To Run Away...

Chapter 18

  The four ascended up another skyscraper before reaching the top and looking down below.

"When the... hell are... we going to... get there, Pierre?" breathed Ivan, exhausted from the running. "We've... been out here... for a while now..."

"Don't know." said Haystack. " But whah are you complainin'? And for that manner, whah are you so exhausted?"

"Because... unlike you... ponies, we aren't... able to... run for that... long without... slowing down and... catching... breath."

"But Pierre seems okay." Haystack pointed at Pierre, who was full of energy and looking at the city below. "Whah can't-"

"We humans... are... not that similar... to each other... you know."

"Ah know that, but-"

  Ivan sat down. "Just... keep that in mind... I wasn't born to do stuff like this."

"But how were you able to jump over several..."

  On another skyscraper, two snipers were watching them through their scopes.

"... buildings before-" They heard them say, via a small spy drone that was attached to the concrete wall.

"That's different..."

"Got anything?" asked Vanessa, eager to await the news.

"No, they're just talking about irrelevant crap." said one of the Snipers. "Nothing about the package."

"Damn, looks like we have some competition."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"The fact that RED's out there for the package as well, worries me."

"Hmm, let me give you advice Madame."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Like all companies, RED is only helps for their interests."

"Ugh, I know that already; but what are you getting at?"

"You should keep a close eye on them as well."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"The plan that you gave us is good. We receive intel on the package first, we can serve it to your will."

  On the other end of the line, the successor smirked with satisfaction. "Good, you have a plan to carry it out?"

"You're doing it right now. Just do it behind their back."

"Thanks for the adv-"

"Hold on, Madame. We're achieving more information on the package." He announced, silencing her.

"Oh, ok."

"Since 'Silver Fox' is a member of BLU, have you ever come across him?" asked Ivan.

"No, I never seen ze man." Pierre said, still scouting over the city below. "He's a huge mystery to both ze Resistance, and ze state."

"Oh, he's one of those people."

"Yeah, ze person that's so mysterious, it could be apart of any one of us." That made every one of them feel a chill up their spine; and it was enough to make each of them agonize one another and themselves. Once that was said, Pierre turned around, and walked in their direction. "That's why I hope ze delivery is quick."

  Quickly, he walked past the three and looked over the other side.

"Son of a bitch, he has a sapper." The female sniper said, watching as Pierre got out one from his pockets, "Line up the shot!"

  The others turned around to see what he was looking at. When their sights lined up with his, they realized that they've been watched.

"And I hope we get there before they do." He dropped the sapper towards the spy drone and switched to his Air-grabber.

Bzzzz!

"Ow!" They dropped their ear pieces before it could do any harm to their ears, "Damn it, they're on the move! Take 'em-"

BLAM!!

"Already on it!" said the man.

  She rolled her eyes.

BLAM!

"Shouldn't we be going in the opposite dire-Whoah!' The rope was now pulling them even further towards the snipers..

"No, I was going ze wrong way all this time!"

"Ugh, oh you!"

  The four flew past them before the snipers could even fire again, but that didn't mean that they were safe. As they flew away, Maribelle managed to get her AA-12 out and aim at them as he held on to Haystack's neck.

"Uh..." He choked. "What... the hey... are ya doin'!?"

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM...

  When she saw blood spew out of their head/torso, she put it away, loosened her grip, and continued to hold on..

"Oh Celestia."

  The fact that she shot two soldiers still brought to Haystack's mind of how was she capable of doing such a thing like that, even if her defects weren't activated. Especially with the fact that she's a timid four year old girl.

"Maribelle!?" Haystack shouted.

  She didn't listen, she was too busy holding on for dear life.

  All that Haystack could muster, was a sigh.

"Comrades?" Vanessa called, receiving nothing back ."Comrades!"

  Then, she and the others in the congregation began to hear blood-curdling coughs coming from the male sniper.

"Remember... Mad... -dame." He articulated through his fatality. "Be-hind, th... their.... b-backs."

  He then let out a small grunt before resting in peace. Putting the walkie talkie down, she rubbed her forehead, questioning the next step.

"Comrade Dalia?"

"Yes Madame?"

"Send another covert team to find and follow them, and I want you to keep an eye on them this time."

  Dalia said nothing, she only saluted, and went on with her task.

  After another sigh of disappointment, she'd go on to direct her group. "So, what are the plans for our citizens down in New Alteran? ..."

  The representatives of each city just sat there quietly as the ones for New Alteran walked over to the center of the room.

"Ugh, I can't believe this!" Alice complained, driving through the city's empty streets in her blue sedan. "Why the hell would Redmond get me to do this? He knows clear well that I'm not cut out for crap like that!"

  Her phone began to ring, making one of those catchy ringtones that common business people have on them.

"Hello?" she called.

"Is this Alice Holster?" said the man on the other side.

"Yeah?"

"We're ready on your command Madame."

"Wait, now?!"

"Uh, when, then?"

"I wasn't told to command now?!"

"Uh, clearly you were. I was there with you and Redmond."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, now-"

  "But I was expecting to do it tomorrow and get a bunch of other people to help me. Why now?"

"Doofanian snipers were trying to surveillance them as well. Both dead in only a couple seconds."

"Damn." She mumbled, sympathizing with them. Slowly, she would calm herself down and try to reason with the soldier, "Look, why don't I give your squadron orders and I'll take the day off?"

  This left the soldier to think about the upcoming decision; and that gave Alice the chance to take a look above, where she would spot three objects flying in the sky. With her keen eye, she quickly recognized that they were the criminals they were after. With increasing motivation, she pressed the gas pedal and made her pursuit.

"Uh, ye-"

"Sir, your first command is to head to the tallest buildings in the city and snipe from there! We have a package to obtain!"

"Ivan, Haystack, look down!" said Pierre.

  The two did so, and noticed that a speeding blue car was underneath them.

"Yeah, and?!" asked Haystack.

  Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam...

  Pistol rounds were now zipping past Ivan like shooting stars.

"Crud!" He shrieked, doing his best to dodge every shot, "Why the hell are they shooting at me for?!"

"Ze package, obviously?!" He shouted.

  The three landed on another one of the buildings' rooftops.

Shrrreech!!

  She stopped car stopped in front of the three story building and proceeded to unlocking the trunk with her remote.

Beep! Beep!

"Oh." She self-scolded. "Use the buttons on the door next time."

  Opening the trunk, she grabbed a hunting rifle from inside and shut it closed. "Alright you three, time to test my rifling skills."

"Did we loose 'em?" wondered Haystack.

"Don't know, and I don't think it matters right now." said Pierre, looking through his scope to find that snipers were taking on the top of skyscrapers.

"Okay Pierre, since this was your idea, how do we proceed?" asked Ivan, annoyed at the fact that snipers were lining themselves up at the top of the city's skyscrapers.

  Pierre didn't know what to say. He was already feeling a hint of despair. In order to eliminate it, he looked into the scope again, observing the snipers' positions.

  Then there was a small little squeak, causing Haystack to turn around. "Hmm?"

"Um..." Maribelle kept her head down as she tried to speak.

"What is it, Maribelle?" He bent his forelegs to meet her eye to eye.

"Um... C-can I... make a suggestion?"

  Worry would come back to visit Haystack. "Uh... whaddaya mean?"

"T-to g-get us... out of... h-here."

  Shooting and killing was the last thing he wanted her to do, but he had no choice... or did he?

"Does she have an idea?" asked Ivan.

  They were both speechless. Since when were they listening? Is her suggestion valuable to them?

"Whatever it is, tell us."

"He's right." said Pierre. "Ze snipers are already lining up their shots."

  Ivan bent over on one knee, "So... what is it?"

  She was quiet, afraid to respond.

"You know we won't be able to leave here unless you give us your idea, right?"

  She nodded.

"Then why won't you-."

  She got out her AA-12.

"Uh, Maribelle?" Haystack said, eyes wide. "What are ya-"

  She turned around and headed for the edge of the rooftop.

"Uh, what are you..."

"Do you see them?"

"That's a big negative Alice." said one of the snipers via walkia talkie.

"Just look down and you'll see the damn bastards!"

"Look, this city's big, they have BLU technology, and we're waiting for them to get their asses over here!"

"Well, don't wait, just get the squad to... huh?"

  Maribelle was looking down on her, the AA-12 armed and ready.

"What the..."

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM...

"Aah!!" She ducked behind her car while bullets pounded on its metal.

"Go!" Maribelle cried.

  The sudden outburst stunned them all.

  Ivan muttered. "God dam-"

"Get out of here!" All of a sudden, she jumped off.

"Maribelle!" Haystack shouted in fright, even to the point were his eyes were watering up.

"Whoa, Haystack! S-slow, grr, down!" Ivan did his best to restrain him, but it wasn't enough; making him go into drastic measures once he saw Pierre follow her orders. "Ugh!"

  He took out his Air -grabber, and fired.

  The little girl somersaulted over the car's rooftop before landing her feet on the ground.

"What the-" Alice cried.

BLAM! BLAM!

"Umph!" She grunted after a bullet punched her in the stomach.

"Alice, we found their positi-" The sniper was surprised as he watched her collapse onto the road., "Alice? Alice!"

  He then looked at Maribelle as she was reloading her gun and running across the street, "That bitch! ... Fire!"

BLAM!

Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam...

"Looks like that was enough to distract them!" shouted Ivan. The attack was enough to get the three going, even though they had to leave the girl behind. Looking beside him, he noticed Haystack's nervous look. "Haystack?!"

  He didn't say anything, he continued to glance behind him as those feelings clenched onto him during the flight.

"Jeez." Ivan thought, letting him be. "What is it with him and that girl?"

  At the same time, a hint of confusion was dwelling within him as he thought. "What the hell is goin' on?"

"Alice?! Do you read me?"

  Slowly, she picked up the walkie talkie and placed it in front of her mouth. "J-just... l-like with... the US... in the... F-first... B-battle... of... Bull R-run... we... th-thought it was... g-going... to b-be... quick... b-but i-it's not... I-it's g-going... t-to be... a... l-long... war."

  Then communication was lost.