//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: The Truth 
// by totallynotabrony 
//------------------------------//

	Chicago
It was perhaps the first time that Charles Line had ever heard Oscar sound apologetic.  It was the first time he had ever failed.
Line sighed.  “Run that by me one more time to make sure I heard you correctly.”
“We got the doorway set up and transferred the stuff across.  After that, I took care of the witnesses.  On my way back to the doorway, I saw this pony.  He jumped through and shut the doorway off.  I had to get back through a government doorway.”
“When you didn’t report back on time, I sent some of the boys over to the doorway location.  They saw the pony there, but he got away.”
“What do we do now?”
“What do you think?  You’re going to track down this pony and kill him!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll put out the word to our contacts in the police.  If they see him, they’ll let us know.”
“All right, take care of it.  Just don’t screw up again.”

The doorways in Chicago had been set up in the unused areas of Union Station.  It was a major passenger rail center, and between the trains, doorways, and connections to a couple of airports, it was a huge travel hub.
There were crowds everywhere.  Daniels and the three ponies had a little difficulty staying together.  They made their way to the exit.
“I’ve never seen buildings so tall,” said Lemon.  “It’s like a canyon.”
Daniels pointed to a tall black spire.  “Over there is the Sears Tower.  It’s the tallest building in the world.  It’s got an observation deck more than a quarter of mile in the sky.”
The ponies gasped.  “We could see everything from up there!” said Applejack.
Daniels laughed.  “And all of it would look tiny.  I think our best bet is asking to the police to be on the lookout for Constant.  We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
As if on cue, a nondescript sedan with government plates pulled up.  A burly man with close-shaven hair sat behind the wheel.
“Great timing, jarhead,” said Daniels.
“Shut it, squid,” the man replied through the open window.  He smiled.
Daniels opened the back door and the three ponies got in.  He sat in the front passenger seat.
“Paper, Lemon, I’d like to introduce you to Christopher Boyle, Chicago branch of Navy Intelligence.”
“Good to see you again,” said Applejack, who knew him already.
“You too.”  Both of them had been present for the first contact between ponies and humans.  It had taken place on an Equestrian beach several years before.  Chris Boyle had been with a landing party of Marines that encountered Applejack and her five friends.
“When we got your call, I volunteered to come pick you up,” he said to Daniels as the car left the curb.  “We’ve already notified the police, and every department should have the information soon.”
“We’ve got some bad people in on this,” said Daniels.  “The murdering type.  Are you prepared if a sticky situation comes up?”
“Of course not.  They barely let the cops pack heat in this city.”  Daniels looked at him, and he grinned to show he wasn’t serious.
That was good.  Two guns, however illegal, were better than one.  Daniels knew that Applejack could handle herself in a fight.  He had his doubts about the other two.
“Where are we going?” asked Daniels.
“Sorry to say, but we’re going to have to sit tight for a while.”
“What?” exclaimed Applejack.  “We have to look for him!”
“Calm down.  There are three million people out there.  Finding Mr. Clock among all of them is going to be next to impossible.  Right now, we just have to let the police do their job.”
Daniels didn’t like it any more than Applejack, but he knew Boyle was right.

Constant ambled down the street.  He was in a more populated area now, and felt safer.  Why, he hadn’t even been shot at in several hours.
The skyline that eluded him had actually drawn noticeably closer.  His hooves hurt a little from so much walking on unforgiving pavement, and his stomach was beginning to growl, but things were looking up.
A car pulled up next to him.  It was white with a blue stripe.  Large red letters spelled out Chicago Police.
“Excuse me,” called an officer from the window.  “Are you Constant Clock?”
“Yes I am.”
“Everyone’s been looking for you.  You’re lost, right?”
“That’s right.  I work for the Royal Intelligence Service.  I ended up here accidentally while working a case.”
The two police officers in the car apparently hadn’t been told what he did.  They asked him a few more questions as they guided him into the back seat of the car.
“Somebody’s running illegal doorways?” said one.
“You better believe it.”
“All right,” said the man in the passenger seat.  “We’re going to take you back to the station.  Detective Smally will take over from there.  Do you happen to have some ID to prove who you are?”
“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to come through a doorway.”
“With no passport or other paperwork, you might get deported.”
“Please deport me.  I’ve already had enough of Earth.”
The ride to the station was quick, and the two officers left him with a man in plainclothes.  This was apparently the Detective.
“You’re lucky,” said the man.  “We’ve already got someone here to pick you up.”
“Who?”
“I don’t remember the name.  Pony-something.  Anyway, just walk out that door.”  He pointed.
“Don’t I have to fill out some paperwork or anything?”
“No, it’s not a problem.”
“If you say so.”  Constant pushed open the door.  It didn't open to the busy street in front of the station.  He was a little confused as to why they would send him out the side door.
“Hi there,” said the killer from Fillydelphia.


Author note:
The Truth will be going on a few days' hiatus.  These chapters are progressively going downhill on word count.  I'm going to have to take a break and build up some ideas.  If anybody has a suggestion on how to end this story, speak up.  You'll get due credit.
Meanwhile, I'll be working on a comedy called A Dream.