Addiction

by FlashFoward

Money Talks

“Gold, would you mind helping us out on our daring rescue?” Ace asked.

“I would like to regain what’s rightfully mine so sure, why not.” Gold muttered. He got up from his bed with surprising speed and trotted by your side.

“Frost kept a lot of your old employees in Erotica. Majority of them hates his guts and I bet they would be more then glad to help us out.” Gold looked rather satisfied when you recall the bartender’s words.

“They’re like my second family. And as family, you have to help them out when in need.” Gold acknowledged.

“Excellent! I’ll meet you two at Erotica then. I need to pull a few strings to further ensure our chances of kicking Frost’s flank all over the place.” Ace chimed in before leaving the room.

“Let’s get a move on.” Gold muttered, following suit to Ace.

Red was right when she said that she would try to keep you trapped in here. It looked like about every nurse, doctor, security guard, and even custodian had an eye on you were ever you went. You couldn’t help but wonder if Gold’s presence around you kept anypony from trying to drag you back to your room. Every exit had at least six guards near the door, probably due to Red tipping them off. Honestly, was this place a prison rather than a hospital now?

Just as you started to feel that leaving this hospital was close to impossible, Gold enters a room and returns shortly dressed like a doctor. You were at a loss for Gold’s sudden desire to play dress up and he noticed.

“They won’t assume nothing if two doctor’s leave.” Gold explained.

You simply shrug and enter the room yourself. It looked like a lunchroom or just a place for the employees to hang out. Lab coats were hanging on the back of a few chairs, some clipboards on the table in the middle of the room, and a forgotten pair of glasses on top of one of the clipboards. Your luck was really starting to turn.

“The glasses are a nice touch. It goes along well with the clipboard.” Gold noted, nodding with approval of your disguise once you entered the hallway again.

“We should head to the lobby.” You mutter.

“Why is that? What’s the difference between the front door and all the other exits we tried?” Gold looked very skeptical on your idea.

“Well, the guards would never even consider that we would walk through the front doors that we came in from.” You reply.

You and Gold return to the elevator and head down to the lobby. While the elevator descended, your mind wandered back to Vinyl’s safety. What was Frost doing to her? Wise ponies have said that the imagination is far worse than the actual fact itself. Perhaps Vinyl was fine and maybe she wasn’t. All you knew was that you can’t stand the idea of Frost even being close to her.

As the elevator doors opened, you were surprised to see fewer guards down here, two to be exact. Gold’s jaw was a little slack and you bet he too was astounded by the lack of security in the area. The only problem was the ponies at the front desk, the way how they surveyed the room like a hawk was unsettling. This didn’t seem to bother Gold one bit, he trotted up to the front door without a care. You followed Gold once you notice the ponies at the desk ignored Gold walking past them completely.

Freedom was to close that you could taste it. The world outside looked so much bigger then you remember, perhaps which was from growing used to the claustrophobic feel the hospital gave you. Just as you placed your hoof on the front door, you could hear galloping behind you. The source of the galloping was from Red, who looked unnerved at your presence.

“Get him! He’s escaping!” Red hollered to the confused guards.

“Run like the wind?” Gold yelled as he pushed past the front door.

“We have to go faster than that!” You yell back, trying to keep pace with Gold.

---

How long you’ve been running was hard to say. The sounds of the gallops from the chasing guards died out eventually though. Fortunately for you, Gold had the lead and you trusted in him that he had a good idea how to get to Erotica. After all, he owned the place. Gold made it a point for the both of you to trash your disguises, to further throw off the guards. You figured he just didn't like the idea of walking around looking like a doctor. Erotica was soon approaching and Ace was waiting there impatiently, from the looks of his pacing back and forth at least.

“What was the hold up? I was expecting you guys to be out way earlier.” The snappy tone of Ace’s just proved your theory.

“With so many guards around the exits, we had to get creative.” Gold replied, gesturing to his doctor disguise.

“Guards you say? Red wasn’t kidding around then.” Ace mused.

“About the muscle…” Gold muttered.

“Don’t fuss over that. They are in the club as we speak. All you have to do is threaten Frost when you confront him and they’ll act.” Ace replied as he puffed out his chest proudly.

Ace was not one to let anypony down. You hoped that reputation would stay true tonight. As you trotted to Erotica’s front entrance, Ace pulled you aside while Gold talked to the familiar bouncer.

“I want you to get Vinyl as fast as you can and get her to safety. The effects of the pain killers might wear out while you’re in
there, which is the last thing I need to happen. I prefer not to start injecting you with adrenaline if I can help it, but I’ll do it if
you need it.” Ace whispered urgently in your ear. You nod silently and that seemed enough for him. “Let’s go then.”

Maybe tonight would be the night that you’ll become the hero’s in the comics you always got read when you were a young colt. Kick the bad guys flank and win the girl. Easier said than done, but you wanted to try at least.

---

The club was packed and Frost or Vinyl were no were to be seen. Ace noticed how stressed out you looked and patted your shoulder comfortingly.

“Chill out. We’ll find her.”

“You punks are back again?” A thick voice erupted.

A large stallion walked over to you over from the bar, a small gang following him. You recall this stallion was the one that
held onto Vinyl while Frost…never mind.

“You’re like a cockroach you know? No matter how many times we stomp on you, you always manage to crawl back.” The thug scowled at you.

“I’ll back off if you hand over Vinyl.” You reply angrily.

The group of thugs roared out in laughter and you waited until they calmed down. “Who are you to make demands? You have absolutely nothing to threaten us with.” One of the thugs chimed in.

“Demands you say? This interests me.” Frost interjects, finally showing his ugly mug to the world.

Hate courses through your veins, like venom, and you wish Frost would just explode on the spot. “Hand over Vinyl.” You repeated.

“Trying to save Vinyl again? There are so many more mares out in the world. Yet you continue to chase after her, even after suffering the beating you got from us. Wasn’t it four broken ribs?” Frost drawled, giving you a bored look.

“How did you know about that?” Ace demanded.

“I have my sources. What you should be worrying about is that you might not walk out this club tonight.” Frost replied coldly.

“I had enough of you Frost! I’ll break every bone in your body!” Ace roared.

A whole bunch of stallions stood up and surrounded Frost and his thugs. Frost eyes widened in fear and his thugs cowered closer to him. Suddenly, the group surrounding Frost started to fight amongst each other and Frost regained his confident smile.

“Ace, I know you are a real smooth talker. However, the power of money is far more convincing then you will ever be.” Frost chuckled at Ace’s dismay.

“Run and don’t look back. Grab Vinyl if you can, but run.” Ace suddenly whispered in your ear.

“What? I can’t just leave you here!” You hiss back.

Ace shook his head and remained silent. You realize Ace was very serious and you obey his wishes. As you backed out of the circle, Frost’s thugs were calling you out.

“Go ahead, run you fool. Vinyl will be very safe with me.” Frost mocked.

The hate in your heart reaches a breaking point and you try to lunge back at Frost, but you slammed right into Gold’s chest.

“Forget about him. You came here for other reasons.” Gold muttered darkly.

You look back at Ace, who looked more determined than ever. “Don’t lose Ace.”

“Are you doubting me? Don't I feel special?” Ace replied simply.

Gold drags you from the congested circle. The last thing you saw was the crowd of stallions engulfing Ace and Frost, who exchanged punching hooves. One of Frost’s thugs latched onto your leg and wouldn’t let go. Gold noticed the straggler and ripped his tail right off. The stallion screeched in pain and writhed on the floor in agony, letting you go completely.

“Sherry told me Frost has been keeping Vinyl in my old office, which is probably his now. She should still be in there. The office is right along the DJ booth, second floor.” Gold advised you.

“Thanks Gold, I owe you big time.” You reply, trotting quickly to the DJ booth.

Gold just shrugs and moves back to the fighting group of stallions, snapping his neck to loosen himself up. You watch Gold fight his way into the crowd with little effort. He was probably trying to see if Ace needed help. However, you knew your focus right now was to be on finding Vinyl. Once you got to the DJ booth, there was a door behind it. There was a gold plate on the door, engraved with Gold’s name.

“Can’t let you do that.” A familiar thick voice growled.

You turn around and notice the large stallion from earlier followed you up here. He held a knife in his mouth and the look in his eyes told you that he had no intention for you to walk away alive.

“I wonder if cockroaches can live with a hole in there heart.” The stallion muttered after grabbing the knife in one hoof.

“I wonder if ponies can live without a brain. But hey, you’re alive.” You retorted.

The stallion roared and tried to stab you in the chest. You manage to side step him, making the knife stab a speaker instead. The knife went surprisingly deep into the speaker and it started to hiss and spit sparks violently as the stallion pulled the knife out of it. He chuckled at the shocked look on your face. Fighting against this freak of nature was just unfair.

Comments

[DianaWinters]

I demand moar...

[Pia]

Totally unfair.
DESTROY HIM.
(Loved this chapter. )

[Riften Guard]

Shit I got into just got real