Short Circuit

I carefully traveled through the slums, making sure not to bump heads with any more part-scavengers. It was easier than I had anticipated; I had only seen a few ponies scattered here and there. Most of them were either uninterested in me or incapacitated by various disabilities acquired from their harsh living conditions. I could only wonder what kind of government would allow such a large portion of their citizens live in such conditions.

Once again there was a total lack of law enforcement throughout the area. Whether that was good or bad for my current goal was uncertain. I knew that it wouldn't last once I reached some of the more well-to-do areas of the city.

Along the way, I had spoken with Saturn some more, and learned that I could speak to him by thinking rather than speaking aloud. This helped with avoiding unnecessary suspicion from passerbys. I had also fashioned a cloak out of some scraps of cloth in order to cover some of my more prominent augmentations.

"We should be getting close to the laboratory," I informed Saturn, "I imagine we will encounter some form of resistance."

"You seem to have quite a few non-lethal forms of weaponry at your disposal among your augmentations."

"Yes, it is one of my-" I stopped mid-sentence. "How do you know what augments I have?" I didn't remember having discussed the matter with Saturn.

"Ah, well," he chuckled, "Being inside your head does have its perks. Since your mind is partly augmented it is linked to the rest of your implants."

"I see." This explanation seemed as likely as any, since I was not even sure how he was inside my mind to begin with. When I thought about it, I was also unaware how I had known to use one of my implants when I was attacked in the alleyway. Being linked to my brain would have been reasonable. I could only hope that the same subconscious knowledge would save me again if the situation arose.

I continued for a while before reaching a vantage point where I could view the entrance to Doctor Sparks' lab. As I suspected, the scene was still being guarded. There were two armored pegasi with shoulder-mounted stun rifles on either side of the door.

"I should take them out from a distance, quietly. We are too close to the streets for me to engage them directly without attracting attention." I hoped that another one of my augments would have made itself known to me once I presented the need, but nothing came to me.

"Your only long range method is a blowgun implanted in your right foreleg. If you make use of your enhanced vision, you should not have an issue from this distance. The darts are lined with a powerful sedative, it should be sufficient to immobilize them," Saturn explained.

He walked me through the process to activate and implement the two augments needed. Soon, one of the guards was immobile, and I swiftly galloped in to knock the other out with a powerful buck while he turned to check on his comrade.

I dragged the unconscious pair into the laboratory and hung a nearby sheet over the entrance, since the door had been breached with plastic explosives in the initial raid.

Doctor Sparks' wheelchair still lay on its side near the computer, next to a small pool of dried blood. In fact, it hardly appeared that the lab had been searched at all since the event.

I decided to take the guards to the door in the back of the lab that I had noticed before. I rattled the door-handle, but it was locked tight. I began to search the area for a key.

Rummaging through the doctor's desk, I found dozens of writing implements, surgical tools, and various stacks of paperwork. The items I decided to take from them were a flash drive, a few first aid supplies, and a small key, which I assumed would be to the locked closet.

I carefully placed the other items next to the massive computer that was built into the center of the wall and headed to the rear of the lab to unlock the closet. The door was much heavier than I had expected, and as I forced it open I was suddenly met with a gust of cold air.

I was met with a pitch black room. Only a tiny bit of light crept in from the main lobby of the laboratory. I felt the frigid wall up and down until I found what felt like a light switch, and flipped it. The fluorescent bulbs flickered, and slowly began to burn brighter.

What I saw was small, metal cabinets lining the wall, and a gurney sitting in the center of the room. Each of the cabinet doors had slips of paper with writing on them. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to be the names of various ponies.

Saturn spoke, his voice very trembling slightly.

"Sunny Ray, Jewel Rose, Rock Candy... I know all these names, this... What is this?" By the end of his sentence, he had begun to sound immensely troubled.

I looked around the room once more.

"It would appear to be a morgue."

"Are you nervous Doctor?"

"Of course not, everything is as I expected. You should be the one worried."

"You have a lot of confidence in this one. I suppose that is to be admired."

"Trust me, I will succeed. I will not, nay, cannot fail him this time."