//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 (The reporter) // Story: the city part 1 // by keithsterling //------------------------------// A few months earlier, a political rally in the city of Chicoltgo for a politician with a secret connection to King Sombra Gloaming, the head of the Umbrum syndicate that is seven hundred ninety-three miles away in Manehattan. Watching the end of the political rally was a filthy white-bodied earth pony mare vagrant; as the politician walked off the stage into the backstage area, the vagrant pip-pops in her bare feet into the backstage. And as predicted, the politician takes a bribe from a known associate of the Umbrum syndicate that the earth pony mare vagrant snapped a picture of. Three hours and fifty-five minutes later, the incriminating photo is published in the early morning edition of Los Ungulas chronicle in Califoalnia reported by Anita Stormchaser, the top reporter from Los Ungulas chronicle. This incriminating photo quickly prompts an investigation by the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice into the politician's connection to the Umbrum syndicate. As Cadence and I finish our breakfast at our favorite diner, we sit at the table open to the story with the incriminating photo and investigation into the politician was the Los Ungulas chronicle newspaper. This morning my mare was attired in a navy blue v-neck half-sleeve blouse, beige baggy pants and white lace-up oxford sneakers on her slenderly gracefully rounded gorgeous shaped pair of light pink bare feet with sky blue toenail polish. I was attired in an olive green T-shirt, black colored blue jeans and white sneakers upon my socked dark blue feet. We had concluded the Emerald Luster case a few weeks prior, so Cadence and I planned a free day before returning to the office to wait for our next case to come through the door. "That story speaks volumes, my dear mare," I commented, resting my hand on top of the newspaper on the table in front of us. "Indeed, my dear stallion," Cadence said mischievously with a shameless grin on her snout as I felt something under the table rub against my lower leg to my knee before returning to my ankle. "Yes, my dear stallion. That tells us that something is going on with all those syndicates." Cadence said, knowing in a sultry manner as I felt the rub again against my lower leg to my knee before returning to my ankle. But I was too slow to react and prompt my mare to try it again more boldly. "So, my dear stallion, what do you think is going on?" Cadence asked as I was ready this time. When I felt the stroke against my knee, I seized my mare slender ankle from under the table. I felt her trying to get her ankle free several times by pulling it back toward her, but my grip held. Slowly stress lines formed on her brow beneath her spiral horn as I gently straightened her long Alicorn leg, resting her heel on a cushion of the bench next to me. I whistled nonchalantly as Cadence's light purple eyes peered about wild-eyed. After creating a magical clamp that held my mare ankle still. I methodically started to slowly untie the sneaker of her trapped foot, causing her stomach to flutter with anticipation of her foot being exposed. Cadence's face becomes a mask of terror knowing she is wearing no socks this morning and at this time of the morning, her feet are ten times more sensitive to the lightest touch on the sole of her foot. Her perfect light pink arms blossom with goosebumps as she feels the sneaker slide off her foot and the initial cool breeze hitting her barefoot. Soon nauseating spurts of adrenaline coursed through Cadence's veins as I bent toward her naked foot. She started to panic as I used my fingers to separate her five slightly plump elegant, and dynamic slender long toes, revealing the soft skin in between that gave off the slight hint of diluted lavender oil that she rubbed on her feet. She squeals at me went I release her vulnerable, naked foot from the magical clamp that held it. But she soon returned to her friendly self when Cadence and I left the diner after paying the check for our breakfast to begin our free day. Meanwhile, in a different part of downtown Los Ungulas, parking her 1924 Chrysler model B-70 in front of the Los Ungulas Chronicle building, was a gorgeous looking white pegasi mare with Spanish blue mane and tail. Her physically fit 5ft 7in equine figure was attired in a silica blue tiered fluttered sleeve A-line dress. On her, ten inches long, flawless and unblemished white-shaped bare feet with clear toenail polish were wine red dress pumps with one-inch heels. On her hands were berry red silk lined leather gloves, and a baby pink women's fedora was on top of her head, between her ears. Plus folded on her back were her standard-sized white-feathered bird wings. This white Pegasi mare was Reporter Anita Stormchaser the top reporter mare from Los Ungulas chronicle in downtown Los Ungulas. The squeals of tires draw Anita Stormchaser's attention to the street as a 1927 ford model A speeds down the road toward her, and her sky blue eyes widen in alarm went the barrel of Tommy gun appears from the rear driver's side of the vehicle. She runs as fast as she can as the bullets strike the wall a few seconds behind her. She dives through the glass doors of the building; nauseating spurts of adrenaline flood her Pegasus body as glass shatters around her from the bullets striking them. She feels strangely disembodied as the Tommy gun fire ceases and the police siren echo in the city heading toward the Los Ungulas Chronicle building. At that same time, in Downtown Los Ungulas at a day spa, Day Breaker, the boss mare of the Day Breaker syndicate, is carried to the edge of indignation with the action of Umbrum Syndicate in her city. "Damn you, Sombra! I don't care if that is how you do it in your city! Los Ungulas is my city! Now the heat is on my syndicate!” Day Breaker said hotly as she slams the phone receiver down on the body of the phone, unleashing a short high-pitched squeal of displeasure. As the scene widens out again, the upper half of Day Breaker's body is once again obscure, but this time by a folding privacy screen. Sticking out from the end of the folding privacy screen was a perfect pair of twenty-four inches long white with a hint of pink long legs. On the end of those long legs were reasonably large, long, full, thick and plush white with a touch of pink luxurious bare feet with sexy deep sets and high arches, shapely and delicately rounded not too long toes that are a perfect length for this mare's unassuming size feet. "Luna!" Day breaker calls as Luna approaches the folding privacy screen. “Yes, sister.” Luna answers “Take a couple of our stallions with you and properly greet those stallions from Manehattan! Show them Los Ungulas hospitality, which should take the heat off from our syndicate.” Day breaker said vengefully as she taped two of her painted fingers on her hand in front of her. "Yes, sister," Luna answers as she leaves the day spa grabbing three stallions from Day Breaker's entourage to properly greet the stallions from Manehattan and Umbrum Syndicate. Cadence and I drove back to our apartment after playing several rounds of golf at a local country club, where she lost three matches, which means she lost our bet. We had to pull to the side, allowing five LUPD police cars to speed past on their way to the warehouse area of Los Ungulas with lights and sirens going. "I wonder what going on, Justice?" Cadence commented hopefully, as I knew she was trying to get out of our bet. "Oh no, my dear mare? (Kissing her on the cheek) you are not going to get out of our bet that easily." I said as Cadence chewed on her's lip nervously before accepting her fate. "Oh, all right, my dear stallion, went we get home, I'll put a pair of stockings on my feet. With them on, you can put my ankles in that contraption you show me that holds my feet still. You promise to be nice this time and take my stockings off after a while." Cadence said, annoyed as I kissed her on her cheek again. "I'll keep my promise, my dear mare. Besides, it will be an interesting experiment to see how ticklish you are went, your feet are bare after wearing your stockings for a while." I said, excited as I kissed Cadence on her cheek before continuing to our apartment. Meanwhile, at the shooting crime scene, the Los Ungulas Chronicle building in downtown Los Ungulas was an excellent-looking light amber-coloured stallion with wavy-cut aqua green mane and tail. His 5ft 10in athletic equine figure was attired in navy blue LUPD police officer uniform. On his socked light amber bare feet were black tactical boots. This earth pony stallion was Police Officer third class Hitch Trailblazer, one rank below a police detective in the LUPD in the elite Metropolitan Division in Downtown Los Ungulas. He was the first police officer to arrive at the Los Ungulas Chronicle building shooting scene. He quickly secured the crime scene with crime tape and rounded up all the shooting witnesses to get a statement from them; as predicted, most witnesses didn't see anything or had different descriptions of the shooter. Also at the crime scene gathering evidence was a beautiful apricot-colored earth pony mare with magenta and purple with rainbow streaks inward bob with curls mane and tail. Her curvy 5ft 10in equine figure was attired in a dark blue and off-white party dress with hemlines just above her knees and a white lab coat. On top of her head, between her ears, was a gray cloche round hat. On her apricot-coloured stocking-clad, bare feet were black matte broque ankle booties with five-inch heels. This apricot-colored earth pony mare was Professor Sunny Starscout, a research scientist in the newly emerging discipline of Criminal sciences and forensics. She is one of a hand full of government-funded Research scientists using science to solve crime in law enforcement. All the Research scientists are from the science division of the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice under the direction of J. Edgar Hoofer. “Any useful clues, Miss Starscout?” Hitch inquiry as Miss Starscout stood back up and looked toward him. “All I can say for sure, Officer Trailblazer, is that a Tommy gun was used in this attack. Till more research is done. I can't say anymore." Sunny said indifferently as she walked over to the 1920 ford model T truck where her team had gathered after completing the gathering of evidence from the crime scene. A moment later, the sound of a 1924 brough superior SS80 motorcycle comes driving down the street, riding the vehicle was a beautiful white pegasi mare with hot pink with aqua and pink streaks mane and tail. Her physically fit 5ft 3in equine figure was attired in navy blue extra heavy cotton military shirt and khaki color horse riding pants. On her white-shaped bare feet were black riding boots. Wore over her turquoise blue eyes were copper motorcycle goggles, and on top of her head between her ears was a dark blue motorcycle biker peaked cap with a LUPD pin on the front. Plus folded on her back were her standard-sized mult-colored-feathered bird wings. This Pegasi mare was Police officer third level Zephyrina Prisma Storm, a police motorcycle officer from LUPD in the elite Metropolitan Division in Downtown Los Ungulas and friend of Police Officer third class Hitch Trailblazer. "Hitch, did you not hear the radio dispatch from the station!?" Zipp calls as she lifts her copper motorcycle goggles off her eyes. "No, Zipp," Hitch replied "All officers report immediately to the warehouse district their report of gunfire in one of the buildings. They want as many officers in the warehouse district for backup. Miss Starscout will remain at this scene until the warehouse scene is secure. Let's get moving, Hitch." Zipp explains as she puts her goggles back on. "All right, Zipp, Let's get going!" Hitch exclaimed as he jumped back into his patrol car, following Moto officer Zipp to the warehouse district. The warehouse district of Los Ungulas is a massive, sprawling complex situated along the Luna ocean's waterfront, with many storage buildings for storing both legal and illegal goods. The Warehouse district is the most heavily patrolled by LUPD during the daylight hours too early evening. During the evening, only the bravest or foolish of the LUPD patrol the warehouse district and the criminal element knows this and try to start their illegal business during the evening hours if possible. But on this day, the report of gunfire in the warehouse district has brought the full complement of LUPD personnel to the second largest warehouse building in the sprawling complex to investigate. As Hitch and Zipp arrive at the scene, the Pegasus personnel of LUPD has already taken to sky well out of range of many small windows outside the warehouse building armed with Tommy guns. At the same time, the unicorn personnel of LUPD set up in a defensive pattern behind their patrol cars to cover the earth pony entrance team, armed with pump-action shotguns, small arms and four Tommy guns. The moment the new chief of police of LUPD, an older unicorn mare, arrived, she signalled the entrance team to enter the building. Their several tense hours as flash-bang grenades echo in the cavernous building as the entrance team clears the whole building foot by foot. As the three hours time limit come up, a member of the entrance team emerges from the building, signalling that it is all clear. As the Chief of Police begins releasing several LUPD units back onto regular patrol. She enters the warehouse to find four earth ponies stallions well dressed, full of holes, dead in a gangland-style murder. As the LUPD Chief of Police exits the warehouse, she meets up with Professor Sunny Starscout and her newly established LUPD Crime Scene Investigation unit. Being a forward-thinking mare LUPD Chief of Police Jamila Nebula saw the potential of Criminal sciences and forensics by the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation research division. She approached director J. Edgar Hoofer about putting the team into practice. After some fiery back and forth between Los Ungulas city council with the chief of police not seeing the potential like Chief of Police Nebula. Jamila approaches Tycoon Susan Shimmering Diamond Silverlight with the idea that she had. All Los Ungulas City Council members laugh at Jamila, telling her there is no way she could talk to the first mare tycoon in Equestria. But soon had to eat their words went. Tycoon Silverlight invests her bits into the idea and helps build the facility for the Equestrian Bureau of Investigation research division. Since establishing the facility for the Research team, the CSI unit has assisted in several cases of LUPD. Soon other police forces started looking at the Criminal sciences and forensics team. Watching the exchange between Chief of Police Nebula and Professor Sunny Starscout from the shadows of a nearby warehouse was a sleek figure with feline-shaped fox brown-colored eyes. Without a sound, the figure slips away, leaving a narrow ten-inch-long footprint in the mud. The most distinguishing feature of the impression was the four toes in front of the foot and a rusty red long bushy tail with a white tip from a slight glimpse of the tail went it ran off from the side of the warehouse.