Chapter 42
Harley pulled up in a car so quiet Jacob didn’t realize she was there until she rolled down the window and called out from a street over. “Hey guys, let’s go.”
They hurried over, Jacob bringing up the rear (as was always the case) as the slowest and least-coordinated. “How did you get here so quietly?”
“Prius. They’re pretty much silent if you’re under 25.”
Katie opened the side door to the back, and they all piled inside. He introduced Michelle, and they set off.
Jacob found himself cramped in the middle beside Katie, which might’ve been a position he enjoyed more without his sister less than a foot away. “Well it’s a shame our illegal conspiracy doesn’t have higher vehicle standards.”
“Nothing’s more important than stealth.” Harley kept the windows down, moving with all the lights out. She had somehow put out the running lights as well, so the only sign of their passing on the unlit streets was the faint crunching of tires on pavement. “We can speed up once we’re onto the back roads.”
“Springs is in quarantine,” Michelle called. “All the major highways and side-roads are blocked. I don’t know how well they’re watched at night, but nobody gets out. It doesn’t matter if you’re mutated or not, they won’t let us pass.”
“Won’t let us.” Harley’s old grin returned. “Just as naive as your younger brother was when he started running with us. Honey, they haven’t even let us live for the last nine months now. Ponies they caught were hogtied and tossed into a pit to starve.”
“You all look un-starved.” Michelle’s eyes narrowed as she looked over at Jacob. “Well, maybe you didn’t feed my brother enough…”
“Your brother got sick of silage,” he grumbled. “They blew up our floating castle resort, and we’ve been hiding in a hole of our own ever since. You couldn’t digest the only food they have for us, and I don’t even want to. Harley is the healthiest because she has all of us around.”
“I don’t even want to touch that.” Michelle shifted in her seat, adjusting the duffel she had brought. She fished around for a minute, pulling out an aviation radio.
“I haven’t been following things super well, but all non-essential flights are grounded. Most other countries have closed their runways to American-originating aircraft. I assume you already know this. You should also know my FAA medical stuff expired three months ago, and I haven’t flown in a year. Not to mention the damn weather—I don’t have a clue what’s happening between here and Greenland.”
“We won’t be seen,” Harley said, absolutely confident. “Well… people can still see the plane, but that’s it. Radar, sonar, stuff like that… it won’t see us.”
Michelle stiffened. “My… brother did tell you I’ve flown small commercial jets, right? Not Air Force Stealth Bombers.”
“Magic.” Katie grinned up at her from beside Jacob. She didn’t have a hood—there was no horn to hide, and her pink mane was too long to stuff away. “How we do lots of things. Half of us in this car can fly.”
“With varying levels of competence,” Eric added. “You’d probably be better at it than I am.”
Michelle stared up at him, eyes narrowing. “Wait a minute… I know you. Aren’t you one of Jacob’s nerd friends? You’re from the club that blew up too!”
“He is,” Danni said. “Me too. The gas explosion was a crock of shit, though. Dragged into a secret government prison is more accurate. At least half of those people are still alive down in… the place we’ve been hiding. We rescued ‘em.”
They left the densest parts of the city, passing slowly through suburbs now. The only light in the car was the subdued glow of the GPS, which Harley seemed to be using to navigate their way around all the large streets. More than one larger vehicle passed on big streets—they would park, hunker down, and wait for them to pass. Nothing seemed to notice them.
“It sounds like you’ve been having all sorts of adventures, pipsqueak. Could’ve invited me, like, months ago. Fighting terrorists, rescuing political prisoners… more fun than aviation engineering.”
Jacob winced at the nickname, withdrawing a little into his seat. It had been a great joke, back when he had been six inches taller and twice as heavy. Now, though…
Katie grinned. “Oh my god, that’s perfect! You’ve even got the patches—”
“Shut up!” He shoved Katie a little. She was still grinning mischievously at him. “There’s probably a real Pip Squeak out there somewhere, and I bet he’d like to keep his name.”
“Adventure isn’t the word I’d choose,” Jackie said. “Lots of us are dead. Even if you live, you give up your humanity in little bites until it’s gone. Just look at your brother.”
“But you want to stop the people attacking! The, uh…” She shrugged. “I don’t know who they are. Seems like a worthwhile cause. Looking for a cure, even more.”
“We can hope.” Harley leaned in over the wheel, squinting at flashing lights visible down the road. They were on a fairly minor tributary by then, two lanes without streetlights. Even so, there was a pair of police cars visible in the distance, blocking both lanes of traffic. Human outlines with gas-masks on their faces stood around them, armed and watchful.
“I was hoping they wouldn’t be… dammit, fine. Guess we have to jump. Brace the newbie.”
“Sis, teleporting sucks the first few times you do it. Be ready to puke out the window.”
“Great.” Michelle tensed, tucking her duffel between her legs. “So you have supernatural powers, but they induce nausea. No wonder they didn’t want you as Disneyland attractions.”
They slowed to a stop on the road. Harley reached out the window, resting one hand on the car’s metal frame. She stared at the map, concentrating on its various lines. She held a wand tightly in her other hand, and the green glow began to build. “The silent road opens, the old gates swung wide. We step together.”
The world jerked, blurring past Jacob in a nauseating rush. He was prepared for it by now, his stomach tensing instead of spilling its contents. He closed his eyes against the rushing scenery and the lights, and in another moment their vehicle dropped.
They fell nearly six full inches, landing with a painful jostling of the suspension. Jacob and Katie, without seatbelts, were tossed around the most, though most everyone else stayed where they were.
They were on another stretch of dark road, with no more light in front of them but distant voices behind. Harley started driving, her skin much paler. She didn’t stay slow this time either, but let the car pass over the threshold of silence. She still didn’t need the lights, which became much more terrifying as they approached highway speeds. Harley kept to the center of the road, rolling up the windows as air began to rush around them.
“That wasn’t an illusion.” Michelle hadn’t vomited, but she was panting, rolling down the window and letting her head hang out. Her words came in raspy, pained gasps. “I thought maybe there was some trickery involved, or hypnosis, or…”
Jacob reached out with one hand, resting it on her shoulder. “Unfortunately not. Magic is real. Along with… lots of other things I wish weren’t.”
“What, like the man-eating monsters?” Danni rolled her eyes from a few inches away in the cramped seat. “But almost getting eaten is such an adventure each and every time.”
“We’re almost there.” Harley pointed out the window, at a distant light off the side of the road. It looked like an industrial building next to a few more rural, old-timey houses. None had any sign of activity, nor apparent vandalism. “It’s in the barn back there. Runway is just outside it. There’s a generator to turn it on, plus all the fuel and stuff. I… don’t actually know how any of it works.”
“You just happen to have a private jet waiting to be used in an old barn?” Michelle pulled her head out the window, eyes narrowing. “We’re talking a hundred million, maybe more.”
“Money was never an issue.” Jackie reached into a pocket, rummaging around before coming up with a fistful of precious stones. Even in the faint light of the GPS, the sapphires and rubies glittered, each one bigger than a thumb. “Want a few million dollars? I’ve got way more.”
Michelle took one of the offered stones, holding it in front of her eyes, tapping it with a fingernail, and even biting at it. Nothing scratched or dented it. “Shit.”
They pulled to a stop beside an old, apparently-unlit house. “Everyone who isn’t helping get it ready, move your flanks into the barn there. Stockpile is there if you think you need anything. I’m sure our pilot will have the jet fueled and ready for loading right away.”
They unloaded, all relieved to be out of the cramped car. Lights came on as they walked into the barn, with its electronic door that opened for Harley’s card. Despite the rural exterior, the interior was clean concrete, a hanger complete with the usual complement of airplane-servicing equipment. Jacob didn’t recognize any of it, except for the large tank built into the floor, and its enormously-long, thick fueling hose.
The G630 was a gorgeous little jet, with ordinary civilian markings so far as he could tell. No sloped wings, or angled body, or anything else he would’ve expected from a stealth airplane. Maybe it really is just magic?
Michelle lowered the passenger stairs, and he was the first inside. The interior was expensive leather, and quite clean despite who knew how much time of disuse. Jacob found his way to one of the empty seats in back, hopping up and resting his head on the side of an armrest. Katie soon joined him, climbing up into the same seat. It no longer seemed cramped.
“Your sister is a lot like you,” she said, sounding as drained as he felt. “Brave, determined, clever…”
He glared at her. “If you’re trying to make me forget about the pipsqueak thing, it won’t work. Michelle is pretty awesome, though.” He yawned. It had to be two in the morning, maybe three. He had already had his whole Imperium work day, on top of this whole stealth mission adventure. It was hard to keep his eyes open.
Katie didn’t protest. Within a few minutes, they were both asleep. Jacob felt dim motion in his resting place, along with the warmth and steady breathing of his companion. Eventually there was a rush of acceleration and a blast of noise, but he kept his eyes closed and tried to tune out both.
When he next opened his eyes, there was pale blue light coming from the windows. Katie was already gone, apparently woken before he did. Jacob found the restroom, cleaned up a bit, and stripped away what remained of his disguise. Hooves and tail and furry legs felt much better when they weren’t trapped under silly kids’ clothes, to say nothing of how much better he could balance.
They were very clearly in motion. The front section of the plane was the busiest—everyone but Michelle was there, watching Manos on the large plasma screen set into the wall. Their expressions ranged from boredom to outright shock.
Jackie glowered at him. “Oh, there he is.”
Harley was sitting beside her. Jackie had popcorn, but the changeling only held her hand. “Hey kid, why the hell did you give your sister this? Was this some kind of… unhealthy joke?”
“No!” He walked over, staring up at the screen from the side. “This movie is good because it’s bad! Lots of people think it’s the worst movie humans ever made.”
He walked through the gathering, not having to duck under the TV as he made his way towards the cockpit. “We’ll try something milder next time. Manos is… a little too heavy for most people.”
The cockpit door was open, and Michelle was at the controls, sipping on a can of coke. She looked up as he came in, then dropped her can. “Shit! What happened to you, pipsqueak?”
He blushed, tail tucking involuntarily between his legs. “I took off the disguise. I didn’t look like a kid because I’m younger, I looked that way because ponies are small.”
“Well that sucks.” She snatched the can from the ground, though the white carpet was already stained. “And now I’ve spilled all over their expensive airplane.”
“Just focus on the flying.” He made his way to the copilot’s seat, clambering up into it. “We don’t really care what happens to this plane.” He lowered his voice, mischievous. “There isn’t a runway where we’re going.”
“Yeah, I heard that.” She shook her head, eyes wide. “Your friends are batshit. This whole situation…”
“Yeah.” He nodded, looking out the window. Wilderness, snow-covered tundra, with distant mountains of black rock. No sign of human activity anywhere. “That’s fair. You get used to it after awhile, and the supernatural becomes mundane. Speaking of which… where’s your mask?”
She shrugged. “Harley made it clear I can’t get it from you guys. Once you mutate past a certain point… and she’s right, clearly.” She held up one hand. “Still got these things.”
“Hey, me too!” He held up his own, though it was quite a bit smaller. Not to mention his fingers were starting to feel a little stiffer than he liked. “Hands are one of the last things you lose, right before you’re down on four legs for good.”
“I hope you’re right about a cure.” She didn’t seem to be doing much in terms of flying, though her hands were on the controls. “Life for ‘ponies’ doesn’t look like it’s gonna be good. Word is there are three million of them, between us, Canada, and the UK. Absolutely nuts.”
“A cure is secondary,” he admitted. “Mainly, we’re trying to stop the ones who caused it from making any more ponies. Depose their leader, install a better one. What happens after that is out of our hoo— hands. Out of our hands.”
“If you say so.” Michelle sat back in her chair. “I still think you should’ve got me involved sooner. I would’ve put my degree on hold for an adventure like this.”
“Yeah,” he sighed, staring down at his hooves. “I probably should’ve.”
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Aw, you uploaded slightly late today, so I don't have time to read it before work. This story has been the highlight of my morning for the past week or so.
I am massively enjoying reading this. It's like it's stuck a bunch of tiny little claws into me and won't let me go.
I just came up with one thing.
Somewhere in the text there was a line that sounded like "singed their souls away". Then we have Warden, saying "You give away your freedom to fate, and what does it give you?". I didn't give this moment much detail until this moment:
There is clearly some conspiracy going about souls, fates and cutiemarks. I just don't have enough info to dig any deeper.
Man... I'm liking Michelle more and more with every chapter!
Well, any landing you can walk away from is still a landing.
I finally got a chance to read this chapter. I'm glad you mentioned what happened to the others of the club, since it was odd they hadn't been mentioned yet.
I decided to do some rough back of the napkin calculations on the number of casualties in the attacks. Assuming the same ratio of attacks to populations across the UK, Canada and the US, it seems around 0.75% of each of their populations were ponified. So, in the US, that would be over two million, with half a million in the UK, and another quarter million in Canada.
I notice you didn't mention Australia/New Zealand. Does that mean they weren't attacked, or just that their numbers weren't included? And were the attacks localized to only English-speaking countries, or all western countries, or were they spread out through the entire world?
7580854
I'd say Australia, New Zeland, ect were probably attacked as well, and just not mentioned. The details of the attacks are given in the Casualties story, but in general English Speaking nations were the only targets. This does not mean that the infection didn't spread beyond them once the initial attacks were over, however.
7580928 I was going to comment on it being more tactically sound to infect the poorest countries wiht the highest populations first, but then I remembered that the ponies in charge aren't very good with tactics.
I agree entirely. Prius's... *shudder*