Dead in the Crosshair

by Bright Keys

Prologue

EQUESTRIA: 1,096 YEARS AFTER THE BANISHMENT OF NIGHTMARE MOON.
Crosshair flew up to the roof of the building, disengaging his wings at the same time he activated his reflector panels, becoming perfectly invisible. He walked across the roof, stopping when he saw three figures keeping watch.

"Three guards identified. Permission to terminate?" Crosshair asked.

"No. This job should be quick enough. Stun them and mindjack them." A voice said from Crosshair's communicator.

"Orders acknowledged." Crosshair replied, disappointment evident in his voice. He walked between two of the guards, and two pieces of metal with electricity arcing between them emerged from his front hooves. He deactivated his reflector panels, quickly reared up and zapped the two guards to the ground, then stunned the third before he could raise an alarm.
When the last of the three guards fell to the floor, the zapper was replaced with another device which he touched to their heads. Using the device, he planted memories of a quiet night, and Crosshair's target dropping to the ground, as the other guards would see. With the programming in place, his hoof extended until it was equal to his body length. The tool was hollow, and he took a few pebbles from the roof and dropped them in.

"Ammunition accepted." He said with a jagged smile. "Moving to the position to await target." Soon, a crowd filed out of the building across the street, a well-dressed stallion leading the conversation. Crosshair's lens-eye telescoped outward, focusing his vision on the stallion.

"Target acquired. Awaiting authorization to terminate." He said.

"Permission granted. You may take the shot at your leisure." The voice replied.

"With pleasure." Crosshair said, his smile growing wider as the crowd parted around his target just long enough for him to activate his rifle, sending the small group of pebbles through the targets neck, where his airway swiftly filled with blood. He fell to the ground after a few moments, and Crosshair flew down, activating his infiltration mode. The nanobots that made up the majority of his mane loosened, his lens eye shifted and retracted until it appeared normal, and his joints were concealed. He made his way to the freshly deceased stallion, and a large spike emerged from his hoof. To ensure they weren't interrupted, he released a dome of nanobots, set to strip the flesh of any organic entity that came in contact with it. Grim smile still on his face, he drove the spike into the side of the stallion's head, and Crosshair was taken into his mind.

"You have something very valuable that my master’s employers want." Crosshair said, his voice echoing across the field of white.

"Wh-who are you?!" The stallion shouted, his voice riddled with fear.

"I am your killer." Crosshair replied. "Give me the information."

"No." The stallion defied.

"Then I shall take it!" Crosshair said, and the stallion fell to the ground, hooves on the side of his head as he was stricken with a dizzying headache. It subsided after a few minutes, and Crosshair spoke again

"Enjoy the afterlife. It's a luxury some of us don't have." He then left the stallion's brain, and shot out of the dome, recalling the nanoswarm. The guards who had gathered by the dome opened fire, three bullets striking the fleeing robot.

"Requesting permission to reroute power from pain center to motors!" He shouted.

"Denied. Instead, route it to repairs." The voice said. Crosshair complied, rounded a corner into an alleyway, and activated his reflector panels. The dents made by the bullets worked themselves out as the nanobots went to work. The guards shone their lights through the alley, and quickly gave up their search after expressing their confusion.

"Requesting pickup route." Crosshair whispered.

"The route has been sent to your computer." The voice replied.

"Received. On my way to pickup location." As he made his way through the alleyway, the sky filled with pegasi, and it began to rain. Crosshair quickened his pace only slightly, and within a couple of minutes a grey van came into view.

"I have arrived at the pickup coordinates." Crosshair said, and a few moments later the van opened the back.

"CR55, get in." A stallion said, poking his head out the doors and waving Crosshair in. The door shut soundly behind Crosshair.

"Congratulations. The mission went off without a hitch." The stallion said as the van began to move.

"I have a ninety-two percent success rate." Crosshair replied. "I hardly ever fail."

"Is that arrogance I detect in your voice CR55?" The stallion asked sarcastically.

"It shall be removed in my next update. Along with the absurd amount of smiling that occurred during the mission." Crosshair said.

"It's good to take pride in your work." The stallion said.

"If I take time with my shots to enjoy them, my efficiency will suffer." Crosshair said.

"Wrap up your conversation back there. We're almost there and the boss wants to speak to CR55." The driver spoke up.

"I wonder why." The stallion inquired, curiosity ringing in his voice.

"You and I may never know." The driver replied as he brought the van to a stop.

"Last stop." The stallion said with a smile as he opened the door. Crosshair exited the van and entered an abandoned mine that appeared ready to collapse at any given moment. The three navigated a maze of tunnels, eventually arriving at a scanner. The driver stood in front of it, and a blue light swept up and down.

"Getaway, recognized." The scanner said. The stallion followed the example of the driver.

"Navigator, recognized." The scanner announced, it’s mechanical voice echoing off the cavern walls. Crosshair walked forward and stood in front of the scanner, awaiting recognition

"CR55, report to the boss at your earliest convenience." The scanner directed.

"Sounds important." The driver said as the wall slid down and the three entered the secret cave.

"Indeed. I shall make my way to him immediately." Crosshair told him, splitting off the group and making his way to a door. He placed a hoof on a panel and said "CR55 to see the boss."

"Enter." A voice granted, and the door opened. Crosshair strode into the room, before stopping and awaiting his boss’ words. The other pony sat there, leaning in his chair, radiating power. Crosshair stood silent, staring at the boss. The boss nodded, before sighing as if he was trying to get rid of an annoyance off of his daily schedule

"Crosshair, your performance has been commendable, but we have a new contract." he stated abruptly, filling the empty room with his voice

"I shall move out after my debrief." Crosshair explained, standing still, his voice monotonous, his eyes never leaving the boss’ own

"No need for that." The boss rebuffed.

"Why?" Crosshair questioned, his voice showing the barest hints of confusion. The boss shook his head, gazing at the robot.

"The target is you." The boss sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Remove power from nanobots, motors and pain center and put it in excess." he ordered

"In a life or death situation I am allowed to refuse commands." Crosshair reminded.

"Override alpha 001." The boss added. Crosshair followed the orders immediately against his will, his power drained throughout his systems. His joints locked up, as he felt his armor weaken, and his surface sensors losing feeling, a general feeling of numbness spreading across his body. The boss leaned forward, sliding a drawer open, in his desk and taking a gun out, pointing it directly at the robot before him

"Goodbye Crosshair, it's been fun." he bid, three echoing bangs later Crosshair's diagnostic systems flashed, loud warning beeps, warned him of fatal damage rang within his head, and on a fourth his vision went black.

Comments

[jazzie366 FLUFFKIN]

Holy shit, what the fuck is this! I loved it but holy shit!?

[GrandpaTurtle]

Interesting.

Fav'd!