To Run Away...

Chapter 35

  Vanessa looked over the damage done by their enemies. Her troops were even more shocked than she was.

"B-but... h-how did... I... Um..." One of the soldiers stuttered.

"Pitiful, isn't it Sergeant?" She asked.

"Uh... uh..."

"That's what you're up against, you know? ... Combined, they slaughtered twenty of your comrades at the top floor in RED headquarters on the day they arrived." He placed the cigarette back in her mouth before blowing a few more puffs, reminding herself of the surveillance footage that was given to her earlier. "Now... one pony just killed fifty men in the most bloodiest way possible."

  The soldier continued to look in sheer terror as the others loaded the corpses into body bags and left the dismembered body parts there for crows, flies, and ravens to scavenge. He trembled at the atrocity and chose to look up at the sky, relentlessly trying not to vomit on sight.

"I knew you couldn't handle it, sir." She got her pistol out from her holster and killed the man on sight. "A coward who couldn't command and a coward who isn't brave enough to look at the harshness of war... pfft, pathetic."

  She then looked over to the man who was next to him, who watched anxiously as his left cheek was covered in the sergeant's blood.

"Don't worry Staff Sergeant, you're not going to die."

  The soldier breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just that he had problems before and I have the right to set him free the only way I could."

  He nodded.

  Vanessa looked back down at the carnage before spotting the destroyed Personnel carrier to her right.

"It's sad isn't it?"

"Um, whaddaya mean?"

"That one pony was able to slaughter that many of my men and women in under three minutes."

"Yes Madame, it's really hard to believe that."

  She returned to her walk, causing the soldier to follow."They keep getting more powerful as the days go by. First the boy equipped himself with a RED prototype, unable for both us and they to utilize it again."

"Mmm Hmm."

"Now this." She gestured her hands to the destruction around her. "I'm more concerned about the pony... Especially after he alone did all this."

  He knew that she repeated himself multiple times; but if he didn't want to get shot, it was best that he kept his yap shut, "Yes Madame, It is a grave concern that should be dealt with before it is too late."

"Yes... there's a reason why I call them infiltrators in the first place."

"Why's that?"

  She pouted her lips before walking towards the APC through the alley. "They're probably one of the few who know about our country... but the only thing they know little about is what we as a nation have created.... So, they're now using them as a form of survival."

"Um... How do you know that?"

"Anyone who came into this country, in that pod, in mercenary uniform, will do what they can to survive and complete their mission." She looked at the destroyed carrier before walking around it. "So they'll resort to Roger's body builders, won't they?"

  The soldier nodded. "Y-yes Ma'am."

"And that's why we must stop them." She glared at the subway station in front of her, "Before they do something that'll cause my father's dream to collapse."

  She walked down the stairs before being met by two soldiers with urgent news. "Yes, Comrades?"

  The two promptly saluted at her being going at ease. The soldier to her left was the first to speak. "Yes, Madame Doofenshmirtz. It is confirmed that the infiltrators and the most wanted have taken the subway and are heading towards Spark city as we speak."

"Yes." She said. "I can tell by the bloodstains and metal scrap that riddle the entire station."

"S-so... what do we do?"

  She rolled her eyes, "Let them go, of course."

"B-but..."

"Not buts." She raised her voice. "The last subway train I blew up is down at the bottom of the lake and this is the only one left. So it's best that you order those troops down at Spark city to muster their forces into the subway station and crush them into smithereens. Got it?'

'Got it." They said in unison.

"Good, anything else?"

"Yes." said the soldier on the right.

"Then what is it?"

"Th-The pony, Madame. The moment he slaughtered all of them in the station... he went unconscious."

  The news put a smile on the woman's face, making her chuckle. "Fantastic."

  The train raced over the tracks and towards it's next destination. The squad sat there quietly; but their condition remained the same.

  Isabella remained her eyes locked on Maribelle who remained sobbing onto her pony companion. However, it was now reduced to soft sniffs, but her gloom still stuck to her.

"I'm scared." She thought to herself, ignoring the pistol that was pointed at her head. "That girl... these... foreigners. What the hell is she doing to them? No, specifically... what is she doing to the pony? ... She's helping them out of here... but, sh-she's.... going to far."

  She managed hold back the tears as her fears began to return to her, "Maribelle.... stop. Don't make the same mistake I did... please."

Beep!

  She could tell that there was going to be an announcement.

"Attention, Comrades." said the cheery announcer. "We are now approaching Spark city. Home to the thousands of people who were sent to the old death camps due to the mass famine that existed during the twenty-eleven, twenty-twelve draughts..."

  The historical fact made Isabella smile a little. Even though it was about a tragic event that marked a scar in the hearts of many... she was happy to know that it was being delivered by a good friend who hated the Heinz and Vanessa regime as much as she did.

  The train would descend down the tunnel as it began to reduce on speed.

  Maintaining her smile, she mumbled. "Kicking ass as usual, huh, Candace?"

"Hey Isabella?" said her captive, still not letting go of that pistol. "What does she mean by death camps?"

  She began to sigh, the smile fading into a solemn frown. "The mass famine was something both Hienz and Roger didn't see coming. If Roger was still around, He'd ration the food and distribute it evenly... But Heinz, he rounded all the starving and poor... took them all here and murdered them all to the point where even Hitler would be proud of him."

  The news made Ivan picture an image in his head. "You mean he..."

  She nodded to confirm what she meant... except for one thing. "Well, no, he didn't murder them like the Nazis did. He just worked them to death. So we just nickname the mines death camps in disgust."

  He felt relieved at the news, but didn't want to show it, knowing that many have died. "So... it was that bad."

"Er... I don't know." She frowned. "It's been so long that I don't remember.... the only thing I do remember is that... m-my mother..."

  She was on the verge of crying again.

  Gently, he helped her cope. "I-It's okay... you don't have to tell me."

  This calmed her down as she yet again held them back.

  Ivan thought about her condition a little, feeling sympathy as he thought. "It's hard to get over losses, isn't it?"

  He lowered the pistol and stood up. "Ugh, anyways, everybody stand-"

  The others had already stood up, with Maribelle rubbing her tears away as Pierre comforted her.

"Oh... okay then. Arm up. We're moving out once this train opens its doors."

"Yes, but what about Haystack?" asked Pierre.

"Hmm?"

"What do you mean 'Hmm'? 'Ze pony is unconscious, so we have to get him out of here before 'ze troops have 'ze audacity to crush his dreams by crushing his head."

  He rolled his eyes. "Just because I didn't mention him, doesn't mean that I'm going to leave him behind, now help me carry him before-"

  On the outside was the sound of gunfire.

"Huh?"

  The station would loom ahead, revealing a quintet of enemy infantrymen in sheer trauma as they held the line as hard as they could; only to be mowed down by the onslaught by their adversary.

  As it stopped, the rebel soldiers began to move in, forming a line as they pointing their guns at the opening doors. Isabella was the first to step foot on the station, shotgun behind her back and hands in the air.

"Don't shoot, my friends." She said. "No need to panic."

"She's right." said a voice from behind them. "Stand down."

  The men and woman lowered their weapons and began to scatter around like regular people. Doing so, it would blow the hiding of the voice's owner, revealing her true form. A woman with Red hair who had quite a somewhat revealing outfit with the sleeveless shirt revealing her stomach and a skirt that revealed her lower thighs. The woman seemed like such a leader, Ivan would think about. Well, more like those chicks from the animes that love to fight with both skill and lust. Dressing in skimpy outfits to arouse the enemy while killing them.

"So, you must be Candace." Ivan smirked, carrying the pony alongside Pierre. "Nice to meet you."

"Hmm." She adjusted the sunglasses in front of her eyes. "Nice to meet you too, Infiltrator."

  She turned around and loaded her two revolvers, walking away. Leaving Ivan to glance at her swaying hips.

"Yep..." He muttered, trying to hold back a chuckle. "She's one of those."

"You know, you're not being a gentlemen when you marvel at my ass like that." She looked back, somewhat pouting.

  He looked back up, blushing. "Oh, uh, right... yes Madame."

  She smiled lightly, putting the pistols in the holsters of her belt. She then turned around, placed one hand over her hip, and asked. "Now, you're here in search of Silver Fox, right?"

"Mmm Hmm." He nodded, watching as she took the time to observe Haystack's unconscious body.

"And what happened to your pony friend?"

"His name his Haystack, ma'am. And Uh..." he didn't know how to say it.

  Candace let him take his time and looked downward to find a timid Maribelle hiding behind Ivan's leg. Knowing that it was best to let him save the answer for later, Candace chose a different topic to bring up. "Ah... so you brought Subject A1 with you, right Isabella?"

"Um, yes Cadance." she responding, maintaining her salute.

"Candace." A soldier cried from the stairs. "We have to go! Enemy reinforcements will be arriving anytime soon!"

"Thank you, sir." She said almost expressionlessly before turning to the others. "Okay, let's get the hell out of here then. When they come, they come at you with metal fists."

"Of course." Ivan agreed.

  Maribelle got out of Pierre's way before following him out of the subway station. They were then stopped when Candace lifted her hand as they stood over the stairs. The little girl was then tapped behind the shoulder. Looking behind her, she noticed that it was Isabella who did so. On the end of her hand, was a pistol. Knowing that she forgot her weapon on the train, she took it with an angry look on her face. She wished then and there that she turn the pistol onto its bottom and whack her until she couldn't think straight... or die. But consciously, it wasn't her fault that she slapped her cheeks like a fly trap squishing a fly. The captain just wouldn't understand, especially since she never knew that she could communicate with her partner mentally. It wasn't a form of manipulation, just a helping hand. It was the primary reason not to beat her in discipline at that moment, so she just gave her a little smile, and returned to her position. Plus, it was inhumane of her to do such an action, anyways.

"Go." Candace ordered.

  The rebels would follow her out the station and onto the empty city-scape above. Literally nothing, only run down buildings, themselves, and... an oncoming  double-dozen troops that were coming from the north .

"Shoot." Ivan muttered.

Rat-at-at-at-at-at-at-at-at-at-at...

  However, a Sentry gun that was positioned on top of one of the buildings mowed at least half of them down once they got into range.

"Run!" Candace shouted, provoking the others to run eastward, away from the enemy.

  At that very moment, the Sentry would soon be destroyed by an enemy chopper that loomed up and towards the unaware machine.

"Damn it!" Isabella shouted, not another one.

  The pilots lined their shots up and fired at them, killing one of them as he prepared to shoot his stinger.

"Someone, take that damn chopper-"

  Blue lasers pointed at it, followed by a couple rockets that would blow it to bits.

"Ha, no need to worry." Candace smirked as the group approached their destination, which was a group of sandbag levees that lined up across the street. Planted over it, were flags with blue and orange that were divided across the flag diagonally.

  Reaching the fortress, they vaulted over it and sat against the sandbags.

"Phew, I give thanks to your comrades on the roof." Ivan said, happy that they weren't going to deal with them.

"No problem." smirked Candace, happy to see that her new partners are okay.

"So, judging by the flags, I'm guessing that you control this part of the city."

  She nodded. "This is our turf, but those stubborn little pricks keep wanting to-"

"Candace, it looks like they're not after us!" warned one of her comrades. "They're looking for another fight!"

"Damn, you know what to do!" She reminded them.

"Yep!" He then contacted his friends. "Calling all rocketeers and engineers, arm your Sentries and Beggar's Bazooka's! We're blowing their asses into the air again!"

"Yes sir!"

  Candace looked at Ivan once more. "Ugh, they keep wanting to take it back, but you'll see about to see how we keep telling them no."

  Then there was the sound of boots marching from above,

  Ivan looked up to find the rebels heading towards the front-line and aiming down at the oncoming forces.

"Alright, aim!" One of them cried, causing his comrades to load their launchers as the engineers began to set up their Sentries.

  Unfortunately, the enemy beat them to it. Firing non-stop and doing their best to hit the enemy.

"Ay!" One rebel cried as a bullet managed to hit him in the stomach, making him fall down many stories.

"Fire!"

Shwoooooooom!

BOOM!!

  Ivan and Candace gasped, as well as the others while they witnessed an explosion kill many of the men.

"Dayum." Candace muttered, slowly taking the sunglasses from her eyes, revealing her blue irises. "Looks like they're-"

  Another explosion ignited to their right, sending debris tumbling above their heads. Then there was another explosion just down the block behind them, destroying an outpost in the intersection.

"They're bringing in the big guns this time."

"Dagger, have you-" The soldier who contacted the rocketmen would be interrupted by static that would replace the man's voice. Frowning, he looked over to Candace. "We just lost Dagger's squadron... and dagger himself."

  She knocked her head back and let out a sigh to show them her irritation.

  While that was unfolding, Maribella, Pierre, and Isabella just sat there with such depression as the artillery shells rained from the sky. Afraid, Maribelle lowered her hand and grabbed onto Haystack's hoof. Isabella saw this unfold, feeling the urge to mope in her own jealousy.

"Um... Maribelle?" She asked, trying to delude the jealousy that was surging within her.

  Like a curious deer, she looked over to her with beady eyes. "Hmm?"

"I-I'm... I'm sorry." Again, she held back the tears and sucked it up. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that."

  Her face made the same expression as Isabella's. She then looked downward, holding tightly onto Haystack's hoof. "Um... th-that's... that's okay."

"Yeah... why did you do that to him?"

  Maribelle wanted to cry again, but she sucked it up. "I-I... just... wanted to help."

"You didn't need to do it like that, you know."

  She nodded, still feeling ashamed for her actions. "I-I know."

  With that, Pierre chose to listen instead of intervene. He felt empathy towards her, being in her shoes nearly three decades back, and it was a mistake he's trying endlessly to forget.

"Hey Pierre!" Ivan shouted. "We're moving out! We're going take out the artillery pieces on the west side of the city!"

  Candace then got into the report. "And Isabella, you stay with Maribelle, take care of the pony!"

  Isabella nodded.

"It's Haystack." Ivan reminded her.

"Right."

  She understood why, so she remained beside the little girl as the artillery shells continued their barrage, ignoring the screaming and mustering of rebels around her.