While I’m still coming up with a pain to deal with Black Hand. Pinky is heading back to her friends, seeing Duke and Danny heading that way. Once she got there seeing all her friends either starting to get their breakfast or finishing up.

She saw her plate still there waiting on her with Fluttershy and Rainbow still sitting at the table.

“Pinky.” Rainbow calls out to her getting her attention as she makes her way back to the table.

“So, what seems to be going on with James?” Fluttershy asks her friend.

“It's nothing to worry about.” She answers her friend without telling her what is going on with him.

Fluttershy notices something is up with her but doesn’t bring it up again.

The two brothers notice how the staff are acting before they get there, before seeing John still eating before seeing some of the others like Pinky, Fluttershy, and Rainbow sitting at one of the tables catching it up.

“Wondering where’s James?” Danny asks his brother. “You know he doesn’t have breakfast this early in the morning unless he gotten woken up.” Duke quickly responded to that question while still getting his meal together.

“You're right, he normally eats once a day maybe a small snack late in the day.” Danny said out loud. “Plus, he was the one waking up late back in the day. But lately, he has been waking up very early.” He said finishing off his train of thought.

Twilight stood outside Spike’s room after waiting on him in the lobby for nearly half an hour, before hearing the door open and seeing him stepping out wearing his jumpsuit and boots.

“About time Spike.” Twilight said out loud shocking him. “Hun, Twilight, you scared me.” He said out loud after quickly recovering from the shock.

“Never like waking up this early.” He said out loud closing the door. “I know you don’t, but everyone is waiting on us.” She tells him has they made their way downstairs before seeing Rarity finally coming out of her room.

“Twilight, Spike; nice to see you this morning.” She tells them noticing them. “Hay Rare.” Spike tells her after noticing them.

“Guesting to meet up with the others?” Twilight asks her.

“They must be downstairs having some breakfast.” Rarity answers her question walking down the hallway.

Later at the buffet.

They finally made it there seeing everyone there except for one.

“Where’s James?” Twilight thought to herself making her way to the buffet.

One of the staff turns on one of the TVs in there to the news showing the chaos from yesterday that is still going on this morning back on the City World.

Pinky notices this going on the TV and begins to think making the other notice this. “Something wrong Pinky?” Fluttershy asks her.

“I’ve been thinking about what happening back in Queen City where James’s safehouse is.” She quickly answers her friend's question.

“What are getting at Pinky?” AJ asks trying to dig a little bit deeper.

“I mean with everything that has happened so far and from what James has told us and what could be going on back home.” She said what going through her mind.

“Go on?” AJ response.

“What I’m saying can we trust him?” She asks them both.

“I don’t know if we trust him, but with him trying to find a way for us to get all of us back home, and I don’t know if he’s got a plan, or he is just making it up as he goes along.” She said out loud.

“It could be both.” Twilight said out loud pulling up a chair at the table where they were sitting at.

Elsewhere

I still looking out the room window trying to come up with a plan when I heard something.

“James” a voice calls out to me more like a whisper then a loud thud on the door breaking my focus realize that I was sitting on the chair next to the window before realizing that I was standing just a moment ago.

“Knock, knock.”

I heard the door again making me get up to the chair to see who was on the other side of the door.

I opened the door to see the owner of the place. “May I come in?” He asks me.

“Sure.” I answer letting him in.

“Is this about that task force?” I ask him. “Yes, it's about that. I know about the small armory you keep in your car, and we’ll be willing to help you with that. There’s an armory for hostile guests and with the size of this task force will going to need them.” He tells me.

“I’ll keep that in mind, but I like to see this armory first.” I tell him.

“Of course, follow me.” He tells me leaving the room and heading down the hallway towards a dead end.

I quickly followed him seeing the dead end which made me question. “Ok, why are we heading towards a dead end; Unless?” I thought to myself.

He pulls a lever making locks behind the wall to move and make some noise, before pushing on it making me realize the wall is a door.

“Interesting.” I said out loud.

“Yes, secret passageways run throughout the whole building to keep people guessing and for quick escape for any reason.” He tells me before going into the dark and quickly turning on the lights, lighting up the dark hallway.

The now-lit hallway shows the walls are covered in cod webs in a thick layer of dust even on the floor has it as well before noticing footprints breaking the dust. The owner didn’t notice them but I did.

I see they are the shape of AJ’s boots from the breakage of the dust on the old hardwood floor.

The owner walked passed some pictures of what could be the previous owner of the building or the person who built this place making it into what it is today.

He walks over to an old elevator from what looks like the 1930s era with cage doors.

“Come on then.” He says opening the doors and stepping inside.

I’ve stepped inside to from the size of it only have enough room for a maximum of five people.

He closes the doors and pulls the lever down making the elevator jump into life sending small sparks above us then a jolt sending us down the shaft.

The elevator hasn’t been used for an unknown amount of time screech and howler along the way.

“How big is this place?” I asked him the forward we when down before he put the lever back into the center position slowing down the elevator before stopping at a floor that would be the basement level.

“Pretty big, I think it nearly 50,000 sq ft. with both basement and sub-basement.” He answers my question opening the doors seeing the basement level has some ago to it but keeps clean showing the same 1930’s era like the elevator and from I saw in those secret passageways.

“I’m guessing this place was built in the 30’s?” I ask him while getting off the elevator. “No, this place was built in 1927 and changed over time to keep up with what other hotels were doing at the time and keep the theme after the attack making some of the hallways into secret passageways for staff and important guests.” He answers my question closing the doors.

“What attack?” I ask him which made stopped in track taking a deep breath before answering.

“It was April of 1974, and I was young making my way through to a job I was paid to do for a client. I came here for the night not knowing what was about to happen.” He tells me.

“So, you used to work the Underground too?” I asked him.

“Yes I did, the client double cross me sending his goons after me, and the Founder of the place got killed during the attack and nearly burned this place to the ground in the progress, so they think I died during the fighting or the fire the killed the small staff without remorse.” He tells me going deeper into the basement before seeing a vault door with a number pad next to it.

“With people thinking that I’m dead and The Founder dead. I was given a job from the network of overlords to take over and rebuild this place bigger and better than before.” He tells me putting in the code into the number pad and opening the door.

Inside was the armory currently in the dark.

“Let me turn on the lights.” He tells me flipping the switch and make the lights come on in the blink of an eye showing the rows of punned rows of guns, from handguns to heavy-duty armor piercing.

“Ok, how do you all of this?” I ask him. “We have our ways to source them, and they are untraceable.” He answers my question.

With the amount of guns hanging on the shelves was enough to arm a small army of 30 to 50 thousand troops.

I grab an AK-47 off the shelf checking the clip seeing that it’s empty, before putting the clip back on and putting the gun back on the shelf.

“You said untraceable meaning the serial numbers have been removed?” I ask him grabbing a Desert Eagle seeing that the numbers have been removed by a laser cutter.

“Yes, we did before we got them, why did you ask?” He answers my question before asking one of his own.

I removed the clip which was also empty before looking down the sites. “How did they do something about the bullet ID for every one of these guns?” I asked him.

“What do you mean?” He asks me. “When the live round goes down the barrel leaving markings that can be traced to the gun even without the serial number no longer on the gun.” I answered him leaving nearly shocked from my knowledge.

“You know your weapons.” He tells me. “I know about cops even more.” I quickly repaid.

“Ok, I think I have a plan.” I said out loud, putting the handgun back on the shelf.

“Really, you do?” He asks me.

“To get things ready will take some time and most of it is already done, with armory well stock and those turrets I noticed after we checked in last night.” I answered him.

“I need to tell the others and inform your staff.” I tell him leaving the armory.

Nearly half an hour later.

Nearly everyone was sitting in the lobby waiting for me to meet up while the staff were busy running the hotel.

AJ takes a deep breath before asking out loud. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know AJ, he must be held up in his room?” Twilight answers her question the best she can.

“He was in his room.” Pinky said out loud beginning to feel something was off, like something was coming but don’t know what maybe the staff is worrying about and why James taking so long with that element of his doing something.

The tension in the air can be so thick you can cut it with a knife.

Applejack can feel the tension making her very uneasy and not only that but somewhere else but coming fast.

Rarity with gotten her element only yesterday rubbing her neck where the mark is located at. “Feels like a scar than anything else.” She said out loud.

“It goes away after the second day.” Spike tells her.

While Danny unhooked his fake leg from the base before pulling on it. “You alright?” Dukes asks his brother seeing what he is doing.

“Yes, just checking something out.” He answers him still pulling on the leg until it’s cleared of his plant's leg.

He checks where it bens at seeing nothing wrong with it before checking the base seeing it nothing wrong as well before quickly putting it back on.

Then hearing footsteps coming down the staircase making everyone there to see who is coming down.

“James, what keep you so long?” Twilight asks me seeing me without my sunglasses and my hat. Pinky sees that my eyes still have that purple shade to them while the others see them for the first time.

“Sorry, things have changed a little bit with something coming, but there is pain I’ve been cooking up from the morning, which involves my car, the defense turrets at the front entrance, and the armory weapons combined with the secret passages.” I tell them.

“That explains the tensions with the staff.” AJ responds out loud.

“Who’s coming?” Rainbow asked me, which made me take a deep breath before answering.

“It is a task force sent by the Reds. The size of this taskforce is unknown, but this taskforce has a name.” I tell them.

“What are they called?” AJ asks me I pulse for a second before answering. “Black Hand.”

“Black Hand, steams strange for a name.” Rarity said out loud.

“I know name makes little sense but they are no joke. They handle jobs that the regular army can’t do.” I said out loud.

“In other words, they are like Black Ops back at home.” I said out loud. “It’s not the first time we ran into them.” I said out loud finishing what going through my mind.

“Really we did?” Pinky asks me. “You weren’t there, but Twilight and Spike were there with me when we ran into them, a few days ago.” I answered her question.

“The goons we came across back at the library, that was them?” Spike asks out loud shocked by that statement.

“They were only a very small team that was sent. But this time it’s a whole task force coming this time.” I said out loud.

“So what about this pain?” AJ asks me.

“I have to inform the staff as well because they know the layout of the building and where the passages lead.” I answer her question.

“How long do we have?” Twilight asks me.

“I would say two maybe three hours.” I answer her question.

Then I see the staff are nearly finished with the morning rounds and heading for the café for the morning break.

“It is time James.” The owner tells me to see someone coming down the staircase.

“Well then, best to get this over and done with.” I said out loud leading the café.

Once everyone settles down and the owner gets everyone attention.

“OK, everyone listen up and pay attention.” He tells his staff.

“I bring this staff meeting during the morning break because there is a task force coming here to cause trouble here and those who may remember the last time a task force came here and there is a pain that been cooked up by one of the guests. Now let me introduce him, you may not have seen him before but heard the name before, James Cribb.” He told them.

“Ok, James they’re ready for you, just don’t take too long.” He tells me.

I take a deep breath before heading to the front of the group.

“Like he said there is a task force coming in two- or three-hours’ time. I came up with a pain involving the remote access on my car, the secret passageways throughout the building, and defense turrets with combine with the armory.” I said out loud.

“So, this is more like a bait and trap?” One of the staff members asks me.

“Yes, to a point. But they will both be inside the building and parking lot outside.” I answer his question.

“The passageway can be used to quickly get around the building and the armory to stock up with weapons and ammo to catch them off guard.” I tell them.

“How will your car go into effect the pain?” Another staff member asks me.

“My car has remote access with my phone and the weapons and tricks already mounted to it.” I answered him.

“Moving on, the task force size is unknown at this time. But from experience will be no more than 80 to 120 personnel, half of them will search the parking lot while the other half will check the building. They do not know the passageways will be good for us for catching them off guard.” I tell them.

Meanwhile Twilight and the others standing across the room while going over the plan to the staff. “Bold plan in such little time.” Applejack said out loud. “Give him enough time and coin, he take over the world if he wanted.” Duke replayed from that statement.

“What about the armory?” Another staff member asks me.

“I was getting to that, the arms can be placed at the entrances of the passages ways to quick access as well with the shells. Load them up with armor-piercing rounds, because they’re wearing body armor and aim for the legs and the shoulders are not well guarded but with those rounds I subjected will make any difference if you aim for the chest.” I answer his question.

“Now any other questions?” I ask them, everyone looks around sharing their thoughts among themselves before dying down.

“Thank you for your time.” I tell them as the owner takes control again.

“Thank you James, now get to work.” He tells his staff ending the break, making the tension in the air go a little more calm, but not completely gone. While the café is being cleared say for me, and others say for one.

“As anyone seen John?” I ask them. “I remember seeing him earlier during breakfast.” I finish what is on my mind.

“Yes, I have seen him stepping out of the building after breakfast.” Pinky tells me.

“Must be checking on his rig and trailer.” I said out loud.

“I need to check on him?” I whispered out loud before heading to the parking lot outside.

As soon I stepped outside the building feeling the cold hit me making my back go to a little tent realizing a few small pops in my back.

I quickly walk over towards where the cars are including his semi-truck. I see that his truck hood is open revealing the diesel engine from what I can see from where I’m standing is a 12-liter 6-cinder diesel engine.

Once I get to his truck, I see him pulling the oil dipstick out, and checking the oil level.

“Hay John, I didn’t see you at the meeting moments ago and I know these checks don’t take this long. You still worry about your family or what?” I asked him.

After wiping the dipstick before checking again. He takes a deep breath before answering me. “I was taking care of the bill for the rooms before checking the truck out.”

“How much did it cost?” I asked him. “The cost wasn’t cheap, but with the owner helping us out cost me no more than 500 dollars for your reputation and for being a guardian.” He tells me.

“I’ll pay you back when all of this is over and done with.” I told him. “Just don’t worry about James, there are some things you can’t just payback.” He tells me putting the dip stick back.

“Everything good to go.” He said out loud before closing the hood.

“Now what about that pain you came up with.” He asks me. “I’ve already informed the staff and the others about it, you’re the only one who is still out of the loop.” I answered him.

“Let me tell you then.” I told him.

I informed him about the pain while heading our way back to the building to get away from the cold.

“That is pretty much the pain, but there is a part that I didn’t give away, and that involves you.” I told him.

“What is that?” He asks me. “I need you to get the others away from here before they come, they will be coming for me and they will not stop, until they do.” I answered him not knowing the others were nearby.

“James, why?” Pinky said out loud trying to hold back the tears before running upstairs.

“Pinky wait.” I called out to her to stop her from trying to explain myself but didn’t listen.

Pinky ran towards her room seeing Fluttershy with the young pup. “Something is wrong.” The pup said out loud only Fluttershy could hear her. They made their way towards her room seeing the door was still open and seeing her crying on the bed.

The young pup jumps on the bed and begins to try to calm her down a little by licking her. “Oh, hi Flutters.” She tells her getting up and drying her face a little. “What happened?” Flutters asks her friend.

“It’s James, he didn’t tell us about a part of a plan about having us leave with John but he is staying here to fight the task force with the staff.” Pinky tells her.

Fluttershy takes a deep breath before reposing. “The pup told me that about it staying with him last night, and something else. But told me not to tell anyone else until later.”

“Really, is it because of me being pregnant and all.” Pinky said out loud before getting licked again by the pup.

“Pinky.” I called out to her standing outside her room seeing that she was in a better mood now.

“James, I see the reason now it just shocked me not to tell me and the others first.” She tells me.

“I would have told you about that part of the plan, if you didn’t freak out about it.” I tell her.

After that shock to her, the staff was still getting everything ready for the fight ahead. I went to the bar to get myself a drink to calm my nerves for about to what was about to happen.

Duke sees me at the bar grabbing the bottle of brandy and a small glass. “Drinking already?” He asks me as I pour myself a drink. “Just something to calm my nerves a little and getting full-blown drunk here.” I answer him putting the cap back on before taking a drink, feeling the burn a little going down making me sweat a little.

Taking a deep breath afterwards feeling it hit me. “Needed that.” I said out loud.

“Wonder what they are too?” I ask out loud. “Who?” Dukes asks me. “Tilly and Lilly, they could be middle-aged by now with that whole time difference here and back home.” I answer his question.

“Yea, they Tilly must be 45 and Lilly got to be 42.” Duke said out loud. “If the math is right.” I said putting the bottle up and cleaning the glass. “I know we have only been here for nearly 2 years now and with what’s going on with their world is pretty set only three days here is one day there as far I can tell.” I said putting the now clean glass back to where I got it from.

I rubbed my forehead a little bit before leaving the bar seeing the staff are close to finishing up putting the weapons stages to the different areas of the building and close the passageways out of site.

The owner sees me leaving the bar. “James, we’re nearly done with the stages. How is it going with your end?” He asks me.

“As far I can tell I’m ready.” I answer his question.

“Good, what about the others you came with?” He asks me.

“They were there when I informed the plan to your staff. But there was a part of the plan that was only for them, for their safety with one of them being pregnant and all.” I told him.

“I know you have your reason to do so, and your reputation says more than words will ever do.” He tells me.

“How much longer until they arrive?” I asked him.

“They should be no more than a couple of hours.” He answers my question.

“Let me ask you this?” I ask him.

“What is it?” He responded answering my question with one of his own.

“Do you happen to have any cigars, real ones?” I ask him.

“I deed, I do they’re in my office.” He tells me answering my question leading the way toward his office.

His office is close to the front desk at reception, which is bigger than a shoebox from the size alone with all the furniture.

“Interesting, I thought your office would have been bigger with you running the place.” I said out loud seeing the cramp conditions.

The office was only 15 ft long by 10 ft wide with wood panels covering the walls. The desk looks more like came from the 1970s from the steel trim edge around the desk. A few filing cabinets on the far side of the room.

“Now where did I put them?” He asked out loud.

On the desk is a crt computer monitor from the 90’s, I see a mouse but no keyboard nearby. An ashtray with a burnout cigar lying there for what looks like days now.

He opens one of the desks and draws seeing a few items but not the box of cigars he trying to find. He opens another drawer on the other side of the desk seeing a small wooden box with a red and golden trim on the side.

“Here they are.” He said out loud pulling the box out and putting the desk.

Opening the box showing it’s full, pulling one of them and handing it to me.

I take a sniff of it. “Hum, cubin. Where did you get them?” I ask him.

“There been a market for those like the real thing and they are very small pockets throughout these worlds and with serving this place for those who work for the underworld and these have been giving to me for my service and I don’t smoke these days after I quite five years ago.” He tells me answering my question taking a bite of one end before lighting it up with the zippo lighter that is in my pocket.

Once I take a few puffs getting it going filling the room with cigar smoke. “I guess that cigar in the ashtray is your last one?” I ask him.

“Indeed, it is.” He answers me siding the box to me.

“Take them, I don’t need them anymore.” He tells me as I take another drag of the cigar feeling the heat of the other end in my hand.

“Thank you, I never got your name?” I responded grabbing the box off the desk.

“You can call me Samson.” He tells me closing the draws before getting up.

“Well Samson, thanks for the smokes.” I said getting up with both the light cigar and the box of cigars leaving the office and heading outside feeling the cold air hit me as I made my way towards the car, seeing the loose snow lightly cover the car.

Heading for the trunk, popping the trunk putting the box in the trunk before seeing the guns hanging from the lid. One of them, catches my eye; and that is a 30/30 Martin hunting rifle.

“Not this go around.” I said out before closing the trunk.

I take another drag of the cigar before putting it out in the snow, looking up and seeing the low-hanging clouds for the area.

“Even though, it is cold out. But a warm front is coming.” I said out loud before heading back into the building.

Author's Note

After a long wait, chapter 59th of this story is done, and if you missed my blog post about why it take so long to upload.

I had writer's block during this time, as well my health not doing too good during. That time that why taken so long this time, as well with my day job taking most of the time.

I have no idea when the next chapter will be finished, I'm only one man.

This is James Cribb
Singing Out.