Freedoms Call

by Bronycommander

Chapter 6 The voice of freedom

“Strange name, but whatever. Climb in.” The Sergeant said to her. Before she did that however, she looked around. The helicopter was a burning wreck, having crashed into the gas station but Goliath had moved out of the way, still intact. But Chung was nowhere to be found.

“Chung? Where are you?” She called out but got no response.

“Who’s Chung?” Walker asked.

“A KPA soldier I was travelling with before that chopper went down. And no, he’s not like the others, but friendly and kind.”

“Sorry, but we didn’t see anyone when we arrived. I guess a patrol found him and took him away, or he got disoriented and leaved. Is that a Goliath drone?” Wally pointed to it.

“Yes but don’t worry, it won’t attack. Hopper made sure of that.”

“Hopper? Hopper Lee?” Walker was puzzled, Scotch nodded. “I know him. How do you got to know him?”

She scratched her back. “It’s a long story.” As she climbed into the tank and saw the interior of it, her eyes went wide, having never a tank before. (Apart from the encounters with the Korean T-99.)

Goliath followed the tank as they moved down the street, while she told her backstory.

“My condolences. You’re lucky, we two are also heading for the east of the USA. Before all this happened, I was a student who attended the University of Southern California. I graduated with a bachelor degree in 2013; however, I later found it difficult to find a job in journalism during the same year when the United States economy broke down. As a result, I worked at a burger joint in Los Angeles.

In 2015, I lost my job as the economic crisis worsened and spent three months bumming around Europe. I returned to the States just in time for the so-called ‘Wal-Mart Riots’. Miraculously, I got into a job as a real reporter for a news website operating out of LA, in which I covered the American harsh winter of 2016-2017, strict interstate immigration laws in Texas, Florida, and California, and the incident in which Texas state troopers killed 14 Chicago youths. In 2018, I married but it didn’t last which ended in an amicable divorce. My mother died in 2020 and my job as a reporter had dried up and I was forced to take whatever employment I could get.

5 years later, I didn't take a positive view towards the Greater Korean Republic which had gained such a strong prominence in the world. My grandfather died in the Korean War, leading to an inherent mistrust in my family. Before the KPA invaded us, I quitted my job. After I witnessed that the GKR invaded us, I left my home town Los Angeles. I got lost in the Mojave Desert where Kelly under the command of Captain Michael Hennings found me. Here, I befriended Wally and we traveled to Las Vegas.

Here, I got to know my second wife, Kelsie Wilcox. I did a broadcast criticizing the Korean occupiers. That resulted that they destroyed the city, I with Kelsie and many others barely escaped the doomed city. We reached St. George in Utah. After a few days, we left and traveled to Bryce Canyon, where I reunited with Wally, but sadly, his Captain was killed. Here, I also got to know Hopper Lee and his Goliath.

We then traveled to Montrose where we met the local Resistance cell led by Boone Karlson. It was here where I became the Voice of Freedom.

As my usefulness had run its course, I and my wife leaved Montrose and traveled to Kansas City where I continued broadcasting for a year. Then, the KPA found us and we barely escaped. However, we discovered faint radio signals coming from across the Mississippi. So I decided to travel across the Mississippi River to learn the fate of the eastern half of the United States. As we reached St. Peters after that.”

Scotch Tape was fascinated and honored, meeting the famous Voice of Freedom in person. “Interesting. What’s your story, Sergeant Wally?”

“Well, we were affected heavily by the Korean cyber-attack. We lost com uplinks with our superiors and were unable to restore order after the EMP attack. So we attempted to repel the Korean invasion, but failed. Many units were forced to fall back inland. My group managed to escape across the Mojave Desert. The group had thirty men but we lost several men in a firefight shortly after, leaving only nineteen. 3 more died due to a strain of the Knoxville Cough. Two were killed in a firefight against a Korean Convoy. But we were later warmly greeted in Las Vegas, yet moved on a week later. By the time we meet Walker again, we were down to twelve. In another firefight, eight men were lost. I then decided to follow Walker and help him to cross the Mississippi River. My remaining man participated in a raid on a KPA supply depot in Denver but got all killed, only I was left. Here, I obtained this M1A3 Abrams tank.” He explained.

“I see. What about your wife, Walker?”

“She stayed behind as she is pregnant.” Scotch Tape grinned upon hearing it.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

The three came across a KPA outpost where Walker and Kelly produced hazmat suits. “Chung made already one for me.” She pointed to her saddle bag and showed her hazmat suit.

“Good. That saves us time. I promise by my honor as sergeant, I will keep you safe and make sure you will reach the east. Chung would have wanted it so.”

That made Scotch Tape unsure, she didn’t knew what happened to him but hoped he was still alive and well. Please, Chung, I hope you’re alright.

Eventually, they reached the New Chain of Rocks Bridge. “Wait!” The foal exclaimed as several red bars appeared on her PipBuck. “We got company!”

The Sergeant used binoculars to see what is was. “They’re using MQ50 MG Wolverines to remotely guard the bridges.” He looked around until he spotted a station between the two bridges. “That station appears to be where they control the drones. Cover your ears.” He climbed into the tank, aimed at the station and fired. Scotch Tape’s ears ringed from the shot but the station was destroyed. The red bars faded as the drones were shutting down.

But new red bars showed up. “Damn it, the KPA is on our tail! Go, I distract them!” Wally shouted.

“All right, it was an honor to fight by your side.” Walker said goodbye and putted his hazmat suit on, Scotch Tape too. The man got on a bicycle. “Climb on.” He said and Scotch Tape wrapped her hooves around his abdomen to make sure she wouldn’t fall off. Looking back, she saw two Koran Humvees closing in and two helicopters with the Korean star on the hull in the sky.

The radiation detector on her PipBuck clicked as they traveled across the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. One of the helicopters destroyed the tank, while the other destroyed the New Chain of Rocks Bridge to prevent Walker from escaping across the Mississippi River. But the plan of Wally worked, as the two confiscated AH-64 Apaches veered away, believing they had killed Walker.

The two Humvees however didn’t fall for it and gave chase. One of them crashed as the driver became incapacitated due to the radiation. Goliath fired at the other Humvee but he dodged the fire and rockets, increasing in speed to run the fugitives down. “That maniac’s gonna run us over!” Scotch Tape exclaimed in fear and shock as the Humvee came closer.

“No, he won’t!” Ben replied as he had planted C4 on the bridge. Calculating the threat, Goliath made an aggressive turn and headed on collision course with the KPA Humvee. The unmanned ground vehicle rammed the hostile vehicle head on, firing rockets on the C4, destroying him and sending the KPA driver to his death into the irradiated river, his car became his radioactive grave.

“He served us well. You can be proud of yourself.” Walker was impressed.

“I am proud. Now, what can we do next?” She wondered.

“I ask myself the same thing.” He replied, wondering what he will do next.

As they crossed the bridge, Scotch Tape saw the deactivated MQ50. Small drones on threads, armed with a with a large-caliber machine gun. They had torn them apart had they been active.

She trembled lightly. Once upon a time, she followed with the others Blackjack into the tunnels under the city. Something bad had happened there. She couldn’t remember what it was, because Blackjack had some medical ponies remove the memory. Whatever she’d seen, whatever had happened, was no longer in her memory.

But the fear remained. That was also why she was afraid of Goliath at first.

Despite this, they reached Illinois. “So this is the still free East.” Walker said as he saw the city. Instead of KPA troops, US troops patrolled the other side. “Stop! Identify yourself!” A US soldier ordered as he aimed at them.

“Ben Walker. And this is a child I saved from the KPA.

The soldier lowered his weapon. “Ben Walker? The Voice of Freedom? Sergeant Kopple informed us you would try to cross the river. Incredible you made it! Speaking of him, where is he?”

“He sacrificed himself so that I could cross the river.” Walker was sad about his death.

“Oh, sorry to hear that. Anyway, let’s get you decontaminated.” After getting decontaminated by having a shower, which was very pleasant for Scotch Tape, they rested.

They both noticed the difference to the west controlled by the KPA. The people here, lived free, without fear, but the consequences of the economic collapse were still there. Rooftop gardens, for fruit and vegetable supplies, abandoned cars on the streets.

The people still had a hard life, but it was still better than under the control of the Koreans.

Now that she had made it into the east of the USA, Scotch Tape wondered what she should do next. She was lying in a field bed of a barrack, trying to get her head free, Walker was doing the same. US soldiers guarded them to guarantee their safety.

“So you’re Ben Walker, the Voice of Freedom?” A soldier walked in, he was a Sergeant.

“Yes, I am. And don’t even think about taking her away.” Walker stood protectively in front of her.

“I would never dream of it. High command is actually impressed by Scotch Tape. I got order to keep her safe at all cost.”

The foal disagreed. “I don’t need a babysitter, I can watch for myself.” Scotch was embarrassed yet upset.

“I understand your feelings, Scotch Tape. But orders are orders. Do you really think you can travel across the USA alone? It’s a large country.”

“I guess you have a point.” She let out a defeated sigh.

“Anyway, we need your help, Walker.”

“Help? How?” He asked surprised.

“The KPA got new toys, prototypes of new weapons as far as I know. They somehow managed to deploy troops here and captured Philadelphia. Our troops tried to free the city but every attack failed, due the new KPA technology. No survivors. But there is resistance.”

“Let me guess, I shall inspire them with my broadcast.”

“Yes and the leader of the resistance there, Jack Parrish, wants to meet you.”

“I see. ASAP I guess?”

The Sergeant nodded. “Correct. My orders are to escort you there. Your little friend can come too if she wants.”

Scotch Tape stood up. “I help in any way I can.”

“Good. You can call me Tanner. Let’s go.”

They moved out in a Humvee, escorted by two LAV-25s. Sergeant Tanner explained the situation. “Our attacks in the hope of driving the KPA out had been Bitter Street fighting, leaving much of the city in ruins. The Resistance hides in the ruins of the city. An extraction team waits for you in Edgware at an abandoned gas station.”

They arrived in the cover of the night. “All right, here we are. Good luck you two.” The soldiers leaved them, after they got out.

Scotch Tape looked on her PipBuck. Three yellow bars in the gas station. “They’re here.”

“Good. Leave the talking to me.” Walker walked into the station. She heard muffled voices for a minute, then Walker waved at her to get in. A radio was on.

“…however many years, however many lives, we will endure and we will fight and we will be victorious!” It was Walker’s voice, he looked at a wanted poster of himself. Scotch Tape took a look at it.

He putted it aside and turned the radio off. “It’s kind of surreal hearing your broadcast with you standing right here.” One of the three resistance member said to him. “Oh, hi, you must be Scotch Tape. I’m Vance Olmstead, this is Elon Cole and this is his wife Jill Cole.” He pointed to the woman who watched out of the window, looking out for trouble.

“Pleasure.” She replied.

“Man, I’d love to do a speech like that, really inspire people. When they make a movie of all of this they better cast me as Walker.” Elon was excited of Benjamin’s work.

“If Hollywood still exists.” Vance countered as Los Angeles’s movie industry closed down as it could no longer afford in making a product and the city under the Korean occupation became a Propaganda Capital of the Greater Korean Republic, thanks to utilizing Hollywood and other major media centers. He looked on a map.

“Okay, this should make it clearer, let’s go over it one more time.”

The Afro-American grabbed a Rubber duck. “So, this is us?” This caused Scotch Tape to chuckle.

“No, what?” Vance grabbed the duck in disbelief of what he just heard. “No, we’re here! This duck is the checkpoint! And this is Greentree. See? I mean it’s not to scale obviously.”

“Jill, this look right to you? Aren’t we the duck?” Elon asked his wife.

“Elon you need to focus on the mission.” She countered annoyed by him.

“The truck picks us up here and smuggles us through the checkpoint into the Yellow Zone. Once in Greentree we deliver you to Harv’s cell, and he’ll take you on to Parrish.” Vance explained to Walker.

“We’ve been really careful, I mean it’s not everyday someone like you comes into town.” Elon tried to assure to Walker that they were very careful not to be caught.

“You talk like we’re home and dry, Elon. A hundred things could go wrong.” His wife warned him.

Elon asked his friend what was bothering her, Vance replied “What do you think? She’s your wife…go talk to her.” As Elon walked over to his wife, Vance turned to Walker again. “I’m really glad you’re here, Walker. If you can start the revolution, maybe we can kick out the KPA, get things back to normal. Heck, why think small. We’ll make it better than before. But I know you’re taking a big risk coming here. I want you to know we’ll do whatever it takes to get you and Scotch Tape into Philly safely. You can count on us.”

Scotch Tape smiled, knowing she could trust them, as Walker picked a M9 from the table and cocked it.

“Guys, the truck’s here.” Jill pointed to a KPA troop transport that stopped outside.

“We’re all set, come on people, let’s move.” Walker walked outside, followed by the resistance members and Scotch Tape.

As they got outside, one of the Americans got out of the truck. “Come on, quick. I think I saw movement back there.”

The horn of a truck sounded and a fuel truck with a skull painted on the trailer came out of nowhere, stopping behind the KPA truck.

Several red bars appeared on the foal’s PipBuck, Ben pulled Scotch behind a crate he used for cover. Both peeked carefully out, spotting two men in black hoodies on a container, one of them had a RPG.

“Nine Oh! Eat this!” The one with the RPG fired on the KPA truck, the explosion knocked Scotch to the ground.

“Ambush!” Vance shouted and fired his MP7, Elon his M4.

“It’s not KPA. Who are they?!” he shouted as more hostiles moved in, opening fire.

Walker fired his pistol as the filly got up. You ok?” He asked as he reloaded.

“I’m fine.” She stayed down. One enemy charged at Benjamin, he reacted by kicked his opponent’s weapon out of his hands, then rammed his knife into his attacker’s throat. After that, all enemies were defeated.

Walker looted the bodies for ammo as Scotch Tape came out of cover. The hostiles wore gas masks with a red skull pointed on it, ski masks, some of them wore balaclavas. It reminded her of raiders.

“That’s the last of them.” The woman reloaded her shotgun.

“What just happened? Her husband was shocked.

They regrouped at a wreckage of a school bus. “We go to the backup plan.” Jill said as she lifted a barricade with Walker up.

“All of you stay calm, ok? I’ve been in worse spots than this.” Walker said after all crawled through. Getting out at the back of the bus they came to a catwalk, a metro sign could be seen in the distance. Elon and Vance scouted ahead.

“Okay Walker and Scotch Tape, here’s the plan. You see that Metro sign? The line runs directly into Greentree right under the boots of the KPA and their damn walls. Now, we have to get under the station without drawing more attention so no shooting, ok? Just stay close and keep quiet and everything will be okay.”

“No guns, got it. I’ll follow your lead.”

“Got it.” Scotch replied.

“Damn, airship’s coming, let’s move.” Cole pointed to the sky. Scotch Tape looked in awe at the KPA airship. It had a spotlight that looked more like a sensor. She had once read that humanity used airships in their own Great War, later known as the First World War. But after that and a terrible catastrophe, it’s golden era came to an end. It wondered her why the KPA would still use them.

As they moved, Vance radioed in. “Jill, we’re trying to sneak past by the KPA patrols, but we had to take one out.”

“Just be careful.” They came to an abandoned garage, a destroyed car and truck with trailer next to it on the car park. They used the trailer for cover. Their ears pricked to the sound of a faint but rapid clicking, a whirring even, as a bizarre contraption met their gaze, honing into view like an great metal insect.

Built like a small helicopter, it’s great eye glowed electric blue and was about as large as a human head, kept aloft by a large propeller atop it. Above that were a conjoined trio of curved metal panels that shielded its engine and cooling systems. A bright yellow grate surrounded its base for when it required landing safely.

A Seeker Drone, a simple and effective surveillance unit that often meant trouble for those deemed 'troublingly unsatisfied' with the way the KPA did things in Philadelphia.

“Seeker. If we’ve seen, it’s all over. Scotch peeked around the corner. The Seeker was a small Korean drone, looking similar to a helicopter, using Rotor blades to fly and scanned a destroyed Seeker drone, still burning and a dead KPA soldier next to it with its spotlight like scanner before flying away.

“Jill, head through the container, but watch out for the left; there’s snipers.” Vance warned.

Jill looted the body. “If we keep killing soldiers, they’ll realize something’s up. We can’t risk being detected.”

“And you could kill Chung.” Scotch Tape added unconsciously.

“I will promise I will try not to kill him should we encounter him, Scotch.” Walker stroked her mane as they moved through the container that was marked with a blue glow stick.

“There’s KPA up ahead. Looks like Vance’s handiwork is drawing attention.”

At a teared up street, two burnt out M1A3 wrecks on the still intact parts, a leftover from the battle with the US forces. A KPA soldier talked into his radio, a Seeker drone scanned the area.

“We could try and knife him or find a way past him. Your call.”

As the Seeker flew away, Walker sneaked up, held a hand over the soldier’s mouth to keep him from screaming and rammed a knife into his throat. Just like back in Montrose, Scotch Tape hoped the killed soldier wasn’t Chung.

“I’ll never get used to that. Come on, over here.” Jill took the lead and leaded them to an exposed sewer tunnel, marked by a glow stick.

“Jill, when you get to the road, look for an exposed sewer tunnel and follow it. Dropping a couple of glow sticks for you.” Elon informed.

Inside, it was dark, so the foal activated her PipBuck flashlight.

The track of glow sticks leaded to a basement, a dead KPA soldier was lying against the wall, a glow stick in his hand. On a shelf was a journal, curious Scotch Tape read it.

Decisions

Bad day today. My legs hurting like hell. It’s definitely infected and I have exactly zero meds left.

I thought I saw other scavengers but when I got closer they were armed to the teeth and I didn’t like how they were talking so I stayed out of sight.

Could be I can trade for meds with them but more likely they’ll just kill me.

It’s a tough spot alright. I’ll see how the leg is in the morning.

I wonder what he did. Scotch Tape thought before they moved up the stairs.

The room upstairs used to an office, a KPA soldier with a tag light on his weapon had his back to them, a hole in the wall to his right, a Seeker scanned it. Walker took him out.

“Smoothly done.” Jill commented.

They got out and into a backyard, Walker helped the foal on the container so they could get on the roof. “The metro’s just to the right. Keep low. Airship! Quick, undercover!” They ran under a sign on the roof. “Watch out for the airship beam.” She warned. “I guess you do this stuff all the time.”

“Yeah, way too often.” Walker replied.

“I not so often.” Scotch Tape added, trying to get used to that.

They climbed over a wall to the next roof after the Airship has passed by. “There’s the metro.” But a KPA Sniper scanned the area from the same roof they were on. “Sniper overlooking the entrance. Can’t see a way past. Take her out, Walker. Quickly and quietly.”

He stabbed the female sniper into the back and shoved her off the roof.

“The things we do to each other…” The woman mumbled.

“Worse part is, it gets easier.”

Ducking behind a wall, they could see the gate that lead into Greentree, KPA soldiers watched prisoners in orange suits working on the debris. There was also a Goliath, it looked different compared to the one Hopper had used. It had only a turret but had more advanced armor and was larger, black in color, red and blue lights flashed on it. The lights and color made it looking similar to the vehicles used by SWAT teams. Also, the drone looked identical to the one that chased Scotch Tape in her nightmare. She trembled lightly at the memory. Walker noticed this and patted her. “Don’t worry, we keep you safe.” She smiled in return.

“Beyond that gate is Greentree Yellow Zone and your rendezvous at Harvey’s safehouse. Without the truck we can’t go through it so we use the subway and go underneath the wall. The line runs right under that gate.” Their leader explained as a building in the distance got demolished, crumbling down. “They’re demolishing all the buildings. Soon this entire area will be flat, barren wasteland. So much for helping to rebuild America.”

“That was never gonna happen.” Ben replied.

“Let’s get inside and find Elon and Vance.” The two humans removed a barricade.

“At least we should be through the worst of it now.” Walker commented.

“Let’s hope so.” Scotch Tape added.

As they got inside, Elon warned, “Jill, Walker, Scotch, I don’t think we’re alone down here.”

“That gang that hit us. The Nine Oh. Looks like this is where they live.” Vance reported.

“And they don’t welcome visitors. We should get out of here.” Elon added.

“We can’t, there’s no other way to get into the Yellow Zone. Maybe they attacked us by mistake. We were using a KPA truck after all. If we tell them we’re Resistance…”

I don’t think that’s gonna work, Jill. Scotch Tape thought as she saw the graffiti that said 90s or die.

“Wait till you see the barricade, Jill. Their views on Resistance are pretty clear.” Vance replied.

“Christ’s sake, can anything else go wrong.” She complained.

“Trust me, it can always get worse.” Walker replied.

“I can relate to that.” The foal added, trying to stay calm due what happened in the tunnel in her home world.

“I’m really sorry about this.” Jill felt guilty.

“It’s not on you. It’s war. If this was easy, everyone would be doing it.” Walker didn’t blame her.

At the blocked entrance, there was a dead KPA soldier and a dead resistance member, both pierced on spears.

Like the Survivalists in Utah or raiders back home, or…whatever. Just my luck.

“Ok, Vance’s right, we won’t making a deal with those guys.” Jill commented as she saw the bodies.

After removing another barricade they came to the subway tunnel where Elin waited at a gate.

“Let me fill you guys in. The Yellow Zone is down this tunnel but the Nine Oh have sealed it off. Guess they didn’t want KPA coming through from Greentree. There’s no other way past, we have to get this gate open.” The tunnel rumbled from an explosion above. “Damn! We need to do it before the whole damn tunnel collapses.” He pointed to a cable on the ground. “See this cable? Vance went to see where it leads; he thinks there might be a generator nearby. Me and Jill will watch for more Nine Oh coming down from the surface. Walker, can you go help Vance find the generator? None of us should be alone here…”

“Okay, I’ll go help him look.”

“And I?” Scotch Tape asked not sure what she should do.

“I don’t want to put you into danger but you could help us find and activate the generator with your skills. Just stay by my side.”

“Okay Walker, I’ll follow your lead.” She felt safe with him.

They walked deeper into the metro station where Vance waited at a locked door. “See this cable? It goes down the tunnel, the generator must be deeper in. We have to get this door open.”

“Let’s take a look around, see if we can find something to use.” Walker suggested.

“Check upstairs, I’ll search down here.”

On the other platform, Scotch Tape and Walker carefully walked up a staircase, coming to a Workbench where a bolt cutter was lying on. “That should do it. Walker, I think I have found what we need.” Scotch shined her light on it.

“Good found. That should do the trick. Vance we’re in business.” He grabbed the tool.

“Great, get back here.” Vance replied.

After getting down and opening the door, they walked through a decommissioned train cart, deeper into the tunnel.

“I really wish we didn’t have to do this. I just hope we can sneak to the generator and get out before they can react.” Vance was a little bit scared.

“Yeah maybe we’re due some luck.” Walker replied as the tunnel rumbled again, the explosion was closer. “Then again…”

“The explosions are getting closer. I don’t know how longer the roof’s going to say up. Life’s never been boring these days, huh? Always new and exciting ways to get killed.” Vance took the lead with his flashlight.

“A new way every day, that’s been my experience.” Walker noticed that Scotch Tape was feeling uncomfortable as she trembled a little.

“Once, I and my friends walked through a tunnel like this. Something bad happened back then. I-I just don’t want to die down here! I just want to return to my daddy in one piece!” She was frustrated.

“There’s no shame in being scared, Scotch Tape. And I promise I will get you out of here alive, safe and sound.”

“Appreciated.” She relaxed a little bit.

“I know how it feels to fear for someone. My neighbor, Rudy Gomez, lived with his family hills north of Mulholland Drive. We often shared food and supplies. Rudy was the owner of a lucrative burger franchise until he lost it in the wake of the economic recession. After the detonation of the Korean EMP, electronics of all kinds were disabled. As food grew scarce, Rudy fell into a deep depression, refusing to leave the house. As I didn’t hear anything from him and his family I became worried and looked after them. He had killed his family and himself. But because of that, I will do everything I can to keep you alive.”

“Glad to hear it.” She smiled at Walker.

They came to a switch the cable divided.

“Ah, damn, the cable divides here and we don’t have time to waste following the wrong one. I don’t like it but we’re going to have to split up.”

“Okay, I’ll and Scotch Tape take the left tunnel, you take the right.”

“Ok. Here I’ll help you move this.” Vance lifted the barricade up, so Scotch and Walker could get through.

“We’ll let you know if we find the generator. Good luck!” Walker said after he got through. They climbed into a train car. As Scotch walked forward to the other end, a trap got activated. A plank littered with knifes came down, Walker just barely managed to pull Scotch Tape back. “That was close. Thanks.” She let out a sigh of relief as the plank got pulled back into position.

“You’re welcome. These guys are crazy. Vance, watch yourself, they’re got traps set.” He warned him via radio.

“Traps? Great.” Vance complained.

They moved on along the railway tracks, making a left turn through a destroyed fence and got through another cart. At the other end was a hallway with a huge cage and bats in a dispenser machine. “What is this place? Cage fights? And to the death by the looks of it.” Walker commented.

“Great. First traps, now this.” The tunnel rumbled again. “Question is, do I die by this or by the collapsing tunnel? Just like Raiders and the Survivalists.” Scotch Tape deadpanned, looking at the cage in disgust.

In a backroom was what appeared to be a jail. “Hey everyone if it comes to it, don’t let them take you alive. You won’t like what happens.” Walker warned the Coles’.

“Understood.” Jill acknowledged, her husband did not understand.

“Understood? What happens?”

“They’ll make us fight and kill each other.” Walker explained.

“Understood.” Elon got it.

Scotch Tape found a Journal entry in one of the cells.

What separates us?

There are things worse than dying.

I killed a man with my hands so I would live. Strangled him while they shouted and stamped and screamed for more blood.

Saw my humanity stripped back to its animal core.

But I am not a beast, and I can make a choice.

I’ll die a man.

“Oh my…goodness.” The foal was shocked and terrified, not wanting to fight Walker or the others in a fight to the death.

“Scotch Tape, we need to move. I will make sure they won’t capture us. You don’t deserve to die like this.”

“Thanks, Walker. What’s a robot doing here?” She pointed to a robot built out of scrap and cans, with a bottle in his left hand, sitting in an armchair in front of a TV. It had a bullet bill from the Mario games on the left side of the head.

“Seems so. Funny about the bullet bill though.” Walker chuckled as he saw it.

Scotch Tape couldn’t help but chuckle too as she saw it, despite not knowing it.

They got back to the tracks and moved deeper into the tunnel, past the entrance to Lombard. The filly found another journal entry on a bench.

Tripwire

The boss came to me last night after the bandit attack and asked me about my rat traps.

He wanted to know how I made the trip mechanism and how I kept the springs working.

I was confused why he was suddenly so interested until he asked me if I could make traps to protect the tunnels against bandits.

I told him it was possible. What was I thinking?! I’ve no idea how to build traps for people. I used to build drones as a hobby and found a way to turn those skills to rat catching for food.

Now I’m supposed to build traps ten times bigger that are designed to kill people. I know it’s important to keep the tunnels clear and to protect our people from attacks. I know we don’t have enough guards to watch the tunnels all the time, so I get it why the boss had the idea, I just don’t know if I am up to it.

I’ve come up with a few rough ideas so far I think might work. One’s very basic and also a bit gruesome, but I think the boss will approve.

The other might need some work. I want to try and create some kind of deterrent that uses fire.

If I can give these invaders a choice of turning back or walking into a wall of fire, I think they’ll pick the sensible option.

Okay, that’s just sick! She thought disgusted. The tunnel rumbled again.

One part of the tunnel was blocked by train carts, so walker helped Scotch Tape on the roof of one of the carts. Her PipBuck showed 5 red bars. “Light out.” He ordered quietly, she nodded.

At the other end, they saw five 9-O members walking into the station, a hole was in the roof, light shined in, a Black APC, still smoking, had come through the hole, destroyed. It was a Dodge Ram of the fourth Generation, once used by the SWAT team, now used by the KPA. The Truck had kept its original emergency lights, but the “SWAT” inscription was removed and a machine gun turret on the roof, remotely controlled by an operator inside.

“Spider, we got some intruders in the tunnels and…what happened to the roof?!” One member couldn’t believe what he saw.

“KPA are blasting above. This APC came right through. Gave Tyler a shock.” Another member explained.

“Where is he?”

“Underneath it.”

“So what was going on in the tunnel?”

“I think another scavenger wandered in.”

“People really should learn to read the warning signs…have they been dealt with?”

“I triggered the spikes. I’ll take care of the body once we’re done here.”

“Alright. Get stripping this car down then, I want everything out in one hour.

“Alright, alright.” They went to work, having their backs to the two intruders.

“Stay behind me, low and quiet.” Walker whispered, she nodded.

They jumped down into another cart to the left, sneaking past the Nine-Oh who had a conversation.

“Spider, the whole damn place is coming down. We got to get out.”

“Are you tripping? We’re the Nine Oh! This is our place! No one takes it from us, you hear me? You hear me!?”

“Alright man, alright. I hope the supply run come back soon; I’m starving.”

Yeah. Food’s been bad for days. Never thought I’d be excited to eat basic food rations but it sure beats rats.”

“Let’s just hope they find something. The runs into KPA territory are getting harder thanks to these walls. Soon maybe we can’t get in at all.”

“The boss will have a plan when that time comes.”

“We might have to leave the subway for good.”

“No way. This is our home. Our turf.”

“Someone must have some shine stashed. We need to kick back a while.” A member talked to himself.

“I don’t like these explosions. They could dig us out. Staying here is crazy. It’s all gonna come down.”

“We need to get the cages full again. It’s damn boring without the fights.” A member complained.

“If the Boss is talking about leaving then I say he’s gone soft. I wouldn’t be running away. Maybe he needs to be retired.”

“If we leave our turf, that’s our edge gone. It’s bad news.” Another Nine Oh member mumbled as he stood guard inside a train cart, before Ben took him out. The others didn’t notice it.

Scotch Tape and Walker sneaked to the other side of the decommissioned subway train. However, an enemy blocked the way further, so the Voice of Freedom threw a brick he found at the other side, where they had entered. “What was that?” The guard wondered and investigated.

The two trespassers used this to sneak past, getting into another train, then back into the tunnel. “I am wondering why they call themselves Nine Oh.” Scotch Tape found that name strange.

“As far as I know, this is the 90^th street Metro, that’s why I think they call themselves so.” Walker replied.

Another explosion caused the tunnel to rumble as they walked past a train cart that had fell on his left side and got through a cart that was upside down.

The cable leaded to a stolen like exit to the left outside of the metro. A spotlight got on and blended the foal. She shielded her eyes “What the?”

“End of the line!” A 9-0 member yelled and laughed. Walker picked her up and made a sprint to the entrance as the spotlight belonged to an armored car the 0-9 had somehow stolen from the KPA and modified.

“We can’t deal with that!”

“Yes Walker. Ok, these guys are more dangerous and crazy then the Survivalists in Utah.” Scotch Tape took a deep breath after Walker putted her down.

“Get outta my house! You’re dead! You hear me!? You and your friends are dead!” the driver shouted.

The exit leaded outside to a collapsed part of a highway, car wrecks littered the debris. “Vance, there’s some kind of armored car down here! We’re trying to get past it.”

“Watch yourself.” He replied to Walker.

The man used his bolt cutter to open a yellow container where he found a crossbow and a 4x sight which he putted on the crossbow. “This looks useful and could come in handy, taking them quietly out from a distance.”

Vance radioed in. “Damn, Walker, Scotch Tape, there’s a cave in ahead of me, I can’t get any further in. I’ll have to head back to Jill and Elon at the gate, it’s up to you to find the generator.”

“Great. How do we get past this armored car?” Scotch Tape looked on her PipBuck, the red bar reversed as they came to another entrance.

“We distract it.” The man built a firecracker out of chemicals and an igniter. He threw it behind the car, the turret turned 180 Degree and fired at the distraction, giving them a chance to get into a train car on the other side on the right.

There was open ground between the next subway car, the Armored car had a free line of fire there.

“We got only one chance, run. You ready?” Walker picked her up again. She didn’t mind it at all.

“Ready.” Walker made a sprint the bullets of the turret missed him and Scotch Tape by inches.

“You can’t run forever, we’ll find you!” the driver shouted but the way was blocked by debris as the two intruders got out of the other side of the car.

The foal blew a raspberry. “Try it, looks like you lost, armored car driver!” she taunted as Walker putted her down.

The tunnel was rumbling again, littered with debris. As they came to a train car, Buried by debris, blocking any way further in, Jill reported.

“Walker, Scotch Tape, we got Nine Oh here! We hold them off, find that generator!” gunfire filled the background.

“I’m coming, Jill, hold on!” Vance ran as fast as he could.

“We better hurry, I don’t think they will last long.” Scotch Tape was worried.

“Agreed.”

The cable leaded to the left, through another stolen, to an underground car park. They heard voices in the distance. Several red bars showed also up in the distance.

“You know what he’s like. Most unreliable runner the Nine Oh has. Heck knows why the boss gave him a team.”

“I hear you, brother. He only got the gig because they play Poker together. The guy’s too friendly with the boss for my likening.”

Several abandoned cars were still in the car park, Walker found a Pump action shotgun in the back of a white van. Another explosion caused the tunnel to rumble.

At the other side was a hole it the wall that leaded to a camp of the 9-0.

“Stay here, while I take them out.”

“Okay Walker, I wait here.” Scotch Tape waited in cover at the hole, watching Walker’s movement on her PipBuck. The yellow bar moved behind a red bar, the red bar faded after a few seconds. One down, six left. She counted mentally but another red bar appeared. It was the armored car, moving back and forth to find Walker.

“Damn, the tunnels not gonna hold. What’s the boss saying?” A 9-0 member asked another member.

“He says we’ll move down the line. Take our stuff and go. Tunnels are tunnels, right?”

“But this is our place. We all grew up right here. 90^th street is who we are. Everything I did I did right here.”

“If you stay here it’ll be the last thing you do. We’ll find another home, expand our turf.”

“Listen up! We’ve got resistance in the tunnels! They’re heading this way! Find them and kill them! Now! Move!” A third member shouted, giving orders.

Watching the red bars, one after another vanished until only the armored car and two 9-0 members were left.

Seeing a chance to get in without being detected, she dared to sneak in, seeing the armored car driving back and forth, shining his spotlight to the left, then to the right, but she avoided detection by using the boxes and water canister as cover.

“We’re gonna find you! We’re killing you friends while you hide here, coward! Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!” the driver shouted via megaphone.

Seriously though, what’s with that whole kitty, kitty, kitty junk? That’s so dumb! The foal thought as she stayed in cover while the APC scanned the area of the tunnel end, then moved as the car moved back into the tunnel. Repeating this, she could get up the stairs without being seen.

“Don’t kill them, keep them for the cage. If you come out now, we won’t kill you!” a 9-0 shouted, Scotch Tape wondered if they meant her or Walker.

At the top, she saw said 9-0 dead and another looking at a whiteboard where a map was drawn on, Walker sneaked up on him.

“It’s Stupid, no way anyone gets this deep in. That’s where we need to go. Practically untouched. We’ll be in easy street again.” The Nine Oh spoke to himself before Walker slit his throat. He turned around and was surprised.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay back?”

“You took most of them out, so I had a free way.”

“I got your point. Just stay close.”

The man built a pipe bomb out of a battery and Propellant he had found in the camp. “We have to take out that truck.”

He threw the remote explosive over the railing when the car couldn’t see it. The pipe bomb landed on the Railway line. As the car reversed, driving over the bomb, Walker activated it with his phone.

“We’re taking damage!” The driver shouted, Scotch Tape could see that the armored car was smoking, no. lightly burning, but it didn’t appear to affect it at all. But after two more bombs, the car exploded and the driver let out a distorted scream, caused by the explosion and flames.

“Jesus.” Walker commented, the tunnel rumbled once more.

“Walker, Scotch Tape, we’re ok we won but the explosions are really close. The whole tunnel’s shaking up here, you have to hurry.” Jill reported.

“You heard her, let’s move.” Walker cut a chain that held a door to a backroom closed, where the cable leaded.

“There’s the generator,” Scotch pointed to it and pushed the button. With a whirring powering up sound, he came to life. The tunnel rumbled more violent in rapid succession

“Damn that explosion was right above us, feels like the tunnels gonna collapse! You got to get back here now! Move it!” Jill shouted.

“Come on, it’s all coming down, you gotta move!” Elon added.

In the tunnel on the far left was a motorcycle. Walker got in and started the engine. “Climb on, we don’t have much time!”

“I know!” she wrapped her hooves around his abdomen as he drove up a ramp on a roof of a train car, then then on the ground again.

Small explosions in the ceiling of the tunnel caused small debris to fall down.

Walker used another ramp to get on a train and back to the ground, 9-0 members fired their weapons at them but missed, while other tried to escape the tunnel as Scotch Tape and Walker drove past the destroyed APC.

They had to drive through a train, the windows cracked by the explosions.

Driving past more Nine Oh bandits, Scotch Tape yelled, “Narrow! Very Narrow!” As they drove through another train, the tunnel rumbled violently.

“Out of our way!” Walker yelled as they passed more Nine Oh members.

After using more ramps and driving through more train cars, the foal could see the gate in the distance. “There’s the gate! Come on Ben, you can do it!” She motivated him, not wanting to get crushed.

Just as they drove through the gate, the tunnel above them collapsed. “Damn!” Walker had to jump off, Scotch Tape couldn’t react in time.

The bike flipped over, sending her flying forward. She landed hard on her chest, letting out a cry of pain “Ow! Uhh…” She got up, patting the dust of her, coughing from it too.

Turning around, she saw that the collapsed tunnel had separated her from Walker.

“Walker, you still there?” Scotch Tape tried to call out to the other side.

“I’m ok, I’m ok. I can’t remove the debris, I’m sorry.” It was lightly dimly due the debris.

“Don’t be, I will try to find another way out of here. Wish me luck.”

“Will do. And Scotch Tape, be careful.”

“I will.” As Walker’s footsteps became quieter, Scotch looked into the tunnel that was still intact. “Tunnels! Why it is always tunnels! I hope there aren’t more of those Bandits! Or KPA machines!” She exclaimed in a frustrated tone, almost freaked.

“Okay, deep breath, calm down. What would Blackjack do? What would daddy do? Stay calm and find a way out.” The filly equipped her pistol in case some of the 9-0 had made it through here. What she noticed was, for some reason, she could grab the M9 pistol Chung had given her, with her hoof without any problems. Back in Equestria, guns for Earth ponies had a mouth grip, so they could use them. Her father’s primary weapon was a grenade launcher, designed to be used by Earth Ponies. Her father always noted how natural it felt when using it.

For a pistol made for a human to use, she had first the idea of picked up the weapon with her teeth, standing on her hind legs, using the tip of her forehooves to pull the trigger, but threw that thought away, as it was very unpractical for a pony and hard to do it.

While she couldn’t understand how the magic made it possible to pick up things with her hooves, she didn’t want to know how it worked.

It was dark, only the flashlight of her PipBuck illuminated it. After a while, she smelled smoke and saw light.

Smoke? She wondered until she came closer. The tunnel had leaded her to another station of the subway which was on fire, burning trains on the tracks.

Just what I needed. Like that destroyed subway level in Syphon Filter. The track was blocked by a burning train, so she climbed on the station platform. The exit here was also blocked by flames, so she walked to the other side of the platform.

Suddenly a yellow bar appeared on her PipBuck, flashing from yellow to red, then back to yellow, then red again. The bar was according to the E.F.S in front of her, but she couldn’t see anything due the fire. One problem of the E.F.S was that it only showed lifeforms in a plane parallel to the ground. Vertical height is not given, which can make it difficult to determine the exact location of the lifeforms in multistory buildings. “What’s wrong with this thing? Red, yellow, Red, yellow, what is the meaning of this?”

The flashing bar moved towards her. “Ah! Aah! AAAAAAH! AAAAAAAARGH! AAAAAAAAAARRREEEEGH!” It was a KPA soldier, running out of the flames, lit ablaze, screaming in terror.

Scotch Tape panicked, trying to take aim, backing up, shaking. She understood why the E.F.S was glitching, the soldier actually didn’t mean harm, it was a basic human instinct, the pain that caused this behavior. The M9 made only a clicking sound as she had forgot in her panic to take the safety off.

The filly tripped, falling on her back. She crawled backwards to get away, the soldier collapsed in front of her, with the fire extinguishing itself shortly thereafter.

After a minute, she got her breathing under control, stood up, getting her sidearm. “By Celestia, that was close…” Her breathing became slowly calmer. “Ok, it appears that I’m not alone down here.”

The KPA soldier was burned beyond recognition, so she couldn’t tell if it was Chung but hoped it wasn’t him. I hope you’re safe, Chung.

The exit at the side where the soldier had come from was collapsed. “I hope there is still an exit that hasn’t collapsed. Her ears perked up as she heard two voices.

“Okay, let me get this right. They send us down here to take care of the Nine Oh, then decide to bomb the tunnels to bury them in their base?”

“Yeah, while we’re still down here! Think some of them survived?”

“Nah, don’t think so. But we’re better being careful.” Both voices were Korean. Looking on her PipBuck, the bars were yellow and around the corner. But none of them sounded like Chung.

It worth a try. She leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, holstered her weapon and turned around the corner. “Stop!” One of the soldiers ordered in English, blinding her white his Tag light.

“Don’t shoot!” She tried to negotiate. The soldiers lowered their weapons. They both wore red beanies instead of helmets and were armed with T3AK rifles.

“A Talking pony?” One of them asked confused.

“Must be that foal everyone’s been talking about.”

“Can we make a deal? We put our differences aside, we have a better chance of survival together. I help you out of here, in return you let me alive.” It wasn’t the best idea but she couldn’t get up with something better so fast.

“Kill you? We would never harm someone like you. Let’s get out of here, I’m Lim, this is my brother Gim. We’re born in South Korea before the GKR was founded.”

“Uh-huh.” The soldiers helped her on a burning train to get past the flames. Three red bars appeared on her right after they reached the other end of the train and jumped down.

“Make them pay for destroying our home!” A Nine Oh member shouted as he opened fire, missing them though.

Gim pushed Scotch down to keep her from getting hit, then returned fire with his brother.

Scotch Tape noticed how terrible the Nine Oh’s aim was, so they got quickly killed. The Koreans looted the bodies.

“Are there more of them?” Lim scanned the area.

“As far as my PipBuck shows, no.”

“Good.” He and his brother helped her to get up a ledge sticking out of the wall, then climbing some more ledges up.

At the other end, they found a still intact passage to the surface. “Ah, finally, a still intact way to the surface. Gim opened the door.

“Incoming!” his brother shouted as several red bars on the PipBuck closed in. A group of 9-0 members tried to storm their position.

“Scotch Tape, go, we’ll hold them off as long as we can!”

“But...”

“No buts, we follow when we can, I’m not planning on dying down here. Go!” Lim ordered as he fired as the hostiles.

“Thank you.” She thanked them, doubting she would see them again as she moved up the stairs.

She came up into an abandoned street, it was night and raining. “I hope this is Greentree Yellow Zone. I better find some shelter, not that I catch a cold in this rain.” She saw a house nearby, the door was not barricaded like the other houses.

Her PipBuck showed four yellow bars inside the house. “Here goes nothing.”

She slowly opened the door. “Hello?” She called out as nobody could be seen.

Someone closed the door with force. “Freeze! Don’t move!” Scotch Tape obeyed, not moving a muscle.

“Don’t shoot, Walker sent me!” she tried to explain.

“Wait, Walker?” The voice behind her asked confused. Then three humans, two male and a female came out of their hiding places.

“That must the foal Walker mentioned. He said he would come in with her. Scotch Tape, right?”

“Uh-huh? And you are?”

“I’m Harvey, this is Mary and this Ethan Brady. Where’s Walker?”

“We got separated but he should be here soon.”

“If you say so, get some rest, you earned it.” Mary pointed to a couch. The young pony couldn’t complain, after all that sneaking she needed some rest.

After she was comfortable, the three resistance members made explosives on Workbenches, having a conversation, while the fourth watched the window, serving as lookout.

“That damn guy. He calls us terrorists? After what he’s done?” Harley asked Brady.

“He wouldn’t be so confident if he knew Walker was right here in Philly.” Mary replied.

“Yeah. Walker’s really gonna stir things up. How long ‘till he’s due?”

“Five minutes. Hope one of those new drones doesn’t scan him. Are we ready?”

“Think so. Damn hope so. It’s something, eh, Brady? Only been what, three days with us? And you’re gonna meet Walker in person. He’s the whole reason I’m here.”

“He’s inspired all of us. Brady, can you pass me some gas?” Mary asked him.

Brady walked over to her with a gas canister.

“Thanks.” Mary walked over to Scotch Tape. “I heard a little about what happened in Montrose, I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re here with us.”

“Thank you.”

Suddenly, several red bars appeared on Scotch’s PipBuck, she jumped off the couch in alert.

“Hey guys, there’s something weird. The streets deserted.” The lookout noticed too that something was wrong.

“What?” Harley was surprised.

“Damn, is it us?” Mary asked the lookout.

“Damn, Walker’s gonna be here any minute.” Harley realized how bad it was.

“Armored car!” Brady heard the siren of an armored car, Scotch Tape saw emergency lights outside as said armored car stopped outside.

“It’s a raid!” Mary exclaimed as a shot from outside hit the lookout in the head, he stumbled for a few seconds before falling to the ground in a puddle of blood.

A tear gas grenade was thrown in. “Out! Get out!” Harley ordered.

Scotch Tape wasted no time and made a run for the door but the KPA troops kicked it open as she reached it. She stumbled backwards by the force, landed on her back, blacking out.

“Ugh…” She regained slowly consciousness with a blurred vision. Once her vision was clear, she looked around.

The room she was in seemed to be a backroom, Scotch Tape was restrained on a chair. Brady, Harley and Brady were not here.

W-here I am? W-what do they want from me? She wondered as she had flashbacks from the time in the Survivalist camp and the mass arrests and executions back in Montrose.

The foal couldn’t help but gulp as she heard footsteps.

A man in a grey overall, followed by a KPA soldier walked in.

“Hello, thank you for waiting so patiently. We can get started now.” The man checked a toolbox on a table before turning back to her. “So, you are gonna tell me where I can find Benjamin Walker.”

She gathered all her courage. “I’m afraid you wasting your time. Last thing I heard Walker was in Illinois.”

“Pity. But still, you might be able to help me in another way.”

“H-how?” She didn’t like where this was going.

“Well, we need a mule in the resistance, so we can be one step ahead of them.”

“And why should I help you?” She was suspicious.

“Simple. I can confirm that your friends survived the bombing of Montrose. But one phone call and they’re dead.” His expression went serious.

That waked an old memory in her mind. Once upon a time, Blackjack got blind and disabled because she used a weapon that contaminated her. Some bandits used this to do some bad things to her. Scotch Tape was able to hide, but that forced her to listen to Blackjack's screams, filling her with guilt. Knowing that Kate had lost her husband already, she knew that the mother couldn’t take it if she would lose Amy, or the other way around. Scotch Tape could never forgive herself if she would be responsible for their deaths.

So, she submitted. “O-okay, I’ll do it. Just…don’t hurt them.” She recoiled, her voice was sad and meek, knowing it wasn’t right but she had to do it to keep them safe.

“Good. I assure you, they won’t be harmed. Don’t worry about how to contact us, we’ll take care of that. And don’t feel bad, being a Collaborator is a just cause. You help us to rebuild America.”

The soldier untied her, giving her, her saddleback back but kept the M9.

It was still raining and the streets deserted, so she looked again for shelter. It didn’t take long until she found an abandoned house. The windows were boarded up and the wallpapers were partly demolished, the furniture had seen better days.

Still, the couch she climbed on was still comfortable, so she closed her eyes to sleep, trying to process in what she got herself into it.

After a while, Scotch Tape awoke as she heard footsteps. Seeing two yellow bars, she mumbled “Yellow be Mellow.” It was Blackjack’s motto before she changed it to ‘I don't want to kill you if I don't have to.’ due some incidents.

She got behind the couch, peeking around it so see who would come. The voice was familiar.

“This is the place. We should be save here for now, but the Norks will tear the district apart looking for us.” The door opened. It was Walker assisted by Brady as he got shot into the leg.

“Walker, you made it!” The filly was glad to see them both,

“Scotch Tape? You escaped?” Brady wondered.

“Not exactly. Their transport crashed, giving me an opportunity to flee. I took shelter here some time before you showed up.” She lied.

Brady set Walker down on another couch. “We’ve got to make contact with another Resistance cell.” He clenched his injured leg to put it on the couch. “Damn, I picked a bad time to get shot.” As the voice of Freedom reached for his phone, a Seeker scanned the window, it’s blue beam couldn’t see through the barricade however.

“Remember these? This phone is our ticket to safety IF you can find a network transceiver and hack into it. That will connect us to the hidden Resistance signal and show us the closest safehouse. Here, take it.” Brady took Walker’s phone. “We’re working blind here, you need to find a Resistance stash – that should have Intel on the district, including transceiver locations – but hurry, Brady, we don’t have long. Take Scotch Tape with you, her skills may come in handy for you.”

“Uh, how should I go with him, the people will notice me.” Scotch Tape saw that now, the streets weren’t deserted anymore.

“I got it. Climb into my backpack, the people won’t notice you that way.”

“If you say so, Brady.” She fitted perfectly in, Brady couldn’t help but to find it cute as he opened the door and got out.

The foal could still peek out of the backpack. The civilians were depressed, Soldiers and Seekers patrolled the streets. Greentree looked like a ghetto, or more like a slum-like tent city. On some walls, cameras were installed, scanned the area with the same blue beam as the Seeker drones.

An armored Car stopped on the street, soldiers jumped out to raid a building. Some soldiers were checking civilians, sometimes, an abandoned car was on the roadside.

After Brady walked down the road and took a right turn, he walked into an alleyway on the left side of the road. He climbed on the roof of a van.

“Attention. A security operation is occurring is this zone. All travels are suspended.” A PA system announced as the man climbed from the van roof into an apartment window into the bad roof. It wasn’t looking any better than Walker’s hideout.

Brady walked up the stairs, the walls had graffiti that looked like a gasmask, the furniture was scattered in the floor. In a room, there was the resistance stash, identifiable by a blue sign that said “Revolution is coming” on the workbench.

The man took a flashlight and bolt cutter from the work bench. As he got back to the window, Scotch Tape wondered who could have lived here, feeling sorry for the resident.

Back on the street she saw a large TV mounted on a wall. An old man in a similar overall as Scotch’s interrogator was on the screen.

“I assure you, the KPA forces are doing all they can to bring those criminals to justice.” She couldn’t hear more as Brady walked out of hearing range.

Ethan walked into an alleyway and used the bolt cutter on two fence panels to get through a fence and through a window of the house where the KPA transceiver was located.

The transceiver, which looked like a small triangle, was next to a window where they had a perfect view of the street below, where Ben’s safehouse was.

Scotch Tape climbed out of the backpack. “Okay, how do we hack it?”

“Like this.” Brady got the phone out and held it horizontally close to the transceiver. A computer like booting up screen appeared on the phone and a small window opened.

On the top on the window stood “Secure Gateway.” Under the words were two hexagons, one to the left and one to the right. Both of them had an x in the middle, two bars were connected to them and leaded down into the middle where “Time 10.0” stood.

“May I try?” Scotch Tape was curious.

“Sure, you need to move the crosses to find the access code before time runs out.” Brady explained.

“Okay. Daddy told me how to do this. You just back out and start over when time is short.” As soon as she moved the right cross, the timer started to count down. As the right cross was at the top left corner, the right bar filled with a light blue color. The left bar filled with the blue color as the left cross was in the right bottom corner. As both bars united in the blue color, the “Secure Gateway” switched to “Hacking” and a percentage value showed the progress. As only three seconds were left, the hacking reached 100%.

“Ha! Piece of cake!” the foal shouted triumphant.

“Okay, I get the location. Wait, do your hear that?”

They looked out of the window.

An armored car stopped outside of the house, soldiers got out. They stormed the house. A quick flash of white inside.

“Leave him alone!” A civilian yelled as one KPA soldier threw the now handcuffed Walker down the stairs.

“That changes nothing…Your hear me? Others will rise up…You can stop…” Before Ben could finish, the same KPA soldier kicked him as he was helpless on the ground.

“Get off me…Get…” This time, another soldier knocked him out with the butt of his rifle before they loaded him into the car and drove away.

“What was he doing here? Did you see his leg? My god!” Another civilian was shocked at this.

“I can’t believe it. They got him.” A third added.

“Damn it. They got him. There’s nothing we can do, Scotch Tape. Let’s find that entrance.”

“Okay.” She got back into the backpack. Her mind raced. Was it her fault that they found Walker? She didn’t know but it filled her with unease.

Brady moved out of the alleyway, on the street, into another alleyway, to the right of the TV they saw earlier.

They got into the backyard of a house, marked with a blue symbol. He opened the door she got out.

Inside, it was dark, so both activated their flashlights. As they moved down into the basement, boxes blocked their way, Brady smashed them with his knife and they found a stolen like tunnel. “That must be it.” He took the lead.

“May I ask what your backstory is, Brady?”

“There isn’t much to tell. I was born here in Philadelphia and live here ever since. Young and naive, I recently joined the Resistance to free my home from the KPA.

The tunnel leaded to a subway tunnel, where glow sticks leaded them into a train cart and to another tunnel

As Scotch Tape got out, she got blended by a bright white light that got on, she covered her eyes. What the… she wondered before something hard hit her head and she blacked out.