//------------------------------// // Chapter 39 - Message Recieved // Story: The Freelancers // by OverHeart //------------------------------// Matterhorn clambered through the hole in the fence, catching himself more than once on the jagged edges of the rusted fence. Nearby was a set of equally rusted stairs that led up and around the entire outside of the tower, ending at what he assumed to be the main transmitter dish. He started up the stairs, hooves clanking on each and every step. He took his time so that he could clear his head a little after the crash, as even in his augmented state, he still had the same capacity for thoughts and feelings like his lessers did. Realistically, if he hadn’t have shielded Lucky from the impact with a well timed shield spell, she likely would’ve have been killed, as Star likely would've as well. Through all the bravado between him and Snowy that followed in the wake of the crash, he had broken a few bones and had some external bleeding as a result of his quick thinking, which by know had been mostly patched up by his magic repairing the damage. Magic that wasn’t his, that he should never have had, but was implanted in him prior to his first deployment. It protected him, guided him, and when the time came, let him cause great harm upon those his handler designated an enemy. “You good up there? You stopped climbing!” Steel called up. “I’m fine! Just making sure I don’t step on something. It feels like something will collapse at any moment.” Matterhorn shouted back down, his voice echoing among the rusted metal of the tower. In actuality, he wasn’t fine at all but he pressed on up the tower and soon came to what he assumed was the box he’d need to jack into, surrounded by a number of heavily worn metal crates and discarded trash. The box itself was kept shut with the smallest padlock Matterhorn had ever seen, and he tugged at it with his magic a little before he roughly ripped the padlock apart, throwing it off the balcony and onto the dust covered ground below. Inside was a cable hanging on a small polymer hook, and a number of dials and buttons attached to a small, dark, and cracked screen. “What am I supposed to do again?” Matterhorn shouted, half leant over the railing “Just jack in, our spike will do the rest for you!” Matterhorn huffed and pulled the cable off the hook, inspecting the connector for any debris before he slotted it into the neural link in the back of his neck. Almost immediately a message popped up in his vision, followed by some static. INITIALIZING…. Please wait… ALERT! FOREIGN CONNECTION DETECTED! Enabling Direct Communication interface, all origins/destinations allowed. Please remain connected until your usage is concluded. “That easy, huh?” Matterhorn remarked to himself. “Let’s try this again then.” He opened a direct connection to Director Luna’s office, a privilege extended to him on multiple occasions, but one he rarely had to use. A tense silence filled pause followed as the rhythmic hum of the dialer in his head seemed to grow louder, and louder. Soon after, the call connected and Luna’s voice came through, slightly distorted, quiet, and with a noticeable echo, but it came as a relief to hear another friendly voice. “Matterhorn? You’re alive? We got word of the crash a short while ago but I didn’t think-” “I wasn’t about to let all that euro you spent making me go to waste. If you’ll excuse the bravado, I think we have better things to worry about right now. I can handle a little pain.” “The well being of my agents and handlers is paramount, Matterhorn, you especially. You’d do well to remember that.” Luna said, sounding more than a little bit angry. “But do continue. I am eager for your report.” “Access and Sheet Rock are wounded but alive. Star’s shaken but otherwise well. No casualties.” Matterhorn rattled off. “Problem is we’re stuck just outside of Rift City under the watchful eye of a nomad clan that thankfully happened by. They seem friendly, but I have my doubts.” Luna paused for a moment in thought. “Matterhorn, I want you to abort the mission and return to Canterlot. Immediately.” “Excuse me? We can’t just-” “MU-4844, I am ordering you to return to Canterlot immediately. I cannot risk losing my best agent, nor can I abide reckless, brash, or emotional reactions clouding your judgment.” Luna said, a little more stern this time. “We need to figure out another way into the Arcology that wont risk your lives. They’ll be on high alert now, going in is too dangerous.” “No.” he stated outright after a small pause. “Lucky nearly died because of your poor planning, I wont risk… if she’d have…” “Fond of her, are you?” Luna whispered, pausing slightly. “Fine. If that’s how you want it, I’m releasing your horn’s safety interlocks. You’ll have full access to your powers for as long as you need it, try not to get anyone killed.” “My personal feelings have nothing to do with it. We promised Access and Sheet Rock that we’d help. Besides, Riot is still on the loose and we cannot allow him to continue on freely, he’s caused enough problems for us.” A rather worrying warning message popped in Matterhorn’s vision regarding the fact his magic was no longer bound by the device at the root of his horn. It was cyberware in nature, not magical, designed specifically to suppress many of his abilities. He’d need to be careful not to overdo things, as his magic was powerful, but his body was not. “Frankly, Matterhorn, under normal circumstances I’d not even entertain the thought. But since you’re insistent on doing something I’ve ordered you not to, I think you’ll need something to tip the scales.” “Luna, I’m s-” “You’re right, you are worth a lot of Euro, and it would indeed be a shame if what I gave you went to waste. Take care, Matterhorn. Complete your mission and get back to us, okay?” The connection dropped, leaving Matterhorn speechless and shaking like he was in a sub-zero blizzard. He actually disobeyed a direct order, which would’ve been bad enough on it’s own, but he disobeyed an order from the director herself! He felt frightened, surprised, even a little angry with himself, but above all, one large overriding thought quickly drowned out all others. He felt more free than he had before. The feeling he felt when his magic started to flow through his body properly again was exhilarating, intoxicating even, and he had some trouble containing himself for a short moment. The sound of the wind steadily blowing past him strongly brought him back to his senses however, and on the horizon he could see a vast cloud of brown and yellow dust, kicked up by the high windsthat had gradually started to pick up around him. “MATTERHORN!” Steel shouted from a couple floors below. “There’s a sandstorm incoming, we gotta go, NOW!” He surged down the stairs, jumping over more than a few steps in an attempt to clear the distance between himself and Steel’s car as possible. As visibility dropped rapidly, he heard the engine in Steel’s car struggle, but with some percussive maintenance administered by a large hammer Steel kept on his belt, the engine quickly roared to life. “We’re probably going to get caught up in the storm, hold onto your horn we’re probably gonna have to wing it!”