The trio stood next to the limo in the office's garage, waiting for the mechanical pony to steady herself. They had been there for almost half an hour and the still had yet to move into the building. Luckily for them, there was nobody to ask them any questions about what they were doing as they were in the private side of the complex and anyone that would be there was either already inside working, or away on their day off.
“So, how much longer are we going to be out here? I thought you said that you designed that thing.” Gadget, looking through the view-port linking her cockpit to the eyes of the doll, slowly turned the body's head towards Spike.
“Actually, there are a few things that are different from what was in my original designs. More of this body is supposed to be controlled by gears, but instead, there is a different control set-up being used. Sill, these wires really are a lot smoother, but I still need to get used to it.” Gilda cocked her head to the side for a moment as she processed her boss' words before she brought a claw up to cover her face.
“Oh right, that was a thing that happened. That changed when my great-grandfather was younger and decided to help out with building Appleloosa. While he was up there there was a bit of an issue with the native buffalo population. Well, it was fixed easily enough, but he became enthralled with these wire puppets that they made. As soon as he got back he really riled up the family by modifying the doll without telling anyone.” Gadget brought a hand up in thought, a hoof following suit on the outside, as she thought back.
“Well, it's not like I said it had to be exactly like I designed, and far be it from me to complain about improvements. Still, I think I've gotten the hang of moving around well enough right now. I can fine-tune any other problems as we head on up.” With a nod, Gilda picks up the briefcase of information and sets it on her back before leading the way towards the underground entrance to the building. Gadget slowly moved to follow her, getting used to the driving function of the suit, followed by Spike a moment later.
While the underground parking area wasn't much to look at, the entryway that connected to it was vastly different. Unlike what Gadget had been expecting from an office building, a sterile-looking environment of stone and ceramic, the floors and walls appeared to be made of a rich red oak giving it a cozy feeling. It was well furnished like she would have expected, but it also had models of some of the things she had designed before her disappearance.
“Golly, this is much more impressive than I was imagining.” Gilda, hearing the praise for her family's work, stuck her chest out a little further as she led the group towards the front desk. Her mood immediately flipped though as she spotted who was currently running the front desk, as well as the security guard with her.
“Oh, it's you again. I thought you were told not to bother coming in today as the board was about to vote on your replacement. What, can't take a hint that a dumb griffon has no place running a company? Butch, please remove her from the premises.” The aptly named butch diamond dog nodded to the pony in charge of the entry desk, also aptly name for her brown nose on her pure white coat and tail. Gadget looked her over as Gilda bristled next to her, before face-palming internally as she saw the mare's name. Shaking her head, she decided to step in before the griffon and dog came to blows.
“Excuse me Ms. Brown, but on what authority does the Board of Advisers have to take such an action? If I recall there are provisions in the company charter that prevents them from taking actions of that caliber.” The secretary looked over at Gadget as if only now noticing that there were others in the room and promptly ignored her as her gaze lowered to Spike, her eyebrow rising a little as she recognizes him. The guard though, froze in place as his nose started twitching as he smelled something wrong but was unsure what exactly while heeding his instincts.
“Well ma'am, I don't know where you got that information but I don't see how any of this would be your business. And with your companion being from our biggest competitor I see even less reason for you being here. The board is comprised of a group chosen by a majority of shareholders that have been in contact with the company so their decisions will stand.” She waved a hoof to the guard once again, but before he could move he was frozen once again by the sound of Gilda laughing. This confused the two as the disguised mouse rolled her eyes, her suit following suit.
“Golly, I suppose that I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?” Using a hoof to reach to behind her head and under her mane, the disguised mouse pulled out an object she had hidden there earlier and presented it to the guard and secretary. Gilda managed to stop her laughing as she took a step forward with a smirk on her beak.
“May I present to you, Lady Gadget Hackwrench. Owner of eighty percent of the company and last of one of the few families that can rightfully claim a noble title in Equestria.” Both of the employees reacted the same at first as their eyes widened in terror, but from there, their similarities of reactions ended. The diamond dog guard recovered quickly enough as he quickly backed up to the door by the desk and proceeded to hold it open for the group. The mare though, her eyes promptly rolled back up into her head as she fainted dead away.
“Overreacting much?” The griffon only smirks at the dragons as she moves ahead of the group and heads through the door, briefcase on her back. The other two follow along with Gadget shaking her head at the reaction to the reveal as she puts her identification away and looks around as they enter the next part of the building. Unlike the outer area, there wasn't as much to see as it was a control hallway with scanners along it to check for anything going in or out that shouldn't. It didn't take them long though as the guard could be seen yelling to those in the booth which had them opening the door on the other end within seconds. Soon the trio were in an elevator but before Gilda could hit any of the buttons Gadget spoke up.
“Where is the Board meeting right now? I'd like to stop by the Accounting Department first if there is time.” The griffon looked over at her questioningly before moving her claw down to hit a different button.
“Well, it's still just before lunch so there are still a couple of hours. Those lazy jerks don't even bother showing up until really late just before everyone else is leaving. I've had too many late nights because of them. But why do you want to head there first? Did you see something wrong in here?” She gestures towards the briefcase while Gadget shakes her head.
“It's mostly a hunch after I read one of the names. What can you tell me about Silver Shill?” While Gilda had been in a good mood after seeing the reaction of the secretary, it immediately went on a downward spiral at hearing that name. Even Spike had a frown on his face when he heard it mentioned.
“Isn't that the pony from that huge embezzlement case a few years back? The one where they couldn't find any of the stolen money afterwards?” Gadget's eyebrow rose at this information and looked over towards Gilda questioningly. The griffoness shivered a little as she saw the look being sent over to her.
“You are scarily good at moving that thing. If I didn't know better I would think you were a real pony. But yeah, that's the same pony. His hiring was another decision made by the board not long after my parents died.” The owner of the company frowned in thought as she rubbed her chin.
“Was there a pair of ponies by the name of Flim and Flam involved during that incident?” The other two looked a bit surprised at her question but slowly nodded.
“How would you even know them if you've been gone for as long as you've said?” Gadget considered Gilda's question for a moment before she shrugged.
“It's just one of the things from the parallel line that seems to match up. In fact, this might just make things easier than I thought.” The dragon and griffon looked at each other in confusion as the elevator came to a stop. Before they could say anything else the pony stepped out towards their destination. The two rushed to catch up with the disguised mouse and managed to reach her just as she was walking into one of the offices. Inside was multiple rows of cubicles, though all of them were empty except for one hidden away in a back corner.
“I'm sorry, but I am currently busy. You'll have to come back later when the others get back from lunch.” The grey bespectacled stallion didn't even bother looking up from his work while being surrounded by piles of paperwork. The trio ignored his words and came to a stop before his desk, causing him to let out a large sigh of frustration.
“I said you'll have to- Oh, it's you. What, you have nothing better to do than spend your last day here harassing me again?” Gilda growled at the stallion's words, though Gadget rubbed her chin as she examined him. While she could tell that he was exasperated, it didn't seem to be at Gilda but at the paperwork.
“Oh you'd like for this to be my last day, wouldn't you you dweeb. Well, I've got news for you bub, I-” Gilda's rant was cut off as a hoof came into contact with her shoulder, causing her to look to the side at her boss. After taking a few breaths to calm down, she stepped back to let Gadget take charge who reached over for the briefcase before setting it on the desk in front of her and opening it. Silver Shill looked on with confusion at the interaction as he had never seen anyone get Gilda to back down so easily.
“Actually, you are exactly the pony I'm looking for. I was hoping that you could explain this to me.” She sets out a few pages of the company's financial details that she had gone through on the way over for his perusal. His initial response was to groan with annoyance at the interruption not taking a hint until he glanced at the papers and froze up at what he was seeing.
“W-where did you get this from? None of this should be available to the public.” The stallion looked at the three in fear as he slowly backed away from the desk. This allowed Spike to sneak around and get a look at the presented forms causing him to let out a whistle.
“Wow, and how did something like that go unnoticed? I mean it's obvious that a large amount of money went missing between here and that department.” The stallions fear spiked even higher as it began to turn to panic as his gaze darted around the room.
“Th-that wasn't me! I had nothing to do with that embezzlement!” Gilda blinked at his wording before she let out a growl and stepped forward.
“This embezzlement? You mean that there was more money stolen that you had a part of!?” The stallion's panic continued to grow as he backed away from the griffon into a corner. Her advance was stopped though as a hoof rose to block her path.
“That's enough, I doubt it was his idea. He's most likely just a pawn that is being set up to take the fall of the real perpetrator, which is likely what happened with Flim and Flam as well.” Silver Shill's jaw dropped open in shock as Gilda looked back at the mare before begrudgingly stepping back to stand by her. His gaze slowly moved back to the least threatening looking of the group, who he was starting to realize may be the worst of the lot.
“J-just who are you? How do you know all of this? WHY do you even care about it at all!?” Gadget rolled her eyes internally and wondered if she should start wearing a name-tag to speed things up if this was the reaction she was going to constantly start off with that day. She raised a hoof to gesture back towards the griffoness before speaking.
“To put it simply, I'm her boss. Gadget Hackwrench.” Silver Shill blinked a few times as he processed her words as they didn't line up with him right away. The group could see when it started to hit him though as his breathing started to quicken and his eyes widened in horror.
“What!? You can't be!? They said that you were just a myth made up by the Brightfeather family! No no no no no...!” Before he could fall into a full-blown panic though it really hit him as a clenched clewed slammed into the side of his muzzle, sending him sprawling. The mare and dragon winced at the action, though they started to shake their head as the stallion lay panting on the floor, eyes wide.
“A bit violent, but effective I guess. Better than the alternative at least. Now before you go and start going into a panic again, Mr. Shill, I have no plans to terminate your services, at least not without a full investigation but I'm already pretty sure you are just a pawn. No, I have other plans for you.” Seeing a way out the stallion leapt to his hooves before standing in front of the mare, nodding rapidly.
“Yes, yes, I'll do anything, anything you want! I won't make any more deals with them or siphon funds for them anymore! I won't use anything I learned from those two again! Just don't turn me in again!” Gadget frowned at his reaction, specifically how desperate the stallion sounded. Shaking her head she stepped forward to set a hoof on his shoulder.
“That won't be completely necessary. Those skills are why you are one of the first I am approaching at the company. You can keep using everything you know, but only now you will answer directly to me, not anyone else. But you won't be stealing anything, but doing everything you can to stop it from happening as well as investigating any company that is linked to it, along with these.” Gadget sets another set of documents on a desk by the stallion which he looks through, with Spike peeking at from the side. Both of their eyes widen as they realize just what they are looking at and look at the mare in shock.
“W-what is all this!? This looks like a list of almost half of the major businesses in Maretropolis! How could you own all of this!?” Silver Shill sounds a bit fearful at what he was finding out about what was apparently his boss. Spike even was a bit stunned by some of the information the documents contained.
“That's nothing. I can't believe that she owns a tenth of Twilight's company. She's been trying to buy her way in here for a couple of years now, but shares for the company are very hard to come by. She would flip if she knew that you were part of the reason why she could start up Sparkletech.” Gadget tilted her head to the side in thought for a moment before she frowned.
“Before you do anything else though, you need to arrange the repurchase of all shares for Gadget, Co. The company was started by my family and a portion was gifted to the Brightfeathers for services to it and it was not intended for any others to have a hold on it. While I doubt you will manage to get them all back, the less out there the better if they think an Advisory Board is going to steal it out from under me. Offer up to triple the market price if you have to, all funds will be made available through either me or Gilda.” The stallion rapidly nodded before grabbing the documents and began getting to work on his new orders. Turning back to the exit of the room, the disguised moused motioned the doll's head, indicating for the others to follow her. Once they were out of the room and away from prying ears the griffon sighed.
“Yeah, I hate to say it but all these problems are my family's fault. Years back, I forget how long exactly, there were problems agreeing with what to do with all of this. A couple of griffons started having money problems and started selling shares here and there until over half what we were given was gone.” She didn't get a reply to this information right away, but eventually Gadget just shrugged it off.
“I really don't know what to say about that since your family was supposed to have full control but decided not to do so because of your honor. Still, it could be worse I guess, and it would be a real pain if things happened differently, especially with everything else. There are so many things to do, but all of that can wait until later. For now, there is something more important to do.” As she hit the elevator call button the other two glanced at each other before turning to her once again.
“You mean doing something about the Board of Advisers?” With a smirk, Gadget glanced back at Spike to answer his question as the elevator opened.
“Of course not, first we need to stop by the company labs. Can't show up to the meeting without undeniable proof of who I am, and what better proof than a new invention?” With a giggle of excitement, the mouse-hiding-as-a-mare pranced into the elevator, leaving the other two to slap a claw over their faces while following her.