Resident Pon-Evil (Mission II) - Operation: Phoenix Fire

by Delta 727

Level 5: Manehattan

Harmony's Elements have recieved their breifing for their first mission. During their breifing, Blade had been reunited with his old Special Operations team, who were chosen to assist them in their operation. With their team now in place, Harmony's Elements, Marigold, Itzel, Echo, and Nova team set out for their first mission: Manehattan.

*Begin Transmission*

Harmony's Elements and Nova team exited the meeting room, Echo taking the lead.

"Let's move. We're launching in five," he said. He led the team torward the center of the armoury to a large, vacant square in the center. The team all stepped on. Echo tapped his back hoof down twice, and the platform began to descend. The Elements other than Blade slightly stumbled.

"Where's this thing taking us?" Chainlink asked.

"Down," Socket said. Chainlink glared at him, and he said with a chuckle, "It's taking us down to the hangar where the Pegasi team will be flying us to our destination. Satisfying enough?" Chainlink looked away without a word. The elevator continued to descend, landing in a dark room. They stood in silence until Dingo finally spoke.

"Socket, hit the lights..."

"Oh! Yeah! Right," the Technician said. With a loud clanking sound, the lights flickered on across the room. They were in a large hangar, high-tech equipment lining the walls. Transits and terminals, equipment and defense systems. On the far right of the room stood a large transit surrounded by six Pegasi. Echo began to trot for it, leading the team on. As they approached, a mare at the front-right corner spoke.

"About time! We've been standing in the dark for an hour!"

"Stop whining, Bolt," Dingo said, teasingly patting her on the head. "Be a good mare during the flight, and I'll sneak you a few sugarcubes later." Bolt stared him down as he passed, but with a grin on her face.

Echo came around to the front of the transit, releasing the front hatch. Inside on each wall was a bench, one on the left with five parachute packs, and another on the right with four. Echo took the first pack on and took his place. Nova team and Blade took the packs on the right. X-Ray took the next pack by Echo, followed by Chainlink, Itzel, and Marigold. Echo banged his hoof against the wall 3 times, and the hatch sealed. Outside, a loud grinding sound started up.

"Ahh," Cell groaned. "I'm in here every day, and that noise still shudders my ears."

"Y'all think that's bad," Marigold said, "Try livin' with Infected bangin' at your door 24/7." Cell grunted, nodding her agreement. Soon after, the transit was lifted into the air. The Pegasi flew out of the open hangar, and in the direction of their destination.

---

The skies of Manehattan had gone dark when the Pegasi team flew in. In the darkened sky appeared nine figures, followed by several rectangles of cloth. Echo landed in the cornfield, sliding in on his front knees. Next came Chainlink, X-Ray, Itzel, and Blade with Nova Team in formation. As they all released their parachutes, they regrouped with Echo.

"Where's that golden country-mare of yours?" Dingo asked, and just as he finished, a shape flew by them, dragging across the ground with several sounds of grunting and thumping in the dirt. When it came to a stop, Marigold crawled out from under her parachute, brushing dust off herself and muttering under her breath.

"A'hm gettin' too old for these stunts," she said, returning to the team.

"Aren't you younger than the majority of us here?" Cell asked, and Marigold just shrugged with a grin.

"Ah'm hopin' ah can live as long as y'all with your crazy actions."

"Keep it down," Echo said. "We can't afford to attract every Infected within earshot, and I am sure nopony here knows how far that is. Let's move." He ventured off torward a city in the distance, leading the team on. Manehattan was a towering city, with skyscrapers and buildings raising above the rest. Where they were headed was a small residency and business district, filled with small, square buildings. Echo stopped behind an old, broken down building that was barely still standing.

"Alright, Dingo," Echo said. "Get in there."

"You got it," Dingo said. He entered into the building and disappeared. A few seconds later, his voice came on the radio. "Oh, you guys ain't gonna like this... Socket, I'm patching through a video feed."

Socket paused, then flinched. "Oh, that is not good at all..."

"What is it?" Itzel asked. Socket turned to the wall of the building and pressed a button on his goggles. They projected a P.O.V. image from Dingo.

The street was flooded with Infected, many lumbering about, and a few gathered around small masses on the ground. "Those're SpecOps, I assume," Dingo said. "Looks like we'll be dealin' with them here, too. Any ideas?"

"I think I have one..." Itzel said. "Infected are attracted to blood, right?" Echo nodded. "What if we could injure a few of the SpecOps? The Infected would be all over them."

"I enjoy this plan..." Socket said.

"But what if we... Cannot get the shot...?" X-Ray asked.

"Ya think I'm just sitting up here to watch the fireworks?" Dingo said over the radio. "If ya can't get the shot, I will. We good with that?" Silence. "I'm assumin', 'yes'? Good."

"Let's get moving," Echo said. "Split into your teams and head out."

"Let's go, y'all!" Marigold said. "Ah'm ready to get some savin' done." A grin appeared on her face.

"Wait, before we go," Itzel said as she set down her pack. "TrailBlaze, go with Dingo. I can't take you out there into that." The filly hopped out of the bag, and quickly snuggled Itzel's leg.

"Please come back okay, Momma," TrailBlaze said. Itzel planted a kiss on her forehead and ruflled her mane with one hoof. TrailBlaze squeaked and giggled.

"I will," Itzel said. "I promise." TrailBlaze turned and ran off into the building with Dingo.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Dingo said over the radio. "She'll be good for a lookout or two..."

"You let her shoot that thing, and I'll strangle you with it." Dingo just chuckled.

The teams split into Nova team and Blade, and Harmony's Elements with Marigold, Itzel, and Echo. Nova went right to the North, while Harmony's Elements went left to the South. After about a minute, Echo stopped them.

"We're here. We'll enter through this alley." He slowly trotted through, weapon armed as he dove behind a dumpster. He took a peek out, and signaled for the team to follow. They all trotted out into the middle of the street, and were faced with a wall of Infected. "Get ready. If it moves, kill it. You hit a teammate, it's on you, so watch your fire. Nova Team, signal."

"Nova Team in position," Blade said over the radio. "Dingo?"

"Ready for the shots to fly," Dingo responded. "Let's start this Howdown Throwdown."

Echo turned to the Elements. "Ready?" There was not a word. "Good. On my signal." He pointed his Assault Rifle in the air, and shot out a burst of bullets. Several infected turned their way, and the firefight broke out. The Elements drew their weapons, and Itzel two daggers. Nova team opened fire across the way, and the Infected began to fall in hails of bullets. Itzel threw one dagger into the neck of an Infected, which stumbled and collapsed after knocking over several other Infected. Chainlink threw in a grenade, and the Infected were dismembered in a blow of shrapnel.

"Hold your fire, hold your fire!" Dingo said. "They're dead, they're dead. Ya can get to the base anytime now. Make sure to ring the doorbell when you get there."

The Elements, Echo, Marigold, and Itzel regrouped with Nova team, and they stalked up to the door. "Command," Cell said. "We've reached the base. What is the passcode?"

There was a pause in the radio, and a mare's voice came through. "Delta 323."

"Thanks, Cherry," Cell said, hanging up the radio. "You're up, Echo."

The gas-masked stallion trotted up to the front of the large, square building. He tapped the door twice. A strong voice came through the door. "Pass Code?"

"Delta 323." Echo said.

There was a pause, and the door opened. Before them was a stocky stallion in SpecOps armour.

"SpecOps!" Itzel yelled, and the team drew their weapons, all except for Nova Team and Echo. Echo looked back at the team, and then to the SpecOps stallion.

"I see you're still alive, Flood?" Echo said.

"As much as I'll ever be. Don't act too disappointed. How's my sister?"

"She's been fine. Hasn't taken many missions lately."

The team lowered their weapons. Chainlink was the first to speak.

"You know this guy?"

"An old friend of mine. His sister's my marefriend," Echo said. He turned back to Flood. "Care to let us in?"

"Yeah," Flood said. "Sure." He stepped inside, and Echo followed. The team entered, and just as Marigold was about to enter, an Infected reared up behind her. She screamed and pressed against the wall. Just before it could bite her, a shot rang out, and a bullet went through it's head, killing it instantly.

"Bullseye!" Dingo said over the radio, and TrailBlaze giggled in the background.

Marigold leaned against the wall, gasping and splattered slightly in blood. X-Ray stuck his head back out the door, glanced at the Infected, then back to Marigold. "Do you... Plan to stay here for the... Entire time of the mission...?"

Marigold calmed down, wiping away a spray of blood from her cheek. "Ah'm gettin' too old for this..." She entered into the base with the others and sealed the door, Dingo and TrailBlaze laughing over the radio.

---

A couple of minutes later, the team found themselves in a base similar to the base that Harmony's Elements and Marigold broke into to retrieve Marigold's Tyrant, Daisy. Flood opened a door into a meeting room, and led the team around a circular table. "Anypony need a drink?" Not a word. "Good. We've been out for days. Now here's the deal." He took a seat at the end of the table. "We're out of supplies. Our soldiers and citizens have been starving out here, and we can't leave here without Infected coming after us. We can't leave until we can either clear the city, or at least attempt to get a supply drop on the landing pad. We plan to stick to the supply drop until we can regain our strength to get through the city. As soon as we can, Evac can be sent without situation. Any questions?"

"How many soldiers do you have here in this base?" Echo asked.

"About 30 SpecOps."

"Civillians?"

"70. 13 foals."

"We'll get the civillians out first. We cannot Evac anything yet, but we can still get the supply drop. How much will you need?

"The absolute largest thing you can afford. We're dying here."

"And how long will you need to rebuild your strength before the takeover?"

"About a week. Can you wait that long.?"

Echo looked back to the team. "Yeah. Sure. We'll signal the supply drop tonight."

"Fair enough. Get yourselves comfortable, we launch tonight."

"Good." Echo stood up, and left, followed by the team.

"That was fast," Itzel said.

"Flood and I don't exchange much conversation. Get ready." Echo kept trotting away.

"And where... Are you going...?" X-Ray asked.

"To go tell Dingo to get his flank in here before he's eaten alive."

Itzell flinched at the thought, and the team went their separate ways, preparing for the drop and to prepare to take back Manehattan.

*Transmission Ended*