The Freelancers

by OverHeart

Chapter 47 - Monster

Lucky launched into her explanation, and reminded Star of what she already knew, that Agents weren’t naturally born, but created in a lab from willing donors. Agents effectively started off their lives as the unofficial offspring of parents they’d never know or meet.

For the first decade of their lives, they lived within a Crown compound with other foals that would eventually became their colleagues, learned from the best scholars money could buy, given the best food, the best healthcare, they didn’t want for anything, material or otherwise.

But once they came of age, Lucky detailed a process by which they’d be given their unconventional abilities and longevity. First came biological augmentation, whereby parts of their body and psyche would be remolded through chemical or magical means to suit whatever purpose the Crown had for them, which normally curtailed things like anger, jealousy, rebelliousness, and pride.

Next came Cybernetic Augmentation, bones would be replaced with nigh on unbreakable metal-laced polymers, skin weaved with heat, blade, and bulletproof materials throughout the body, hidden just below the skin, and eyes replaced with augments that could magnify images, sense heat, and see even in the lowest light conditions.

Finally, the one Lucky dreaded retelling, let alone remembering, was Magical Augmentation. It was difficult to make spells permanent nowadays and so the Crown sought a more concrete solution that took them many years to even draw up a proposal for.

The Crown’s top scientists wanted to use what was left of Director Luna’s own magic to that end as it had survived even her death condensed into a liquid form that the crown’s best had managed to salvage, but in a fit of rage she’d refused to hear their pleas for several more years after that.

After a series of setbacks and defections in the following years, she was forced to reconsider the use of her magic as a way to create an even more effective soldier, and thus, the first plans for a magically augmented agent were drawn up and given the green light, albeit reluctantly by the then distraught Director Luna.

It was given a code name to keep its existence secret. On the bottom of the thick stack of documents that made up the proposal, was a name, stamped in golden lettering.

Project Matterhorn.

---

“What actually happened though, he obviously still displays the traits you said they removed?”

“Matterhorn is special in that most of his augmentations are Magical, not Cybernetic or Biological. Though it wasn’t easy for him to come out on the other side.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“They tried to force Director Luna’s magic into somewhere it wasn’t supposed to be, and it nearly burned him alive in the process, all for a new way to mold his body into the perfect killing machine.” Lucky said angrily, rapidly losing her cool. “I had to stand there while they did it, Star, while he screamed and howled like a wild animal as the magic they infused him with tore at his mind and body!”

“Why didn’t you leave? I would’ve, no matter how desperate things seem it isn’t right to subject someone to something like that.”

“Even if we did break out and manage to escape, where would we have gone? Matterhorn has known nothing but the Crown, the only two ponies he trusts are me and the Director for crying out loud!” Lucky spat. “What kind of a life is that? At least the other agents were given the choice, he was forced into it!”

“Lucky…”

She threw her hooves in the air with a loud, exasperated groan. “I’m sorry, that got heavy really quickly.”

“You’ve been holding that in for a while, haven’t you?” Star soothed. “We should probably… you know…”

Lucky nodded. “Yes, of course, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for, Lucky.”

---

During his recon of the outside of the building, Access was faced with sheer walls of steel, with little idea on how to get on the roof from the outside. Unlike the other buildings, this one was a lot more well built and it seemed that whoever welded it together thought like a Netrunner and made it especially difficult to get to the access point on the roof of the building.

“Smooth walls, no bits to climb up on.” he mumbled. “Why can these ponies use their brains but corps insist on putting things on their buildings that make them easy to break into?”

“You’re not supposed to be admiring their workmanship, Access, we need to get at that access point, and soon.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…”

The only way into the building was through the front door, but the voices he could hear inside as they got closer were a concern. It was a toss-up as to whether those inside would cause a ruckus or not, and they had no idea just how quickly the inhabitants of this place would descend upon them.

Sheet Rock peered through a small crack in the door near its hinges, and her heart nearly burst with joy at what she saw inside. She could see Bulwark and Scarlet talking with a gray stallion, calmly, not under any duress at all, though she could tell that the conversation was serious.

She signaled to Access and he took up a position on the other edge of the door. Together, with weapons gripped in their respective magic, pushed the door open gently.

---

“So, I think we have a very good chance at taking him down but we need to be very- Oh, it looks like we have guests!”

“Sheet? Access? Is that really you?” Scarlet began, her eyes welling up with tears upon seeing her friends. “How did you find us?”

“It doesn’t matter, we need to leave, now!” Access said, closing the door behind himself. “No time to explain why.”

“I’m afraid they have a bargain to fulfill at the moment.” the stallion said. “Your departure will have to wait, unless you want to help deal with a madpony too?”

“And you are?”

“My name’s Gray. Your friends and I have been having a grand discussion, care to enlighten them, you two?”

“Gray wants our help in removing Riot from the equation, so to speak.” Bulwark informed. “We were going to do it quietly, but with you two around, we should be able to act with a little more decisiveness, should we want to.”

“Our backup has a vested interest in Riot as well, so they’d more than likely go along with your little plan as well.” Access offered. “I have no idea where they are right now though, so we’ll just have to assume their answer is positive.”

“Do I know these ponies?”

“Nope, though neither did we until they showed up the hideout and offered to help. I don’t think we would’ve gotten this far without them. No doubt you’ll get to meet them eventually.”

“Now if we’re done patting each other on the back and indulging in our little reunion, we have more important things to be concerned with.” Gray said as he stepped forward. “Judging by your augmentations, you two are Netrunners, there is an access point on the roof as you’ve probably noticed, but there’s another below ground in a little disused storage crawlspace. That’ll likely be safer for you when the bullets start to fly.”

“Suits us.” Sheet Rock said, silencing Access’ growing sense of annoyance with a hoof. “Out of interest, what exactly did you have in mind for helping you out?”

“Riot probably doesn’t yet know of your presence, so hiding in the crawlspace while doing what you do seems like the best course of action. He wont expect to be attacked here or within the net either, and in the ensuing chaos, you’ll be able to lay your hooves on some secrets of his.”

“Sounds good, let’s get to work then.”

Gray led them to the crawlspace, hidden under a rusted hatch, underneath which was just enough space for Access and Sheet Rock to fit into. The access point was mounted to a wooden beam that jutted out the floor, wires hanging off of it lazily in thick bundles that led toward other buildings and up through the wall, presumably to the roof.

When they were snugly and comfortably under the hatch, Gray gave them a sympathetic nod before he closed the hatch behind them.