Unmasked
Chapter 37: Unmasked
*drip*
*drip*
*drip*
*drip*
As he came to, James could feel the steady beat of drops splashing onto the back of his neck. He inhaled sharply, his heart beating a staccato rhythm against his rib cage. He picked up his head and looked around, trying to get his bearings. In front of him, about fifteen feet away, was a damp stone wall. He was stripped down to his boxers and his back was against something hard and wooden. He tried to move his arms, but they were stretched out to his sides, wrists shackled to the frame. His legs and bottom rested on the cool stone floor. He gave his arms a shake, causing the shackles to rattle and clink. Behind him a door suddenly creaked open and banged shut, the sound of hooves on stone receding into the distance.
Instantly, his training kicked in. He inspected his fetters, finding that they were made of black steel. The wood frame he was against was sturdy and strong. He lifted his head and opened his mouth to catch a drop of water. It was salty. Either he was beneath an underground river and the soil had a high salt content or he was somewhere on the coast. Most likely it was the latter.
Once again, he heard the sound of hooves stomping down a stone floor, echoing down a corridor, only now they were accompanied by the the solid thud of a pair of boots. The door opened on un oiled hinges and slammed shut, this time he heard the unmistakable click of the door being locked. The boots thumped on the floor, coming closer to him, yet whoever it was remained just out of his vision.
"So you're awake. Tsk tsk tsk, shame on you letting your guard down back there. I was almost sure you would have evaded the trap. But don't feel too bad. Traps, ambushes and sabotage is somewhat of a specialty of mine." Came the smooth gruff voice.
"Now, I do know what you are. Your physique, the scars, that tattoo. But who are you? More the question," he continued, "why are you? I've been here nearly two years now. So c'mon, what's your deal?"
James remained silent.
"Cat got your tongue buddy? That's ok. Didn't figure you for a talker. I would use some of my... techniques to get you to, but I think we both know how that'll go. Man, did SERE school sucks, huh? It's fine. For me, it's less a tool and more recreational."
A masked man appeared to his right, the same one from the sewers. Covering his face was a simple torn ski mask. He was dressed in a dirty uniform of indiscernible origins. On his feet were the same brown leather combat boots that James last remembered feeling on his own throat.
"C'mon old buddy, old pal. You know, you have some pretty well maintained equipment. A sure sign of a master in his craft. That old 1911 of yours looked as new as the day it came out the factory. But what I really liked was the knife." From his back, the stranger produced James' blade.
"Clean and pristine. Honed to a razor's edge. A real killing tool. You're aware of the bones in your arms, right? The Radius and the Ulna? The pace in between?"
The man grabbed James' left wrist with his free hand and then plunged the knife between the bones in his arm hard enough that the tip of it embedded itself in the wood, sticking there.
"UNGH" James gritted his teeth in pain.
"Just a grunt? Impressive. You should try not to move too much now, you might damage something important."
James' arm felt like it was on fire. He could feel every little detail of his injury. The pain if the cold metal stretching and tearing his flesh. The warm flow of blood flowing down his arm and tickling him as it dribbled off his elbow. His fingers starting to numb as they lost oxygen.
"So, you don't want to tell me about yourself? Fine, I'll start. Hiya there, I'm John Kraster, nice to meet you!" The man said, extending a hand before snatching it back, "Oh, right." A smile crossed his face as he looked at the shackles.
James just stared at him angrily.
"Wow, you're anti-social. Ok, I can work with that. How about a little story. Maybe you learn a little about me and open up yourself. Well, turns out we have something in common. I used to be special forces myself, Green Berets. Of course that was before they gave me an OTH. Booted me out, called it 'unnecessary roughness'. Job prospects were slim, but boy those paramilitary companies just gobble people like me up. Didn't give two shits about my record. Man did I like that gig. A lot more pay and a lot less rules. Kinda brings me to how I ended up here. You got some pretty nice scars. I'll show you mine, you show me yours."
With a flourish, he whipped the mask off his head, exposing the twisted and gnarled skin of his face. James just continued to stare him down, unfazed.
"And you still don't flinch! Wundebar! Then again you've probably seen worse. Caused worse. Got this little number cruisin' around Afghanistan on a contract. IED. Flipped the car. Burned for almost three minutes before the explosives in the car finally cooked off. And not a single one of those rat bastard teammates of mine tried to pull me out. Woke up here, survived somehow. Now what about your story, buddy?"
James continued to keep his mouth shut., his arm was now throbbing intensely.
"Still no? That really hurts, I put myself out there. Don't you know that sharing is caring?" *sigh* "Doesn't matter, you're gonna be here a while. Sooner or later, you'll tell me. For now, I'm afraid I have work to do. You know, I don't know why you've been working under that god forsaken government of ponies, it baffles me. My little monstrosities here might be a little uncooperative at times, but kill enough of them and they practically worship you. You'd be a dead shoe in."
The man got up to leave and walked to the door before briefly returning.
"Whoops, can't leave you with something you can use." He said as he yanked out the knife.
He then left for sure, the door clanking and locking behind him. James was now left alone to his thoughts, the first of which were of escape. The second...
"What an asshole."
=====================================================================
The next day a unicorn entered his cell and loosely bandaged the wound. The only other thing he did was give James some water before leaving. After he did, James set to work devising a plan for escape. He needed to get out. From what he could see, the corridor outside his cell was well lit, everytime the door opened light flooded the room. He needed to find his gear, just the essentials, and bug out of here, where ever 'here' was. Getting his hands free would be difficult and his left arm was now near useless.
He gave the chains a tug again, but this only caused the metal to bite into his wrists. Out of frustration, he tried to punch with his right which only worsened the feeling, but this time something else happened. The spot where the chain was secured to the wood gave way a little. As James eyed it he could see that is had moved from the frame by just a fraction of a centimeter. If he was in such luck, they had been nailed in rather than bolted. If he could get some leverage, he might be able to pry them off. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of boots outside his door. It unlocked and swung open as something stepped inside.
"Wakey wakey, how are we feeling today?" Kraster asked in a mocking tone.
James still refused to respond.
"Still not very talkative I see. That's ok. I just came by to ask you about this curious little gem we found hanging around your neck. It has some interesting properties. Definitely not something you'd find back on earth, so I wonder, who gave this to you? It's very nicely cut, has a beautiful little swirl of colors in the middle. Maybe you have a little chat with me and I don't go track this individual down?"
James just tightened his mouth in furious resolve.
"C'mon, start with something simple, like a number. Maybe the number of just how many of those ponies you trained? They've been really troublesome. Seems they're trying to find you. Ha, fat chance. Pretty sure they won't find this place, it's quite far off the map for them. However, they did just butcher two of my scouting parties. Shame on you, teaching such innocent creatures the horrors of war. That's MY job."
James just continued to try and bore a hole through the wicked man's head with a tempestuous gaze.
"Seems as though you're trying to kill me with that look! Tell you what. I'm a busy man so I have to go. I think I'll keep this though," he said while holding up the gem, "kinda fun to look at. Well, so long!"
As soon as James heard the guy's foot steps fading away, he flipped onto his back so he could put his feet up against the chain. He grabbed a hold of it with his right hand and began to push it away from the wood frame with his feet. It was slow going, but he managed to get another centimeter out of it. With his hand, he felt around and inspected it. Once, he accidentally pushed it back in. He was alarmed at first, but then found that once it had been loosened to a degree, he could push it in and pull it back out to where he had pried it before with relative ease. This was good as now he could try to disguise his efforts.
For three more days he worked. Kraster didn't come back for anymore chats, he was only visited by the same unicorn that brought him water and fed him a bland gruel like paste. On the fourth day, he finally managed to pop the large nail out from the wood, but now was not the right time to try and escape so he put the nail back in. By his reckoning, it was probably around mid morning. The pony that brought his food did so at maybe five hour intervals, with one long one every day. James assumed that this was when night fell. So he waited. He waited and patiently ate and drank every meal the unicorn brought him. After what he thought was the last meal of the day, he counted one more hour and got to work.
He plucked out the four inch nail with his right hand and removed it from the chains. Then he used it to pry off the nail pinning the chains on his left arm from the frame. With a tool to assist in the task, he was free in no time. However, he still had the chains attached to his wrists and he left arm was still virtually useless. He slung the chains of his left arm around his neck and pinned the end to a link near the manacle with one of the nails to create a makeshift and very uncomfortable sling. He just simply wrapped the chains dangling from his right wrist around his arm.
James then moved to the door and pressed and ear up against it. He couldn't hear anything so he dropped to the floor and peered out from the narrow space beneath the door. To the left there was nothing, but on the right was a pair of ugly clawed feet. This wasn't going to be easy. He searched around the room until he found a reasonably sized rock for his task. Then he hurled it as hard as he could at the door, flattening himself against the wall beside it as fast as he could. Nothing.
He checked under the door again and saw that the feet were now facing the door. However, the guard had decided not to open it and investigate the source of the disturbance.
"I don't have time for this. HEY ASSHOLE!" He pounded forcefully on the door a few times. "I'M ESCAPING!"
This time, James heard a key being hastily forced into the lock and opening the door. As soon as it was wide enough, a large Lotkin entered only to receive the second four inch nail straight in its throat. The thing clutched at its neck and tried to gurgle an alarm. From its belt, James snatched a wicked looking dagger and ended the beast's spasms with a quick thrust. James searched the corpse and found the key to the manacles, but nothing else. He slipped it into his mouth and continued on.
Stepping out, he discovered he was in a wide rough hewn corridor with low ceilings. All along the walls hung lanterns. James began moving up the gentle slope of the passageway, alert and wary of any and all danger. He needed to find some of his gear, and fast. He remembered Kraster talking about how he had admired James' weapons and gear, so he smiled when he spotted the unicorn that had been feeding him carrying a platter filled with assorted goodies and meats all expertly roasted. Silently he crept up behind the stallion. When he was within just a few feet, James pressed the dagger up against the throat of the unsuspecting pony from his rear.
"Don't turn around, don't yell or scream. Just take me to where your boss sleeps. Nod if you understand."
The unicorn nodded, James could hear an audible gulp as he did.
"Good. Lead the way."
The stallion did as he was instructed and took him down a maze of corridors. After a time, the emerged out onto a wide wooden platform hanging on the side of an enormous cavern. Down below was a great lake of water, ships of all kinds floated upon its surface. Directly under the platform were a series of piers. Currently, many ponies and Lotkin were loading and offloading cargo below. It was a massive operation. Lashed to a large platform were four large crates with the lids off. Inside, James could see four of the largest round crystals he had ever seen, their deathly familiar glow shining against the high ceiling. Far across the cavern, James could distinguish a large opening leading out to the sea, moonlight was shining through the entrance.
The unicorn soon led James to a tall wooden structure that had been receded into the wall of the cavern. It was a small wooden tower about forty feet high, the only windows it sported were high off the ground. They reached the door at the bottom and the unicorn produced a key and inserted it into the lock. James raised the dagger in his right hand, ready to counter any threats.
"You go first." He ordered the stallion. "No funny business."
James followed the stallion into a brightly lit room filled with swords, spears and other knick knacks. To the rear was a set of stairs that led up to the upper floors. He urged the unicorn up them and they came out into a decently sized bedroom. So far, the structure was devoid of its occupant. James left the unicorn and started searching the room.
In one corner, he found his boots. In another, there was a closet with some clothes in it. He took a button down short sleeve and a pair of shorts, then he found some socks and slipped his boots on. Over by the bed, he spotted his pistol with the shoulder holster next to it. He grabbed it and donned the holster, shoving the 1911 in it when he was done. James opened and closed drawers until he found the most important thing. The small gem he had been tasked to keep safe. He stared into its depths, temporarily captivated by its beauty.
*CLANG*
A blunt metal object smacked against the back of his head. He whipped out his pistol and spun around, shoving it into the face of his attacker. All he saw was a very scared unicorn. Rubbing the back of his head, he stowed his weapon.
"Ow! What the hell you do that for?"
"Sorry!"
"Get the hell outta here, and don't come back! This place is bad for you!"
"Y-yes sir!"
The pony quickly bolted from the room, hooves stomping down the stairs and out the door.
"Shit!" James yelled out in anger.
He now had about three minutes to bug out due to his lapse in judgement. If it wasn't known he was out and about, it sure would be common knowledge now. James affixed the gem around his neck and scrambled to find his knife. After a minute and a half, he had been all around the room and still hadn't found it. He gave up and made for the exit, pausing by a cabinet before he went out the door. He opened it up and was delighted at what he saw.
Outside, a host of vicious warriors were on the march to his position. Thirty Lotkin trod down the platform and staged themselves before the small tower. From behind them, Kraster emerged.
"So! Got a little spunk, do ya? Stretching your legs? How's that arm of yours doing? I imagine it's still quite painful."
Inside, James used his key to unlock the manacles on his right wrist and tossed them out the window where they slid and clattered to the despicable man's feet.
"Got some attitude, do you?" Kraster yelled. "Why don't you be a good sport and come on out of there peacefully. I promise it won't hurt as much!"
"How about we have a little chat?"
"Oh, now you want to talk!" Kraster exclaimed in an exasperated tone, "Well hell. Ok then, what did you have in mind?"
"Why are you here, why are you doing this?" James asked.
"Why!? Why, why, why... Why not!? Hell, it's not like I got anything else better to do! I have the skills! Might as well topple another government! This time, instead of that shitty paycheck, I get a whole empire! What's not to like!?"
"How about all the deaths you've caused?"
"Deaths? Of what, those fucking horse things!? Who gives a shit!?"
"They're not animals, John, they think and feel just like you and me. Some are even smarter than the two of us!"
"Yeah, so were a lot of the people YOU'VE killed! How many, huh? Two hundred? Three hundred? It's what we do, we're killers!"
"We don't have to be."
"Oh really? So what is it you've been doing in the time you've spent here!? Picking daisies!? You practically have your own army of blade wielding, gun toting ponies!"
"It's not the same!"
"Really!? How is it not the same? Enlighten me!"
"They were trained to protect, not murder!"
"Oh, just like you were? Got any more hypocritical philosophical bullshit you want to sling at me?"
"No. But I do have something important to tell you..." James stated calmly.
"Yeah, what's that?"
"I found your toys."
James pulled the pins out of two M67 grenades and tossed them out the window. Kraster stared wide eyed at the small metal balls and immediately started running. Meanwhile, James popped up and started hosing the platform down with an Israeli made Uzi he had also found in the cabinet. He ducked a second later as the grenades detonated, sending shrapnel everywhere. Then he stood up and expended the rest of the mag at now scattered force.
He dropped his weapon and climbed up to the third story as the surviving warriors began to pick their way around the massive holes he had blown out of the platform and charge the structure. On the third story, James found somewhat of a study. There was another desk and a bookshelf against the back wall, lanterns lit the four corners of it. Frantically, he searched for his knife again, but it was nowhere to be found. Down below, another detonation rocked the structure as one of his pursuers tripped a trap he had left them. Nothing complex, just a thin wire wrapped around the door knob, the other end looped through the pin of a grenade secured to the wall next to the door.
"Oh for the love of... Ok Mr. No Name, booby traps are MY deal. And just look at what you did to my humble abode!" Kraster complained while he stepped over the now ruined door of his residence.
James began searching for a way out. He had left one more surprise for them, but now they'd be more cautious in their advance. He looked out the window, to far of a drop, if he injured a leg he would never escape. He felt along the walls with his good hand, trying to find a hidden door somewhere, nothing but solid wood. He could hear them coming up the stairs now. In frustration, he gripped the edge of the bookcase with his right hand and threw it on the ground. Behind it was a bolt hole.
"That'll work." James said to no one.
He pushed the heavy bookcase over the opening in the floor that led downstairs. He then jumped back as bullets tore through the wood.
"I got my toys back!" Kraster hollered from below.
James wasn't around to hear it, he was already sprinting down the hidden passageway, his injured arm flopping against his chest with each stride. The narrow stone passage started gently sloping up, a cool fresh breeze signaling a way out to the surface. He had nearly made it to the top when a round bounced off the wall next to him, spraying sharp chips of stone at him. Reacting quickly, James drew his own firearm and loosed a few rounds down the corridor behind him.
All of a sudden, James burst from the tunnel into a cold and snowy night. There was fresh snow on the ground and more was beginning to fall around him. He swiveled his head left and right, trying to decide which way to run. He took off to his right and ran a dozen yards before he came to a cliff, only freezing water below. He doubled back and ran the other direction only to encounter the same thing. Becoming increasingly agitated at his plight, he circled around behind the hole he had fled from and began running, just to once again find himself at the edge of a large cliff, a violent surf crashing against the cruel rocks far below.
"Looks like it's the end of your run, buddy."
James turned around to see Kraster and about nine Lotkin accompanied by four stallions, one of them disgustingly familiar. Kraster was pointing a Glock at his chest, daring him to make a move.
"Why don't you be good and tell me your name now? Don't you think I've gone through enough trouble for it now? It's not like it'll make it any easier for me to find you, we're the only two humans in this whole damned world!"
James peered over his shoulder at the cliff behind him, judging his odds.
"No. You don't deserve it." He replied to the man. "You're a disgrace to people in our profession. We may have had to take lives, but that doesn't mean we have to like it."
"Aww, that's too bad. Well, can't say I can let you live after all this. It sucks, but you did just take out a bunch of my fighters. Last words?"
"Just a few." James directed his attention to a certain pegasus with a yellow streak through his mane, "Remember my warning Lightning. And Kraster, you can go fuck yourself."
With that, he threw up the one fingered salute and began to run to the cliff edge. He leaped off as Kraster opened fire at him. As he fell, James crossed his legs and pulled his arm against his body in preparation for impacting the water. Up on the cliff, Kraster was shaking in a furious rage.
"Stupid, he won't survive that." Lightning remarked as he limped over to his master.
Kraster turned and struck the pegasus in the face, "IDIOT! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF! HE'S NOT DEAD UNTIL I SEE A BODY! FIND HIM, FIND HIM, FIND HIM!!!" He bellowed, tossing one of the Lotkin off the cliff.
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O__________________________O...... epic...
If Dashie had any idea what he did on the job, she would slap the snot out of him for scaring her like that, then kiss him till he passed out for being 20% cooler than Daring Do!
what do green barrets do again? i thought they gave all the jobs to seals now
Great chape cant wait for next!!!
good chapter my man.
Boss hose, eeyup.
Get captured by the enemy- Check
Escape from captivity- Check
Blow up parts of their base of operation- Check
Mock enemy boss while telling them to go fuck themselves- Check
Throw yourself of a cliff into freezing water, not caring- Check
Yep, I think I can safely say this:
chzbronies.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-cant-blind-him-with-science.jpg
well, this just got interesting.
1236430 ya but when's the last time you heard about a team of them being deployed to do something in afghanistan?
My jolly ranchers taste so good with my slush. Nice chapter to.
Another great chapter.
Can't wait to see how RD will react after hearing what happened to him.
1236508 British Royal Marines (known also as the Green Berets) are currently deployed there. The mysterious fella' could be British.
1236228
They basically send Green Berets out in the middle of a desert in Afghanistan to patrol a certain area.....That's it really.
1236430
Not really tho. The "Army" version of the navy SEALs are Delta Force.
Green Berets are the guys that are RECRUITED into Navy Seals and Delta Force.
now i feel bad for that one lotkin he threw off the cliff
Oh snap son!
A former Green Beret huh? What's next?? Delta Force?? Marine?? Blackwater??
This was awesome, have some moustaches
1236291 Agreed
I wonder how Dashie will feel about this.
1237221
oh god not delta!
unless he's a good guy
Ah yes that was FUCKING EPIC MY DUDE HAHA EPIC~
1237586
I'd be more scared if Blackwater showed up
But I think a Delta guy would just be all "whatever, I do what I want!"
If the enemy is Green Beret, then what James and the gang need is a Russian Spetsnaz. It be cool if you added a Spetsnaz to the story, that way he/she can train our heroes to swim in pools of real blood to get the fear of death out of them and make them more lethal.
1236228 Well I forget about present but in the Vietnam war berets were smal squads of troops that went into villages and trained locals into a force. If they were in a big town they could easily make a large company of militia I think
1238840
This. is great idea.
What I REALLY want to see is more Tier 1 operators (like SEAL Team 6) Like GROM, Spetznaz, ROKN UDT/Seals, SAS in the series, whether they would be red shirts, allies, or enemies. Pony vs Lotkin combat is starting to become somewhat boring.....
Who let photofinish be the enamy "wundebar"
s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/terminal05/2012/8/17/17/anigif_enhanced-buzz-18582-1345238364-15.gif
1242850 Fair point, I'm not really knowledgeable on the subject.
This man is in serious need of a tank. No scratch that he needs lots of tanks. Tanks make everything better!
Kaster is best, I love the crazy watch the world burn kinda people. Also, giant versions of the grenade sized gate destroyers.... Well, everyone is f*cked.
1237271 Pretty sure she'll be or either pissed or sad.
1245720 Thank you Captain Obvious.
1245729
1236228 1237115
SEALs and USSF have two very different jobs. SEALs are a direct action force, and US Special Forces are are a force multiplier (this is their primary job, both groups can do either job). The United States Special Forces are deployed mostly as either parts of security details or training indigenous forces, while SEALs are mostly a direct action force.
While it is true that one can become the other, they'd have to go through very difficult and very specialized training and it'd be the equivalent of starting a brand new career. It's almost pointless to try and recruit other a Special Forces operator for the chance of becoming a Navy SEAL. The men that choose this kind of work are (generalization here) very loyal to their group. If you try to recruit one for a different group, you'll either be laughed at or hazed until you leave the room.
That was fuckin' awesome. James shall survive and end up in the hospital again and Dashie will be Dashie. I would be scared of Rainbow coming to the hospital to scold me. John must die.
i dont have time for this
.... HEY ASSHOLE!!
Shouldnt have fell for that....
IM ESCAPING!!!!!
*smacks over head with stone*
i dont have time for this
.... HEY ASSHOLE!!
Shouldnt have fell for that....
IM ESCAPING!!!!!
*smacks over head with stone*
Lol the guy saying FIND HIM! FIND HIM! FIND HIM!
Just Replace it with NIEN!
I cant help but read the green berret with James Woods voice...hmmm?
1855521ikr lol
dam nice
I like Kraster
Well. This just even the odds. Now Equestria has to worry about a human who is almost as skilled as James and will use them for evil. This makes things harder.
5642568
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