//------------------------------//
// Under Duress 
// Story: Freelance. 
// by Tonwhirler 
//------------------------------//

	Rarity took a refreshing breath of fresh air as she exited her building. A gentle cool breeze brought the light smell of spring in the city. Manehatten. What a city. She may be in over her head, but having a job again raised her spirits high. She whistled for a taxi and gave the driver Spike's address. Spike would know something; he stuck to Twilight like glue. 

She put on her glasses and reviewed the information she had been handed. It was fairly basic: name, appearance, age, a couple of connections, a brief description of personality and habits, and their last known location. There didn't seem to be any correlation between the five, aside from the fact that they were all within 2 years of her own age. In fact, each of them seemed about as different as the night was from day. There must be something that they had in common. Two vanishing in the same morning - coincidence. But five notable ponies? Something bigger was going on here.

The car came to a stop and Rarity got out and payed her fare, plus a 20% tip. She looked up at the apartment building Spike called home. It was a dull-brown brick building, much like Rarity's own apartment. Hers, however, had the advantage of flowerbeds under every windowsill; this building had nothing on it but a fire escape. After entering, she knocked on the first door to the left. It opened and Spike peeked out. The small dragon had clearly been crying for a while. Looks like Rarity had guessed right.

Spike looked up at Rarity's hat. "On a case, huh? What are you coming here for?" 

"You should be able to guess, Spike. Someone you know disappeared this morning."

Spike avoided Rarity's gaze. "Oh, really? Who?"

Someone had gotten to Spike first. That would explain why he didn't come to ask her for help. Whatever blackmail they had on him would make it hard for her to get anything. "Your employer, Twilight Sparkle." She got out her notepad. "According to my sources, she was last seen at 10:30 this morning. Have you seen her since then?"

"I, uh, haven't seen her since yesterday." Spike's tail twitched. "She gave me a day off today." 

"Day off?" Rarity looked up from her notes quizzically, "You're not even working from home?'

"Uhhh... Nope! She gave me the whole day off! Said she didn't even need me for today." Another tail twitch. That was a lie. Rarity knew for a fact that Twilight always kept her loyal secretary at least a phone call away. Spike had complained many times about the time she had him write up a law proposal to Celestia while he was on vacation in the Maribbean. 

"Did she say why? Where she would be today?"

"No. I have no idea where she is." That much was true, Rarity could see it in his eyes.

Rarity decided to go down a different route. "Do you happen to know a Dr. Fluttershy?" Spike shook his head. "Diane Pie, General Dash?" Spike again shook his head. "Applejack?" Spike's eyes widened, "The hardened criminal? N... No!" His tail twitched like crazy. Bingo.

"Just checking, Spike." Why would spike know Applejack? It was a startling name, so it could have just been a nervous tic.

Rarity noticed that Spike had barely moved the whole conversation. The door was still only open about a quarter. She began to scribble something on a new page of her notepad. "Well, that's all the questions I have for now. Do you need anything from me?" She hovered her notepad in front of spike."Answer this instead: Are you alone?".

Spikes eyes shifted and grew in fear. "No."

Rarity's heart and mind began to race. Spike was in immediate danger. She scribbled another note down. "Can I stop by tomorrow? What time would work for you?" she asked, keeping her voice as calm as possible as she showed the new message to Spike. "How many?"

"One." Spike pointed at the door.

Rarity pulled her revolver from the inside of her coat and slammed the door open with her hind legs. It hit something. Using the surprise to her advantage, she rushed in and aimed her gun at the large red stallion who had been hiding behind the door. He held a pistol in his right hoof, but the blow from the door had caused him to lose his aim.

"Drop it." Rarity demanded, cocking the gun. The pony complied, putting his gun down on the ground with a grumble.

Rarity caught a glance of his Cutie Mark. A green apple. She guessed that this must be a member of the infamous Apple Family Gang, of which Applejack was head. If that was the case, she was dealing with a deadly, experienced killer. His build certainly indicated heavy training.

"Who are you?" she asked, articulating every word in anger.

He remained silent, staring defiantly at Rarity.

"Why are you here? Who are you working for?"

Again, no response. The lack of fear in his eyes told Rarity that he had been at gunpoint many times.

"Do you have any information on the current location of Twilight Sparkle?" She paused for a bit, and asked a riskier question. "Do you know where Applejack is?"

The colt's mask broke for an instant. His expression told Rarity everything she needed to know. She saw Fear, confusion and mostly concern cast over his face. The pony saw the smirk on Rarity's face, and realized that he must have given something away. Anger returned in his eyes, and he yelled out, "Nope!" Rarity prepared to fire, but to her surprise he bolted to the other side of the room. Glass flew everywhere as he leapt out the closed window.