The Division-Lost Hope

As Riley grabbed and loaded his weapons, Nick walked into the command tent and noticed several Response Force leaders were present.

"What's going on?" Nick asked.

Iron Wrath sighed.

"Someone tried to poison our water supply. We didn't catch the culprit, but we know it's a dragon based on eyewitness accounts."

"So we have a turncoat in our midst." Riley said, walking up.

"We do indeed." Celestia said. "However, they were very careful to conceal their identity."

"We'll need to flush them out." Nick said. "They could give us away to The Scrappers, or worse, the LMB."

"We'll handle the turncoat." Thorax said. "Focus on your missions, agents."

"Roger that." Nick said, and he and Riley saluted. As they walked out, Riley took in the sights around him.

"The Post Office has nothing on this place." Riley said.

"I'm not sure about that." Nick said. "The Post Office has its benefits."

Then, the agents received a Comms Signal from Vitaly.

"Agents, I request your presence in the Medical Building immediately." Vitaly said.

"Roger that, on our way." Nick said. The agents walked into the hospital to find Vitaly working with several ponies in lab coats.

"Ah, agents. I have good news and bad news. The good news is, the material contamination from the Scrapper fort gave me a hint as to this strain's mutation rate. The bad news is, the rate is too rapid for me to calculate."

"Alright. Keep working at it, Vitaly." Nick said. They headed out to find the rest of the Agents standing by the Skimmer bay.

"What's up?" Riley asked.

"We've got trouble." Twilight said. "We got word of a small enclave of survivors holed up in a cavern complex. When some Forces headed there, they were ambushed immediately by LMB. No survivors."

"So, our turncoat not only attempted to poison our water, but leaked our intel?" Nick said.

"Yes. And they're clever." Twilight said. "We have no leads on their identity."

Then, the sky turned red as a massive explosion ripped through the sky, inside the Griffonstone Plaza.

"SHIT!" Nick cried as his squad rushed to the explosion site. There, they found several bodies and casualties strewn throughout the plaza.

"MEDICS!" Logan yelled. Then, gunshots echoed and the oaken gate blew open, and a platoon of LMB Riflemen rushed out, and upon seeing the agents, opened fire. Kestrel and Anubis deployed Ballistic Shields to buy the other agents time to get to cover.

"FUCK!" Nick yelled. "All Response units, get your asses to the gate immediately! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"Roger that." Razor replied. "Squads inbound."

"Hold the line!" Nick cried as more LMB swarmed through the gate, along with two Heavies and five Rushers. Kestrel and Anubis discarded their near-broken shields and took cover behind a fountain, opening fire. Nick cut down a Rifleman, and he saw Twilight throw around three LMB using her magic.

"Keep it up!" Logan cried. Then, as the last LMB were dispatched, the Response Squads arrived, opening fire. Then, a rocket was fired from a building, and though Twilight threw up a shield just in time, it still exploded.

"RPG!" Nick cried.

"On it!" Dmitri said. Peppering the two LMB Grenadiers with suppressive fire. Nick growled, his mind flashing back to the Secure Quarantine Center bombing, and the ensuing Riker attack. Focusing his mind, he continued to shoot, and deployed a Turret for good measure.

"Where are they coming from!?" Harper cired.

"Dunno! Just keep shooting!" Logan replied, Pulsing the assaulting LMB. Then, Nick saw, to his relief, several Unicorns slinging blasts of energy arrive and start to push back the LMB.

"Move up! Close the gap!" Nick cried. The agents moved up, Kestrel and Anubis drawing out two more Ballistic Shields to provide cover for Riley, who was advancing with the agents. The LMB then started to fall back, and Nick rushed to the gate, spraying fire.

"Nick! Ease up!" Twilight cried. Nick reluctantly lowered his weapon and turned away. The unicorns sealed the gate and reinforced it with magic, while other units tended to the wounded.

"That motherfucking turncoat sabotaged our defenses!" Nick spat. "Wait, what's this?"

Nick saw a gleaming red object on the body of a dead LMB rifleman. Taking out the object, he scowled.

"That's a dragon scale." Twilight said. "And I think I know which dragon it belongs to."

"We sure do." Kestrel said.

"All units, apprehend Garble immediately! He is now marked hostile! Capture him alive!" Nick yelled into the mic.

"Roger that, we'll search the camp." Razor said. "Get your asses over to the command center now."

Nick and the squad departed, and they found Razor and Celestia conversing.

"We've got bad news." Celestia said. "Someone managed to burn a portion of our food supply."

"It's Garble." Twilight said, holding up the scale. "Found this on one of the LMB soldiers."

"Razor, this is Checkpoint Four! We have Garble in custody! He was attempting to sneak out." A voice spoke.

"Hold him there." Nick said. "SHD inbound."

The agents walked to the Checkpoint, where a restrained and muzzled Garble struggled against three minotaurs.

"Well, Garble, working with the LMB, killing Response force troops, active sabotage, treason...well, that's quite a list." Kestrel said. "Why?"

Garble gave a hard glare, though he couldn't speak, Kestrel knew what he was saying.

"Get him to the lockup." Nick said. As Garble was dragged off, Twilight saw a portal open next to them. The agents raised weapons, only to lower them as Sunset Shimmer stepped through the portal.

"Twilight." She said.

"Sunset. What are you doing here?" Twilight asked.

"I came to help." Sunset said.

"First things first, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset looked and saw Celestia walk up.

"We need to talk."