> He would be fine.

> Attached to his armor, you find a key.

> Plus, a dagger looped around his neck.

> You take both.

> Hopefully to the office.

> Quickly moving towards the door, you ready the key and click the lock open.

> You shut the door and lock it again.

 

> You immediately head to the top of the stairs and find the office you were looking for.

> Locked.

> You kneel down and pop your boot compartment and rummage inside it a moment.

“There you are.”

> You pull out your metal lock picking set.

> Hopefully the ponies haven’t invented the high security lock yet.

> You kneel in front of the door and insert the pick.

> The door downstairs opens.

> “I swear, that useless guard…” A voice echoes in the office.

> “I will flog him for incompetence personally, ma’am.” A second voice answers.

> Two female voices.

> You immediately take the picks out of the lock and begin looking for a place to hide.

> A dark room with an open door catches your eye.

> It would have to do.

> You immediately take refuge in your selected hiding spot.

> The hoofsteps go past you.

> A door opens.

> “Now, Captain do you know why I have called you here?”

> “Knowing you, the boss has been on your back again. Literally or figuratively, I do not know.”

> A long pause settles in and all you hear is a giggle and a few glasses being moved around.

> “My business relationships are personal.”

> “I’ll say! Letting the boss rut you like a whorse is a VERY personal way to conduct business!”

> “Your one to talk, Captain. You and your guards actively partaking in the cargo is against company policy I will have you know.”

> “Pfft. Please, it’s quality control, the boss knows about it, and he’s fine with it.”

 

> “But I’m not, I recently heard from a contact of mine that there is suspicion surrounding our facilities here due to all the bodies turning up on the shores of the bay.”

> “Since when were you allowed to order me around?”

> “Since now, ever since you were promoted to Captain you have run this place like your own personal kingdom and frankly I am sick of it.”

> “I was promoted because a prisoner slit the Captain’s throat. What I do here not only improves the service of the guard, but it also keeps the prisoner in line.”

> “Do you think I am stupid Captain? You know as well as I do that all the prisoners were in the warehouse when that happened...”

> “What are you implying?”

> A light laugh echoes through the hall. “Take a guess Captain. I found the dagger that was used to do it, and strangely enough, I recall you missing a weapon…”

> Another long pause and a few more clinks from glasses.

> “I suppose it’s a good thing you called me up here then…”

> “How so Captain?”

> “Because I recently received a letter from the boss, want to know what it said?”

> “Was it your severance notice?”

> “No…” You hear a loud thwack and a thud. “It informed me of my new orders, actually. You have served out your usefulness to the company and it has been deemed necessary for you to be out of the picture, as you could become a problem in the future. Nothing personal, just business.”

 

> A few more loud strikes and the office falls silent once again.

> Then you hear the sound of walking hooves.

> “Want to know the sweetest part of it all?” You hear the sound of metal grating as it is drawn. “You’re not the only one the boss is partial to. At least I can say you have a fine taste in stallions.”

> “Y-y-ou won’t get away with this…”

> “Won’t I? The boss has me on a train to Canterlot tomorrow to eliminate some two bit spy named Anonymous and his playmate Luna, then after that I plan to serve as the boss’s ‘personal’ assistant.”

> You draw your pistol and silently begin walking towards the office door.

> The only good assassin was a dead one.

> “Some hairless ape that poses a risk to the bosses little play he has going on here.”

> You stand in the doorway now.

> The unicorn mare in front of you oblivious to your presence.

> “Remember that time your husband came to eat lunch with you?” She laughs a bit. “By the way, he thinks you’re a bit ‘used’ if you know what I mean.”

> You raise the pistol.

> “But look at it all crumble out from under you, how does it feel to know you have lost?”

“A lot like your about to feel.”

> Her ears perk up and she turns her eyes wide with fear.

“Luna sends her regards.”

> Three rounds tear into her chest, spattering the walls with blood.

> She stands stricken a moment, looking down at the pool of blood forming at her hooves.

 

“Nothing personal, it’s just business.”

> She falls down and begins to choke for breath.

> The bullets must have torn her lungs up.

> You kneel down infront of her and take the keyring from her armor.

> Turning your attention to the other mare, you kneel down next to her as well.

> You feel her neck a moment.

> Dead.

> Remembering your mission, you immediately set about ransacking the office.

> You dump the drawers out onto the desk and pull your backpack off.

> After collecting all the papers you could find, you stuff them into the backpack.

> After pulling the sting down to tie the pack off, you put it on your back.

> You look over to your would-be assassin and as you walk by you stop.

> She looks up at you a moment as you line the pistol’s sights up with the space between her eyes.

> You then remember you only have five rounds left.

“You’re not worth the bullet it would take. By the way, the name is Anonymous.”

> You holster the pistol and walk away.

> One less thing to worry about later.

> You hear a thunderclap in the distance.

> Luna warned you it would rain today.

> Now all you had to do was get the warehouse clear.

> The warehouse was priority number one now.

> You see two guards standing near the front door.

> You would need another way to get the prisoners out.

 

> You stop when you see your shadow cast on the ground in front of you in an orange glow.

> Turning, you see the captain standing, a fireball forming at the tip of her horn.

> It leaves her horn and comes right at you.

> You immediately drop to the ground, feeling the heat of the blast on your back.

> You draw your pistol and fire once more at the captain.

> A bullet strikes the head, and she falls down for good this time.

> “Fire! Clear the warehouse! Get away!”

> You see guards rushing away from the warehouse.

> This was your chance.

> You near the door.

> Then an explosion from within rocks the ground, thick smoke bellowing from the warehouse.

> An odor begins to assault you, one that you knew from your childhood as a pyromaniac.

> Gunpowder.

> Fuck.

> You immediately pull your gas mask on and prep a filter.

> Running into the building, you run up some stairs and stop at the sight of the cargo.

> Barrels everywhere.

> You hope at least a few of them were not gunpowder.

> Running up another flight you find a gaping hole in the floor from the initial explosion.

> Plus this fire was spreading fucking fast.

> You hear indistinct screaming and shouting down the hallway.

> With a running start, you leap the gap and find the door to the cell.

> “Please mister! Help us!” one of them shouts at you.

> You fumble with the keys a moment struggling to find the right one.

 

> You try one and fail.

> Then another.

> A rafter falls into the hallway not even twenty feet away.

> Hurry Anonymous.

> Then you hear a loud snap and look down.

> In your hurry, you broke the key in the lock.

“Stand back! All of you get away from the door!”

> You get your M-14 and aim it towards the left of the lock.

> You pull the trigger sending a round tearing into the wall.

> The heat from the fire was starting to get to you.

> One more should do.

> You fire again and the door opens.

> “Everyone follow m-”

> Another loud explosion.

> Followed by another.

> You watch as the entire room is engulfed with flames and smoke after a third explosion collapses the floor.

> You hear the screaming of the burning below you.

> Instinctively, you go to look at the noise.

> Then another rafter falls after another explosion.

> It wouldn’t be long before the warehouse fell in on itself.

> You run down the corridor, ignoring the screams behind you.

> Then another rafter falls in your path.

> You look back to see the fire coming closer.

> A side door leads to a staircase to the third floor.

> Reaching the third floor, you also find a roof access.

> You immediately go for it, you could barely breath.

> Kicking the locked door open, you immediately take the mask off and gasp for fresh air.

> You look towards the ground but see any possible route was off limits due to the fire.

 

> Trapped.

> You look to the sky a moment as the rain begins to fall.

> Burning to death.

> Just like the dogs from day one.

> Like Sugar Heart.

> Like the countless ponies you just got killed.

> Another explosion rocks the building.

> “Heads up Anon!”

> You feel something grab you and lift you into the sky.

> “In the nick of time, right Anonymous?”

> You see a pair of black hooves under your arms.

> “Luna sent me! She told me you might need help!” The all too familiar voice shouted over the wind.

> It was Rainbow Dash, you knew that already.

> While you should have felt happy that your friend had come to your rescue, it felt bittersweet this time around.

“Get me to Canterlot. I have info for Luna.”

> “Gotcha Anon!”

> You turn to see the raging inferno you were just standing in had become little more than a speck on the horizon.

> All because of one fucking bullet.