Loony

by totallynotabrony

8: Like Finding a Needlebomb in a Citystack

Everypony smiled politely or sipped water as the waitress walked away with their order. It was a one of those poorly lit, vinyl upholstered, aluminum tabled, greasy spoon restaurants beloved by law enforcement and other shadier denizens of the late night. Harv said his uniformed cop friends came here all the time.

As soon as the waitress was out of earshot the Shades resumed their planning session. Proficient had taken charge of the coordination while Roxy was acting as scribe. The backside of one of the paper placemats had been turned into a scribble of notes.

“Coming here instead of ordering in was a stupid idea,” groused Granite.

“Hey, we were going stir crazy in that smelly situation room,” said Harv. “Not to mention a change of scenery will hopefully help us come up with some new ideas.”

Granite grumbled something under his breath.

“We’re going to need national level support for this,” continued Proficient. “I’ll be in talks with Canterlot to get us assets–” his eyes grew wide and Roxy flipped over the placemat with notes just as the waitress came back “–and isn't just this the best weather we've ever had?”

The waitress eyed Prof over her horn-rimmed glasses, placing their starters, an onion ball and some cheese drenched nachos, onto the table. With a final glance over her withers she walked away, back to the kitchen entrance.

Granite rolled his eyes. “Good cover, Prof! As if the weather in San Palomino ever changes, and as if those chair-warmers in Canterlot would ever get off their asses and get here in time to do us any good!”

“There’s still a lot of local support we have,” put in Harv. “We have our local bomb crews plus all the other Shades we can bring to bear.”

Roxy had managed to cover nearly the entire paper with writing. She said, “I should go talk to Buttercup again. She has to know something.”

“Somepony has to look for the bomb,” said Arc.

Proficient motioned to them. “We need to split up to cover more ground, but you two should stay together.”

While that suited Arc and Roxy just fine, it was nice to hear it coming from somepony else. Roxy said, “Buttercup might have an idea where Sisal is going to plant the bomb. She said it was going to be public.”

“A city of more than a million ponies has a whole hell of a lot of public,” contributed Granite, gaining volume as he got a bit hot under the collar. Everypony winced at the outburst.

“Um, pardon me, but shouldn’t you report this to the police?” the waitress asked. All eyes turned to her.

Harv pointed his hoof. “Mind your own business, go away, you saw nothing, these aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

Proficient stared daggers at Harv, whose blush showed that he had heard his partner’s thoughts loud and clear. Prof pulled out his badge and showed it to the waitress.

“Ma’am, we are the law." His smile was sweet enough to have been poured over pancakes at breakfast. “And we're investigating a case, so we would appreciate your discretion. It could jeopardize the work we've already done.”

Harv grinned in turn. “That and the fact that Granite here just cast a spell on you. If you do blab about this to anypony then every customer who comes in here for the next two weeks is going to be a really poor tipper.”

That was just about all the random weirdness the poor mare could take. She hesitated, but then set down the platter of food and hurried away.

Harv quickly grabbed a taco. “I don't think she's in the mood to serve us anymore. No tip for you!” he said to her departing back.

“We’d better take this and go, then,” observed Proficient with a sigh.

In the parking lot, there was a quick final discussion. Proficient hoofed his keys to Arc. “You and Roxy take the car. Harv and I will ride back to headquarters with Granite to get another. Go about your business and keep everyone informed if you learn anything.”

The others took off in Granite’s car. Arc and Roxy got into the government sedan. Arc put the keys in the ignition and paused. Turning his head to Roxy, he leaned across the car for a kiss. She eagerly met him in the middle and for a moment neither was thinking about the monumental task that lay ahead.

They parted with a smile, both feeling reinvigorated. Since learning of the latest threat the tension everyone was feeling had mounted, and sometimes little bits of pressure had to be relieved.

Arc started the car and pulled into traffic, heading for where inmate was being kept. He asked, “What’s the plan for getting Buttercup to talk?”

“I can’t just walk in and ask her about the latest bomb. I don’t think she would respond well.” Roxy frowned. “At the same time, I don’t want to wait too long in the conversation. She might get violent.”

Arc glanced at her. “I’ll come with you.”

Roxy shook her head. “No, I don’t want Buttercup to be distracted.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” Arc argued.

“And I don’t want a lot of ponies to die because we didn’t find the bomb,” Roxy countered.

Arc went silent for a moment. He asked, “Can I listen? I’ll put my phone on mute.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Roxy conceded.

They formed their plan on the way to the prison. Arc parked at the curb and called Roxy’s phone. She answered the call and then put the phone in her purse. Arc muted his cell’s microphone.

Roxy went into the building. Upstairs, she was greeted by Market. “It’s a little late, isn’t it?”

“It is, but I have a good reason. I think Buttercup might know something about a bomb that’s scheduled to go off tomorrow in a public place.”

Market’s eyebrows went up. “Yeah, that’s a good reason. Let me get her.”

Roxy sat down in the interrogation room and waited. There soon came the familiar sounds of a resistant prisoner coming down the hallway.

“What?” Buttercup demanded as Market shoved her into the chair.

Roxy opened her purse to take out her notebook. She left the purse open, lying on its side. Opening her notebook, she said, “I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about Sisal’s associates.”

“The ones she screws or just the ones she has sex with?”

“Do you fit into the former category?” Roxy asked.

Buttercup hesitated for half a second before putting on a smug expression and asking, “Isn’t that the name of the game? Screw unto others as they would do to you?”

“I can help you do that,” Roxy proposed. “I think both of us want to take down Sisal.”

“What are you going to do?” Buttercup scoffed.

“We could stop the bomb she’s planning to set off tomorrow.”

Buttercup’s eyes narrowed. “What bomb?”

“You didn’t know?” Buttercup had so far displayed an impressive knowledge of Sisal’s operations.

“Well, it’s not like she keeps me updated!”

Roxy raised a calming hoof. “Her plans may have changed. We found a dead gryphon in the train yard today. Perhaps that had something to do with it?”

For the first time, Buttercup looked unsure. “Are things really falling apart for her?”

“If you say they are.” Roxy gestured across the table. “You know more about what’s supposed to happen than I do.”

Buttercup went silent for several seconds. Her eyes came up to meet Roxy’s. “Are you trying to be friends with me?”

“I’d like to be.” Seeing an angry cloud pass over Buttercup’s expression, Roxy quickly added, “Mostly we just want the same thing: to screw Sisal.”

Buttercup considered that. “What can you guarantee me?”

“Beg your pardon?”

“What can you give me?” Buttercup asked. “What do I get for helping you?”

“It’s not her job to negotiate,” broke in Market. “That privilege is also something you have to earn by cooperating with us.”

“Just give me something I can use, and I promise that if nothing else you’ll get the satisfaction of putting a thorn in Sisal’s side,” Roxy said.

“What’s a promise worth?” Buttercup sneered. “Can’t put that in the bank.”

It was lucky Roxy had been learning to work her way through frustrating conversations with Buttercup. She paused to calm herself, and then replied, “A promise's value depends on the pony making the promise. I take it not very many of the promises you've been made were kept?”

For a moment, Roxy thought Buttercup was going to come across the table again. However, the moment of tension seemed to pass. Buttercup’s eyes dropped to her lap. “It won’t be easy to find her. Everything she has is protected.”

“Protected how?”

“Armed guards and magic. Sisal has a lot of dumb muscle, but there’s also a witch who is on the payroll.”

“Who’s this witch?” Roxy asked.

“Some self-important harlot who calls herself Smoke Screen. She dresses like it’s Nightmare Night every day. She’ll do anything for money.”

It sounded like Buttercup had a history with her and Roxy quickly steered the conversation in another direction. “Do you know anything that we could use to find Sisal’s hangouts despite the protection?”

“Ley lines.”

“I’m sorry?”

Buttercup looked impatient. “If you’re setting up a long-running enchantment, it helps to have a source of power like that nearby.”

Out in the car, Arc sat up a little straighter. He’d been sitting and watching the sun set, but now his attention was focused. Ley lines were something he had heard of. As he understood, the lines crisscrossed the planet and flowed with natural magic. If Sisal had truly located her operation on top of one, it could be a clue as to where to look for it.

Arc started the car and drove the few blocks to the library. It was probably getting close to closing time and he hurried inside after parking. He carried his phone along, the volume turned down.

The thin bespectacled stallion at the checkout desk looked up as Arc approached. His nametag read Gray. “Hello. Can I help you find anything?”

“Can I talk to Spike?” Arc asked.

“Who are you?” Gray asked.

“My name is Arc. My wife has been in here before taking out books related to loonies.”

“The only pony I can think of who’s been interested in those books is Roxy.”

“She’s my wife,” Arc confirmed.

“Oh.” Gray seemed to take another look at Arc and his tone changed. “Okay, go on upstairs. Spike’s there.”

He unhooked the velvet rope and pointed Arc to the stairs. Upstairs, he encountered the dragon Roxy had told him about.

“Hello,” Spike greeted. “Is there something I can help you with, Mr…?”

“Arc.”

Spike nodded. “What are you looking for today?”

“Do you have maps or something of local ley lines?” Arc asked.

“We do, although I’m afraid they aren’t as clear-cut as you were probably hoping for.” Spike looked around as breezies began carrying books from around the library. He motioned Arc to a desk and spread a few of the texts out.

Spike pointed out a few diagrams. “Ley lines are not easy to locate. Many ponies sense them subconsciously, but keeping track of them takes a lot of effort. Not many ponies want to walk cross-country looking for something they can’t see. There aren’t many definitive maps, but a lot of guesses that are probably pretty close. What most ponies agree on is that there is an intersection of several major lines here near San Palomino.”

“Where should I look?” Arc asked.

“It depends on whose map you’re using,” Spike replied. “If you tell me why you’re looking, I may be able to narrow it down.”

“You’ve heard that we’re looking for Sisal Twist?” Arc said. “A witch named Smoke Screen may be helping her, and that magical assistance may be powered by ley lines. We’re looking for a facility where Sisal could be assembling a bomb or preparing to set that weapon off in a public place.”

Spike blinked. “Oh wow. Hmm.” He glanced down at his books of maps. “In that case, I have a few options for you. We can either assume this facility is as well hidden as possible, or it’s positioned to facilitate ease of access to a public center. For the first case, I’d suspect a location up north, near Miramare; in the second, a place closer to Vista City.”

“That helps a lot,” Arc said. “Can you tell me anything else that might be useful?”

“I’ve heard of Smoke Screen before,” Spike said. “She’s a bit of an eccentric mercenary with low morals, or so I hear. Gray would know more; he follows the gossip.”

Spike lifted the pile of books. “If you take these to Gray, he can make copies of the maps for you.”

Arc thanked him again and went downstairs. Gray made the copies without comment. Arc asked about Smoke Screen.

“I’ve heard she looks good and is always dressing up,” Gray replied.

“How powerful is she?”

“Well, there’s no Top 40 for magic users, but she’s pretty far up there.”

“So if she’s powerful, why is she working for someone else and not doing her own things?” Arc.

Gray shrugged. “You can’t magic money, I guess.”

After getting his copies, Arc left and got back in the car to return to the prison. The sun had finished setting. By the sound of the conversation through the phone, Roxy was almost finished with Buttercup.

Arc got back to the parking spot in front of the building a few seconds before Roxy came out the door. He showed her what he’d found.

Roxy turned on the light inside the car to read the diagrams. “This looks really valuable.”

She pulled out her phone to snap pictures. It took a few minutes to send them in an e-mail attachment along with a description of the interview with Buttercup, but Tammy confirmed receipt and distributed the information to the rest of the Shadows on the case.

Proficient called shortly to coordinate. “Speakerphone, please. I’ll put us in conference call and add Granite and Tammy.”

After everyone was assembled, Arc and Roxy went through what they had learned in detail. Granite muttered something that sounded like “money-grubbing harlot” when Smoke Screen’s name came up. Proficient and Harv had also run down a few leads, most of which concerned the waterfront.

At this point, nothing was certain. Roxy wanted to believe everything Buttercup was saying had been the truth, but every clue had to be followed.

Proficient divided up the tasks. “Harv and I will go to the docks. Arc and Roxy will follow their lead in Vista City. Granite, you go to Miramare.”

“Miramare, like from the movie Top Fun?” Harv chuckled.

“Actually, the Top Fun party school moved to Appleloosa a few years ago,” Arc said.

“How do you know that?” Harv asked.

“I was there in Appleloosa during my artillery days. Top Fun is right across the street.”

“It’s a miracle he noticed me at all,” Roxy said with a smile.

“Interesting,” Proficient broke in, “but back to the topic at hoof, there’s a strike team from Canterlot on their way here. If we find a suitable target, they’ll take it down. They’ll be here in another few hours. If you find something you think is suspicious, keep it under observation and wait for backup.”

Everyone consented to the plan and the call ended. Task at hoof, Arc started the car and headed for the ley line convergence in Vista City.

He was accustomed to acting on orders, although through furtive sideways glanced at Roxy, he could tell that she wasn’t. Having a set task given by someone else lent purpose, Arc knew. Despite aiding resolution, he hadn’t missed being ordered around when leaving the Army.

They drove south into Vista City. It was largely housing, although the south end of the Navy base extended into its jurisdiction, as well as a large transoceanic ferry terminal. Despite the division, it was still only a few miles from downtown San Palomino.

At night, with only a vague map copied from a book for guidance, it wasn’t going to be easy to figure out which building in a city of tens of thousands of ponies was the one they were looking for.

“Like finding a needlebomb in a citystack,” Roxy provided. Both of them got a chuckle out of that.

They cruised for a while longer, searching in a grid pattern around the vicinity of the ley line intersection. It might have helped if they could pinpoint the exact location of the lines, but as Spike had indicated, they weren’t easy to find.

Of course, there were always the times when luck just happened to show up on its own. As the car passed a building with tall garage doors, Roxy pointed to a unicorn mare smoking near a side door. “Look.”

Her cigarette was in a long holder. Her mane and makeup were done heavily and perhaps excessively. Her dress was black and frilly, like a character in any given Flim Burton movie.

“She looks like she’s dressed for Nightmare Night,” Arc commented.

Roxy glanced at him. “Is it really going to be this easy?”

“I can’t think of any other reason why a mare dressed like a stereotypical witch would be hanging around an industrial building built over a ley line so late at night.”

“Good point.”

Arc drove a few blocks away and parked behind another car in a position where they could watch the front of the building. In a few minutes, the mare who might have been Smoke Screen finished her smoke and went back inside. Roxy called it in.

Tammy answered the call and listened to what they had found. She said, “Granite is probably still on the way to where he’s going. I haven’t heard that Proficient and Harv have found anything significant. You might have the best lead going, so you’ll need to stay and observe.”

They relayed the address to Tammy, who said she would look into what the building was for and who owned it.

After that, there was nothing to do but wait. It was already past midnight and simply sitting and staring at the building was going to get old fast.

A few minutes passed. Roxy shifted in her seat. “What do you want to do for our anniversary next month?”

Arc looked at her and smiled. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a vacation.”
She nodded. “Something relaxing.”

“After this, we’ll need it,” Arc agreed. “At least we seem to have a solid lead now despite our sources.”

“I think Buttercup wants to help,” ventured Roxy. “She’s opened up a little and isn’t trying to attack anymore.”

Arc muttered something that even Roxy’s sensitive ears didn’t catch.

A few more minutes passed before Tammy called back. “The building is rented. To figure out who’s renting, we’ll probably have to go down to the company office and look at their paper records in the morning. I did get a layout of the building, though. Bad news—it has garage doors on the other side as well. Unless the two of you split up, you won’t be able to watch both sides for vehicles leaving.”

“Anything that can help?” Roxy asked.

“The strike team’s inbound. They should be there by four a.m.”

“Don’t we have a team on this coast or something?” Arc asked. “Quick response usually doesn’t involve flying all the way across the country.”

“Luckily we don’t have a lot of call for it,” Tammy explained. “Situations where mass civilian casualties are expected are a rare exception.”

That was good news, although dealing with one of the rare exceptions still felt like the crisis it was. After ending the call, Arc and Roxy settled in to wait. It was going to be a long few hours.

Comments

[Dash The Stampede]

Arc and Roxy got into the government sedan. Arc put the keys in the ignition and paused. Turning his head to Roxy, he leaned across the car for a kiss. She eagerly met him in the middle and for a moment neither was thinking about the monumental task that lay ahead.

...
And then the car exploded.
^Was all I could think

I'm always glad to see this update, especially since this week's been just horrid. I really do wish you had a bigger viewer base on it, although it does lack the in-your-face raw comedy-action of A Dream(and relevant sub-stories).
~Dash The Stampede