Silent Step enjoyed his little hideout he just entered. It was secluded away from everyone, and was not visible by most ponies. He had to travel through three sets of entrances and traps that only he knew how to handle, and inside the small home in the cave, he had all he wanted or needed until he was ready for a better place. He didn’t know how the small house landed there, but he didn’t care. It was intact, sound, and secluded.

He opened the door, only to notice the smell of food having been cooked in the place.

He blinked, that wasn't right… he approached silently, suspecting something was about to go very wrong, fear starting to simmer, and yet he couldn't believe he was compromised in this place.

As he entered, he found… nothing in the entry room.

He cautiously, silently set his things down and then explored his home, suspecting trouble.

A light blue Unicorn mare with a white mane in business casual attire walked out of the room where the kitchen was, humming.

"Oh good! You are home. I hope you don’t mind, but I got hungry so made some food for myself. I washed up afterwards." She said in an overly sweet, cheerful voice.

"Ah, sorry to disturb you, just was spelunking and came across this place and was curious what it was. I'll just be on my way then." He said, quickly starting to back up and play guest.

"Oh yes, spelunking through a cave filled with traps and not get killed, I wasn't told you had a sense of humor Mr. Step." She said, genuinely laughing.

"Huh? Whos that?" He asked as he moved back to the entrance.

"Oh, come now Mr. Step, enough with the jokes. I'll need to update your file with this." She said giggling and pulled out a file from her jacket and started to look it over. "Let's see, connection to known crime families… no living parents… younger brother being cared for by some very nice ponies in Baltimare, the mare of which makes wonderful sugar cookies by the way… oh, he lives with a foster sister… and takes Bent street home from school. Hmmm… fairly deserted street that." She commented idly. "Ah, here we go. Space!" She said and started to write. "Has… good… sense… of… humor." With that written, she closed the file and put it back in her jacket.

He froze briefly, then opened the door, "I have no idea what you're talking about, but I wish you luck finding this pony."

The door was wrapped in green magic and closed. "Now now Mr. Step you wouldn't be running off right after we just met would you?" She asked cheerfully. "That would just be rude."

"You keep calling me that..." Step protested, trying to reach for the door, "I'm sorry you misunderstood, but-"

"Mr. Step I cam alllllll the way out here just to talk to you and this is how you treat a guest? Such a poor host." The pony said with a frown, starting to pout.

"How can I host if it’s not my place?" He asked, getting nervous.

"Oh come on Mr. Step, this pace has you written all over it. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere with tons of traps between the door and the cave entrance." She said. "Also you perfectly match the description."

"D-description? Description of what?" He asked, getting nervous.

"Well, your cloak, mane, fur, how you carry yourself, voice, eyes… pretty much everything." She said and pulled out the file and showed him a sketch that… looked exactly like him to his surprise.

"T-th-that..." he stammered, fear starting to climb.

She put it back in the file and once more, it vanished into her jacket. "Now then Mr. Step I am not here in any official capacity mind you, but you did a thing that upset someone, which in turn upset someone, which in turn upset someone else, and we don’t like that person to be upset, understand?" She said, cheerful once again.

"I…” He blinked, “What?"

"I know you know what you did when you made nighttime fall on the wolves Mr. Step." The mare said with a frown. She grabbed his right ear in magic and twisted it so his head was forced to lower to her level. Her voice lost its chipper tone and became cold as ice as she whispered. "So let me make one thing perfectly clear Mr. Step… no matter how far you go… no matter how deep you hide… we will find you." She whispered and twisted his ear harder. "Understand?"

"Yeow-ouch! Ow ow ow..." He yelped before he gulped, a sharp tint of fear surged through him before he continued his innocent act. "I... uhm..."

She held his ear, looking at him with that cold stare before suddenly letting go and smiling back to her cheerful self.

"Well anyways, I've taken enough of your time Mr.Step and I'm sure you are very busy." She said and the door opened as she walked towards it and she leaned her head back through it looking at him waving with a big smile. "Ta Ta! i'll see you very soon."

The door seemed to close with an ominous echoing thud as the mare disappeared on the other side of that door.

Silent Step blinked and stood still, now very nervous about what just happened. He knew he had to move yet again, somehow find a place even more secure. He had no idea who it was he upset, considering this was very unlike the guild to try anything remotely like that. The ones who sent this message had no sense of honor, and he hadn’t upset any of the underground groups yet. He was shaken, to find this very remote home having been broken into. Perhaps he would want to be even more remote... perhaps he could make that last person less upset, but that wasn’t likely.

He evaluated his home and re-secured it, then debated his options in the kitchen as he cooked his meal, unaware of how much he was shaking as that threat loomed over him.

Author's Notes:

And we get a glimps of the Military Intelligence Division in action as an Operative has a little chat with a traitor.

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