Boxer makes his way to the garage. Immediately he runs into trouble. The garage is packed full of creatures of all types trying to get stuff. Minotaurs lifting 100 gallon water tanks and running towards the fires. Pegasi moving rainclouds towards the far away fires. Some unicorns are fetching gear with the magic for everyone so as not to be burned from the fires, others are running with the minotaurs and pegusi trying to use their magic to protect them. Gryphons are finding ropes and rescue gear. They serve as search and rescue mostly. Changelings, diamond dogs, and earth ponies are luckily not here, they're probably out trying to stop the explosions. "Shit! This is not good. Well better get to work", he mutters to himself. "Hey, I need some help. We can use the prototypes for this! Help me load them up", he yells out to no one in particular. A couple turn their heads and a few give nods of acknowledgement.

As Boxer is loading up the 4x4, a general walks up and yells "What the hell do you think you're doing with these vehicles?"

"Well sir, we are loading up these vehicles to assist with dealing with the fires and search and rescue."

"You are not cleared to use these vehicles."

"Sir, actually, I am. I was going to be in the support truck for the Off Roader test tomorrow."

"Be that as it may, these vehicles are not cleared for this and if they get destroyed... well let's hope that doesn't happen."

"Sir I'm talking about saving lives, possibly important ones. I don't know where the leaders are. If they are in danger and we could have done something to save them. I think that's worth losing a prototype we can recreate."

He thought this over for a moment and said "if this goes wrong it's your head."

With the general leaving to check on other stuff, the rest of packing up the vehicles went quickly. When both of the vehicles were packed up Boxer said to the driver of the 4x4 "Stay close to me because the 4x4 hasn't been fully tested so if something happens I'll need to save you."

"You can't order me around."

"Listen punk, when it comes to prototypes I have jurisdiction and if you don't like that then leave so I can tow the 4x4."

"I'm the only one allowed to handle the 4x4 here right now. You shouldn't even be allowed to touch it", the junior driver spat back.

"And I'm not asking to handle it. I just want to make sure the 4x4 is safe. So follow me", Boxer said louder than necessary.

"Fine. Let's go."

With that last little bit finished, Boxer drove the truck out of the garage first and the 4x4 followed closely behind. They made their way over rubble and around bends, fire was everywhere. It was amazing that this much of the compound was still standing. They finally arrived at the front gates to find that are still closed. "Dammit Mongoose. You had 1 job to do. Where the hell are you anyway?" Boxer asked mostly to himself.

~~~~ 15 minutes earlier ~~~~

"Alright Boxer, if you aren't gonna show up I should move. Crap. I forgot the communicators. Well, I should go find those", I said as I got to my feet. "Where is the nearest control room? Well I would guess it would be a guard tower so ... shit. There." Following the wall north the closest tower is surrounded by fire and everyone trying to put it out. "How am I supposed to get in and out with all these guns? Well I guess I could leave them here but then someone could find them or move them or take them and all of those are very bad. Maybe if I take them with me I could stash them somewhere safe-ish. Well that sounds like the best thing I can do. Now, how to carry all these guns? Oh well, I'll figure it out."

Taking all the guns and ammo Queen Shadow was carrying and guns and ammo out of my bag. Most of the guns have straps so I'll be able to sling those on my back, the ammo and grenades I'll have to carry in my bag so that leaves the unlucky 2 guns with no straps. "Well let's put them in my bag." After putting all the ammo and grenades in my bag, putting the 2 guns in there was rather hard to do since the bag is kinda small and it was pretty full to begin with. I end putting both of the guns in the bag with the barrels hanging out. I start moving for the tower when I spot Shadow still unconscious on the ground. I think 'Should I kill her now and never have to worry or should I let her live and rat me out to The Boss? Well if I leave then Boss man would find out Boxer and I left and it wouldn't matter if she tells him. Well, she was never truly mean to me. She was only mean if you put The Compound's safety at risk.' With that I walk right past her sleeping form and move onto the tower and fires. Once I got within 100 yards of the tower I start searching for a location that was hidden but wasn't on fire or in danger of catching on fire. I spot a water shed surrounded by shrubs. Perfect for hiding lots of explosive material that you don't want to explode. I drop all the ammo in the Shrubs surrounding the shed just as someone is coming around the corner.

"What are you doing back here? We need all the help we can putting out the fires", A unicorn mare asks.

"I was just trying find a way to tell if there is anyone inside the tower so we can rescue them."

"You can't do that. It's too dangerous! That tower could blow any minute!" she yells.

"I can't let anyone die today! Not while I'm still breathing! If you want to help get me some gear to help against burns", I yell back.

"Fine, but you best not get stuck in there or I won't save you."

"Do you have any ideas on who or what is still in there?"

"We think there is at least 2 guards and a couple of weapons. The ammo is definitely dangerous since it could blow at any time", she says handing the gear she managed to find.

"Thanks for the heads up", I reply putting on the jacket, mask and gloves.

"Be careful in there."

"Like I have a choice." I spread my wings and take off for the wall entry point since those aren't completely covered in fire. When I stepped inside the tower I noticed one of the guards was pinned under some rubble from the ceiling but he was still alive. The other guard was trapped under a desk that he took cover under when the ceiling collapsed but I couldn't tell if he was alive or not since he was passed out.

"Hey! You there! Can you help me? I'm stuck and can't move my rear legs", A male earth pony calls out upon seeing me.

"Listen, buddy I'll help you on my way out of here I was sent in to find a way of communicating with everyone. Just give me a bit, ok?"

"What!!! That's ridiculous just help me out of here", he pleads.

"I don't question orders and neither should you. They thought you were already dead and sent me in to get anything from here before it burns."

Finding the communicators was much harder since everything was tinted gray and red and covered in ash. Shelves were knocked over, glass was everywhere, and the ground was giving out from the supports burning. The communicators somehow managed to get flung underneath the desk nearest the wall overlooking the external wall. Finding 2 that weren't broken or crushed took a lot of digging which was getting harder with all of the smoke I was breathing in. After digging though approximately 20 different communicators I was lucky enough to find 2 still working communicators. I immediately attach one of them to my front left leg above my talon. Moving over to the conscious guard, "Where are you pinned?" I ask him.

"My legs! I can't move my rear legs."

"Alright, hold still while I move some of the rubble away." 'Damn I hate digging. This is why I never wanted to be a manual laborer. This is just so tedious and boring.' I was interrupted from my thoughts by a sound I didn't want to hear. The sound of a gun firing. While I'm looking around for the source of this sound I hear it again and more frequently. "AAAGAGGHHH, FUCK!" 2 of the bullets which were in the tower had managed to find my me. 1 hit my right rear leg just above my paw and the other hit me in the middle of my stomach. "Goddammit! You see what you made me do. You made me get shot! Stay still, I'm done digging." I start lift up the remaining pile of debris so he can pull himself out from where he was. When he's free I drop the rubble and fling him onto my back and get out of the tower as quickly as possible. The medics were waiting took the guard off of my back when I landed and immediately started checking me over. That unicorn from earlier trots over to me and before she can say anything I say "See I didn't get stuck, So HAHA."

"Yeah but getting shot isn't much better. So where's the other guard?", she asks.

"Well, I couldn't find him", I lied." Hey doc, you almost done yet?"

"Almost, but you shouldn't move around much", the doc replies.

"It's a shame you couldn't save both of the guards. Are you going to go back for him?" The incessant unicorn asks.

"It was a wreck in there plus the ammo is exploding. It's too dangerous in there."

"And it wasn't before?"

"Hey I almost made it out without injury. Now if you you'll excuse me I have more civilians to save." With that I headed off to where I stashed the guns earlier. Upon arrival I notice something amiss … "Shit."

Author's Note

I hope most of you are enjoying this if you made it this far. How should I know if no one says anything but oh well. But alas it's getting harder to do this with school giving a lot more work now. I'm going to stop this soon-ish.