Fallout Equestria: Shaping Shadow - Book 5

Shadow was working on something at the desk in his room. Cardinal Spitfire had been asked to a meeting. He had gotten started on some work preparing for Black Widow’s ascension into the clouds.

The doom opened and Cardinal Spitfire slowly walked in, a downtrodden look on her face. She looked at Shadow and flashed him a reassuring smile. “We just got orders. In three hours I will be leading my team out. The shooting hasn’t happened, but the Wonderbolts are on the move. We have to be ready to do our job when the time comes, and it doesn’t sound like it will be much longer.”

“Stay safe,” Shadow replied with a smile. “I’ll be doing some recon shortly. I’m taking care of a few things. You won’t be leaving me alone”

“You better make it back this time,” Cardinal Spitfire snipped.

It was an unexpected tone and bite. Something had her on edge. It wasn’t war or killing. It seemed to be something mission related.

“The same to you,” Shadow kindly said. “I didn’t survive all this time and finally get back just to lose you.”

“The only way I will die in this war is if we lose,” Cardinal Spitfire replied, grinning slyly. “Gunmetal, the Quartermaster, can get you almost anything you need. We are limited in their stocks, specifically ammo. A lot of teams are being deployed. Most are to ready stations, places we would rather start the war at than from here. General Firestorm appears to have gotten some new intel from a source closer to their higher ups. I don’t know what. I just know what my orders are.”

“We knew this moment was coming,” Shadow said. “It is better if they make the move, rather than us.”

“That it is,” Cardinal Spitfire nodded.

Cardinal Spitfire threw on a flight suit and then began to dig into the bag of the drawer. After a short struggle, she pulled out a large envelope. It was sealed with wax and it was stuffed with plenty of papers. She didn’t say a word or acknowledge it as she put her power armor on. Cardinal Spitfire smiled at him one last time and put her helmet on. With that, she was gone. She would have last minute checks and prep to do, but they were not something she could do in the room.

Shadow went back to his task. He had picked his target and he was making prepared letters to leave. He would not always have the option to make an outright statement about their crimes. Most of them ended up being rather generic.

After that, he went to see Gunmetal to secure what he would need if the war broke out. Multiple ACUs were loading out for war as well. Shadow let them go first. He had time to spare.

Gunmetal called Shadow forward when she saw him and let him into the back. The other quartermasters with her could do the job. She helped load him out with what he needed, as well as a few other requests.

She was called back up front, which gave Shadow the opportunity to do something he was expecting to have to ask for. Gunmetal kept a tight lock on the security for the Wonderbolts. That included the electronic keycards. Shadow had the open computer right in front of him. He grabbed a random card, and made an entry. He took a moment to find a number that had been skipped and chose that as the key’s identity.

With the keycard made, he backed away from the computer. He began to unpack everything and count it. He was trying to justify his time spent while she was away. It wasn’t much longer until she was back. She had the last few things he needed and after they double checked it all, Shadow signed for everything and departed.

Shadow caught sight of a large group of ACU’s taking off in their teams, heading east. He watched as team after team climbed into the sky and began to organize into large formations. They had to be mobilizing for a fort or other outpost that would need to be taken at the very start.

“Shadow,” General Firestorm said. Shadow looked over at her. She was obviously coming from somewhere and very busy. “I see you are about to head out.”

“You know I have to,” Shadow replied. “I’m recon.”

“I know. And unlike the other teams, you have had access since you got here to plenty of data from our Wonderbolt archives. I know that a soldier of your caliber has figured out what he needs to do and what we need from him.”

“I have figured out my next move,” Shadow stated. “Tell me, are we hot?”

“Just getting the pawns in place,” General Firestorm clarified. “Although, I have no doubt that, no matter where you are or what you are doing, you will know when that scale is tipped.”

“Between Cardinal Spitfire instructions and Gunmetal’s encryptions, I will be able to send you any information you need. I know how to ghost messages.”

“Good,” Firestorm nodded. “I will be on the lookout for them. Gunmetal has done wonders for our security, and I am thrilled she is on our side. But, I have things to do. Good luck.”

“The same to you,” Shadow replied with a nod. “And thanks.”

Shadow met up with his Zebra team and covered the plans. They would be moving out with the bulk of the ACUs, on either Mareland or Nellie. Simi would be leading them. Shadow might not be in a position to take charge, so he was leaving it up to him.

Ukuzwa wasn’t going to be with them. She was going to be with Deke and his naval fleet. She was working with him on something, and all she would say is that it might require the other Zebras. Shadow left it up to her and Simi.

None of them knew where the ACUs were off to, or the Wonderbolt Squads that had left, or were about to leave, were off to. That was exactly how it should be. The Zebras did know that Shadow was going to be Black Widow at times, which was why he couldn’t take them.

Shadow headed back to his room and grabbed the final things he needed. Then he went to the Flight Deck. He took off in proper form and turned north for a time before he turned southwest towards Las Pegasus.