Fallout Equestria: Brotherhood

CHAPTER 31: THE CRIMSON RANGER

"Caverns strong. The dark strong. Miners dwelling within -- strong. Unbending to surface."

A gentle, frigid breeze blew on through the rolling hills of the northern province. The sky above retained a dull hue of grey -- bolstering a deeper more harrowing shade than usual brought on by the low light of the early morning sun. Scooter sat on top of a cold smooth bolder with decaying brown vines crawling across its sides.

A fire, low and dying lay smoldering before him. The embers deep within the ash glowed faintly as the wind tenderly touched its dim light. Shifting in his spot, the vines underneath his haunches crunched crisply. Rubbing his hooves along the sides of his forelegs Scooter warmed himself.

All around the fire pit, laying on thin cloth mats with tattered edges were Legion soldiers sleeping. Soft snoring filled the air around Scooter while he stared at the small plume of smoke rising from the fire. The top of the ascending ashen cloud twisted slowly in the wind before dissipating entirely.

Scooter sneezed -- taking up his sleeve and whipping his nose. Exhaling heavily, he continued to remain quiet.

Whopper was across from him on the other side of the fire pit. Opening his eyes, and blinking briefly Whopper arose slowly from his mat. Looking toward his boss he scratched his greasy mane whilst licking his dry, chapped lips.

"Boss?" Whopper muttered, "are you okay?"

Scooter shook his head. "Ah don't feel right."

Sitting up onto his flank Whopper raised his forelegs over his head, stretching his shoulders. "Ya don't feel right 'bout what?"

"That Covert fellah." Scooter replied lowly. "I was thinkin' all night 'bout him."

"What'd he do? Was it somethin' he said?" Asked Whopper.

"No, it's jus'... How did he live? When all of ‘em other guys died, an' how did he only get a few cuts when them soldiers got sliced up nice and good?"

Whopper shrugged. "Ah don't know, t' be truthful. Could be a number a reasons, ah reckon."

“Ah guess, but jus’ think ‘bout it fer a second,” Scooter said lowering his gaze, "when we was circlin’ them guardians, one gun fired off. Ah remember them ponies havin’ loads of guns."

Whopper's mouth dropped as he stared wide-eyed at Scooter. "Are ya sayin' that Covert killed 'em?"

Closing his eyes, Scooter sighed, "Ah don't know, maybe? Ah don't trust him either way."

"What should we do then? Keep on headin' t' the Darkmines? Or should we head back t' the border?"

Without breaking his eyes from the crackling embers of the dying fire Scooter said, "Ah have an inchin' feelin' that we should head t' the Darkmines."

"Ya think Big Lot's there?" Whopper asked.

"If she is," Scooter answered picking up a pebble from the ground, "ah'll be sure t' get our princess back home."

Looking down at the tiny stone rest in his hoof Scooter continued, narrowing his eyes, "An’ if ah can’t find her..."

Throwing the pebble into the fire the weak blackened sticks above the embers collapsed, toppling onto, and encasing the last glowing warmth of the fire. Ash spouted out from the top, sending dozens of small grey motes floating about in the breeze.

Scooter chuckled, "Well... We might ‘ave to ‘eah on back home... Talk to that Covert fellah... See what he knows, an’ ah’m sure that snake’s got plenty he’s hidin’..."

There was a darkness that engulfed everything. As the slaves walked along the cracked, derelict asphalt of what was once a main city street the hollow skyscrapers around them towered high into the rolling blackness of the sky. The smoke stacks that protruded from the mountain's base at the far end of the long road shot dense, rancid pollution into the clouds above.

The pavement was thickly coated in ash. So too was the dozens of rusted wagons pulled off to the side of the street. Taxi's, buses, and carpools, all smeared with the same black soot.

Above them, in the balconies of the upper stories of the old city towers were Legion soldiers. Each stood post next to a lantern that glowed a dim sickly green. Occasionally, the charged blackened clouds overhead cracked a booming uproar of thunder -- followed by a flash of bright green within its thick mass.

The road was narrow, and the air heavy with the smell of bitter sulfur. The collar was digging into the nape Adam's neck as the slaves moved on at a more quicker pace. Nearly trotting the slaves hustled down the road.

Split Tooth was grinning, as a worn wooden bludgeon hovered closely by his side. Cantering along the slave line he smacked the thrashing tool swiftly against the asphalt. "Get along, maggots! We're almost there! Ah can see it up ahead!"

Big Lot staggered, the chain yanking on her little neck neck back, and forth forcefully. Catching herself each time she held fast against the constant battle of ponies hastily moving to the Darkmines.

The farther the group went down the road -- the more the empty streets gave way to more open alcoves blasted through the facades of the many buildings that lined the sidewalks. Within each little area were places for Legion soldiers to rest. Thick brown hammocks were pinned into the brick walls -- alongside wooden storage crates stacked neatly into pyramids of three or more.

Dim yellow lanterns sat atop the creates, filling each alcove with light. As the slaves passed by Legion soldiers, masks or not, had their eyes locked onto them with unwavering stares.

Twisted and bent lampposts ten feet high stood at the sides of a wide street. When the slaves walked down its center Adam noticed a more narrow street diverge from the main one. The smaller road went on for hundreds of feet, where just barely he could see at its end a long, bulky dark iron train stationed idly by an open-walled depot, adorned with dull red shingles.

Blinking, Adam muttered to himself, "I-Is that the same train brother and I..."

Another loud thwack of Split Tooth's bludgeon against the road jolted through the air, sending Adam's eyes facing forward. Holding a firm posture, Adam looked over his shoulder to the cart. During their trip into the ruined city Siren had ordered the wagon to follow in behind the slaves.

Some six ponies down from where he was position the cart bumped along the uneven ground. Since his capture, the wagon had never been so close. The sounds vibrating from its loose metal bolts on the wheels were more clear, and crisp than ever before.

Adam briefly looked at Split Tooth canter at the sides of the slave line. Gradually, the slaver slowed his pace, as did the slave line. Coming to the end of the wide road a long, stone bridge stood over the grey running rapids of a shallow river. The roar of the steep whitewater currents crashing against the jagged sides of the mountain's base echoed throughout the area.

A few wooden wagons, no larger than the slaver's, were pulled off near the tunnel's entrance. Some carried linen sacks, bulging with loaves of stale, moldy bread. Others sported barrels of water, or alcoholic cider, branded with three black X's.

Dozens of slaves were everywhere. Each were chained to steel mine carts ten ponies large, filled to the top with sharp rock fragments. Groups of six were hitched up to pull the carts. Despite their numbers, the vigorous trembling of their thin bony legs struggled to move the tremendous load.

Adam's mouth dropped slightly. The slaves who pulled the carts looked hollow, and broken. Their eyes were wide open, and glazed with a white fog. Lash marks, some still bleeding covered the upper regions of their backs all the way down to the bottom to their stomachs.

Little was left of their matted coats. Only patches of fur or tuffs of dirt stained hair remained. Darkminers, two or more with their large glowing green eyes followed the slaves pulling the carts. Attached to their masks were whips -- tipped with metal barbs.

When the slaves came to the bridge's edge a Darkminer would pull a lever along the cart's side. Pistons at the bottom frame of the cart pushed upward on the container. Slowly, it would raise the container's rim over the bridge spilling out the contents into the river below. The thundering splashes rang out, vibrating off of the building walls and base of the mountain.

The bridge lead into a wide concrete tunnel carving into the mountain's base. Like the massive mouth of a starving beast the sounds of drills, and tunneling equipment sounded faintly from within. Out of the dark entrance more slaves emerged dragging behind them carts of hulking black rocks.

One cart pulling just twenty feet by Adam had a chained group of slaves that looked more alive than those broken by the mine. Their eyes still retained color, and a fair bulk muscle still encased their bones.

A stallion at the head of the chain group, with tiny tufts of orange mane scattered around the top of his scarred scalp collapsed. Barely catching himself he fell on his stomach, shaking.

A Darkminer escorting his line carried a spiked mace, which bobbed up and down as the miner quickly charged to the stallion's side.

"Slave," the Miner hissed, "why stop? Why? Speak!"

Every section of the slave's body was quivering. "I... I... I can't move... My legs..."

Slamming the mace right beside the stallion's ribs, the Miner shouted, "No excuse! Lies! Lazy! Stupid! Work! NOW!"

Tears began to pool in the corners of the stallion's eyes as he shook his head. "I... I can't..."

Again, the Miner thrashed the mace beside the pony cracking the ground next to him. "LIES! WORK! OR I MAKE YOU STILL!"

Choking, the stallion sputtered, "I can't... I can't!"

Reeling back, the Miner cocked his head to the side. "No?"

The slave closed his eyes tight, nodding his head as tears gently rolled down his cheeks.

The Miner stood silently for a moment, looking down at the collapsed slave. "No... No can't? No... Dead... Kill slave. No work. No need for slave. No need for you."

Raising the bludgeon the Miner let out a shrill shriek.

Tucking his head to the ground, the slave put his forelegs over his face. Down the mace came, striking the stallion squarely on the back and then behind his neck. The horrid, painful howls of the slave rang clearly out through the bridge. Each small sharp spike dug into the slave's flesh. Cracking bone, and tearing skin.

Lifting the the mace once more, the Miner struck right at the stallion's left temple. And in that moment the screaming faded.

Wheezing, the Miner looked down at the slave’s head fall to the ground. The stallion's eyes were wide open, as the side of his skull had caved in. Blood and tiny bits of flesh caked the side of the Miner's mace. The other slaves pulling the cart stepped away from the body, only to be held in place by the chains that restrained them.

"Dead, yes." The Miner nodded. "Dead."

Looking to Adam and the other slaves Split Tooth lead, the Miner scoffed, "Replace soon, yes..."

Adam grimaced, diverting his eyes away from the scene. The grim shadow of the tunnel engulfed him, and the other slaves. Once inside, the dark mouth of the mine's entrance faded -- revealing a wall of tightly welded corrugated steel sheets sealing the way in. Only a gate of opened steel doors, bolted by heavy rivets lead inside.

There was one other door at the far right side of the tunnel. A small concrete ramp lead up to a green rusted door, that was once the emergency entrance to the mine. With a flickering black lamp positioned above it, a sign posted in dried red blood said: The Mine Inside.

Adam stumbled abruptly, coming to a full stop. Quickly catching himself before he could spot at what had stopped him, he saw the slaves in front of him shuffle to his side as Siren came strolling down the slave line.

Holding a wide grin she cried, "Move over! Move over! Side by side, move it!"

Briefly glancing at the slaves behind him they too stepped to his side. Taking no more than a minute the entire single-file slave line was horizontal -- standing shoulder to shoulder.

The chain hung incredibly loosely along the ground. Some of the links had been bunched up in small loops at both of Adam's side.

Gazing down at the slack of the iron restraints that held him, Adam felt his heart beat as a chilling sting rolled down his back.

Peaking over his shoulder, Adam’s eyes returned to the cart. Sparing only a second to see what was behind him, his heart jumped as the sight of the wagon being parked only five feet from him. The very same frigid cold tingled the hairs of his nape, putting them on-end.

Siren cantered next to Split Tooth, her smile still wide while humming a soft tune herself. "Splitsy? They're all ready now... We gonna' notify t' Warden?"

Split Tooth stood before the slaves, his sickly yellow eyes traveling down and up the line. "Aye, that we are love."

Raisin a hoof to the corner of his mouth Split Tooth called to his band, "You lot! Stay 'ere an' watch t' merchandise. Siren an' ah gonna' go fetch t' Warden. While we're gone make sure them pups stay nice an' quiet."

Lowering his hoof, Split Tooth sported a grin that exposed his crooked teeth. "We wouldn't wanna' stir t' locals now..."

Jerking his head to the service door along the tunnel wall both Split Tooth and Siren trotted away. In unison, the slavers spread out around the slaves let out a heavy sigh. One slaver, a mare with a spiked pink mane and a spear as her cutie mark spoke out.

"Damn, it's 'bout time we stopped! Two more steps an' ah was sure ah was gonna' die!"

"'Ere, ere!" Agreed the other slavers.

The mare rose a hoof to her brow, narrowing her eyes and scanning the area around them. "Now, if ah reckon roight there should be a stand..."

Stopping her search, her eyes went wide as a smile grew on her face. Slapping a hoof forcefully upon the ground, she chortled pointing to a group of Legion soldiers gathered around an opened wagon carrying two large barrels laying on their side. Wooden faucets were screwed into each barrel, as the soldiers huddled around them held mugs in their hooves.

Bounding up and down she chanted, "There 'ere! There 'ere! Ah knew it!"

A sloven stallion in the slaver party stepped up with a crooked smile. Motioning a hoof to the wagon he grunted, "Ya think them boys won't mind sharin' a little of that gin with us hard workin' folk?"

The mare shrugged, retaining her massive smile. "Ah don't sees why not, mate. We did it last time, now shouldn't be any different."

Another slaver, this time a blue stallion with a thick flat forehead added, "Wot 'bout t' boss? Won't he get upset?"

Shaking her head, the mare whinnied, "Nah, he won't know nothin' so long as we're quick 'bout it."

Drawing a little circle along the ground the stallion furrowed his imposing brow staring down at the ground. "Ah think we should stay this time. Best not t’ get into trouble."

The mare pouted at him, "Whine! Whine! Whine! Listen, if you wanna' kiss the boss' ass, fine! We, on t' other hoof, are gonna' enjoy ourselves!"

Swiftly turning away from the slave line, the mare trotted off with her nose held high. Every slaver followed her to the wagon where freshly aged cider awaited them.

Only three slavers remained. Among them, the slaver with the blunt forehead. Puckering his chapped lips, and drooping his dull brown eyes he slammed his haunches down on the ground.

The other two slavers too, sat their flanks down upon the hard ground. Adam peeped very quickly over his shoulder, looking back at the cart behind him. The slavers who pulled it had unhitched themselves. Now the wagon was vacant, and free of any eyes. That was, save the three that decided to stay.

Adam nudged Bill firmly in the side before leaning toward him, whispering, "Bill, I'm going to do it."

Bill briskly shook his head, raising an eyebrow at Adam. "W-What?"

Concealing his hoof behind the foreleg supporting him, Adam motioned it to the wagon behind him. "I'm going to go inside, and grab my screw driver."

Directing his eyes to the three slavers sitting idly, Bill replied, "You think you can do it?"

Adam nodded.

"Alright," Bill added, "but where are ya going to stash it? If ya haven't noticed we're as bare as a newborn foal."

Raising the tip of his hoof to the collar around his neck Adam said, "It's not that big. I figure if I slip it diagonally under my collar my mane will cover the end."

Rubbing the side of his lower neck Bill hissed reeling his head back slightly. "Won't that hurt?"

Adam shrugged. "For awhile, yes. But I won't have to conceal it for long. Once we're in a decent spot I can take it out, and work on getting out from there."

Looking to the slavers, who now started to watch the slaves pulling carts of rocky earth, Adam took a deep breath in. "I'm going in. Wish me luck..."

Deep inside of Adam's chest his heart pounded rapidly. A thin layer of sweat developed on his upper brow as he gingerly made his way to the wagon. Keeping his head low to the ground, and his steps light he pulled on the chain gently.

Stepping up to the cart, he jumped up onto his hind legs, hanging onto the wagon's low wooden walls with his forelegs. Poking his head over the edge Adam peered into the opened wagon. Bags of food were pressed up against loose links of chains and rolled bed mats. A few barrels of water sat near the front, right next to a large bulging unmarked sack.

Briefly looking to the slavers, who hadn't moved since he had last saw them, Adam returned to the contents of the wagon. Focusing on the sack by the water barrels. The Pipbuck telekinesis worked its magic, untying the knot by itself. Directing his eyes to the opening of the bag it slowly opened revealing dozens of items.

Guns, ammo, cloths, hats, and medicine were all piled inside. Digging through the sack he found at the bottom his saddlebag. Smiling, he flipped the top open, and searched it. Shuffling around the various items he had collected over his travels his eyes went wide at the sight of his screwdriver.

"Bingo." Adam whispered aloud to himself.

"Hey!" A low voice called to him. "Ah see you! Stop right where ya are!"

Adam's heart skipped, as the hairs all along his back stood straight up. Hopping down from the cart he floated the screwdriver behind his head. The stallion with the flat brow came stomping toward him -- his cheeks red, and eyes squinting.

With one powerful stomp the stallion puffed out his chest looking down at Adam. Blinking at the slaver before him, Adam lowered himself.

"Wot do ya think you're doin'?" The slaver asked.

Adam diverted his eyes away from the slaver, choking up. "I'm sorry... It's just, I thought that the Master would like to know that everything is there in the wagon."

The slaver's chest deflated, and scratching his greasy orange mane the stallion grunted, "Wha?"

Raising his head, Adam took a step forward, "You didn't know about the slaves here, did you? What they do to unattended carts?"

The slaver shook his head, pouting. "No... No ah didn't. Wot exactly are ya talkin' 'bout, pup?"

"Why, their thieves, master!" Adam exclaimed. "The worst sort too. A life here can make them very greedy. So they learn how to take the items left unattended in carts, much like the one we have here."

Blinking at the cart the slaver said, "Really? Ah ‘eard of somethin' like that t' last time we was ‘ere. But ah don't believe it none."

Pointing at the cart Adam injected, "But it's all true! Just look around you! Why do you think there are so many guards following each mine cart? It's to make sure they don't steal from hard working slavers like yourself."

Carefully floating the screwdriver under his collar, he continued, "A-And to compensate for my bad behavior I decided to help the master out, honest!"

The slaver leaned intently toward Adam, squinting one hazy brown eye. "Is that so?"

Taking two steps back Adam rolled his eyes, "Well... That's not all."

"Wot do ya mean?" The slaver queried.

"I mean, what would the master say if he found out some things were missing from the cart?" Adam asked.

Cocking his head sideways the slaver stuttered, "W-Well..."

Shaking his head Adam continued, "Just imagine the fury! The fury! Oh, he'd have whoever was standing post's head if he found out something was gone while they were on duty!"

Rubbing the back of his neck, the slaver looked off to the side, away from Adam. "Uhm... Huh..."

Smiling, Adam commented, "But you don't have to worry. I just got done checking, and I can assure you nothing is out of place."

Fixing the screwdriver tucked underneath his collar Adam leaned forward. "If you want, this business can stay between you and I. Master doesn't need to know that you weren't at full attention, or that the cart was left unattended. In fact, this might get you a promotion, or better: a place by his side."

Closing his eyes the slaver grinned, nodding slowly. "Aye, that does sound nice..."

"What do you say?" Adam asked. "Deal?"

Placing a hoof under his lower lip, the slaver hummed softly to himself. "Ah guess if ya keep quiet 'bout all this it won’t hurt none... Good work, pup."

Striking a rather firm posture, with his chest pushing outwards, Adam chuckled. "Will do, master."

Jerking his head to the slave line, the slaver spat tapping him on the shoulder, "Fine. Since that's t' case, 'ead back t' the line. And be quick 'bout it!"

Trotting around the slaver, Adam returned to his place in the line. Soon after, Split Tooth and Siren came trotting out of the service door leading the Warden.

Siren saw the other slavers huddled around the gin wagon, laughing and clanking mugs together high into the air. Popping her eyes wide open, she nudged Split Tooth repeatedly in the shoulder, whispering, "Oi, Splitsy! Look!"

She started pointing to the slavers hissing quietly, "Look! Look!"

Split Tooth rolled his eyes, and directing his gaze to the gin wagon where most of his band had gathered. "Siren, ah really don't need this while t' Warden is-"

While keeping a steady pace to the slave line Split Tooth's sight remained locked on the wagon. Boiling hot blood flushed into his face turn it a deep red, as his left eyelid started to twitch slightly. "Why those lazy, insubordinate... Ah'll have they're 'eads!"

Slapping a hoof over his mouth, Siren grinned at him chuckling. "Now, now Splitsy..."

Motioning her eyes to the Warden behind them, she mumbled, "Ah was actin’ crazy before, but we wouldn't want t' make a complete scene in front of t’ customer..."

Snorting, Split Tooth faced forward. "Fine, but after we're done ah’m gonna' beat the daylights outta' that lot..."

Coming to the slave line, Split Tooth, Siren, and the Warden stood before all of the slaves. Smiling, Split extended a hoof to the chained ponies before the Warden.

"See anythin' ya like? O’ glorious warden of t’ mines?" Split Tooth coughed.

The Warden stepped up to the slave line, silently. Standing only inches away from the ponies Split Tooth had captured, the dim glow of his concealing goggles glistened in the slave's eyes. With his sight held firmly on each pony he prowled up and down the line.

Stopping at Bill, the Warden spat, "You. What do?"

Bill pointed at himself, "Me?"

"Yes." The Warden hissed. "What do? What do?"

Bill's legs shook in the presence of the Darkminer. Droplets of salty, warm sweat ran down the sides of his face as he gulped, "W-Well, I was a trader. I-I also salvaged scrap."

Patting Bill's cheek the Warden nodded. "Have use. Will take."

Siren hopped to the Warden's side, beating her large distorted eyelashes. "Does that mean you'll take 'im?"

"Yes." The Warden answered lowly, moving on to Adam.

"You." The Warden snapped. "What do?"

Adam looked directly into the Warden's lifeless, green circle eyes. "I'm a mechanic, and a novice computer technician."

The Warden leaned forward. "What fix? How big? Fix drills, yes?"

Adam nodded, "I can fix drills, sure."

Moving his eyes to Adam's Pipbuck the Warden dropped his head to the wrist computer. Hissing at it, the Warden reeled back, "What is that? Answer!"

Split Tooth jumped to the Warden's side hastily. "Oh, nothin' at all, mate! It's uh, a pip-thingy... It's broken, an' we couldn't remove it."

Glaring at Adam, Split Tooth grunted, "Isn't that right, pup?"

Adam flatten his ears, nodding briskly.

Staring at Split Tooth, the Warden said nothing. Moving down the line the leader of the Darkmines selected one other individual before coming to Big Lot.

Peering down at her, the Warden wheezed shifting his head side to side, "Child... Child... What do?"

Lowering her eyebrows, Big Lot snapped at him, "I'm a princess! Don't talk to me like that!"

The Warden lowered his head to her face, nearly pressing his mask against her nose. Again, he murmured, "What do?"

She narrowed her sapphire eyes at him, pushing her nose against his mask. "Why should I answer a big creep like you?"

The Warden rose his head -- shaking it. "Not know what she do. No work. No sale. Arrogant. Stubborn. Won't do well in mine."

Split Tooth interjected smiling, and bowing to the Warden. "Please, mate, reconsider! Sure she moight be snappy, but a little 'ard work in t' mine will do her well!"

"Yeah!" Siren agreed, sporting the same persuasive gestures. "Think of the possibilities! She can clean! Or go into them small tunnels!"

"No." The Warden answered sternly. "No sale. No buy."

Big Lot snarled at the Warden as he walked to the next slave. Adam stepped out of the line, looking to the Warden. "Stop! I need her!"

Pausing right where he stood, the Warden stood deathly still. Split Tooth sprinted toward Adam, grinding his teeth. "Pup! Back in line!"

"Please," Adam persisted, "I need her to help me fix equipment."

Swaying his head around, the Warden stared at Adam. "What?"

Diverting his eyes to the floor Adam answered, "I'm no unicorn, so I need some help reaching into small, complex spaces. Especially on the drills."

Taking a few, light steps toward Adam the Warden asked, "Can't work?"

Shaking his head, Adam went on, "She knows me, and she works well when watched. All I ask is that she comes with me, or I can’t work."

Split Tooth took several steps back, before a new smirk sprouted onto his face. Moving to the Warden's side, he swooned, "Ya know, ah've seen ‘em work. They'll be a good bargain. Lot's of work done."

"Buy both? Work well?" The Warden asked.

Siren's ears erected themselves, as she too had a smile which came into view. "Yeah, they work real well. Fantastically so, my dearest Warden."

"Mhmm," Split Tooth hummed wrapping a hoof over the Warden’s shoulder, "besides, ya wouldn't want a drill to bust, or 'splode would ya?"

Throwing a hoof into the air, he knocked back Split Tooth.

Snapping his goggles to Siren, the Warden barked, "Gah! Buy both!"

Drawing from a thin cloth pouch on his coal stained warps was a heavy bag of caps. Tossing it to Siren, she caught it ogling the sack intently.

"Many thanks, mate, many thanks." She chortled, cradling the bag in her forelegs.

Split Tooth cleared his throat, and bowed. "Aye, it's a pleasure doing business with ya, Warden."

Waving a hoof at the two slavers, the Warden dismissed them. "Get slaves, bring. No more talking."

"Oh! Roight, will do!" Split Tooth chirped hustling to the main chain binding the slaves.

Unlatching the five slaves the Warden had bought, Siren fetched a smaller length of chain to attach them to. Clipping each slave to the more shorter link, the Warden took the end leading them to the service door.

"You follow." The Warden hissed to the slaves. "No talk. No fight. You will die."

Yanking on the chain the Warden opened the door shoving the slaves into a long, narrow maintenance hallway leading into the mine. Chuckling heavily, the Warden sneered, "Welcome to mines slaves..."

Vladimir saw his glossy reflection in the polished metal of the Freelancer breastplate resting on his cot. Beside the radiant image of his tired self was the chipped paint of a white number seven. Sighing, he pulled his head away from the armor turning and walking to his dresser across the room.

Dragging his hooves across the floor, he opened the first drawer removing a revolver, holstered in a fine brown leather case. Just as he had started making his way back to the cot, the specter appeared, hovering right over him.

"That's strike one, you know. Turning away from the demonstration." It said, floating onto the cot.

Vladimir payed the apparition no mind, and instead continued to lay the revolver on the cot alongside the armor. Next to the freelancer's gear was the duster with the leg guards.

Worn and beaten, with tattered edges around the sleeves, it was folded neatly beside the armor. Sitting barely atop the duster, the creature folded his legs, frowning.

"Doesn't that bother you?" It coughed.

Shaking his head once, Vladimir turned to the dresser again, ignoring the creature. Rushing to his side the spirit placed a hoof upon Vladimir's shoulder.

Staring at him, the apparition spat, "Doesn't it hurt?"

Opening the bottom drawer Vladimir removed a dusty saddlebag, before returning to the cot. "Yes, it does hurt."

The creature jeered moving to the other side of the cot, "Really? You seem fairly reserved."

"I need to start tolerating it sometime. Why not start now?" Replied Vladimir as he placed the bag at the end of the cot.

Drawing the flask from his pocket, Vladimir sipped the sweet wine inside. Gulping the chilled liquid, he set down the flask on the nightstand. The specter came hovering inches from the ground to the end of the cot. There, he slumped his foreleg on the various pieces of armor.

"What is this all for? Usually, I can tell what you're doing but here... But, this is strange, my friend. Very strange."

Vladimir paused, and blinked at the creature. Exhaling from his nose, Vladimir smiled, "Well, if you really must know I plan to wear it. All of it."

The phantom floated backward with bulging eyes. "What? Why?"

Vladimir answered, "I realize that the Coalition won't come out with where their project is. To my knowledge, they should have sun gems. The ones we need to finish the project."

"And?" The creature hummed, leaning forward and rolling its hoof around in a gyrate motion.

"And," Vladimir continued, "I've heard tell that Her sons are close by. If I were to join them as an ally, I could get into the project."

Pouting the creature folded its legs again, "How do you know that will even work? What makes you so confident?"

"Simple," Vladimir purred, "they haven't seen me since our meeting at Iron Hoof. I've changed a lot since then. Also, I know a spell that will alter my eye color. I'll make it seem like I'm a freelancer, and if their mother is where I believe she is, then we'll be lead to the project. Which, will take us directly to where the sun gems are located."

Nodding, the creature flashed Vladimir its bright, sharp glowing teeth in a crooked grin. "That is something the Vladimir I know would do... Stealthy, witty, and effective... I assume you'll have the our forces track you?"

"Of course." Vladimir responded.

Outside of Vladimir's door, a Darkminer sat on his haunches. The side of his brown hood pressed firmly against the cold metal as he listened to the Legion emperor talk to himself.

Thatch was walking down the hallway, until about halfway through the corridor he stopped suddenly. Squinting his eyes he cocked his head sideways. By Vladimir's door the dim glow of the Miner's goggles gleamed in the faint light of the hall.

The Miner had his back turned to Thatch, completely unaware of his presence. Straightening his posture, Thatch approached the Miner, who jumped up and spun around to face him.

The two ponies stared at one another, quietly. That was, until Thatch broke the silence, "Excuse me, what are you doing outside his majesty’s chamber?"

The Miner shook his head, "Nothing! Nothing! Make sure room safe. Slaves escape -- very dangerous to surface Legion... Yes..."

Rolling his eyes, Thatch motioned his hoof to the end of the hallway, "Go on then, I'm fairly certain this place is safe."

Bowing the Miner back away wheezing, "Surface Legion need no worry. Yes, right surface Legion is. No danger."

Trotting away, Thatch watched the Miner stop at the end of the hall. Pausing for just a moment, the strange pony looked back at him. Just the round green hue from the Miner's goggles pierced the dark. Facing forward once more -- the Miner went on his way out of sight.

Thatch shook his head, as he came to Vladimir's door. "Damn Miners... Skulking about like rats..."

Lifting his hoof, Thatch knocked upon the nipping metal of Vladimir's door. It's metallic ring sounded on even long after he lowered his hoof back to the ground. Wait no more but a few moments, Vladimir answered the door.

The faint sound of the parting doors swooshing resonated through the hallway, as it revealed Vladimir, leaning against the doorway smiling.

Giving Vladimir a slight bow of his head, Thatch greeted him, "M'lord, you requested my presence?"

Beckoning Thatch to come inside with a hoof, Vladimir chirped, "Yes, yes! Come in, come in! I have much to tell you!'

Stepping through the doorway the sliding doors closed behind Thatch. At the end of the hallway, the Miner emerged from the dimness approaching Vladimir's door gingerly. Each step was light -- generating little to no sound the closer he came.

Once more, the Miner sat down, and pressed his head against the door, listening. "No danger... No danger to surface Legion..."

Two small radroaches scuttled along the cracked asphalt. Behind their oval bodies small tracks specked the thin layer of ash that coated the ground. Shooing them with his hoof, Neo poked his head over a rusting wagon pulled off to the side of the road in the middle of the city.

Above the sky let out a booming crack, blasting loudly as a sickly green light flashed in the charged rolling black clouds. Legion soldiers patrolled balconies on the right side of the street. Under them was the torn remains of shop awnings scorched by the war of the distant past.

The soldiers standing post on their own designated platform wielded huge, bulking rifles as they stood attentively at their positions, scanning the area before them slowly.

The group was gathered behind a rusted cart that had crashed into an orange fire hydrant. Everyone behind the safety of the vehicle kept their heads low, and their tones to a minimum as Neo continued to inspect the scene.

Diving his head back down behind cover Neo said, "There's four guards on this street. And down the road a little ways is a train depot. I saw some train cars pulled by it, it's hard to say if they're pulled by a working train, or even how long they’ve been there."

"There guards are stationed on the right side, right?" Lucy asked.

Neo nodded. "Yeah."

Raising her head over the top of the cart for a moment, Lucy added, "We can just move along the right side on the sidewalk undetected. What we do after that, I don't know."

Pulling up his Pipbuck, Neo switched the map of the Darkmines. Peering down at the map Neo remarked, "There's a train station down the road here. No, duh. Then, there's a road that goes to the right from there. That should take us straight to the entrance of the Darkmines."

"Perhaps," Bloodstrider interjected, "we must find someway to get in, without the use of weapons."

Two Socks looked to the soldiers in the balconies, rubbing the back of his neck gently, gulping down a nervous lump in his throat. "I second that thought. The last thing we want is to be ponies full of lead, metal, and every other sort of alloy you can think of."

"You think we might be able to find uniforms? Or someone who could get is in on that train?" Neo queried.

"Affirmative," Wester answered, "It's a possibility. One we might want to highly consider."

A tingling fluttered in the bottom of Neo's stomach as the plan came together. Tightening his diaphragm, and inhaling deeply, he nodded once firmly. "Alright, then if we all know what to do, let's go. We've got to save Adam, and Bill."

Wester was the first to remove himself from the safety of the damaged wagon. Quickly dashing under the protection of a metal awning on the facade under the nearest patrolling soldier, he turned his eyes briefly down the road before gesturing a hoof for the others to come.

Neo whispered to Bloodstrider, "It's clear to go."

Nodding silently, Bloodstrider sprinted to the awning to meet Wester. The other three Zebras followed behind their Chief in a single file line -- keeping the same brisk pace. Flattening his ears Neo watched the guards pace themselves on their balconies. The moment that the guard closest to them was turned one more of their party dashed across the street.

Minutes later, everyone was on the other side of the street -- standing under the metal awning. A small hole had been torn in the top of the metal, and through it the other two guards could be seen. The third, more obscured by the body of the second. Directly above them was the first guard, his heavy hoovesteps caused the rotting supports to creak uneasily.

Down the sidewalk was other awnings. Some made from red and white striped cloth burn and tattered. Others sported metal sheets of various polished alloys, welded together to look exuberantly artistic.

"We'll sneak all the way to the train depot at the end of street." Neo whispered, pointing a hoof to the train cars. "Once we're there, what then?"

"Get onto the train." Bloodstrider answered. "The Legion transports everything across the province on them. And if my memory serves me well, then that train should be the same that crosses the province. Inside its cars might be valuable supplies which might aid us in saving those you lost."

Ally looked up through the small hole in the awning, watching as the second guard turned his back to them. "Guys, his back is turned, if we're going to move now is the time."

Sparing no more time to idle chatter, the group moved up the street. There, below the torn striped awning underneath the second guard they saw the third. He, unlike the last two, didn't pace himself. Rather, he stood still, only his heading scanning the section of street before him.

Pressing themselves firmly against the wooden doors of the building's entrance the group looked up at the attentive soldier. If timed wrongly, he could see one of them move out of the corner of his eye. At that point he would alert all of the guards, and in moments they could be dead. Or, if the universe felt especially cruel, they would live only to continue their lives a slaves of the Legion.

Gritting his teeth, Neo leered at the guard. Damn, that guy's not going to move, is he?

Lucy too, was staring at the guard from the holes in the awning. Rubbing the soft grey fur under her chin she hummed to herself. Then, smirking she looked to Two Socks.

"Hey, Two Socks..." She crooned.

Taking a step back, the strange, titled smile she gave him sent the hairs on his neck standing. "Yeah?"

She took a step toward him, beating her short eyelashes. "You wouldn't happen to have something small and metal on you by any chance?"

His ears perked upward, and smiling he quickly started digging through his saddlebags. "Yeah, sure I've got just the thing!"

From out of his bag, sitting neatly in his hoof was a small metal ball with two eyes and a smiley face crudely carved into its side. Holding it in front of Lucy he chirped, "This is Wilson. I'm not entirely sure what he is, but he's been a wonderful companion in my bag. I would die if anything were to happen to-"

Before he could even finish, Lucy had seized Wilson from his hoof. Throwing it down the street, away from the train depot, it crashed into a dented garbage can on the other side of the road. Throughout the entire street the sound of Wilson fiercely smashing into the damaged receptacle rang clearly.

Neo swiftly turned his eyes to the holes in the awning. Like a hawk spotting its prey in a field, the third guard immediately looked to the source of the clamorous noise.

Two Socks held his empty hoof up -- his eyes wide as he stared at the vacant spot Wilson once was. Dropping his jaw, he gasped.

Two Socks puckered his lower lip, addressing Lucy, "W-Why would you d-do tha-"

Lucy shot her gaze to the third guard, who was now looking over the railing on his balcony with a hoof over his mask's dark visor. "No time!" She said slapping a hoof against Two Sock's back. "Let's move! Now!"

Adam was tossed into a dark, dusty room. His muzzle made direct contact with the floor, instantly sparking a sore pain that traveled up into the rest of his head. Around the sides of his body were tiny puffs of dry powder-like dirt twisting in the air.

Groaning, Adam pushed himself up rubbing his aching and throbbing nose. He heard Big Lot yelp as she too was thrown inside -- landing right next to him. Bill came next, followed by another slave before one more was tossed carelessly into the room.

There were no windows, and no lights. The only source of pure illumination came from the opened door leading in. Light from the outside hallway dimly glistening against the quartz that made up the cavernous walls of their cell.

The floor, as Adam had recently discovered, was merely a thin layer of dirt. Dry, and loose with solid rock not far below it. Turning around to the doorway a dark silhouette stood in its center. Nearly every one of the Warden's features were cloaked in a dark shadow that beamed against the back of the cell.

This left only the glow of his green eyes looking down at Adam. Giving the Warden the appearance of some nightmarish creature standing over him.

"New home. No." The Warden rasped.

Big Lot promptly rose to her feet. Turning around she stared at the Warden her hooves trembling. "Why did you bring us here?!"

The Warden stood silently before hissing, "Quiet! Too much noise! Leave in dark. Break you. Break you for work."

Raising a hoof, the Warden gently rest it upon the cold iron of the thick cell door. "No light. Seven days. No food, three days. No water, one day. Only solitude. Only darkness."

Closing the door slowly, the Warden chortled as the old hinges of the door screeched vexatiously throughout the room. When the door had come shut the sound of gears turning and locking the from the outside clattered about. Not long after, the faint clopping of hooves tapping against the floor echoed. With each step the Warden's hoofsteps faded, gradually into silence.

He had left the room completely dark. And for a moment, everyone within it was quiet. Not even the shallow breaths of the five slaves could be heard stirring the hushed atmosphere.

Until out of the pure veil of darkness came the whimper from Big Lot. "It's... It's so dark..."

Adam switched his Pipbuck lamp on, igniting the whole room with a florescent orange light. Holding his dented personal wrist computer over his brow, he turned to the source of the mewl. Big Lot had curled up into a small ball, shivering vigorously.

Her hooves covered her head, protecting herself from the unknown within the darkness. Coming to her, Adam extended a hoof next to her shoulder. "Here," he said lowering his head down to her smiling, "it'll be okay."

Slowly removing the hooves over her head, she rose her eyes up at him, blinking. "Y-You did it again..."

"I told you, " Adam stated his hoof still out to her, "we'll get out of this together."

For no more than a few seconds she looked up at him. The orange glow of the lamp tenderly shimmering in her sapphire eyes.

Her expression quickly turned sour, as she shook her head.

Without taking his hoof, she stood up patting herself down. "Well, if you hadn't helped me I could have been out of here by now."

Adam retracted his hoof, raising an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"They'll be looking for me." She replied, nodding. "Oh yes, I'm sure of it! Once they know I'm gone they'll-"

In the center of the room, a mare with matted purple fur, and a tangled red mane tucked away to the side of her face by a single bobby pin sighed. Drooping her head a few thin strands of dirt-stained hair suspended before her dull pink eyes.

"They always say that." She groaned. "I said it at one point. It's only natural you say it too."

Big Lot frowned, leering at the mare, "I'm different! I'm a princess! They'll come for me! You'll see!"

"Heh," the mare chuckled briefly, "if you're a princess I'm the queen of freakin' Hoofington!"

"Hey," Bill interjected, taking a step in-between them, "thats enough of that, from the lot of you."

"Silence, brown mule! I am right, they are coming!" Big Lot exclaimed, stomping a hoof against the hard ground.

"And what happens if they couldn't find you in time?" Adam countered swiftly.

Big Lot reeled her head back. "They would! I-I know they would!"

"But what if they didn't?" Adam added taking a single step to her. "I couldn't imagine the trial that would be. And with no friends to help you, how would you move on everyday?"

“Well, I...” Big Lot paused.

All movement gave way to a frozen glare at the floor. A deep, wrenching pain stabbed her stomach, and twisted around. And as clear brief images of everything she had done came snapping into her mind the filly choked.

What she had done to some many ponies: hurting them, mocking them, treating them like objects meant to be broken and used. It came rushing to her furiously, knotting the pain inside the more she contemplated her position.

Her breathing had become rapid, and her legs began trembling. "I have no friends!" She barked, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

Slumping onto her haunches tears rolled down her cheeks, specking the dry ground, "Yo-You're right... Covert betrayed me, and who would he send? He wanted to kill me...”

Shrugging, she sniffed, “And Scooter wouldn't find me... For all I know, he’s probably sucking up to that fraud of a captain..."

Adam approached her gingerly. Then sitting down next to her, he wrapped a hoof around her shoulder. "I'll be your friend, Big Lot. If you'll let me."

Sobbing, she whipped away the wet streaks across her face. "But I hurt you... Your brother and friends... I tried to kill you all..."

Adam smiled. "We all make mistakes."

Bill sat down, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is she going to be okay, Adam?"

Adam nodded. "Yeah, I think she is."

Big Lot gazing up at Adam her eyes still glimmering in the light. "If-If you want to get out, h-how are we going to do it?"

Bending his neck forward slightly, Adam revealed his screwdriver tucked titled diagonally under his collar. Pushing it out with his hoof, he let the tool fall before catching it and holding it low for Big Lot to see. The sharp end of the tool had dug into his skin. Pressing down the fur, and leaving a faint mark where it had been.

"This here -- this is how we'll escape." Said Adam.

The slave sitting in the center of the room gawked, "A screw driver?"

Looking down at the tiny tool resting in his hoof, Adam smiled, "It'll be all we need. And hopefully, the Darkminers won't have second thoughts about leaving us in here for week."

"Ya sure this plan of yours will work?" Asked Bill.

Adam shrugged. "I doubt any plan is one-hundred percent sound. But at least a plan is better than no plan at all."

"Alright then," Bill replied standing onto his hooves, "is there anything you need us to do?"

Laying the screwdriver on the floor, Adam rose the tip of his hoof to his chin, rubbing it as he scanned the room around him. Looking to the mare sitting in the center of the cell, he locking his eyes onto her before pointing at the bobby pin holding back the excess mane on her head.

"Before we start, I need that bobby pin of yours."

The mare turned around to Adam, resting a hoof over her chest. "Me?"

Nodding, Adam added, "Yes, and that body pin will come real handy here in a minute."

Covering the pin with her hoof she asked, "What will you need it for?"

Tapping the metal collar hugging his neck, Adam remarked, "First, I'm going to remove these collars."

"And then what?" Bill asked.

"And then," Adam replied glancing at the door, "we get out of here."

"What do you mean you're leaving?!" Thatch exclaimed, stepping back.

Encased in a crimson glowing magical aura the shinguards to the freelancer armor floated toward Vladimir. Raising a hoof into the air, one of the metal leg guards drifted onto his leg before snapping shut around it. Tightly fastened, the guard remained steady on his limb.

Vladimir was nearly covered in the thick armor. From the battle-worn breastplate, to the hind leg guards. This excluded the one bare foreleg, and the tattered duster.

"My decision is final, Captain." Vladimir declared. "I need to do this, for the Legion. For the project's future."

Thatch watched as Vladimir snapped the next leg guard onto his lower foreleg. Taking a single step toward Vladimir, Thatch pleaded, "Sir, please reconsider! We need you here, to lead us!"

Gently shaking the newly secured piece of armor protecting his leg, Vladimir walked to the side of his cot gazing downward at the neatly folded duster resting upon it. "It'll take us years to accumulate the diluted Sun Gem ore to gain the power of just one stone. Imagine what the Coalition could do in that time. This way, we'll be able to retake what was lost, and gain the stones we need to finish Iron Hammer."

Trotting briskly to his master's side, Thatch extended a hoof to the duster on the cot. "Sir, following her sons isn't the solution. This, is not a good decision in the slightest. What if you were to get captured, or hurt-"

Lifting the duster up, Vladimir shook it out as puffs of dry rolling dust drifted off of the worn leather. "If anything were to happen I trust you, and your men would come for me. Or do you doubt your own abilities, Captain?"

Thatch's eyes went wide as he stared at Vladimir, his jawing hanging barely open. Shaking his head three times he stomped a hoof on the ground. "I do not doubt our might! We are the finest army this province -- neigh, the world has ever seen! I simply fear for your well being despite our best efforts to aid you, m'lord."

Flinging the duster over his shoulder Vladimir stuck his forelegs through the sleeves. Fixing what areas of the coat that slacked, he tightened, loosened, and adjusted it to fit his body. And, holding his head high he trotted to the other side of the room. Where over his personal dresser was a mirror with a jagged crack running down the top righthand corner.

Studying himself in the mirror, he put a hoof to the side of his face shifting his posture from side to side. "I understand, Captain. But you must understand, that this is the only way it has to be done."

"No, it's not." Thatch countered taking a place next to Vladimir's side. "We could send an agent, a mercenary -- someone other than you, my emperor."

Vladimir held a firm posture as he continued to inspect the outfit on him. "Have you noticed that I've been acting, strange lately, Captain?"

Thatch blinked. "Why do you ask?

“Please, just answer the question, Captain.” Vladimir insisted.

Thatch responded in a stutter, “Well, if you must know yes I have, sir."

"Well, recently I've felt... Unfulfilled with my place in the world. And I feel that this way I can endure the harshness of the world I wish to tame. To, enjoy it before we civilize it."

Sighing, Thatch massaged the bridge of his nose, "I understand how stressful it must be to rule an empire such as our own. But you must listen to reason -- you must not-"

Swiftly snapping his narrowed eyes to Thatch, Vladimir moved his face closely to the Legion Captain. Nearly pressing his nose against Thatch's muzzle Vladimir hissed, "It's decided. Period."

Retreating to his cot once more, Vladimir left Thatch at the dresser. Standing idly in place for a moment Thatch coughed, before shaking his head. "There isn't a way of talking you out of this is there, m'lord?"

A pain had formed in the center of Vladimir's brow, and very quickly he could feel the aching spread throughout the upper region of his cranium. Gently massaging the sides of his head with the tip of his hoof in swift circular motions, he sighed as the soreness took over all other thoughts.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Vladimir grunted, "Indeed. Nothing."

Thatch noticed Vladimir lower his head. "M'lord, are you alright?" Thatch asked stepping toward him.

Gasping deeply, Vladimir rose himself. "I-I'm fine, Captain."

"Perhaps you shouldn't leave if your condition becomes worse." Thatch commented. "Maybe you should rest. Take a moment to recover yourself."

Warm, heated blood rushed into Vladimir's face as the pain within his brow throbbed intensely. Breathing faster and faster by the moment he swung his hoof around at Thatch, snapping at him, "No! I said, no!"

Reeling back, Thatch lowered his eyebrows, frowning at Vladimir. "Very well," he replied straightening his uniform, "is there anything I can fetch you then, m'lord?"

Panting heavily Vladimir leaned on his cot -- beads of fresh salty sweat running down the sides of his face. "Tell the others of my plans... And bring me a tracking device..."

A boiling simmered at the bottom of Thatch's stomach. A feeling, which kept the frown on his face, and his eyebrows narrowed. "Very well, m'lord."

And, with a slight bow if his head Thatch walked out of Vladimir's room. Shutting the door behind him, leaving Vladimir completely alone. Pounding at a violent pace, his heartbeat would not subside. His legs were trembling and his balance uneven.

Carefully turning around, holding himself up with both hooves on his cot he sat down on the floor. Inhaling the damp air Vladimir pointed his nose to the ceiling. Feeling the warm beads of sweat run down his cheeks and neck.

His head felt light, and spinning. Around him the entire world spun quickly -- occasionally wobbling to the left or right. The disorienting sensation made Vladimir’s stomach churn as his breath shallowed.

This has to work. Vladimir thought. Otherwise, I'll be dead before I can even have a chance at recovering...

Leaning over to the nightstand next to his cot, the pain erupted into a fiery burst of aching pain. Knotting around inside his head, the soreness intensified with each little movement. Slowly opening the only drawer of the stand, he drew a small polished flask. Bobbing up and down in the air, the aura gathered around the wine flask faded.

Then, the halo which encased the flask vanished, sending the it falling to the ground. Picking up the flask with both trembling hooves, Vladimir winced at the pain stabbing at his mind.

It was like a knife digging into his brain. Twisting and turning around carelessly. Undoing the lid of the flask, he raised it to his lips. Gulping down the wine he didn't stop injesting the liquid, even as the breath in his lungs started to thin.

Each cool drop that trickled down his throat was relieving. In moments after consuming the wine the pain diminished.

Letting the flask drop Vladimir gasped for air. As the dank air of the mines filled his lungs, he coughed hoarsely.

Breathing erratically, Vladimir puffed, "Those boys are my only hope... My only... hope... to end this..."

A blast of pure, heated steam shot out from valves near pistons of the train’s wheels. In the thick polluted air the white mist churned in the faint breeze before vanishing altogether. Crates, large and small were scattered about all around the opened depot stacked upon one another in pyramids five ponies high.

The crates provided cover as Lucy poked her head around the corner of a large wooden storage box. Down the tracks, dozens of train cars were lined up, some cargo cars opened with Legion soldiers loading empty boxes inside. The engine a little farther up hissed as the pressure deep within expanded and released.

A few passenger cars were right in front of Lucy, and as her eyes peered intently at the foggy glass windows she turned to the rest of the group behind her, "Okay, here's the deal. It looks like most of the soldiers are loading things onto the train further down. Right in front of us is some passenger cars, and if there's going to be anything we need it might be inside those."

Neo leaned to the side, glancing at the long black engine. "There might be, Adam and I have been on that train before. I know that they keep a lot of equipment in the back cars. But the ones closer to the engine elude me. We never really did get that close to those ones.”

Blinking at him once, Lucy added, "You’ll have to tell me the whole story later, for now -- did you remember if there’s anything useful the personnel mentioned might be in the front cars?"

Neo shook his head. "No, I don’t remember them saying anything about it. Like is said: Adam and I were in one of the passenger cars further down the tracks."

Lucy rolled her eyes, and snorted, "Great... Well, it's our best bet I suppose. Unless any of you have any other bright ideas."

Bloodstrider stepped forward, raising his head high and erecting his ears. "How many cars are there near the engine?"

"Five," Lucy answered, "they look empty, but you never really know for sure."

Looking to his three other men, Bloodstrider grunted to them nodding once. "My men will inspect the cars. If they encounter any problems, they shall deal with them swiftly."

“It’s you choice, chief.” Lucy noted.

Crouching low, the three Zebras dashed toward the next set of stacked crates across from them. Each hoof step was incredibly light. Not a patter nor echo came from their movement -- giving the odd illusion that they were hovering quietly inches from the floor.

Checking around the corner briefly, the Zebras softly grunted to one another before running up to the small narrow staircase leading up into the passenger car. Everyone within the group stared headlong at the car they had entered.

Aside from the sound of the soldiers loading cargo father down the tracks, and the steam engine's pipes groaning, the world was quiet.

In a few moments, a Zebra stepped down the stairs heading into the car. Poking his head slightly over the threshold of the entrance, he listened to the environment. Directing his ears toward the group behind the crates, he gestured an alluring hoof to them, beckoning them to move on.

Treading as swiftly as they could, each member of the party carefully ran to the passenger car. One by one they all loaded themselves on as the Tiger Company warrior moved to the side. Neo was the last onboard, as his heart pounded fiercely while boarding the train he and his brother had once escaped.

Silver. Silver was everywhere. The silver molding along the top corners of the ceiling glistened in the white light of the glass chandeliers above. Silver leaves with long twisting vines decorated the crimson, blood-like wallpaper. Velvet seats lined the walls, matched only by the soft carpet of the same color.

Neo strolled alongside Ally as they gawked at the fine interior of the car. At the center of the room, however, lay three Legion soldiers, and one Legion officer. Resting back to back, their limp heads tilted backward as the Zebras picked up the fallen weapons the soldiers had dropped.

Two Socks took a cautious step toward the bodies, poking the Officer's cheek gently. "Are they dead?"

Bloodstrider came to Two Sock's side, shaking his head. "No, they are unconscious. For the time being."

Neo, knelt down beside one of the soldiers glancing at his green armor. "You think we could use this to sneak inside? It'd probably be much easier than trying to fight our way in."

"Indeed," Bloodstrider hummed, "it will certainly be easier. My men can fight, but to challenge all of the Darkmines would end with the death of us all."

Lucy lifted the Officer's limp foreleg, before letting go of it, allowing it to plop against the floor forcefully. "There's only four uniforms. And there's nine of us. How is this going to work? Because I'm sure as hell not going to share an outfit with someone."

Neo stood up, looking down at the droopy soldiers. Cracking a wide smile, Neo spouted, "I've got an idea!"

Ally cocked her head to one side, "What is it?"

Neo turned to address the whole group inside the train car. "Back in Arkcannon, when I was trying to smuggle weapons out of a raider encampment for the townsfolk, I pretended I was a slaver to sneak inside."

"So?" Lucy remarked. "Wasn't the whole: Sneak in using the uniforms bit, already established?"

Neo rose a hoof to her, "I know, but please, hear me out."

Lucy trotted over to one of the seats along the wall, and slumped down into its soft cushion, folding her hooves. Dropping his hoof back down to the floor, Neo continued, "Those that couldn't pass off as slavers did the opposite. They were slaves. We tied rope around them to be more convincing, and despite how rough the act was, we pulled it off."

Wester glanced quickly at the soldiers, "Are you recommending that we become slaves to get in?"

"Yes, and no." Neo replied. "I want some of you to be slaves. Those of us that fit the armor will be your escorts into the mines."

"Then who shall wear the armor?" Asked Bloodstrider.

Laying a hoof upon the officer's head Neo said, "I'll wear the officer's uniform. Lucy, you'll take a uniform, as will Ally and Two Socks."

"And what about the chains?" Wester interjected. "Statistically, the odds are against us if we do not have some sort of restraint binding us."

The bodiless voice of a mare called out throughout the room, coming from the front end of the train car. It was muffled and faint, however Neo felt his heart skip as he jumped back at the suppressed chattered carried down the car.

"Hello?" The voice called. "Guards? What's taking you so long? I'm thirsty!"

Lucy's ears shot up, as she turned to the end of the car grinning. "Well holy shit, is that... No..."

Trotting to the front end of the car Lucy shook her head. "Is it really?"

As she cantered on by the rest of the group to the wooden door leading to the next car, the heads of each pony followed her. Ally had an eyebrow raised at her.

"Lucy?" Ally asked. "Who is it?"

When Lucy came to the door, she turned back to her friends for a moment -- a hoof pressed firmly to her lips. "If it is who I think it is, she'll freak out..."

Clasping a hoof over her mouth Lucy repress the building laughter within her. Shutting her eyes tightly a few muted giggles escaped from her lips. "This is going to be good..."

And, laying a hoof on the doorknob -- Lucy opened the door into the next car.

Adam had the front end of his screwdriver inserted into the key slot of Bill's collar. Twisting and turning it around tiny clicks vibrated through the air as he squinted his eyes, leaning in more closely while the tool operated on the keyhole of the device.

Sticking out his tongue through the side of his mouth, Adam pulled his head back as a loud click suddenly snapped. With the sound, came Bill's collar unhitching itself from his neck. And, falling to the dust coated ground, the collar lay sprawled out next to Bill.

Grinning widely, Bill rubbed a hoof along the region of his neck the collar once was. "Damn, that feels good." Said Bill.

All across the room, the opened collars of the slaves lay scattered about. Everyone was still rubbing their necks, and throats smiling at the fresh rejuvenating sensation of freedom.

In the place the collars were, a line of sweaty compressed fur went around their necks. Adam was the only one who hadn't removed his collar yet. And placing the screwdriver into the keyhole, he started to work on unlocking the device from his neck.

Big Lot was laying on her stomach near a protruding vein of foggy quartz along the wall watching Adam. Turning her eyes to the floor, she picked up her hoof, looking at it. Then, laying it gently upon the back of her neck she touched the line the collar had left in her fur.

Adam was sticking his tongue out again, as the screwdriver end bobbed up and down, side to side, twisting around. All the same clicking away while the lock gradually came to submitting itself to him.

Big Lot blinked at Adam. She felt a coarse lump in her throat stop any words she wanted to say. Like a brick wall, or one-way valve only the air she breathed came in. Nothing came out.

Something poked at her pounding heart. Something that wanted to say thank you, or thanks. Anything that would convey her gratitude. But she never truly thanked anybody before, or return the favor for whatever kindness had come to her.

Clasping a hoof over her chest, she winced as a sharp pain jabbed at her heart. Nobody noticed, though. They were too busy smiling, laughing, and enjoying the freedom they had been given. And so she sat there, pressing the hoof more firmly against her heart until the stabbing sensation was snuffed out by the pain of the pressure she applied.

Like all the other collars before his, Adam's clicked loudly before falling off of his neck and onto the floor. "Yes!" He exclaimed.

Bill scanned the room, checking if everyone had their collars removed. "That's everyone, I reckon."

Adam nodded, rolling his head around popping the stiffened vertebrae in his neck. Each movement made a cringing popping noise, that felt as though a million pounds rolled off of Adam's back.

Rubbing a hoof along the nape of his neck, Adam chuckled, "Yeah, it should be."

All of the ponies in the room, except for Big Lot, faced Adam leaning toward him.

Bill was first speak up, "So what now? Having our collars off is only the first part, right?"

"Right," Adam replied, "the next step is breaking out of the door. And that might be a little more difficult than you'd think."

"What do we need to do? What's the plan?" Asked Bill.

Adam shrugged. "To be honest, I'm making it up as I go..."

Everyone in the room reeled back, Bill rubbed his eyes quickly, before blinking rapidly at Adam. "What?! I thought ya had it all planned out!"

Shaking his head, Adam responded. "No, not really."

Bill stepped to the thick iron cell door. Jumping up onto his hind legs he placed both forehooves along the cold metal feeling around the upper region of the door. "If ya ain't got a plan, we might as well get to fixin' the door problem... Ya think the key-lockin' thingy is around here?"

Adam walked to the door, scanning it up and down. Resting down onto his haunches he hummed to himself, intently staring at the door in its entirety. Bill moved to the side, as he too gazed at the door's few notable features.

Adam's eyes moved downward, until something caught his eye at the very bottom of the door. It was a narrow sliding hatch, covered by a metal sheet blocking off the light from the outside. Just barely did the thin edge protrude from the door in the faint glow of his Pipbuck.

Adam rose to his hooves, with his head hanging low over the floor. However, his eyes never broke away from the tiny hatch as he came closer to it. Turning his head to one side, he poking at it once.

Looking to Bill, Adam lifted his head. "What is that?"

Bill glanced at the small hatch. "Looks like one of them food hatch things. Something they slide food and other provisions through."

Adam had started to hum again, scratching his brown mane. "I think I have an idea, but I'll need some space..."

Taking a few steps away from the door, Bill nodded once to him. "If ya need space, there ya go. Just be careful, would ya?"

Levitating the screwdriver a few inches from his face, Adam smiled closing in on the hatch's corner.

Placing a hoof onto the grip, Adam wedge the head of the tool firmly into the hatch's extending corner, before pulling back on it like a lever. The metal underneath the tool creaked, and moaned as Adam tugged.

Harder, and harder he pulled back on it, try to force the hatch open. Until finally Adam snapped it open, sliding it off to the side. Light flooded into the room through the small slit at the bottom of the door, surpassing the glow given off of Adam's Pipbuck.

That was the last thing Adam saw, as his vision became distorted with the intense light. Raising a hoof quickly over his eyes, the shield he had created allowed his sight to adjust. Given a few seconds the blurred blinding rays faded, giving way to clarity.

Everyone else in the room had turned away, shutting their eyes tightly. As Adam had, they too returned their sights to the opened slot below the door blinking.

Bill smiled as his eyesight came-to. "Wow... Didn't think it'd be that bright."

"We're not out of the woods yet." Adam interjected. "We still need to unlock the door -- the only problem is I don't know what kind of lock it is."

Bill felt a chill rolled down his back at the news. "Well, didn't ya see it before we got in here?"

Adam shook his head. "I didn't have time to inspect it. We did get thrown in here after all."

"Then how are ya supposed to open it?" Bill asked.

Sighing, Adam closed his eyes and lowered his head down to the floor. "I don't know, Bill... I could fit the tools down there, but I don't think I could look through it at the keyhole."

Standing up, the mare in the center of the room came darting toward Adam with wide eyes. "Why open it at all then? All you did was give us some light!"

Adam looked up at her, narrowing his eyes. "It was that or do nothing at all. And I would much rather try moving forward than do nothing."

The mare grimaced at Adam. "You told us we'd get out! And now what? Do we just sit on our asses and hope something comes?"

Each word she spat at Adam vibrated in his ears like loud irritating bells tolling right next to him. "Stop!" Adam barked. "I need to think! Please, just let me think!"

She snorted at him, turning away and returning to the center of the room where she once again sat in the same spot as before. Adam rubbed the back of his neck -- feeling his tight muscles ache at the stress of the situation.

Big Lot was looking right at Adam with the same horrible sharpness pricking at her heart. Strangely, the more she watched Adam the more extreme the sensation would become. But no matter how much the urge to turn, to look away was she couldn't.

Rousing her strength, she stood up walking over to Adam. "H-Hey... I have an idea."

Moving his eyes up to her, Adam cocked his head to the side. "Really?"

She nodded, looking off to the side and stirring the power-like dirt of the floor with her hoof. "Yeah... I-I do."

"Okay," Adam murmured getting out his hooves, "let's listen. Anything right now will sound good."

Big Lot gulped, as the pain pressed harder on her heart. "I think I can fit my head through most of the hatch, so maybe I can looked under it -- at the lock..."

She paused for a moment, as the others in the group started to gather around her. Another emotion entered, this time taking the form of a cold shivering. Forcing both of the odd sensations back she puffed out her little chest -- holding her head high.

"While you work on the lock, I-I could tell you if you've made it to it." Big Lot concluded, retaining her boastful posture.

Adam smiled, patting her on the head. "That's a good idea, Big Lot. And that's very kind of you to step up like that."

Deflating her chest, she pouted. "I-I just want to get out... The same as all of you. You were taking to long is all..."

Adam rose to his hooves, laying a hoof gently on Big Lot's back. "It's the best idea we have thus far. We might as well stick with it."

"Ya think ya can open the door with Big Lot's help?" Asked Bill.

Adam's smile grew -- reaching nearly to both ears. "Sure I can," he said pointing to the mare in the center of the room, "that is, unless she minds me using her body pin."

Big Lot diverted her face from Adam's beaming expression. Though in that very instant of time, the pressured stabbing that irritated her heart vanished completely. In its stead was a warmth. Tender, and soft it bubbled around in her chest like butterflies fluttering about. It was almost enough to make smile. But keeping her own inner emotion to herself, she remained quiet.

There was no other feeling like it. And she didn't understand where it came from, nor what it was. All she could do was enjoy it.

The door to the next train car opened with a faint, aching creak from the old iron hinges. Lucy stuck her head through the doorway as the door swung slowly open. Scratching her blond mane, she scanned the next car carefully, with her ears erect and listening for even the faintest of sounds.

The air in the next car was much more thick, and musty than the previous train car they had been in. Dim rays of green light from the outside ignited the dark interior. Rotting wooden molding lined the top of the groaning ceiling. While only a single gas-powered lantern on a small table crafted from warped blanks sat at the far end of the room -- offering the only contrast to the bleak scene.

Three tiny cells were along the left side of the cart -- each with thick iron bars containing whatever was inside. Around the floor, scattered about in thick clumps, was wet, soggy hay that gave off a pungent aroma of mold and dirt.

Stepping inside the car, the hay squelched under the pressure of Lucy’s hooves.

"Hello?" Lucy asked, searching the first cell. "Is anyone there?"

The low rattling of chains shuffling against the floor came from the second cell, followed by a mare's voice. "Hello, Guards? It's about freakin' time!"

Lucy trotted over to the cell, gazing at the prisoners within. "Holy Celestia bucking a bull on Tuesday..."

Neo came into the car next, with the rest of the party following closely behind him. "Who is it, Lucy?'

Emerging from the darkness of the damp cell came forth a pink mare, sporting a beige Coalition uniform with two bright yellow horizontal stripes sewn onto her left shoulder. Around her neck and legs were shackles connected to chains that were linked to three other Coalition soldiers.

As the darkness peeled back entirely -- the more fine features of the mare came into full light. Mud stains, mushy and fresh specked her coat and short matted yellow mane.

Dragging her hooves, the mare stopped right at the bars of her cell. "Lucky?"

Lucy nodded, smirking widely. "Yeah, sour butt, it's me. And before you go all lo-co, yes I'm really here."

Drawing her head backward, the mare asked, "And why in the name of hell are you here?"

Neo came beside Lucy, gazing at the mare inside the cell.

"Because of him." Lucy answered, slapping a hoof onto Neo's back.

The mare's eyes widened as she gaped, "Hey, you're the kid I let go on this train a while back ago... Well shit, you weren't lying were you?"

Shaking her head vigorously, Lucy looked to Neo. "You know her?"

Heat flushed into Neo's face, turning his cheeks a deep crimson as his ears flattened atop his head. "Hehe... It's a long story..."

The mare put her forehooves through the gaps in the cell bars, resting them on of the lower crossbar. "It is, and I'm afraid it didn't end well for us..."

"Let me guess, you want us to let you out, right?" Lucy said with a smile.

Pausing briefly, the mare remained silent before shaking her head once. "Actually, no."

Lucy's grin dissolved as her jaw dropped. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong," the mare added hastily, "I want to get out. But now you owe me for letting him get past my soldiers."

"Sure," Lucy answered, "what is it you want?"

The mare looked toward the table at the end of the car, and pointing to it she said, "There's a pack of cigarettes behind the lantern on the table. There's also some matches too -- light 'em with the lantern and give me one. I've been dying to have a smoke for days now."

Lucy made her way to the end of the car to retrieve the items the mare had listed -- while poking her nose through the bars, she shouted, "Oh, and the keys are somewhere around there too!"

As Lucy left Neo, he stood before the cell, looking about the car waiting for her. His eyes went around in every direction but the mare's, generating an awkward silence between the two of them.

Ally coughed, as Wester looked out the one of the windows. The sounds of Lucy's hooves trotting against the marshy hay ridden floor creaked under her weight. Glancing at the Neo's friends gathered at the door of the car the mare turned her attention to Neo.

"So kid, where's the other one?" She asked Neo.

Neo shook his head, before locking his sight onto the mare. "Excuse me?"

"The other one," she repeated, "where is he? The blue one."

Looking over his shoulder to his friends behind him, Neo answered lowly, "That's actually why we're here... We're here for him."

"What, was he captured or something?" She added.

"Yes," Neo nodded, "yes he was."

She exhaled heavily, "The Darkmines are a real fucked up place, kid. But any kid that can escape a Legion train in one piece must be a tough ass."

Neo dropped his eyes to the floor -- remaining completely silent.

Arching an eyebrow, the mare murmured, "Silent, huh? Well, maybe you could at least tell me why you would go into the train? Because wouldn't he be held in the mines?"

Ally stepped in briskly, "We snuck onto the train to get some Legion uniforms. Ultimately we thought that would be preferable to getting shot-up fighting our way in."

A crooked smirk found its way onto the mare’s face. "Let me guess, you took the guards out, right?"

Ally jerked her head to the door. "Out cold, and everything. Now we need some chains to convince them that some of us are slaves."

Rubbing the mud under her chin the mare hummed, "Not bad, kid not bad."

Gently tugging on the chain dangling from the shackle around her neck, the mare chuckled, "You're more than welcome to take these of our hooves. Things hurt like a bitch after a few hours..."

Lucy returned with the small white cigarette box, and a lit match held firmly between her teeth. A dim hot flame swayed as she came to the mare in the cell. Removing her hooves from the cell bars, the mare smiled.

Sticking her mussel through one of the gaps in the bars she opened her mouth, "It's about time! Please, give on to me! I'm dying!"

Lucy popped one cigarette into the mare's mouth, before drawing the lit match to the end.

Inhaling deeply, a quarter of the whole cigarette burning up.

Letting loose the breath within her, a cloud of pungent smoke expelled itself from her nostrils. A quiver ran up her back as the relaxing effects of the tobacco made her muscles feel loose. "That's the stuff..."

"Now," she mumbled moving the smoldering cigarette to the corner of her mouth, "let's get this door open, and these shackles off, yeah?"

Everyone stepped to the side, allowing Lucy the space needed to unlock the door. And, as the hinges of the cell door squealed open Lucy snickered, "Consider us, equal now. No more favors, and those times in the basic training during our first days in the Coalition don't count."

Holding a hoof up, the mare scoffed, "Well noted, ya ol' hard ass. I'll consider us equal."

Walking into the cell, Lucy proceeded to remove the shackles from each and every coalition prisoner in the cell. With the restraints unlatched, the soldiers collected the chains -- gathering them into one pile of iron links near the door to the luxurious passenger car.

Brushing herself down the mare stood before the heaping mass of metal chains, and irons. "That's all of them, Lucky."

"Good," Lucy chortled once taking a place by her friend's side, "we'll need them."

The mare took in one more deep breath, "And thanks for the smoke too." She coughed, a puff of thick grey smoke drifting up from her mouth.

Lucy looked to one of the small cracked windows of the car, "How do you plan to get out of the city? Any thoughts?"

The mare shrugged, holding a playful grin. "I'll do what I need to, I guess. Unless you got an idea, Lucky."

Bloodstrider walked slowly to the pile of iron cuffs, and chains. "I can send one of my men to take you and your soldiers out of the city."

With one hoof, Bloodstrider lifted a section of the heavy iron links. "I know what it is like to be a slave. Not in the way you were, but all the same a prisoner of the Legion's greed."

The mare blinked at him, the red glow of her cigarette irradiating onto the stripes of his fur. "That's a fine offer you've present there. But I'm a big girl, and I can take care of my own."

"Please," Bloodstrider persisted looking at her with the tiny dots of his blindfold, "it is the least I can do for those against the Legion."

"Hey," Lucy crowed nudging her hoof into the mare's side, "they're really good at what they do. You don't have worry about a thing! So long as you stay silent, and stay close to whoever's leading you out."

Wester was staring out a foggy window, looking up out at the Legion soldiers move crates outside. "I suggest we move quickly. The Legion continues to move, and we are susceptible to detection the longer we remain idle, and undisguised."

"I agree with him on that." Two Socks said. "I'll go get the uniforms off of the not-quite-dead guys."

Ally turned to face the door leading to the previous car with the unconscious soldiers. "I'll go with him. Just meet us in the next car when you’ve got everything else situated."

Neo moved to the pile of chains in the middle of the car, he picked up a piece of the chain with his mechanical hoof. "It's like Arkcannon all over again... Hopefully this goes a little more smoothly. I really don't want to use exploding weapons as an excuse this time..."

Big Lot felt the hot mine air brush against her left ear, as the ground sorely pressed against the back of her head. She was laying on her back, with half of her face protruding from the meal hatch at the bottom of the cell door. Only one sapphire eye made it through the narrow space while staring up at the lock from below.

Adam’s screwdriver was suspended in the air, hovering inches from the lock.

"A little more to the right." Big Lot muttered, keeping an eye on the tool's movement.

Adam was beside her, sitting on his haunches -- focusing on the door in front of him. Furrowing his brow, Adam grunted, "How close it is?"

The screwdriver's end pointed directly at the keyhole. "It's right over the lock, I think..."

Inserting itself into the keyhole, the screwdriver clicked once contact with the lock's pressure system engaged. The entire tool was consumed by the iron locking mechanism, leaving just the grip poking out from the end.

"It's in the keyhole, right?" Adam asked Big Lot.

She nodded on the ground. "It's in."

"Good," Adam added with a smile, "now for the last part of the plan."

Next to him the bobby pin from the mare levitated next to his head. The rough, wavy length of the pin was bent away from the more straightened section -- forming an L shape. Silently floating down to the opened hatch, it drifted past the door and out into the hallway.

Gravitating near the thick iron surface of the cell door, the bobby pin made its way to the lock. As before, Big Lot verbally guided Adam while he searched blindly for the keyhole.

The pin was soon in front of the lock. "Okay, it's right over it." Big Lot said.

Adam injected the wavy section of the pin into the bottom of the keyhole, it too generating the same faint click.

Adam sighed, as he broke his gaze with the door. "That should be it. And here I was thinking I’d break my brain doing it..."

Big Lot pushed herself away from the door, and rolled onto her stomach staring up at Adam. "Can you do it on your own from here?"

Adam rocked his head side to side, popping the tension in his neck. "I should, though I'll need some peace and quiet to listen for the changes in the lock's pistons."

Lifting his head, Adam closed his eyes taking in one deep breath. Holding it inside of him, the cooling air gradually relaxed his mind. The slaves backed themselves away from him, giving Adam more than five feet of space.

It was just the door and him now. Nothing else was left but to seize the chance of taking their freedom.

Expelling the air from his lungs -- Adam took a few steps toward the door laying an ear to the lock of the door.

Contrast to the heated air the metal was cold.

The hairs atop Adam’s head from tail to neck stood up. Letting in another breath of air, he closed his eyes, focusing on the lock and pin on the other side.

Each click, clang, or tick the dozens of small parts made within told him something. A deeper click, as he would recall, usually meant that he was farther away from unlocking the door. So the position of the pin would need to be adjusted until a lighter tone could be heard.

After listening to the various sounds, a great loud click rumbled in Adam's eardrums sending him reeling back at the sudden erupting noise.

Quickly clasping a hoof over his ear, Adam hissed as the ringing persisted for a few more seconds. "I didn't think it'd click that loud..."

Bill came to Adam's side, looking to the door. "Is is opened?"

"I think so," Adam groaned, "there's only one way to find out."

Ambling toward the door, Adam removed his hoof from his now sore, throbbing ear. Standing inches from the door, Adam pushed against it. Very slowly it opened -- the old cast-iron hinges shrieking throughout the cell.

Drifting open, the door stopped, barely leaving a crack into the outside hallway. Letting in a sliver of the dim hallway light into the cell the quartz glistened more lavishly in the rays of the hallway's glow.

Bill felt an uplifting air fill him. Everything was light, with a tingling bubbling bursting from inside. Rushing to Adam's side, Bill wrapped his hooves around the blue buck’s body in a tight hug.

Increasing the intensity of his grip on Adam, Bill stood onto his hind legs lifting Adam up a few inches from the ground. "Ya did it! Ya did it!"

Big Lot pouted, and stomped forward. "I helped just as much as he did!"

Adam's bones were aching, as his the air thinned in his lungs, shifting the color of his face to a deeper shade of blue.

Releasing him from his grasp, Bill smiled at Big Lot, patting gently her upon the head. "Ya did good too, little 'n."

Adam threw back his head, gasping for air. "We're... Not done yet..."

Bill looked to Adam. "What do ya mean, Adam?"

Leaving a trail in the fine dust of the floor, Adam shuffled to the door breathing shallowly. Hovering out of the crack made by the open door came the screwdriver, floating toward Adam's side. Slumping his haunches down, he began panting.

"I need to help my brother find us." Adam said as the screwdriver drifted to his Pipbuck.

"How?" Bill asked.

Lifting up his Pipbuck to an even level, the screwdriver unscrewed a few small screws on the belly of the wrist computer. "On my way here, I visited a place called Silvermane Tower, heard of it?"

Bill nodded. "Yeah, but what's that got to do with helpin' your brother find us?"

"Well," Adam answered as the screws levitated easily to the ground, "I learned that Pipbucks have tracking devices on them. They also have a signal broadcasting out to those who can detect it."

"And who exactly would be detecting it?" Bill queried.

Adam scoffed with a weak smirk. "Unless the Legion has some sort of Stable-Tech grade Pipbuck terminal like Silvermane did, than Neo should see us on his own Pipbuck."

Removing the lid that sealed the bottom of his Pipbuck. Behind the thin metal plate was a series of small colored wires, stringing back and forth in a huge knotted mess. Somewhere under the chaotic jumble lay the green, golden lined circuit boards.

Gingerly inserting the screwdriver between the wires, Adam said, "I don't know how far away my brother is, and he might be too late if we wait for him. Having said that -- our best bet is to escape on our own, and wait until he picks up the signal."

Big Lot looked up at Adam, "Do you think we'll make it?"

Smiling, Adam ruffled her dust ridden, curly mane. "I said we'd get out of here. And I meant every word of it. I promise."

The tight dark iron officer’s breastplate constricted Neo’s breathing. Trying to inhale the air around him, his lungs ached as the armor constrain the movement of his chest.

Tugging at the collar of his uniform, Neo coughed feeling his lungs expel what little air was within them.

Lucy was hopping around the car, half of the main chest piece squeezed her shoulders as her hooves wiggled about through the leg holes of the armor. Her head was stuck inside the Legion uniform, muffling the vulgar swears the she spouted crashing into chairs and ponies alike.

Slapping herself against a passenger seat the breastplate thunked down across her entire torso. Underneath the solid metal of the armor her injured wing pounded with an intense throbbing pain.

Biting her lower lip, Lucy picked up the Legion helmet, accompanied by the thick leather gasmask. Slipping the headpiece on she spat, “Damn this armor! And damn that skinny ass soldier wearing it!”

The standard Legion soldier uniform fit Ally perfectly. It wasn't too tight, nor was it too loose. Not the helmet, breast piece, or assorted segments. Gently running a hoof along the dark green leg guards she smiled. "I can't believe how well this fits!"

Slumping her flank into the soft velvet cushion of a passenger seat, Lucy crossed her hooves, snickering, "Yeah? Well, screw you too honey."

Lucy sat slouching backwards in the chair, huffing deeply, "Well, I'm not putting this thing on again... Don't you even try and make me..."

The Legion soldiers they had commandeered the uniforms from lay on their backs, limbs sprawled out and tongues loosely dangling over the corner of their mouths.

Two Socks strolled over to Neo, the thick leather mask of the Legion helmet hiding his face. "Just got the helmet on, and I must say it's not easy to see in this thing."

Neo turned to face him, raising an eyebrow as he peered at Two Sock's armor. "Really?"

Nodding, Two Socks waved a hoof in front of his face. "It's like trying to look out of a tin cup with the bottom cut out. And blocking that very same hole is a foggy piece of glass..."

"It won't be for long," Neo said, "just until we get our friends out of the mines."

Lucy sat up in the seat, forcing her back against the back cushion. "Speaking of which, how do we plan on getting out of there?"

Lifting his Pipbuck just barely below his jaw, Neo glanced down at the screen. "According to the map we found at the border it says, there are two entrances, and likewise two exits out of the Darkmines. That one entrance is through the front, and as you probably guessed it's also one of the exits."

"And what about the other one?" Two Socks asked.

Neo sat on one of the nearby seats, "Well, that's where things get tricky... It says there's a back entrance. A sort of emergency exit that leads out to the city again. It's a little deeper in the mines, but it's definitely closer to where Adam might be by the slave quarters on the lower level."

Two Socks leaned over Neo, inspecting the map. "That's our plan then, isn't it?"

"Right." Neo replied lowering his Pipbuck.

Ally picked up her saddlebag, and slinger it over her back. "Then all we need left is Tiger Company and Wester with the chains."

"Yeah," Lucy commented sitting upright, "but where are our slaves? They've been in that prison car for a good five minutes now. I don't think I'd be that hard to actually put on the chains, right?"

The door to the prison car creaked barely open. From out of the crack Wester stuck his armored head through it, holding the door with a hoof. "We are ready to proceed." He muttered.

Lucy leapt up from her seat, gesturing him to come in with her hoof. "Come on in then, ya big lug!"

Wester looked to the ground. "Negative."

Shrugging Lucy prompted, "Why not? Let's see you!"

Slowly shaking his head, he murmured, "Negative... It's... demeaning..."

"A-Are you embarrassed, Wester?" Lucy snickered at him.

Wester said nothing for a moment -- keeping his gaze to the floorboards. Then, his silence was broken by a metallic sigh, "Affirmative..."

Underneath the mask, Lucy grinned. "Bloodstrider, please make him come out. He's being a weeny."

Suddenly Wester came lunging forth, stumbling a few steps into the car before catching himself. Along the floor dragging loosely behind him was a long length of rattling chain. Clamped firmly to his forelegs, and neck Wester kept his head low.

Bloodstrider and his two soldiers came shuffling into the car -- each chained to the same loop of iron clanging links. Lucy eyed Wester up, and down placing a hoof over the breather piece of the mask, trying as she could to repress the laughter building within her.

"You look wonderful," she giggled, "charming, even."

"Lucy," Neo interjected glaring at her, "they're fine. And they don't have to worry how they look chain up. So long as we carry their things, and they go with the plan."

Lucy shrugged, walking to the door. "Alright, Neo. Whatever you say."

Neo went to Wester, who still hung his nose to the ground. Patting him against the shoulder, he smiled, "You know, Wester what we're about to do won't be easy... Like I said, don't feel ashamed. It's only for a little while."

Wester let out another sigh, "These restrains make me feel... Powerless. Like I am some sort of animal."

"It's only for pretend." Neo reassured him. "Besides, you're the toughest badass I've seen. Beating ghouls up with your bare hooves by that scrap yard you found Adam and I in. What's a few chains dragging behind you for a little while?"

Lifting his head, Wester nodded looking at Neo with his crimson visor. "I... Suppose you are correct. It is rather meager..."

Patting Wester's shoulder once more, Neo's smile widened. "That's the spirit."

Two Socks quickly slung his bags over his back, before throwing a hoof into the air. "Whoo! Are we ready to move out?"

Neo looked over his shoulder at Two Socks, nodding. "And let's not waste any more time. The longer we wait, the longer we have to sit in this hellhole..."

Everyone gathered what supplies were their own -- apart from Wester and the zebras. Their gear was evenly distributed amongst those who were dressed in the Legion uniforms.

After checking the outside of the train through the clouded windows of the passenger car, the group moved out through the exit into the city. The breeze hit them with a blast of dense rancid vapors, overpower any other odors within the city. Coal, and ash thickly polluted the air.

Down from the charged rolling black clouds about dense motes of shoot drifted through the air.

Like snowflakes, tumbling clumsily through the gentle breeze the dark pieces of pollution started to coat the broken pavement. As the group trudged down the side road to the Darkmine's entrance, alcoves made by the blasted holes in the facades of the buildings took form.

Legionnaires leaning against dark wooden crates watched them pass by. Occasionally letting out a whoop, or a whistle to Lucy and Ally.

Neo guided them at the head of the group -- those chained following behind him in a single file line. Two Socks and Lucy took up positions at the line's side, as Ally trailed behind them at the rear.

Regardless of the vast amount of spectators staring at them, Neo held a firm posture. Likewise, he retained a solid expression, holding his eyes forward looking at the mouth of the Darkmine's entrance.

Tightening his diaphragm, Neo constricted what little breath he could inhale.

Whatever it took to remain calm. Whatever it took to stay convincing to those around them -- that was all that mattered. He had to keep a placid temper. If the slightest amount of nervous energy was released he might as well break out into a vigorous tremble. And that would surely draw the unwanted attention of the Legion.

For Adam. Neo thought. Do it for him, and your friends.

Making a left at the main road, before them was the entrance to the Darkmines across a concrete bridge. Slaves pulled in groups of six massive metal mine carts filled to the top with pale, rock shards.

Thick chains clamped onto the slave’s shivering legs, rattling softly along the ash powdering the ground.

The slaves were guided by Darkminers, bearing barbed whips and maces attached to their masks. Two or more miners accompanied the pullers along their sides. Those miners that held the whips thrashed any who slowed their pace -- even if it was for a moment.

"Pull! Worthless!" The miners would scream, letting out a thwack in the air above the slave's heads.

As Neo passed by the cart pullers, he saw out of the corner of his eye, the slaves pull up to the edge of the bridge. A miner would then come to the the side of the cart's side, before pulling a lever at the front.

Pistons slowly pushed upward on the load it held over the edge of the bridge, dumping the rubble into the river below.

Wheezing and coughing horsely the lanky bodies of the slaves were thickly laden with lacerations. Some freshly red, swelling on their skin.

They're like... animals... Neo thought to himself, watching a slave team no more than fifty feet from him get thrashed in the middle of the bridge.

The loud arch of green, tainted lightening branching out across the rolling black clouds above cracked throughout the city. Snapping his gaze to the sky, Neo saw the lip of the concrete tunnel engulf them as its shadow fell over the group.

Swallowing hard, Neo returned his sights to what was right before him.

Leaning his head slightly to his chained friends behind him, Neo whispered, "We're almost there, we just need to go through the entrance."

A wooden cart was parked near a green service door along the wall of the tunnel. A small cement staircase lead up to it, and standing by the first step was two ponies hissing at one another. From Neo's current distance, what was being said between them could only be made out in obscured whispers.

The two ponies were Split Tooth and Siren, huddled around an opened sack. A raging heat ignited within Neo, racing to his face the warmth shifted his white coloring to a faint shade of red. Burning his brow, he squinted his eyes at them.

Looking to Lucy, Neo jerked his head toward the two slavers. "Lucy, that's them."

"Who?" Lucy replied in a hushed tone.

"Split Tooth and Siren, the ones who took Adam!" Neo answered.

The group stopped in the middle of the tunnel's entrance, as Lucy came trotting up to Neo, "And what are we supposed to do?"

Turning her eyes to the slavers, Lucy shook her head. "Adam isn't with them. Why should it matter where they are?"

"They still might have his gear." Neo countered.

"What do you plan to do, huh?" Lucy spat. "You can't just walk up and take their things!"

Neo replied, "I have a plan. But I'm going to need you to back me up. Just know, whatever I say agree with. That's all you need to do. Can you to that for me?"

Lucy drew her head back slightly, "Wow, really? I didn’t think... Okay, I guess..."

"Good." Neo said looking to the rest of the group.

Snorting the fuming heated air within his Lungs, Neo muttered, "Wait here, we'll be right back. We've got some business to take care of."

Trotting off toward Split Tooth and Siren, Lucy chuckled looking at the group lightly rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, he says he has a plan... Hopefully this doesn't go south..."

Swiftly spinning herself around Lucy dashed to Neo's flank, making up what distance Neo had made between the two of them in moments. Cantering to the slavers position by the service door, the whispers of the two were now perfectly clear.

"Ah says we split t' rest on bullets. We need t' ammo fer later!" Split Tooth spat.

Siren shook her head quickly. "No no no," she objected, "we need somethin' t' drink! Ale, cider, anythin' t' celebrate t' good sale!"

Split Tooth tightened his gut, pulling up a twitching grin. "Siren, mah sweet, we needs t' think 'bout this logically..."

"But Splitsy, ah want t' celebrate!"

His left eyelid started to flutter, as he held the grin. "Ah told ya, bullets will 'elp us more, love..."

A loud cough erupted from behind them, stopping the conversation entirely. Lifting their heads, the slaver's ears perked upwards as they slowly turned around to see where the source of the interrupting sound had come from. The gin had faded from Split Tooth's face, as he raise an eyebrow.

Behind them, Neo and Lucy stood standing stiffly waiting for the two slavers to face them. Split Tooth scanned the two of them, from hoof to head before speaking.

"Yah, an' wot's it ya want?" Split Tooth grumbled.

Neo lifted his nose up, retaining his attentive posture. "Have you been parked here long?" He asked in a deep voice.

Split Tooth nodded calmly, keeping both eyes on him. "Yeah, wot's it to ya?"

Walking to the side of the cart Neo lay a hoof along the splintering wood of the sideboards. "We've been having a problem with Coalition soldiers sneaking... weapons into the Darkmines..."

"Wot sorts of weapons are ya implying ah 'ave, officer? 'Cause ah sure as hell don't 'ave any, aside from mah own of course."

Neo smiled, as a light chortle escaped from his lips. "You're probably right."

Pointing at Split Tooth, Neo beamed, "Look at you two! Fine, strong slavers serving our cause. Why, there shouldn't be any reason I need to be here when you look like such trustworthy individuals!"

Growling, Split barked, "Spare me t' sarcasm ya git! Get on with wot ya want!"

The laughter died, as a somber expression came to Neo's face. "Very well, but you are aware of what weapons the Coalition has been sneaking into the mines, correct?"

Bulging one, yellow eye at him, Split Tooth leaned toward him. "No... No ah don’t. An' wot kinds of weapons would that be, mate?"

I can't believe I'm going to do this. Neo thought.

"Exploding guns."

Split Tooth's jaw dropped. "Wot..."

Siren was wide-eyed for a second -- only to burst into a loud, uncontrollable guffaw in the next moment. "Explodin' guns! Bwahahaha!"

Stomping a hoof, Neo exclaimed, "It's a serious matter!"

Shaking his head, Split Tooth quipped, "Oh, sure it is. Jus' like it's a serious mattah when ah got to scratch me bum!"

Thumping the ground with is hooves, Neo charged up to Split Tooth, pressing his face against the bridge of the slaver’s snout.

Snorting, Split Tooth felt the heat come off of Neo's face as he snarled at him, "My commanding officer was injured by them, you sack of unless flesh!"

Flattening his ears, Split Tooth lowered himself as Neo lurched over him. Pulling back, Neo shoved his mechanical foreleg into the slaver's face. "See what happened to me?! This is what happens when you think it's funny!"

"Sure," Neo nodded, dropping his foreleg, "I laughed -- I thought it was nonsense too."

"However, the danger is very real." Neo retorted. "If you want to end up a smoldering crater later on down the road, or even in a moment from now, you'll let my soldier and I search your cart!"

Split Tooth rose himself, gently brushing off his legs. "Fine! Fine! But I bettah get back whatevah ya take, got it?"

Neo straightened out his tightly fastened breast pate. "Certainly."

Motioning a hoof to Lucy, Neo pointed his nose to the cart. "Let's see what we can find, if anything..."

Lucy went to the cart's end, standing onto her hind legs and letting her fore hooves rest on the rim of the cart walls. Neo too, hopped onto the edge of the walls poking his head into the cart, inspecting the contents within.

Shifting his head to one side, Split Tooth watched them search the cart. The Legion officer in front of him gave off an odd aura that tingled the back of his head.

Slowly, his eyes moved to Neo's mechanical foreleg. "Say, mate... Who gave ya that fancy mech right there?"

Neo began shuffling through some of the sacks inside the cart as he answered him, "The Legion has good mechanics."

"Roight," Split Tooth hummed, "an where are ya from?"

"Why do you ask?" Neo replied, increasing the haste of his search.

"No reason at all, mate," Split Tooth whinnied, "it's jus' ah haven't seen ya 'ere before."

Neo froze. "I-I arrived on the train, sir. Not too long ago."

Split Tooth laughed slapping his forehead, "Roight! It all makes sense now!"

Pushing over a small sack of hardened stale bread, a huge bulging bag rested along the bottom of the wagon. Opening it, Neo shoved aside everything that wasn't Adam's.

Gradually, Split Tooth's laughter faded. "Though, mate, how was yer commandin' officer hit 'ere if ya jus' came in? How'd ya know 'bout it?"

Adam's gear was right below Neo's nose. Laying, completely untouched and folded at the bottom of the bag. Hearing the slaver’s words locked his movement.

Standing completely still, Lucy's heart started pounding faster by the second as a tense silence persisted in the air around them.

Hopping down from the cart, Lucy strolled over to Split Tooth. "Are you implying that my sergeant is lying?"

Split Tooth nodded, "Aye, bitch. That ah do."

Clicking the safety off on her battle-saddle, she aimed her sniper at him. "Listen here, punk. He ain't lying. You're just upset that we're looking through your stuff."

Lowering his eyebrows, Split Tooth scoffed, "No, not at all. But ah know ya lyin'!"

"Hmph, if you’re not scared of that, then what? Afraid he'll find your porn or something?" Lucy snickered.

A deep cherry red hue manifested in Split Tooth's cheeks and face, as he curled his chapped lips. "An’ jus' who do ya think ya are? Talkin' t' me like that!"

Lucy steadied her position, placing both fore hooves out before her bracing for recoil of her rifle. "I'm a soldier of the Ironhoof Legion. My sergeant and I have every right to inspect your gear. If you have a problem with it, take it up with any officer. It won't matter in the slightest. They'll all tell you the same thing, and if they find out you insulted an officer of the Legion, they'll hang you by the beams of skyscraper."

Taking in deep, shuddering breaths Split Tooth snorted, "Fine, fuckin' 'urry up then! Ah haven't got all day t' listen to ya jabber on!"

Neo returned to removing Adam's gear from Split Tooth's cart. First: his duster. Then: his bags and weapons. Once they were all retrieved from the sack, he slung every bit of it over his back.

Hopping down from the cart, Neo faced Split Tooth tipping his hat to him. "These items I've collected seem to be the most, suspicious. The rest of your gear however, appears to be fine."

Walking away from the two slavers, Neo made his way back to his friends in the chain-line. Lucy clicked the safety on -- following behind Neo.

As the two strolled further from the slavers, Split Tooth rose a hoof to the side of his mouth calling to them, "Next time, control that bitch o' yours, bastard!"

Siren lay a hoof gently upon her partner's back. "What we gonna do now, Splitsy? Wait fer them soldiers t' get back?"

Puffing, a burning warmth still irradiated off of Split Tooth’s face. "No, let's hitch up t' cart an' find t' others... I’m done with this place, it was jus' a bunch of scrap anyhow.”

"Really? But ah liked that stuff!" Siren pleaded.

"No," Split Tooth coughed, "ah don't wanna' be stopped by some more wackos. Let's jus' get out before they take somethin' else... Besides, that lazy posy of ours needs t' be rounded up."

Neo and Lucy, with Adam's equipment safely upon Neo's back, returned to their friends in the middle of the tunnel. Bloodstrider's ears swiveled to their direction, drawing his head toward them as they approached the rest of the chained ponies of in the group.

"I heard some shouting -- by the sound of the gear on your back, and lack of terror I assume the matter was resolved." Bloodstrider mentioned.

A few warm droplets of sweat ran down Neo's neck, as he sighed coming back to the chain line. "You can thank Lucy for that."

Lucy trotted beside Wester, shrugging. "He just needed to be taught how to respect us. Nothing a little assertive threats couldn't handle."

The wagon Split Tooth and Siren parked by the service door was now turning around to the main road -- leading away from the mine into the city. Watching the old wooden wheels rattle loudly against the pavement Neo felt a lightness lift his body the further the two slavers went from the Darkmine.

Solidly staring at the slavers disappear into the distance Neo smiled. "I thought I'd be angry with them... But while I was there I didn’t feel like I needed to punish them for what they did."

"You see what needs to be done." Bloodstrider stated. "Am I correct?"

Neo nodded, turning around to the entrance into the mine. "Y-Yeah, I think..."

"Than let us claim what you have sought out to achieve, Neo." Bloodstrider said with a smile.

Giving the Zebra chief a single firm nod -- Neo raised his mechanical hoof into the air, motioning it toward the Darkmines.

The entrance was covered with a large wall of welded corrugated steel sheets, lightly dabbed with the red hue of rust coating their dulled grey surfaces. From the top of the tunnel, down to the road leading inside the barrier protected the mine. Only a pair of opened large thickly bolted doors were position in the center of the wall.

Four unicorn Legion soldiers stood post at the doors, two at each side levitating bolt action rifles next to them. The wagons pulled by slaves came out of the entrance lead by a pair of Darkminers holding barbed weapons on their masks.

The group came along the left opened door, as a massive mine cart rolled past them -- its wheels screeching vexatiously against the coarse road.

One of the two guards noticed them approaching, and stepping out in front of them, the soldier called to them with a hoof extending out at Neo. "Stop where you are!"

Neo and the other's following him stopped, staring at the soldier before them. The soldier in question was a mare, though apart from her smaller frame, all of the other features which identified her were obscured by the armor she wore.

As the soldier lowered her hoof, every word she spoke was muffled by the gas mask hiding her face. "State your business, sergeant."

Jerking his head to his friends chained in a line behind him, Neo answered, "My patrol and I found this lot skulking around the outer city. By the way it looks, those Freelancers and Tiger company lot seem to be working together."

The soldier looked at Neo's mechanical foreleg, before moving her eyes to his exposed flank, baring the black compass rose as his cutie mark. "What's your patrol number, sergeant?"

Neo's posture stiffened. "My patrol number?"

"Yes, your patrol number, what is it?" She repeated lifting her rifle up at him.

Gulping, Neo saw the other soldier raise their weapon too the longer he stood before them. "Well, my patrol number is-"

A single drop of sweat developed on Neo's brow, followed by the pounding of his heart as he searched for a response.

"Well?" The soldier spat, taking a step toward them. "I'll ask you once more, sergeant: what is your patrol number?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Neo saw Lucy carefully turn the safety off on her sniper. Ally, on the other side of him, undid the holster of her pistol. "M-My patrol number... Is... Uh..."

"Two-two-four, if I'm not mistaken sergeant." A deep, commanding voice said piecing the tension charging the air.

The two Legion guards lowered their weapons, as a pony came trotting behind them from the mines. Turning to face the newcomer, the soldiers snapped to an attentive posture, briskly slapping a foreleg to their brows in salute.

"Captain Thatch, sir!" Both guards announced in unison.

Thatch tipped his hat to them, grinning. "At ease, soldiers. I summoned these fine soldiers into the mines after..."

Directing his sight to the Wester and the Zebras in the line his grin widened. "...Capturing the lot you see before you."

Dropping their hooves, the Legion mare bowed her head to him. "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't aware that you had sent for them. Please, forgive me."

With a brief shake of his head, Thatch chuckled, "It's no problem at all, soldier. Just continue as you were."

The Legion guard saluted once more to him. "Thank you, sir. I will, sir." She replied sternly, taking her position by the door.

Turning his attention to Neo, Thatch said, "As for you, sergeant -- continue on your way. And please, don't forget your patrol number again."

Neo bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, sir! It won't happen again!"

Promptly raising his muzzle into the air, his smirk faded. "Excellent, please see that it does not."

Without giving Thatch another word, Neo lead the group through the doors into the Darkmines -- keeping his eyes directly forward. The rest of his friends too, followed his lead. Sparing not even a hint of emotion outside of pure, solid sincerity. Those who wore a mask, however, did their best to hold a controlled posture while entering the mines.

Thatch watched them keenly, as they passed by him with one eyebrow raised high. Humming to himself once they disappeared into the mine he sighed shaking his head.

The mare posted at the left door stepped up to him, a hoof reaching out to him. "Is everything alright, sir?”

Messaging the sides of his head with small, vertical strokes Thatch groaned, "Those ponies we just let it, do you know who they are?"

The soldier shook her head. "No, sir. Should I have known, sir?"

Facing her, he said, "Those were not our soldiers. They were dressed in our attire to confuse us. I recognized the white one according to what I've been told."

Reeling back, the mare rose her weapon turning to the entrance. "We need to stop them then-"

"No," Thatch interjected laying a hoof on her shoulder, "we're not. ="

Staring up at him with the scratched goggles of her mask she asked, "Why not? Are they not impostors that need to be killed?"

Thatch's eyelids drooped halfway, as he frowned at the soldier before him, "Vladimir has some big plan to secure the future of our order, and for it to work he needs them to get in without a scuffle. In fact, I ordered most of the soldiers on the lower levels to station themselves in the upper levels for the time being. All except one demonstration they’re preforming now in front of the lower level slaves."

The soldier leaned to the side, glancing over Thatch the guards stationed by the right door. "Shall I inform the others guarding at the entrance, sir?"

Exhaling all of the air in his lungs, Thatch shook his head twice slowly. "No, I’ll inform them, soldier. Let's just hope his Majesty's plan doesn't wind up causing more harm to our operations than good..."

Vladimir threw open the bottom drawer of his dresser, throwing about the folded capes and garments within aside. After clearing it out of clothing, he moved on to the next one -- performing the same chaotic action. Around him small mounds of cloths piled upward the more he tossed them out into the air.

"Where is it!" He muttered, a warm sweat running down his brow. "Where is it!?"

Reaching the top drawer he flung out the first layer of folded cloths, before the the specter poked its head from one of the piles of green capes and uniforms.

Smirking, it floated out of the cloths, laying back against the capes -- watching Vladimir frantically search his drawer. "You're looking for the box, right?"

Vladimir didn't reply.

Shrugging, the creature rest its head back, crossing both forelegs behind its head. "Suit yourself. I know where it is, just so you know."

Pausing, Vladimir rose his head, looking toward the apparition, an eyebrow raised. "And where might that be, hmm? If you know what's going on you'll know that I'm in a hurry at the moment."

The creature shook its head. "You, in a hurry? Really?"

Vladimir's eyebrows dropped, as a frown came onto his face. "Ha. Ha."

It giggled at him. "I must say, I found toying with you to be very amusing."

A heat was gathering inside of Vladimir's brow, growing in intensity the longer he stood staring at the specter. "Where is it!"

Folding its hooves, the creature pouted. "You're no fun... But, I suppose you are right. Do you remember putting it in the drawer?"

Vladimir directed his sights to the drawer. "W-Well, yes..."

Pointing to the nightstand by Vladimir's cot, it said, "It's in the nightstand. You wanted to record something earlier, when you had that dizzy spell of yours a little bit ago."

Gasping, Vladimir rested a hoof over his burning forehead. "D-Did I... I don't remember..."

"Little Red, losing your memories? That can't be a good sign." It snickered.

Glaring at the creature, Vladimir snapped. "Shut it, you demon! I've had it with your snarky remarks!"

Rising onto all four black, translucent hooves it nodded. "Very well, but they won't help you... Just so you know."

Coughing into his hoof, Vladimir stumbled toward the nightstand. Tripping over his hooves he fell forward, barely catching himself with his forelegs at the side of the cot. His hooves were trembling as he gradually lifted up his head.

Vladimir's eyes were locked onto his shaking hooves, before letting out another hoarse cough. Briskly slapping a hoof over his mouth, he looked down into it. Within it, specks of a dark, deep red liquid saturated the entire sole of his hoof.

Widening his eyes, Vladimir's body went cold. "It... It is getting worse..."

Moving his gaze to the nightstand he shuffled to it. Yanking on the wooden frame of the drawer, he looked inside -- where sitting upon hats and empty wine bottles was the black recording box.

Sighing, he picked it up, sitting it down on the cot. "I found you..."

Taking in a deep cool breath, he pressed a button at the bottom right-hand corner on the box's surface. Out of the front, protruding slightly from a tiny slit was a holo-tape.

Putting the tape into his hoof he smiled at it. "I can't have anyone finding you... You come with me."

Stuffing the tape inside his saddlebags, he straightened out his Freelancer duster -- facing the door.

"It’ll see," Vladimir whispered. "This will work... It-It has to..."

Protruding slightly from the lip of his saddlebag, the holo-tape teetered uneasy as he marched to the door. Passing the nightstand, the tap tumbled out of his bag, and onto the floor of his chamber.

And marching through the doorway the tape rested by the cot, as Vladimir shut the door behind him.

Twisting the last screw of the hatch on the bottom of his Pipbuck, Adam moved his face closer to it. Squinting at the screwdriver slowly fasten his Pipbuck Big Lot trotted next to him observing the personal wrist computer he worked on.

"What did you do to that thing?" Big Lot asked.

Levitating the screwdriver to the side of his head, Adam gently nestled the tool easily in the space between his head and ear. "I basically sent out an emergency alert to all other Pipbuck's in the area."

Big Lot raised an eyebrow at him. "Wouldn't that mean everyone knows where we are? How does that help us!?"

"There aren't many ponies out there, or even nearby for that matter who have Pipbucks. Only those born in a Stable can get one... Or at least that should be the case..." Said Adam.

Big Lot cocked her head to one side, standing up and taking a single step toward him. "What do you mean: that should be the case?"

Adam's eyes trailed off to the side as he shrugged. "I've seen quite a few things out here... I wouldn’t be surprised if someone not naturally from a stable had one."

"So?" Big Lot cooed.

"So, anything is possible. There might be some demon monster with a Pipbuck out here for all I know."

Adam looked down at Big Lot with a smile. "But despite the risk, I'm willing to bet my brother is nearby. Even if everyone else with a Pipbuck can find me."

Placing a hoof over her heart, Big Lot felt her heart suddenly turn up in a tightening knot. Standing beside Adam, she remained fixed in the straining position, feeling the strange pain twist in her chest.

Bill was at the cell door, sticking his nose through the small opened gap. Looking out into the dim hallway, Bill glanced back and forth before pushing the heavy steel door back with both hooves.

Grunting, he grit his -- squinting his eyes as the muscles inside his forelegs burned and strained. Getting the door slightly opened proved to be a simple task. Completely shoving it all the way open was an entirely different level of difficult.

The iron hinges along the metal door frame squealed as the door eventually opened. Laying his back against the cell door, Bill slid himself down onto his flank, wiping his sweat laden brow.

"Whew," he chuckled, "them miners are strong if they can open and close these doors with one hoof..."

Adam rose himself, trotting to the door. "Good job Bill," Adam chirped offering a hoof out to his friend, "but you know, we’re here too. If you needed help you could of asked."

Bill interlocked his hoof with Adam, spouting out raspy chuckles under his breath as he got up. "Figured I'd just get it done with. The sooner we get out the better."

Watching Bill stand on his hooves, Adam countered. "Okay, but if you’re having trouble don’t be afraid to ask us."

Shaking her head quickly, Big Lot's long curly locks went flaying about in all directions as her mind cleared. The other slaves walked past her on their way out of the cell as she stood in the cell by herself.

Still, the pain persisted. Knotting, and biting at Big Lot’s heart like a parasite feasting on her insides.

Regardless of the agonizing torment, Big Lot retained a placid expression as she too followed the other slaves out of the cell. Through the doorway each pony went, with Adam leading them into the outside hallway.

Steel doors, much like the one that once contained them, lined the hallway on each side. Between the narrow rocky cavern walls separating the dense cells entrances were square light fixtures. All connected by thin wires, pinned to the arching cave ceiling above.

Along the top of the ceiling thick pipes were bundled together -- creaking and groaning as the pressure built within. Further down the hallway, the sound of steam hissing echoed, carrying on through the entire corridor.

Pulling the Pipbuck to his face, Adam stared at the map of the Darkmines. "By the way things look, we're on one of the lower levels of the mines... And to get out of here we'll need to go up two more levels."

One of the slaves -- a red earth pony stallion -- stepped up. "What's two levels above us?"

Adam kept his eyes fixated on the screen of his Pipbuck. "Some kind of secondary exit into the other side of the city..."

"You think it's out best bet at getting out?" The stallion asked.

Dropping his leg back to the ground Adam faced the stallion, bolstering an expression tinged with hard sincerity in his eyes. "I'll be honest with you... All of you..."

Shaking his head, Adam exhaled the warm dusty air from his lungs collecting himself. "What we're about to do is dangerous... And even if the exit is two levels up, that doesn't make it easy. In order for all of us to get out of this alive we all need to work together."

Hovering a hoof an inch away from his lips Adam said, "And that means from this point on no talking. The only exception is if something is absolutely dire, or if I need to convey the next step of the plan to you. Otherwise, we'll need to wait until we're out of here."

Under the hushed tone of his voice, Adam asked, "Do you think you can do that?"

A soft murmur floated around the small group, before Bill solidly nodded at Adam. "Ya sure bet we can."

Adam smiled. "Alright, then keep close to my flank. I'll see if I can get us up to the next level."

Turning his flank to the group, Adam stared down the long hallway. At the sight of the vast, extensive corridor Adam felt his stomach plummet. Swallowing once, he trotted onward. The other captured ponies following closely behind.

At the end of the long corridor was a fork, splitting the hallway into two opposing paths. Both looked identical -- sporting the same cells, and hissing steam pipes above. After checking the map briefly, Adam faced the left pathway.

The air was heavily saturated with hot moisture, and the further they went down the hallway the more dense the humidity became. Coming to the the end of the hall, a large round spacious room with a high ceiling revealed itself. A small catwalk was carved from the stone out of the cave walls, encompassing the entire area, and overlooking the mining area below.

Barrels with low glowing flames were placed around the little area underneath the catwalk, as slaves chained to one long length hacked away at the cave wall with pickaxes. The warm yellow light from the rusty green canisters glowed against the faces of the lanky slaves. Dark rims shadowed the under regions of their sleep-deprived eyes, while large droplets of salty sweat ran across the tuffs of dirt ridden fur across their bodies.

Patrolling behind the slaves were seven Darkminers. Each holding barbed bludgeons, attentively watching them toil against the solid rock. Right before Adam and the group was a set of metal stairs leading up to another hallway. Looking down at the ponies toil away at the sides of the wall made an aching sensation clutch Adam's heart.

There would come a time to save them, but without weapons or other tools, getting anyone out of the mines was an impossible task. Taking in a deep breath of the damp air, the feeling faded slightly as Adam directed his sights to the staircase.

Stepping lightly, Adam guided the group behind him up the stairs. The next hallway contained no cells. No, herculean steel barriers to confine slave and prisoners alike. The thick bolted cell doors were now replaced with smooth sliding doors that were adorned with small orange bottoms along their metal door frames.

Adam continued on down the hall a short distance before they came to another room. It was much smaller in size, holding the appearance of a break lobby. Like all of the rooms, the walls were carved out of the wet grey rock that made up most of the mines. A single round light fixture hung in the center of the ceiling -- proving a dim amount of illumination to the area.

A table was placed along the wall next to a stack of wooden storage crates stack atop one another in the corner. Three opened lockers were located next to the doorway they entered from -- all holding empty bottles and pebbles of crude metal ores.

Positioned in the middle of the right wall, was a set of sliding doors, and directly in front of them another doorway with a flight of stairs leading up to the next level. Adam smiled walking across the room to the stairs.

Halfway across the room -- directly in front of the door along the right wall, a whooshing sound blasted beside them. The dual doors parted, revealing two Darkminers standing side by side casually walking into the lounge room. One had tied to its side a sharpened hatched, while the other was armed with a round-ball mace.

As their glowing round eyes locked onto the group of escaping slaves, they froze standing in the middle of the doorway. Adam and the other ponies following him paused staring back at the two Darkminers.

A still, unnerving silence persisted between them for a moment. Adam's heart beat started to race as the Miners stood idle, holding an unwavering focus on the entire group.

With wide eyes, and pounding hearts the escaping ponies started to tremble. Then, out of the silence came a scratchy, blood churning screech from both Miners. Stumbling backwards Adam and the others backed away from the miners the longer the scream continued.

The instant the screeching stopped, the Miners lunged forth at the group hissing and snarling. "Disobedient! Insolent! KILL!"

The Miner with the mace drew his weapon, and swung it at Bill face. Leaping back the end of the flailing weapon flew inches away Bill’s face. Adam tackled the Miner who attacked Bill, letting out a loud powerful cry as he did.

When Adam's body made contacted with the Miner, the two of them went crashing into the hard stone ground. Rolling and twisting along the wet floor Bill raised his hoof ready to pound Adam's attacker in the throat.

Launching his hoof at the Miner's gullet, the Mace attached to its mask went flying at Bill as Adam wrestled with slave driver. Coming into contact with his chest, Bill went staggering back into there table before collapsing to the ground moaning.

The Miner wielding the axe came charging at the mare -- flashing the polished steel of the sharp blade at her.

Crackling a gruff, wheezing laugh the Miner prowled toward her, gradually backing the mare into the corner of the room.

"Little slave... Fear... Scared, yes? Heh..."

The Mare felt her flank press against the corner of the wall. Lowering herself, she shook her head at him quivering her lower lip. "I.. I don't want to die! I-I'll got back! Pleas-"

Standing within a foot from her, the Miner rose his axe high into the air, towering above her letting loose the same spine-chilling screech. "DIE!"

Slamming the blade of the axe dug the Mare's shoulder, the Miner briskly removed the bloodstained blade as the mare howled in pain. Falling onto her stomach, she was trembling while her warm blood pooled at her side.

The stallion was watching next to the axe wielding Miner gritting his teeth. Spinning around, he dropped his crimson head to the floor bucking his hind legs at the Miner's head.

Knocking the Miner onto his side, the stallion raced to the Miner wrestling with Adam. Putting a hoof onto the side of Adam's head, the Miner rolled the buck onto his back.

Standing over Adam, the Miner chuckled, holding his head firmly against the ground.

The stallion charging head first came at the Miner -- from out out of the corner of his glowing eye, the Miner saw the challenger racing toward him. Swiftly jerking the end of his weapon around the heavy metal ball of the mace smashed into the stallion's temple.

The direct hit was followed by a dull cracking sound as droplets of fresh blood sprayed out of the side of the stallion's head. Falling to the floor, the stallion was on the ground convulsing wildly with wide twitching eyes.

On the floor, groaning in pain and curling into a ball was the Miner with the axe. Big Lot had stepped back from the action. She was watched the horror unfolded before her with flattened ears as the mess of slave blood staining the floor.

A ringing in her ears cancelled out all other sounds. All other thoughts to act. She felt powerless as the saw the mace weilding Miner return to Adam. Taking in hoof the short shaft of the mace -- the Miner placed it along Adam's neck.

Pressing his full weight onto the two ends of the weapon, the shaft sank into Adam's throat. Flinging his hooves at the Miner on top of him the pleas for help he tried to shout came out as muffled gurgles.

Chortling under his breath, the Miner lowered the breather of his mask down to Adam's ear. "Shhh, little slave. Sleep. Sleep long. Never awake."

Bill was knocked off to the side, and the other two slaves who had escaped with them dying, the only pony left capable of retaliation was her.

Big Lot was petrified. Her hooves shook, and heart pounding away. As her eyes trailed off to the moaning Miner with the axe, she squeaked, "Adam?"

Looking at Adam's movements slow, and the veins in his eyes turn red she felt the same great knot tie in her heart. "A-Adam?"

She had always been the one choking ponies. Punishing, torturing others for meager reasons. Sometimes for the mere sport of it. Seeing it done before her, to a pony who had done so much to help her ached inside.

Returning her sights to the axe, she took in a deep breath bounding toward the weapon. With both hooves tightly wrapped around the axes shaft, she ripped it off of the Miner's breather.

Gripping the shaft of the axe between her teeth she came to the groaning Miner's side. Pulling her head back, she swung the blade upward at the Miner's stomach. Lodging the glistening, sharpened blade deeply into the slave driver’s flesh the Miner hissed letting go of mace.

Stumbling backward, Big Lot forcefully removed the axe sending her falling back onto her haunches. The Miner stepped away from Adam, a forelegs firmly pressed against the bleeding laceration across its stomach.

A green, glowing liquid ran profusely down the sides of his hoof as he wheezed horsely. "My... M-My blood..."

Facing Big Lot, the Miner hissed, "Y-You..."

Big Lot stood up, the weight of the axe's blade shifted her little head to the side as she came to the Miner, staring up at him. Narrowing her eyebrows, she chopped at the Miner's only leg supporting the rest of it up.

Lifting its head to the ceiling the Miner howled falling onto its face. With her teeth digging into the dry bitter wood of the shaft, Big Lot exclaimed, "They're my friends! You don't kill them! Anyone who does dies!"

"Stupid." The Miner coughed. "So, stupid..."

Growling at the dying creature before her, Big Lot slammed the blade into the back of the Miner's neck repeatedly. With each powerful chop she spat, "I! Am! A princess! You'll die! Not me!!!"

Green glowing blood mixed with the dark red blood of the mare upon the blade. Across the floor, and all around Big Lot was the strange tainted lifeblood of the miner.

Dropping the axe from her mouth, the blade clattered against the ground. Slumping back onto her flank she huffed deeply her teeth and jaw sore from holding the heavy weapon.

Adam was coughing loudly, as air started to fill his lungs once again. Lifting himself up, his legs shook uneasily as he picked himself up. "Wh-What happened?"

Coughing into his hoof, Adam slowly turned to face Big Lot. In front of her was the body of the miner, its wounds still ejecting a stream of blood from its body.

"D-Did you do this, Big Lot?" Adam asked.

She held her narrowed eyebrows, looking at Adam. "Yes... I did it..."

Scanning the room around him, the scene of gore and death came into view. The stallion, with the side of his head bashed inside and the mare barely clinging to life in the corner sent an icy sting rolling down his spine.

Staring at the two of them with wide opened eyes, Adam bit his lip feeling his stomach churn.

Grunting, Adam stood onto all four hooves, lumbering over to the mare in the corner of the room. The side of her stomach rose slightly, as her breathing coarse -- brought on by blood filling her lungs.

Sitting down beside her, Adam looked to the floor feeling tears gather in the corners of his eyes. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"For what?" The mare groaned.

A tear ran down the side of Adam's cheek. "I promised I would get you out... All of you...”

"W-We got this far, didn't we?" The mare interjected with a weak trembling smile. "You need to go though... Move on without us..."

Adam's shimmering emerald eyes looked at her. "I-I can't, maybe we can still save you... And..."

"W-We're done for," she coughed, "I doubted you before... and I was completely wrong about you..."

Walking over to Adam's side, Big Lot sat next to him watching the mare die.

"I can still help you! I can!" Adam cried.

Extending a hoof out to her Adam pleaded, "Please, just let me try!"

"No," she wheezed, "Please, no..."

Adam's teeth were chattering as his chest filled with hurting sorrow, carving jaggedly into his heart. "T-Then what can I do?"

"Remember me, and him." She said, smiling.

Big Lot didn't cry, nor did she hold an expression of dread. Only a hardened look of determination was visible in her narrowed eyes. "What are your names?" Big Lot queried.

"Ice Fire, m-my name is Ice Fire..." She choked. "The other one... H-His name was Arrow."

Over the tears, and pain festering in his chest Adam smiled. "T-Those are wonderful n-names..."

Bill groaned raising his head from off the floor. Blinking and rubbing the side of his pulsing head he looked around the room. "Adam?"

Pushing himself up, he limped over to Adam and Big Lot.

With his mouth hung agape, and his eyes fully opened, Bill examined the scene as he came to his surviving friends. Stepping over Arrow's dead body, Bill mumbled, "W-What happened to them?"

There was no reply as he came to Big Lot's side. Together, the three of them gathered around Ice Fire's body. In a brief moment, the movement from her stomach was gone and the wheezing faded along with the life inside of her as she grew still.

Adam moved his head slightly toward Bill. "D-Does this happen to you? Losing the ones you promised to protect while traveling?"

Bill closed his eyes, and lowered his head placing a hoof over his heart. Sighing, he replied, "Too often, Adam. Two Socks was the only one I never lost."

"She told me their names," Adam murmured, "she told me to remember them."

Raising his head, Bill looked at Adam. "Then we need to, especially when we're out of this place.

Wincing at the soreness inflicted upon him by the mace, Bill noted, “Right now, we need to go. Rememberin’ them won’t do us no good if we're dead."

Big Lot stood up, nodding. "He's right, we need to get out of here... Then you can..."

"Remember them." Bill finished for her.

Big Lot stared up at him, "Yeah... That..."

Forcing himself to stand, Adam's body quivered. When he had got up onto his hooves, he wiped away the tears that soaked the fur along his cheeks. "When we get out of here, if we get out of here, we need to remember them... We need to free the ponies of this place, and we need to bring this entire mine down."

Gritting his teeth Adam stared at Ice Fire's body. "We need to... For them..."

There was a wooden stage placed in the center of a large open chamber. Dozens of malnourished slaves huddled tightly around the base of the wooden structure.

Overhead long light fixtures dangled from thick power cables that ran along the top of the ceiling. What little spaces around the area were shrouded in dark cold shadows was warmed by the heated glow of green metal barrels filled with dead branches, burning a low yellow flame.

Neo trotted with the others along the edge of the herd gathered around the stage. A faint murmur lingered about in the crowd, as the platform was empty.

Ally came beside Neo, turning her goggles to the stage. "What are they all doing?"

Neo stopped, and looked toward the stage. "I don't know." He whispered.

Everyone came to a halt behind Neo which drew the attention of Lucy, as she came strolling to him hissing, "Why did we stop?"

Keeping an unwavering stare on the stage, Neo rose a hoof to his lips. "Shhh, quiet..."

The low chatter of the slaves diminished as a Legion unicorn officer, smartly dressed in a cap decorated with a golden star, came onto the stage. His left breast was adorned in polished, clattering gold medals.

His thick orange mane was greased back, adding a dim gloss to its hue. The officer stood stiffly by the edge of the platform while another soldier lead three slaves up onto the stage. With lowered heads, and rattling iron chains dragging behind their feet the slaves arranged themselves side by side in the center of the platform.

Bowing a head to the soldier, the officer turned around slowly patrolling the front of the slave line. As he paced back and forth on the stage he spoke, "Do you know what they call a pony, that breaks into another pony's home unwelcome?"

The audience was silent.

Pausing at the end of the slave line, the officer faced the crowd. "They're called: a thief."

Pointing a hoof at the slaves beside him, he added, "These ponies you see before you hate us. They hate what we are when all we’ve been to you is, generous."

"And what do you do despite our generosity?" The officer growled. "You betray us! With thievery, and disobedience! Fillies and gentlecolts these three stole food from the Legion kitchen on the sixth level!"

Directing his eyes to the audience, he smiled addressing the ponies gathered around in a soft tone, "My little ponies, understand that what you do, you do for the future of civilization. You are not beasts, but living beings who work to build a better future for us all. It is through the taxing labor that you take us into the next stage of reclaiming the world we lost."

Retaining his smile, the officer continued, "To reward you for your work we give you so much... Protection from the outside. Food. A place to sleep. Most of you are understanding, and thankful of our altruistic nature."

The once beaming smile faded into a cold glare. "But then there are some of you who would think us monsters -- cruel and unruly with our ways. Ponies, like the very ones you see before you on this stage!"

Walking to the center of the stage, in front of the middle slave he shouted to the crowd, "To them, our kindness it isn't enough! It is never enough!"

"Acts against the Legion, or the mine will not go unpunished!" Looking toward the slaves behind him the officer spat, "Perhaps two weeks, no food or light will make them appreciate the full extent of our generosity. Along with twelve lashings each."

Ally nudged Neo in the shoulder quickly, "Neo, we should go. Right now."

Neo didn't give her a reply. His legs were locked in place.

"To show you the full consequences of betraying our charity, they will be lashed here. Right before your very eyes." The Legion officer announced.

Lucy rushed to Neo's side, taking him by the shoulder and gently tugging on him toward her. "Yeah, Neo let's go. We don't need to see this."

T-They’re treated like beasts. Neo thought, his eyes wide and frozen on the scene. It's just like at Ironhoof...

Lucy rolled her eyes, raising her hoof. "I'd hoped it wouldn't have to come to this..."

Briskly slapping Neo across the cheek a searing pain sent him reeling -- bringing him back into reality. The spot Lucy had hit left a throbbing red spot as Neo shook his head snapping at her, "What the hell!?"

Gently placing a hoof over the injury he rubbed it groaning. "Why did you do that?"

Lucy bounced up and down slightly, wagging the hoof she had hit Neo with, while a tingling energy coursed through her body. "Damn, that felt good. I'm glad that worked as fast as it did you ol' lug."

The Legion officer moved to the soldier standing at the edge of the stage, taking in the grip of a blue magic aura a whip, with sharp metal bits at the end of the long leather lengths. Lucy briefly looked to the demonstration before returning to Neo.

Resting a hoof on Neo's shoulder, Lucy leaned her face close to him. "I know this place sucks, and what they're doing here is wrong. But let's not lose sight that we're here to save your Brother, and Two Sock's pal."

Neo was silent for a moment, before he gave her one slow nod. "Y-Yeah, you're right."

Picking up one hoof, Neo inhaled a deep breath of the hot dense air. Then, trotting to the end of the room the group followed him to a long hallway leading away from the stage.

Inside of Neo's chest a feeling of hollowed emptiness emerged. It was the very same sensation he had felt watching the ponies of Arkcannon suffer at the hands of the mad Legion officer, Captain Cyrus.

As they went about trotting through the corridor, the faint sounds of flesh being thrashed with loud crisp cracks in the air echoed far down the hallway. On the piercing sounds of the whip came the cries of a stallion.

Hearing the torture ring in his ears, Neo flinched at every crack, he quickened his pace -- putting more distance between himself and the cruel demonstration taking place.

At the end of the hall was a flight of stairs leading up to the next level, and on the next level was another hallway lined with large steel sliding doors. Looking at the map of the mines on his Pipbuck, Neo sighed shaking his head as the emptiness continued to spread throughout his body.

"This is a lot more elaborate than I thought." Neo said.

Two Socks asked, "How far away are we from the holding cells?"

Turning to face Two Socks, Neo shook his head. "It's on the other side of the mine..."

Returning to his Pipbuck, Neo squinted his eyes peering at the complex series of tunnels that made up the mines. "By the way it looks, our best bet is to go through this big cavern past a few barriers just ahead of us."

"Do you think it'd be safer that way?" Two Socks queried.

"I'm not sure," Neo answered, "but if we go the long way, which I'm guessing is the way slaves are normally brought inside -- then we'll most likely encounter more problems. Likewise, there's a small detention cell near the chamber, which will give us some leverage when explaining why we're bring you guys along."

Once the hollowed sensation reached Neo's stomach, his muscles felt loose and unsteady. Quickly clasping a hoof over his stomach, Neo grit his teeth as the feeling ate at him.

Ally hurried to Neo's side, hovering a hoof a inch away from his back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Neo replied as his eyes becoming more saturated with tears, "I'll be fine... Let's just find Adam, and get the hell out of here..."

Going to the end of the hallway, the group reached a round room with three large rectangular sliding metal doors. Standing in the center of the little space, Neo glanced at each available door.

From out of the door on their left, a mechanical whoosh sounded throughout the room, revealing three Darkminers standing in the doorway looking at them. Both parties stared at one another for no more than a moment, before the middle miner spoke up.

"Who are you?" It hissed stepping toward Neo.

Stiffening his posture, Neo cleared his throat. "I'm sorry?"

"Who are you?" It repeated. "Who are you?!"

The other two miners slinked at the middle's side, cocking their heads to one side. "Yes. Yes. Who are you? Not Legion." The two murmured in unison.

Narrowing his eyes at them, Neo kept his sights on the middle miner. "I assure you, we're just moving through the mine. We're taking these prisoners we found to the detention cell on the upper level."

The middle miner stopped an inch away from Neo's nose. Muffled behind the thick leather gas mask, the Miner's breathing was deep and coarse.

"You... Strange. Not sure. Unsure of surface pony... Not Legion..." It spoke.

Drawing his head back slightly from the imposing face of the Miner, Neo asked, "W-Why is that?"

"I know surface Legion," the Miner answered in a wheezing voice, "they walk proud. Speak stupid. Dirty."

Looking down at Neo's mechanical foreleg, the Miner marked, "Too clean. Too much metal..."

Stepping back from the miners, Neo bowed his head slightly to the creature. "I'm sorry if you have us confused for someone else. But I have my orders to take them to the cell. Now, if you don't mind I must bid you farewell."

Facing the sliding door at the end of the circular area the group went on looking for Adam. As they continued on through the door, and even down the next hallway the miners followed them at a distance -- skulking in the dim light of the corridor.

The further the group walked down the hall -- the more the various pipes along the ceiling grew in thickness. As well as an increase in their size, more started to bunch together like veins in a living pumping beast.

And the further they approached the next room at the end of the hallway the more the pipes there were. Until the entire ceiling was covered in pipes of numerous sizes, hissing and groaning altogether.

Opening the next great sliding steel door, a fierce searing heat blasted Neo's fur the second the doors parted. The air was burning with a red glow, obscuring his vision in its hot melting light.

Raising a hoof to protect his face, Neo blinked at the warmth irradiating onto his legs. Lucy, with her own hoof shielding her eyes from the intense light beaming from inside, coughed, "What the hell is that?"

Batting his eyes, Neo gazed within the contents of the room. A massive chamber lay before him with a multitude of long thick twisting pipes running along the ceiling down to a orb shaped furnace. All about the area near the boiler were shallow pools of bubbling water releasing into the air thin plumes of hot steam.

Smaller pipes ran down from the bottom of the boiler, into the pools below. Wooden bridges were extended over the waters as Darkminers with wrenches stood next to the dozens of valves wreathing the elaborate piping.

Other massive cylinders placed side by side at the end of the right wall had fires burning below them. Causing the metal above the flames to glow with a profound, searing aura.

Briefly looking over his shoulder, Neo saw the miners they had encountered earlier linger behind them in the shadows. Standing at a distance behind the cover of a metal door in the hallway, their solid green eyes pierced through the shadows.

"Guys," Neo whispered, "let's hurry this up... We've got company that doesn't want to leave us be..."

"Right," Ally replied with a firm nod, "then we'll just keep our cool. Let's not give them any reason to think wrongly of us."

Heading into the boiler room, and down the first wooden bridge spanning over one of the pools of boiling water, the group gingerly made their way across. Underneath the weight of their hooves the supports holding them up creaked, while bending slightly the closer they came to the middle.

Passing over one bridge, then another, and another they walked until everyone had made it around the furnace. Standing next to the aching steel boiler they felt the full heat blast against them in clear burning waves of fiery intensity. From their position, the door to the next hallway was within view at the other end of the room.

Continuing onward to the exit, the exasperating feeling of the sweltering fires came in with full effect. Droplets of fresh sweat ran down the sides of their necks.

Reaching the exit, the door swooshed open for them -- letting the cooler air of the next hallway blow onto their fur. Stepping through the threshold of churning airs in the doorway the glow of the great furnace died when the exit shut behind them.

Beep. A cheerful little tone pinged.

Beep.

Stopping, Neo searched the area around him quickly.

Beep. Beep.

Two Socks approached Neo, pointing at his Pipbuck. "Uh, Neo buddy... It's your Pip-dealio..."

"My Pipbuck?" Neo murmured looking down at the screen of his personal wrist computer.

Above a single tally of his compass, a lone marker faded on and off. With each time it reappeared the same loud notable beep chirped aloud.

"What is it?" Asked Ally.

Neo gave off a puzzled, crooked frown as he shrugged staring down at at the screen. "I'm not sure what it is."

Lucy hastily came forth to Neo, looking behind them. "Whatever it is," she whispered, "I hope you can keep it down. If you haven't forgotten already, we're being followed."

An uplifting sense of joy overcame Neo. A feeling of rushing energy charged through the deep painful sinking that had lingering inside him. "I think we should follow it -- see where it takes us."

Lucy snapped her gaze to him, jolting back. "What?! It just came out of nowhere! We should just stick to what we're doing, and forget that beeping ever started!"

"I can't explain it," Neo said the energy pumping, "but I think we should go toward it. Maybe it'll take us closer to Adam."

Lucy retorted, "Or it could get us killed."

"Do what you feel to be right, Neo." Bloodstrider spoke from the slave line.

Briefly smiling at Bloodstrider, Neo pointed a hoof to the end of the hallway. "Then we'll follow the marker."

"What!?" Lucy gasped.

Ally patted Lucy on the back, "Don't worry, I don't think we'll die doing it."

Drooping her head, Lucy's eyes narrowed. "You say that now... Bet you won’t be so chipper when Darkminers are swarming over our dead bodies."

Neo turned one of the knobs on his Pipbuck labeled: Volume. Then, picking up his pace he lead the group down the hall. Lucy grumbled to herself, skulking at the end of the party.

The door to the boiler room opened, and standing in the doorway was the three miners. Behind them the burning orange glow of the room ignited the hallway with a bright warm light.

Shadows blanketed the front of their thin figures -- all but their eyes lamenting in the darkness. Gathering behind them, more masked faces came into view as more of the boiler room miners slithered by their side.

"This place is like a maze..." Adam mumbled in the middle of a narrow hallway.

Looking down one end of the corridor, Adam's brow furrowed as numerous doors of identical quality lined each wall endlessly. Swiftly pulling up the map on his Pipbuck he sighed.

Upon the screen, dozens of inter-lapping tunnels twisted and turned blocking their location on the map. "We're on the correct level, but I'm not sure if going back will take us the right way, or if we made a wrong turn..."

"What's our destination look like?" Bill asked.

"It's a big round chamber," Adam replied scratching the top of his mane, "that doesn't tell me much on what it is though..."

A few, bodiless muffled voices carried on down the passageway. Both deep and gruff -- growing in volume the longer the three of them stood idly in the hall.

Peaking over her shoulder Big Lot, snapped, "We need to hide! NOW!"

Adam dropped his leg, frantically searching in all directions for a hiding spot. "But where?!"

Bill's hooves anxiously patted the ground as he looked to the many doors in along the walls. "M-Maybe one of them rooms would work?"

The words of the two oncoming ponies was now clear. Unlike the rasping hisses of the local miners, the voices approaching their position were normal in tone, and coherent in the structure of their speech.

"God damn Thatch," one of the deep voices echoed, "I swear the minute I get to rest in the upper levels he sends the order to pull out!"

"Shut up -- you're not getting payed to complain. Let’s just wait for it to blow over, and then you can have your break." The other voice countered.

Adam jumped at the nearest door, tapping the dim orange bottom on the steel doorframe. The dual metal doors retracted, and seizing the exact moment they did, the three escaped slaves leaped inside the next room while the door closed behind them.

Suppressed by the metal doors, the voices spoke to one another right outside in the hallway. Pressing themselves firmly to the damp rocky wall beside the door all three ponies held their breaths. The thumping sound of hooves outside in the hall, clopping against the cavernous ground faded as the soldiers went on by.

Exhaling altogether, Big Lot put a hoof over her chest -- feeling her little heart pound furiously.

"Dumb schmucks." Big Lot chuckled under her heavy breathing.

Falling back onto his flank, Adam closed his eyes laying his head against the sharp wet stone of the wall. "That was close..."

Sitting down as well, Bill whinnied, "Too close for my likin'..."

Adam stood up peering at the room before them. "W-What did we jump into anyway?"

A small square residential chamber lay in front of the three ponies. Not much was too the living space but the basic essentials: a cot, a wooden nightstand, a dangling light fixture. The most notable quality of the room was the dresser on the left wall. All around it, amassed in dense piles, were dark green capes and uniforms.

The drawers had been either torn out of their slots in the dresser, or were left flung opened hanging barely onto the piece of furniture by the end of its frame. Big Lot picked herself up and trotted over to one of the many grand masses of Legion attire.

Taking a cape at the top of the pile, she raised an eyebrow at it, pouting, "I always hated the green color of the Legion uniforms... Even when I was at my border."

Adam walked to the same pile Big Lot stood at, shifting his head to one side at the strange scene. "Who lived here? And why would they toss all their cloths out like this?"

Big Lot shrugged, "Whoever it was, was pretty well decorated."

Slowly stroking the soft, fine surface of the cape she remarked, "This material is way too nice for a sergeant, or a captain."

"Then who would it belong to?" Bill interjected.

"Someone like me," Big Lot boasted, "someone with great power and control. Probably one of Vladimir's personal favorite head of operations, I don't know. It's hard to say really since they don’t put names on these things."

Turning around, the cot took Adam's attention. The single drawer of the nightstand too, was opened. Only laying upon the ground next to it was a holotape. Stepping up to the recording device Adam picked it up in one hoof.

"A holotape?" Adam said under his breath.

Bill's ears perked up as he came to Adam. "What did ya find?"

"A holotape..." Adam answered, lowly.

Big Lot dropped the cape. "A what?"

Shaking the tape slightly, Adam repeated, "A holotape."

"So?" Big Lot hummed walking to the cot, "It's not really important."

"You never know what kind of stuff could be on it." Adam responded.

Resting the holotape down on the cot, Adam turned his sights to the nightstand. Peeking into it, he dug around through various small pieces of junk stuffed into the drawer.

"Whoa," Adam gaped sticking his nose into the drawer, "I can't believe it..."

"What?" Bill and Big Lot asked in unison.

Stepping back from the nightstand, a thin black cable levitated out of the drawer -- alongside a few multi-colored wires.

Big Lot folded her lips, with a vexed expression. "Wires?"

Adam smiled, "They're Pipbuck wires."

Bill shrugged, "I'm not too sure what that's suppose to mean compadre."

"With this black cable I can copy, and download the recordings on the holotape."

Hovering the cord to his Pipbuck, Adam continued, "My only question is: how, and why is there Pipbuck tech in a Legion officer's room?"

"I still don't think it matters." Big Lot commented.

"Well," Adam said plugging the black cord into a slot in the device, "it does to me."

An empty bar popped onto Adam's screen with the orange words: DOWNLOADING hovering above it. In a minute’s time, the download between the Pipbuck and the holotape was completed with a soft ping.

Unplugging the recorder from his Pipbuck, Adam turned and faced the door. "I'll have to listen to it later. But first, we need to get to that chamber."

Beep... Beep... Beep....

The soft sound of the mysterious pings floated in the air around Neo -- echoing faintly through the hallway they walked. Having turned the sound on his Pipbuck down to its lowest setting did little to mute the blaring audio.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The sounds rang deeply in Lucy's ears, causing her eardrums to ache. Holding her nose just a few inches above the ground, not even the helmet could dull the irritating noise the Pipbuck gave off.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

"Can you keep that thing down? I'm surprised someone hasn't heard already." Lucy grunted.

Neo shrugged, "I tried already. It's on the lowest volume setting."

Glancing over his shoulder, Neo added, "Say, are our are the miners still there?"

Ally looked behind them down the opposite end of the hall. In the dim light of the mundane winding hallway not a body, figure, nor glow of the miner's eyes could be seen. Just emptiness as far down as she could see.

"No," Ally answered, "nothing..."

Returning her eyes forward Ally added, "Strange... Come to think of it we haven't seen many Legion soldiers down here... Mostly just miners..."

Briefly shifting his eyes from left to right, Neo saw the buttons upon the door frames were off. Further down the corridor the lights to open the doors were faded. Nothing but the fixtures on the walls seemed to be operating.

"Come to think of it, you’re right." Neo countered, "Not even in the boiler room."

"I know, it's just... Strange..." Ally murmured checking behind her once more.

Ahead of the group was a deep cavern with long metal plated bridge suspended by thick iron cables. Below the bridge was an area where small cranes were stationed next to mine carts. Against the indented walls of the lower floor of the room -- cone-shaped drills had their bits embedded into the side of the rock. Despite the abundance of tools not a single soul was around operating the machinery.

Stepping onto the bridge Neo looked over the railing at the work zone. "There's no workers..."

Two Socks hopped onto his hind legs, placing his fore hooves on the frigid rails. Glancing over the edge of the railing, he blinked, "Spooky, if you ask me."

Beep... Beep... Beep... The Pipbuck's sound beamed off of the quiet walls of the vast cavern.

A noise echoed forth from the other end of the bridge. It was not a voice, nor an alarm. Rather, it was the calm pitter-patter of hooves trotting against the solid ground of the mine.

Staring directly ahead, Neo and the others stood attentively at the end of bridge. From the distance, the next hallway at the end appeared blanketed in a dense layer of darkness. Anything that was approaching them would have to emerge from the shadow, and face them at the opposing side.

Clip-clop... Clip-clop... Clip-clop...

Neo lowered his breathing, taking in only silent shallow breaths. In the wake of the approaching stranger, his hind legs began to shake.

Why am I afraid? Neo thought. T-They'll just walk past us. Just like the others... Unless it's the min-

Three figures took form in the shadow at the opposing end of the bridge. Just at the border of where the weak light of the cavern met the dark hallway the bodies stopped. Standing upright, with their heads held high only the crude outline of the unknown entities could be seen.

The middle pony, standing in the shadows emerged from the concealing darkness. In the cavern's soft illumination the pony's details became clear. A short brown dusty mane with parted bangs came into view. Alongside emerald green eyes, and a dirt stained coat of blue.

On opposing sides of the blue pony was donkey, and a filly.

Neo's eyes went wide.

"A-Adam?" Neo whispered, his heart on the verge of stopping.

For a moment, Adam looked at Neo cocking his head to one side. Throwing his officer's cap from his head Neo dashed across the bridge tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.

"Adam!"

Two Socks stumbled forward, removing the Legion helmet from his head. Letting it clattering against the bridge’s metal plates the trader pony choked, "I-Is that really them?"

Adam's eyes grew open. "Brother?"

"Adam! It's me!" Neo shouted tears rolling down the sides of his face.

Stepping out onto the bridge further, Adam started to lightly trot toward his brother. "Brother!"

Galloping at full speed toward one another they engaged each other. Tightly wrapping their forelegs around the other's body.

Tears, large and warm came streaming down from Neo's eyes as he felt the tender embrace of his brother. "Adam, I found you... I finally found you...”

Sniffing, Neo said, “I’m so, so sorry for what I said. It’ll never happen again...”

Burying his face into the shoulder of Neo's uniform, Adam cried smiling, "It's okay... I-I forgive you."

Dashing past them Two Socks bounced up and down waving his hooves around in the air at Bill. "Hey! HEY! It's me Bill! I found ya! I found ya!"

Bill rolled his eyes, leaning over to Big Lot. "Here's the part where he hugs me..."

Big Lot stuck a hoof in her mouth, making a deep gagging sound, "Sickening... It's all sickening!"

When Bill turned to see Two Socks a blur of beige and green overtook him in a forceful tackle. Both tumbled to the floor, as Two Socks wrapped his hooves around Bill's neck.

"I found ya! I found ya!" Two Socks exclaimed.

Releasing his hold on Bill, Two Socks bounded back with a beaming grin. "I can't believe we found you!"

Standing back onto all four hooves, Bill patted himself down, sending small puffs of dust rolling off of his body. "It's good to see ya too, Two Socks. Next time, don't attack me could ya?"

Two Sock's smile disappeared. In its stead, his lips curled together at the sight of the little filly, Big Lot.

Kneeling down to her, Two Socks asked, "And what's your name, little one?"

Puffing out her little chest she boomed, "I'm Big Lot! Princess of the Northern Provincial Border!"

"Huh," Two Socks sighed, "I always thought Big Lot was a stallion."

Red hot blood flushed into Big Lot's cheeks as she wrinkled her little nose. "I am not a stallion! I am a princess! A PRINCESS!"

Her sudden burst of angry sent Two Socks stepping back. "Sheesh, sorry m’lady..."

Remove the tight grasp he had around his brother, Neo whipped away the tears streaking his face with the uniform's sleeve. "H-How did you get out?"

Adam gave his brother a smile -- pointing to the screwdriver neatly tucked behind his ear. "Determination, and a smidgen of patients."

"Heh," Neo laughed nudging Adam in the shoulder, "skills is more like it. Pure skills."

Bill and the others at the end of the bridge came walking back across to join the others. Among them was Big Lot, keeping behind Two Socks and out of Neo’s sight.

"Looks like you got Bill too," Neo chirped, "was there anyone else with you when you guys broke out?"

Adam's eyes grew dark, as he lowered his gaze slightly to the plates beneath them. "There were two others... Ice Fire, and Arrow... T-They didn't make it..."

Patting Adam on the back, Neo said, "I'm sorry to hear that. We'll have to give them a proper burial when we come back."

Staring Neo in the eyes, Adam's mouth hung open, "You’re coming back?"

Neo's eyes glistened with pure determination, "After we find mom, we're both coming back... To free them -- all of them."

Adam nodded, "Right."

"But," Neo stuttered, "I remember seeing three ponies at the end of the bridge. If there was Bill, and you then whose number three?"

Big Lot stood behind Two Socks, her heart pounding as her the skin under her fur turned cold and pale. The courage she had found in herself to spout out her title earlier dissipated into nothingness. The pony she hurt -- the pony she had threatened was merely feet from where she stood. If there was a Celestia, watching down at her from above, then the sense of humor the Goddess held was callous.

"You mean this one?" Two Socks replied stepping to the side, exposing Big Lot's shuddering little body.

Neo stood up stiffly, glaring at her. "Big Lot? What's she doing her?!"

Waving her hooves in the air she pleaded, "I can explain Mr. Cuddlepants!"

"No," Adam interjected stepping in front of his brother, "I can."

"Adam," Neo barked, "that little menace threaten to enslave us! She brought me down calling me that revolting name! And-"

"I think she's a good pony." Adam stated.

Neo held a perplexed expressing with his mouth agape, "W-What? Did I hear that right?"

"Yes, you did." Adam answered sternly.

Leaning over slightly to the side, Adam extend a hoof to Big Lot while retaining eye contact with his brother. "I spent time with her while I was away. Sure she can be a little snarky, and sure she still has problems... But she's not bad, I think it was the border that was making her crazy."

"Plus," Adam smiled widely, "she doesn't have anywhere to go. And I thought she could come with us. At least, until she figures out what to do."

Squinting both of his silver eyes at the filly, Neo muttered, "She better behave then... And no calling me Mr. Cuteyhead, or whatever it is."

Big Lot's ears perked up, as she smirked at Neo. "I'll try, Mr. Cuddlepants."

Neo sighed, "Right..."

A deathly wail cried out through the cavern. The intensity of its pitch rattled the wires of the bridge slightly. Behind them, the glow of three sets of sickly green eyes glistened in the hallway. Every member of the party snapped their gaze to the corridor, and appearing set by set were more pairs of illuminating goggles.

Four, eight, ten, and more surfaced from the shadows. Lurking underneath the dim lighting of the hall a miner came into sight. Down the corridor, standing in the glow of a light fixture the Warden hissed -- slinking toward them.

Like fireflies bobbing in the still black of the night, the eyes of the dozens of miners floated in the darkness.

"Kill..." They all whispered. "Cleave... Rip..."

Levitating the key to the shackles binding Wester, Neo backed up slowly. "Wester... Do you need your guns?"

Wester took the key, proceeding to unlock the cuffs clamped onto his legs, before focusing on the Zebras restraints. "Affirmative."

The shackles strapped to Wester and the Zebras clicked unlocked. Snapping open, the heavy frigid cuffs fell clamoured against the steel path of the bridge. Rattling softly through the air, the sound of the chains rebounded off of the ceiling.

Undoing Wester's gear from his, Neo tossed him the foldable anti-armor rifle -- along side his holstered python revolvers. Ally and Two Socks gave Bloodstrider his equipment as they all gradually drew themselves back to the other end of the bridge.

Without drawing their gaze away from the miners Neo whispered, "Adam, where were you going before we found you?"

Sweat profusely ran down Adam's neck, "To the secondary exit of the mines..."

Neo swallowed hard, "And where might that be?"

"A big round room... I couldn't find it on the map... Too many winding hallways overlapping..."

Pulling up the map on his Pipbuck, Neo glanced at their current position. "There's a big round room nearby... That one?"

"Yep." Adam squeaked.

Inhaling a deep breath through his nostrils Neo muttered aloud, "Everyone... I'm going to run very fast. Don't ask where, just run..."

Lucy had her own droplets of fresh running sweat amply gathering on her brow, "Frankly, I don't give two shits as long as it's away from them."

"Good," Neo cheeped with a shaking nod, "RUN!"

Jumping around to face the other side of the bridge Neo dashed to the next hallway. Following his lead was the rest of the group -- hooves pounding the steel under them.

Their imminent retreat from the miner's advance shook the bridge. The Warden let out another shrill shriek darting onward in quick pursuit. Thundering behind him the rumbling of the miner herd furiously galloping made the ground tremble.

Running past hallways twisting down, and veering tight corners doors against the walls flew by them. In a swarming herd of gleaming eyes, and tattered rags the miners followed in a mad sprint only a hundred feet behind.

Air raced by the brother's heads, as their hearts drummed briskly. In this state of pure adrenaline the entire world was restricted to the narrowed hallways of the mines. A rush of tingling energy exploded inside them, igniting greater speed and crisper more acute senses.

"Neo! Where are we even going?!" Lucy called.

Where was he going? They all tailed behind him, trusting whatever decision he made to be the right one. Watching the corridors fling by them in their attempt to escape the miners, Adam too started to wonder where they might end up following whatever path they were on.

A wide set of polished metal doors gleamed in the dim light of the hall. Quickly approaching them exclaimed, "There! That should be it!"

"KILL! CATCH! RIP! SPILL BLOOD -- MAKE STILL!" The Warden bellowed in a grinding wail.

The doors were barely parting as the miners closed on them, now jolting fifty feet from their tails. Leaping through the opening doors the group skid forth, a cloud of thin dirt developed around them.

A small bit of the grime came in through Neo's nose, driving him to let out a whooping cough as he searched for the exit. "Do you see it?"

A familiar, scorching heat penetrated the air -- accompanied by a bight red warm glow blasting the fur of his face. Instantly the heat irradiated onto Adam, and to his defense he rose a foreleg over his eyes.

"What is that?!" Adam gasped.

Batting his eyelids, Neo smiled, "It's the chamber! It's another boiler room!"

"Another one?" Adam queried.

Wester slung the rifle from the side of his back, using the inertia generated by the weight of the tip to unfold and lock it into working order. Lifting it up at the miners he fired one single booming shot. Clipping the side of the Warden's ear, the bullet impacted a miner galloping beside him.

In an explosion of tainted glowing blood the miner's head was completely severed from its neck. A few of the miners behind it tripped over the body of their fallen comrade -- setting off a chain of ponies tumbling atop one another. Even the Warden became encased with ponies avalanching onto his back.

Compactly clustered in the hallway, the miners in their chaotic rage started to pile on each other the more bodies fell atop the next.

Lowering his rifle, Wester said, "That will by us time."

"You could of done that sooner Wester! It would have saved us the heartache!" Lucy barked.

Slinging the rifle back into a rested position at his side, Wester shook his head, "No, Lucky. I needed a good shot. Additionally, these are my favorite bullets. I've used too many, and wasting them would be unsatisfactory."

Lucy's lowly shook her head, pressing a hoof to her face, "Oh, geez..."

The Warden rose with wobbling legs, pushing a groaning miner off of his back.

"Warning: you might want to hurry your search." Wester announced.

The boiler room before them was nearly identical to the previous one they had visited. The only exception was that the set of three cylinder boiling tanks were cold, leaving a darkened area in the far corner of the room. Adam briskly brought up his Pipbuck map, humming to himself as he scanning the mine's elaborate tunnel system.

A voice called out from behind the heap of groaning miners, "Quick, stop them!"

The voice's request was met with the addition of marching hooves, thunderously echoing down the hall.

Ally's hooves were feverishly tapping at the floor. "That's the Legion! Where are we suppose to go?!"

Taking in slow, deep rasping breathings the Warden dragged himself toward them. "Die... Rip... Make still..." He coughed.

Adam bit down on his lower lip, "I don't know! I'm looking! If we go the wrong way we'll-"

The boisterous voice of a stallion cried out to them from the six boiling tanks in the corner of the room, "Hey! You lot! Over here!"

Directing their gaze to the source of the cry, they saw standing at the side of one tank a crimson stallion -- dressed in the worn dented freelancer armor. Waving a hoof the pony bounced up and down in the air.

"This way! Hurry!" He called called.

"A freelancer?" Neo said under his breath.

The Warden was within five feet from Wester, his respirator let out a cringing wheeze with each breath, "Kill... Kill..." He hacked.

Lucy shoved Neo forward, "Go! Go! Comon' let's move!"

Trotting at first, the group picked up their pace making a full gallop over to the stranger. Ducking behind the cover of the tanks, the Guardian beckoned them to follow him with his hoof.

Walking behind the concealing safety of the boiling tanks, the group was out of sight. The Warden, lumbering toward the doorframe, tripped over his own footing. Catching himself on the cave wall, he gasped for air as the respirator of the mask seethed loudly.

The Warden's throat started to convulse, "Must find... Hunt... Kill..."

Everyone was compacted between the confined space between the boiler tanks. Neo was at the front of the group, looking back at the multitude of ponies in their group.

"Everyone's here, right?" He asked.

Lucy rose her head up, peering at the bodies pressed against her. "Yeah, I think we're all here..."

"Heh," Neo sighed wiping his hot pulsing brow, "I guess it turned out okay in the end..."

"Not yet I would say," a deep commanding voice objected, "we can be at ease once we've left this place."

Turning to face the voice, Neo saw standing over him a tall red unicorn stallion. He had a clean black mane streaked with silver hairs. Above his forehead, short parted bangs were eased to the side -- while a long woven ponytail was tied behind his head.

His eyes held a strange shade of purple, not quite too dark, but not too fair as well. Whatever cutie mark he had was obscured by the thick duster and armor he wore.

Staring up at the opposing height of the Guardian, a strange nicking poked the back of Neo's mind. With a raised eyebrow, Neo asked, "H-Have I seen you before?"

The stallion shook his head. "No, I shouldn't say so."

Neo drew himself back, gazing headlong into his deep purple eyes.

"You have a lot of questions, don't you?" The Guardian asked.

Adam lifted his hoof to speak, but the moment before he could the Guardian spun around jerking his head toward the back of tanks. "they’ll have to wait, we need to get out of here first."

Neo looked at Adam, and shrugging at his brother the group followed the Guardian to the back wall behind the tanks. A piece of corrugated sheet metal covered a hole on the ground, leading down into a dark tunnel.

A wooden ladder, held together by tightly knotted pieces of cloth and bent rusted nails lead down into the unknown. Hopping down onto the ladder, the Guardian descended into the deep underground.

"Follow me." He instructed.

One at a time, each member of the group climbed down the moaning wooden steps into the tunnel. Lucy was the last pony to get into the hole, and positing her body shoulder deep in the second exit of the mine, she drug the sheet of metal over her as they snuck away from the Darkmines.

Foot Note: Level Up!

New Perk: Circus of Values!: Now, you gain an additional +3 points to spend on talents, and specs. Don't forget to spend when get some more points!

Foot Note: Level Up!

Would you like to level up Adam as well?

Yes-

No

New Perk: They Said I Could Be Anything: As a mechanic, you were born to do great things. Especially when it comes to fixing things! +XP when repairing, or crafting items of any variety.

Proofread by:

Noakwolf

ColonelLatmuffin

Thefullmetalbrony

(AN: Sorry about the long wait! But here it is! Chapter 31 in its entirety. I think it came out rather well. There are a few scenes I was really happy with. I mean those were scenes that needed to be awesome, and they did indeed, come out awesome. A special thanks goes out to my best friend, and younger brother for helping out with this chapter’s editing/proofreading. Without their support I wouldn’t have got the good quality I know you guys deserve. Though, now that they’ve met up with Vladimir what will happen next? You’ll have to find out in the next exciting chapter of Fallout Equestria: Brotherhood!)