//------------------------------// // Operation Red Night // Story: The D.S.P.I. // by DungeonMiner //------------------------------// Alpha Team received a new scout in about two days. His team had not been as lucky as Silver’s, and almost all of them had been KIA’d on their first mission. His name was Spark Speed, although Silver noticed that almost everyone just called him Sparky. They still did not have a replacement for their heavy weapons pony, but seeing as how he would have to come from another decimated team, Silver was not quick to wish for one. In the time since finishing their last mission, Silver had been throwing himself into the team, learning their names, histories, and the like. Silk Star was a singer in some rundown bar, Neon Kick was a DJ in a club that had almost no one coming in, and Amber Breeze was a nursing student that was so deep in debt she couldn’t afford her next classes. Lemon Bubble was the name of the Demolitions pony, and she used to be in child care, before an accident happened and she failed her psychiatric test after a minor bout of pyromania sparked up in her psyche. Mandible was a mystery, and proud of it. He said nothing, revealed nothing, and was incredibly smug about how much he was hiding. That really only left Sparky, and Silver was still trying to learn everything he could about the pegasus. He was short, shorter than Amber by a few good inches, but he made up for it in sheer attitude. Even a novice in psychology could tell he had small-dog syndrome, and Spike clearly had wanted to channel Sparky’s sass and attitude into speed, and according to the reports of his training he did a very good job at it. Silver’s eyes scanned over the report of Sparky’s last mission, trying to study the stallion from his single time out in the field, when the loudspeaker crackled above him. “Alpha team, please report to the situation room.” Silver quickly dropped the papers, grabbing his kit and making sure his armor was straight before booking it across the compound. He was the first one into the room, after Spike, of course. The dragon simply nodded, noting his punctuality but not much more than that. The rest followed in after him, filling the room. Amber, Silk, Neon, Lemon, Mandible, and Sparky and filed in, each taking a seat around the table, until finally Fluttershy, or whoever she was today came in last. “Alright, Alpha,” Spike said, once he was sure everyone was in. “I have a new mission for you.” “We’re still down a pony,” Mandible noted. “Good to know you can count, Mandible,” Spike grumbled. “This mission is going to be a little light. You shouldn’t need any explosives, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go along, Lemon.” She nodded. “As long as I don’t have to watch melting zombies.” “We have a vampire in Vanhoover,” Spike said. “He’s not strong enough to worry about, but if we don’t stop him he will become a problem.” “So we find him, and shoot him,” Sparky grunted. “What’s the big deal?” “If it were that easy, Sparks, then I wouldn’t still be here,” Spike sighed. “He’s hiding, and he’s doing a good job. There have been a few disappearance which could be linked, but we’ve only found one body. Exsanguinated, and bone dry.” “A good sign, at least,” Fluttershy said, her nose slightly in the air. Spike nodded. “He’s not strong enough to risk making a thrall, so he drained the victim.” “Thrall?” Sparky asked. “Thrall, sir,” Silver corrected for him. “Aye, aye, Commander Hand-flank,” Sparky grunted. “A minor vampire,” Fluttershy explained. “Created with only a single bite from a vampire, without killing the victim. It creates a vampire servant that has to follow its master’s every command, until the master is killed, or...some extraneous circumstances.” “If a vampire is weak,” Spike continued, “the thrall may attempt to kill the vampire that created him. Chances are the drained body shows that our perp is not confident in his powers to risk one.” “It won’t, however, make him easier to find,” Fluttershy noted. “It never does,” Spike agreed, before his eyes turned to the changeling. “And that, Mandible, is where you come in.” “I was wondering,” Mandible said dryly. “I doubt infiltration works well for zombies. “You and…” Spike paused, looking at Fluttershy for a moment. “Oh...uh…” she said in a quiet, hesitant voice. “I...I think it’s Diamond Dream’s turn.” “Of course it is,” Fluttershy said, confirming her own sentence. “Besides, I handle vampires better than the others, it’s simply the logical choice.” “Until you need to stake them,” she said in the rough voice of Manticore, “then you all come crawling back to me.” “Fluttershy?” Spike said, questioningly. “I’m fine…” she said in the quiet voice. “Just...just a small argument. It’s okay.” Spike regarded her a moment, before continuing. “Mandible, you’ll be working with Diamond Dream to locate our Vampire before the rest of us swoop in to take him out. Do you all understand?” “Yes, sir!” they all replied. “Good, move out!” ===ᐁ=== Diamond Dream always thought Vanhoover was nice this time of year. She and all the rest of her sat beside one of the city’s man cafes, enjoying a cup of cafe au lait, while dressed in a lovely pale green dress, a large, pale yellow sun hat, and pair of round, sunglasses. The rookies were surprised to learn that vampires could move in sunlight, they always were. And, as always, she to explain that vampires do not turn to dust when they touch sunlight. They do, however, lose almost all of their powers and abilities, which is reason enough for most to avoid the sun like the plague. She sipped her coffee, watching the crowd around her through the glare of the orb in the sky. A stallion approached, carrying a cup in a magical aura beside him. “May I have this seat?” he asked. “Of course,” she replied, motioning to the seat beside her. “Any luck?” “Sadly not,” he said. “There just isn’t a pony around who knows where I can get one.” She nodded. “A tragedy, truly,” she sighed. “It seems nopony knows where to find a decent silk vest these days.” A voice crackled in her ear. “And why is the location of a vest so important?” Sparky grumbled. “Or better yet, why are you two having coffee while the rest of us stay cooped up in this hotel room?” “Luxury, my dear,” Diamond said, looking at the stallion. “It’s all about luxury. A vest such as this would be lusted after by the most discerning eye, and would gather more of the common people to whoever would don such a thing.” “What?” Sparky asked over the line. The stallion beside her, Mandible in disguise, sighed. Another voice, Silk’s, cut in on the line. “She’s saying that vampires like luxury, it attracts people to them.” “There are other wonderful advantages to luxury, dear,” she said, staring at Mandible as though she were talking to him. “But none as great as the attention of the common pony, remember that.” Mandible straightened, getting back into character despite the ponies droning in his ear. “If luxury is indeed the greatest of things, then I must wonder, why Vanhoover? Is Manehatten not the most luxurious of cities?” “If every vest was made in Manehatten, then they would be easy to find,” she said, sipping her coffee. “Yeah, so what about my other question?” Sparky grunted. “If you go out there, dressed like that, you’re going to tip him off,” Silver said. “Mandible is good at hiding, and apparently so is Diamond Dream. They can hide and move without alerting the target. I doubt you can do the same.” “Yeah, well what about the boss? A dragon sticks out like a sore hoof, and you can’t tell me otherwise.” “That’s his business,” Silver said, and Fluttershy nodded her approval, even though none could see it. “Well I’m not happy about it,” Sparky grunted. “Noted,” Silk said with a frown. Diamond sighed, before she lowered her chin and whispered into her headset. “You don’t need to be happy about it. It’s your job. Now, no more names. Security is important, ponies.” “Yes, Ma’am.” Diamond then raised her head, and smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t worry dear, there are plenty of shops to check before the night is out.” “I just worry that there will be too many,” Mandible said, before he stood, ready to leave. ===ᐁ=== Silver watched over the room. For the past three days they had stayed in this tiny hotel room, all six of them, watching the city for any sign of their vampire. Silk was at the window, using the scope on her TS Longrifle to scan the horizon while the others sat at various instruments and maps, checking and re-checking with the infiltration agents to try and narrow down their search of the city. Commander Spike did not stay with them. He showed up every morning asking for news, and asking to be kept posted before disappearing again. Running the Department, if Silver had to guess. Likewise, Mandible and Fluttershy did not stay with them either. They had been moving through the city, never staying at the same hotel twice. This served both to keep the vampire becoming suspicious, and keep their cover of a rich couple touring Vanhoover. “Shower’s free!” Amber said, coming in from the bathroom, drying her mane in a towel. Neon was in right behind her, slamming the door as he claimed the bathroom for the sake of common decency and his bladder. The pegasus medic strode into the room, mumbling to herself. “How come everytime I walk into this room, I feel dirty?” “Because the whole place is a pig sty?” Lemon suggested, toying with a lighter in her hooves. She hadn’t opened it yet, but her constant toying with it was making Silver nervous. “Yeah, probably,” Amber agreed, before she began putting her armor back on. Silk swept her scope around once more, searching the cityscape for signs. A raven that clings to a cloud, a stallion that avoids glass and mirrors, or a pony that was perhaps a little too interested in their room. Silver moved up beside her. “Anything?” “No,” she answered, with a sigh, “Can’t see anyone after us, and I don’t think we’d be so luck at to him walk by.” “It’s never easy,” Silver agreed. “Keep your eyes open, though.” “Always,” she said, continuing her watch. Moving over to the radio equipment and magic-sensing radar displays, Silver took a quick look around. The radar was showing hundreds of faint, green, signatures, the nearby residence of Vanhoover, but none of the bright ones that marked a magic user with abilities in the Gigaprimes. About two months ago, he would have been sure that the only that would have blipped on this thing would have been the Princesses themselves. The very idea that a pony could have enough magic in them to have more than a Megaprime was ludicrous. Of course, that was before he met a mare who drank apples, transformed into mist, and could punch through an inch of steel without trying terribly hard. Amber wandered over to the radar, turning a knob to flip through various locations, before finally stopping on a single screen. A bright dot stood out on the radar, shining brightly against the background interference of the ponies. “Infiltration team, please confirm,” Amber said, speaking on the radio. “Confirm location, area C6. Repeat, confirm location C6?” “Oh yes, dear!” Diamond answered on the radio, talking to mandible. “I love it, it’s certainly not the vest we are looking for, but I do adore it on you. ” "Yes, dear, I do think you are right. I’ll take it, my good sir.” “Roger that,” Amber answered after hearing to the affirmative, before she took her headpiece off and began flipping through channels again. Silver nodded, before checking with Sparky, who sat down listening to the channels between the infiltrators, trying to pick apart their code for any sign of their quarry. The scout looked utterly bored, staring up at the ceiling on the verge of falling asleep as he listened to the two drone on and on about fashion. That was fairly bad, Silver would admit, but is was going to be worse. Watching the scout slowly nod off was making him tired, himself. Silver gave the scout a shake. “Stay up,” he said, with a hint of a growl. Sparky grumbled, before rolling on his hooves and stretching. The thick clunk of the switching screens of the radar suddenly stopped. “Silver?” she called. Silver wandered over. “Names, Medic,” he warned, before looking over her shoulder. “What is it?” “That,” she said, pointing to the screen. Silver looked, before his eyes went wide. The location read C6, and two glowing green points shone on the screen. Silver spoke into his headset. “Infiltration team, we have a possible sighting in C6. Please confirm?” There was silence on the other end of the line. A beat, two, and still no response. The bathroom door opened once more, and Neon walked in, before suddenly becoming confused by the sudden tension in the room. “Um?” he began, only to be shushed by Lemon. Another beat. A fourth, and then finally, finally an answer came. “My dear,” Diamond Dream said. “I do believe we have found the vest we were looking for.” ===ᐁ=== “Alright, everyone,” Spike said over the radio headset. “One last time, just so we’re all clear. Manticore will approach the target in five minutes with the ‘offer.’ Assault, Sniper, Scout, and Infiltration will set up an ambush. If we’re lucky, Demo, Medic, Support, and I won’t need to be there, and I can take a nap.” Silver nodded, checking and rechecking this pneumatic crossbow. Dusk had settled over Vanhoover, and the sun had just dipped under the North Luna Ocean, leaving nothing but a dying red glow in the salty air. Fluttershy was going to lead their quarry to the docks. “A perfect place for hunters to meet, isn’t?” she would say, smiling just wide enough to reveal her fangs. “Are we clear?” spike asked over the radio. “We get it already!” Sparky groaned. “Can we get to it?” “Do I need to remind you of what happened last time you rushed into something, Scout?” Spike asked. Sparky went quiet, and even Silver felt the sting of the comment. “That was not cool, sir.” Sparky said after a moment or two. “Noted. Are you going to cut the sass?” “Yes, sir,” he said, subdued. “Good. So we all understand, yes?” “Yes, sir,” Silver said. “Good,” Spike said again. “Good hunting, Assault team. We’ll be right behind you.” Silver nodded. “Alright, let’s find a place to set up. Scout, why don’t you go ahead and run through the docks. Find a good location for an ambush and report back.” “Whatever,” he said before he ran forward, his magic horseshoes sending him flying forward, disappearing between the warehouses. “Sniper, get us an aerial view, help Scout pick a place out, and find a perch,” Silver said. “You got it, Assault,” Silk said, before spreading her wings and taking to the sky. “Agent,” Silver said, turning to Mandible, who simply stared at him with raised eyebrow. “You’re with me. Keep an ear out for Diamond Dream’s radio chatter. If she says something, let me know.” The changeling nodded, pulling his mirror cloak closer about himself, before together they walked down the wharf, waiting for an sign. They plodded along, in silence, passing through the old, salt-encrusted buildings, and the fog that was beginning to form around them on all sides. Past Warehouses 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, they walked, coming down to the end of the block, before turning, going up from 2D to 2A, when the changeling suddenly asked a question. “Why do we call Diamond Dream be her name?” “What?” Silver asked. “Well, we’re all called by our duties, but she’s an exception. I don’t get—” “No, no. I understand your question, I’m wondering why you’re asking.” “What?” “Well,” Silver began. “You typically don’t talk much, especially not to me. You hate me.” “I do,” Mandible replied, “but I suffer from curiosity. Besides, if there’s anypony here who would know it would be you, right? You are our fearless leader after all.” “What makes you think I know?” Silver asked. “Well how about the fact that you spent three days stalking the team?” “That was not stalking!” Silver cried indignantly. “I’m the leader, I need to know how the team works!” “Yeah, yeah,” Mandible said. “I’ve heard it all before. Heck, I’ve said it all before. Can you just answer the question?” Silver glared at the changeling for a moment or two, before he spoke again. “We go by the codenames because we’re still alive. There’s a lot that can be done to us, we can be captured and held hostage, or killed and they can pretend they have us hostage. Real names have a way of identifying ourselves without giving things away to the enemy. Not to mention the fact that vampires tend to hide in positions of power, and they can track us down through our history. “Fluttershy, or Manticore, or whichever, doesn’t need to worry about it. Their history has practically been forgotten by the archives, and none of that can be used to hurt her anymore.” Mandible grunted. “Assault,” came Silk’s voice from over the headset. “We have a spot.” “Where?” Silver asked. “Fourth block, between warehouses 4E and 4H.” “Roger, we’ll be right there,” Silver said, before looking to the changeling. “I heard her, I heard her, seesh.” ===ᐁ=== Diamond Dream and her guest walked down the boardwalk onto the wharf. She said nothing, but continued to walk with an air of superiority and class. Her guest, Sangery Lance, was a deliciously large earth pony. He carried himself like a lord, and had the bearing to earn it among those that he deemed unworthy. His coat was a dark, sanguine color, and his eyes, when not hidden by his enchantments, were the same crimson as all vampires. “So, are you going to speak to me yet?” he asked, cautiously. “Not yet, not yet, dear Sangery. Have a little patience,” she said, dancing through the growing fog. “There are eyes and ears out here yet, and though our prey is weak alone, you do not want for them to call upon their sun.” He nodded, but looked around, growing increasingly nervous as they moved deeper into the docks. “Ah, the sea,” Diamond said, sighing wistfully as she took a deep breath of salt air. “I’ve always loved the sea, always moving, yet never running. As free as water will ever be.” Sangery sniffed the air. “It smells of pony.” “Of course it does,” she replied. “They work here. They sweat here, bleed here.Their scent is as strong as the fish they catch.” Sangery nodded, but kept moving cautiously. They walked between the warehouses, the mare leading him deeper and deeper into the mist. “If nothing else can you tell me what you wished to talk about?” “We are creatures of lust, are we not?” she asked. “Lust for power, wealth, blood, and the warmth of a companion in the night. Nor are you the only one in Vanhoover, and we all need warmth tonight.” Sangery began to smile. “I get it...wonderful. I have to say, you have quite the command of the Equestrian language.” “It comes with time, my friend,” she said, smiling as she danced in the fog. The October evening was chilly and clear, leaving the starlight above them unfiltered. Sangery watched as she danced, staring as her crimson eyes sparkled in the moon, and her form cast a shadow against the blue air around her. It was captivating, enchanting, mesmerizing, fascinating. He could not look away as she led him further and further down the docks. She spun and twirled, and Sangery followed, his gaze roaming over every inch of her body. Hunger grew in his eyes with every moment, and it took much of his control to wait for his promised reward. And then she stopped moving forward, slowing her spin until she finally came to rest before her guest. She smiled, and brought a hoof up under his chin, and caressed him. “Oh, my sweet, pitiful fool,” she said, sweetly. Sangery blinked. “Not even strong enough to turn to mist,” she said, before she faded away, becoming one with the fog. Sangery Lance had just enough to blink in confusion, when a crossbow bolt shot from the darkness. His eyes saw it moments before impact, and he had just the time to shift toward the right, away from his heart. The silver-tipped yew bit into his skin, and he cursed as he felt it. The wood famous for growing through the bodies of the dead worked quickly, sucking the energy from him, out through the wounds. He turned, ready to run, when he saw two ponies behind him, both armed with the pneumatic crossbows of the dreaded D.S.P.I. He turned again, and saw another department agent, and the vampire who led him, her eyes hard and steely. He looked up, at the clear sky, and saw no one to stop him that way. He took it in an instant, transforming into a bat, and taking wing. He flapped crazily, desperately trying to escape when his ears picked up a whisper on the wind. “Sniper?” A scorching shot through the air, destroying the air around it, and slamming into one of his batwings. He fell to the ground, transforming once more, and landed hard on the wooded decks. “Well, you didn’t kill him,” one of the ponies around him said, before he pushed himself up onto his hooves. His right foreleg was useless, burned to the point where the flesh almost slid off the bone. He was not liking his odds. He looked around, to the crossbow-armed ponies and hissed. “I will kill you all.” “Not likely,” the steely voice of Manticore answered as she took a step forward. “You! Why? Why are you helping them? They’re prey!” Manticore’s face, normally serious and reserved, broke into an amused smile. “Prey? They are pery? Well, if I were a normal vampire, I suppose.” He looked up at her, confused, and caught sight of her eyes. Her deep, fascinating eyes. “If I were a normal vampire, they would be my prey, but I am not normal. I can survive off apples if I want to, and I can mesmerize almost anyone I want if their will is weak enough, but that’s not my real power.” She was walking toward him, and leaving herself open. He could strike. Take her hostage. Barter for passage or even the odds. But he did not. He did not even move as Manticore’s eyes lay on him. “No, the real impressive part is that I can drink blood. Any blood. Living or dead.” Sangery’s eyes widened. Or would have, if he were not prisoner to her gaze. “No, these ponies or not my prey. You are my prey.” She was close now, staring into his eyes only inches away. With his wound he was no match for his strength, and his will and energy was being drained every second by the crossbow bolts in his chest. Her hoof pressed against his side and he fell over, still staring into her eyes. Then she pressed harder, and he winced in pain before she finally looked away. “You are my delicious, delicious prey.” He tried to struggle, tried to break free, but his wounds weakened him too much. He could not push her away. Could not save himself as her snout and fangs grew closer and closer to his neck. And so she drank. And so he screamed. ===ᐁ=== “So…” Sparky said to the vampire once the rest of the team had arrived to deal with the body. “Why did we need to be here?” “Vat do you mean?” Butter Streusel answered. “You dealt with that vampire well, it didn’t look like you needed our help.” She smiled. “Do not underestimate sie power of a vooden bolt,” she said with a smile. “Sure,” he said, neither believing her, nor impressed, before walking back to the rest of the team. Spike meanwhile stood by the desiccated body of the vampire and sighed. “Well...she did it, I was just hoping for something a little quicker.” “Sir?” Silver asked. “I wanted a clean kill,” he said, before grabbing the body by the hoof. “Ah well, he’s dead, and the rest of us are still on our hooves. Mission success everyone. Let’s head home.” Silver nodded. “Alright, form up everyone! We’re heading home.” The ponies gathered together, forming ranks to move quickly through the city back to the subtrain they had arrived on, while Spike dragged the vampire to the edge of the dock. Still holding it by the leg, reached back, and with all his draconic strength, threw the body into the air. It spun and cartwheeled, flying up into the foggy sky, before Spike took a deep breath. A jet of green flame shot out, engulfing the body, before it splashed into the sea. And the body continued to burn. It quickly turned to ash as it floated on the surface, ablaze in dragonfire. And Spike stared at it, his face hard. “One day,” he whispered. “One day.”